Automatic masturbator: what does the motor do – and is it worth it?

An ordinary masturbator is a sleeve you move up and down yourself. An automatic or electric masturbator has a motor that does part of the work. But the term covers four quite different technologies, and which one you choose matters more than the brand does:

Vibration – one or more motors shake the sleeve, often aimed at the glans. Air pulse – pulses of air against the frenulum, the same principle as in air pulse toys for the clitoris. Suction and contraction – a pump creates negative pressure or squeezes the sleeve all the way round. Thrusting – the machine moves the sleeve back and forth by itself, so you can lie still.

What the motor doesn't change is the basic care: the canal has to be cleaned and dried after every use, and water-based lube is still the rule. How to use a masturbator step by step is covered in how to use a masturbator. This guide is about the motor: what it adds, what it costs you in maintenance and when a manual sleeve is the better buy.

The technologies differ not just in feel but in construction. The more mechanics, the bigger the housing, and the shorter the list of what can take water.

Vibrating masturbators are the smallest and simplest. Satisfyer Men Vibration+ has fourteen vibration programmes that can be edited in an app, silicone in the tapered tunnel and an IPX7 ingress protection rating. Arcwave Zing is an open half-sleeve with two motors, ten patterns at ten intensities and an elastic strap that makes it hands-free. Satisfyer Men Heat Vibration adds warmth: the silicone heats to 39 degrees according to the packaging, on a button of its own.

What the three have in common is that the manufacturer states IPX7 for the whole product, the contact surface is silicone, and they charge with a magnetic cable. That combination is what makes them easy to own.

Arcwave Ion 2 is the only stroker in our review built around air pulses. Instead of vibration it sends pulsating air against the frenulum, in eight intensity levels, and has an Autopilot mode with three settings that vary randomly within a range. Smart Silence means the pump only runs when the sensor is covered. The sleeve is silicone and twists off the unit, and both sleeve and unit are IPX7 according to the manufacturer.

Svakom Sam Neo 2 Pro has a suction pump and a vibration motor that are controlled separately in five levels, plus five combined modes, and a heating rod that pre-warms the sleeve to 38 degrees. Lovense Max 2 uses an air pump that creates contractions around the full circumference of the sleeve and has vibration on a separate button. Max 2 also goes furthest on app control: long-distance, patterns and syncing with other Lovense products.

The price of the pump is waterproofing. Svakom states IPX7 only for the sleeve and explicitly says the housing is not waterproof. Lovense states IPX6 for Max 2, meaning water jets but not submersion, and the air valve must be closed when it's cleaned.

This is the type most people mean by an automatic masturbator. Lovense Solace Pro strokes up to 300 times a minute with a stroke length of up to 79 millimetres, has eight speeds and four depth levels right on the product, and comes with a table mount for completely hands-free use. Svakom Alex Neo 2 has seven thrusting modes and states up to 120 strokes a minute in the moderate mode. Autoblow A.I. Ultra has ten modes at ten speeds, 20–220 strokes a minute according to the packaging, and runs off mains power.

This is the only family where strokes per minute, stroke length and run time actually matter, and the only one where an app genuinely adds function: custom patterns, video sync and remote control. But it's also the family that's hardest to keep clean – more on that below.

A masturbator has a canal that must be rinsed through after every use. That's why the ingress protection rating matters more here than for an ordinary vibrator. The ratings come from the IEC 60529 standard: IPX7 means the product can withstand submersion to one metre for 30 minutes, IPX6 powerful water jets, IPX4 only splashes. What the ratings mean in practice is explained in waterproof sex toys.

Among the products above there are four levels. Whole product IPX7: Satisfyer Men Vibration+, Men Heat Vibration, Arcwave Zing and Ion 2 – they can be rinsed under the tap. IPX6: Lovense Max 2, which can be rinsed with running water but not submerged. IPX4: Lovense Solace Pro, where the manufacturer states that the main body must not get wet and that only the inner sleeve is washed. No protection at all for the housing: Svakom Sam Neo 2 Pro and Alex Neo 2, where only the removable sleeve can take water, and Autoblow A.I. Ultra, which according to the manufacturer must never be submerged and should only be wiped down on the outside.

The pattern is clear: the more mechanics, the poorer the protection. A thrusting machine has moving parts and openings that a sealed vibrator doesn't. That doesn't make thrusting machines bad, but it does mean the sleeve must always be removable – and that you have to be bothered to remove it every time.

The sleeve is the part in contact with the skin, and it's almost always what wears out first. Two materials dominate. Silicone is non-porous and can be cleaned completely – it's used in the Arcwave and Satisfyer models above. TPE is softer but porous, and is used in Lovense Solace Pro, Max 2 and Svakom's two models. Why porosity matters is explained in body-safe sex toy materials.

With the TPE sleeves there are three things to bear in mind. Lovense states that the Solace Pro sleeve should be cleaned both before and after every use, and that soap must not be used on the inner sleeve of the Max 2. Lovense gives the sleeve a 90-day warranty versus one year for the product. Svakom excludes sleeves and charging cables from its warranty for Alex Neo 2, and Autoblow excludes the sleeve from its one-year warranty.

So check whether the sleeve can be bought separately. Lovense sells replacement sleeves for Max 2. Arcwave sells a replacement sleeve for Ion but not for Zing, where the sleeve is fixed – a damaged surface then means the whole product is finished. A machine whose sleeve can be replaced is a one-off investment; a machine where it can't has a lifespan dictated by the sleeve.

The power supply decides whether the product will still be usable in a couple of years. Four solutions appear among the models here:

Standard USB-C: Lovense Solace Pro and Svakom Sam Neo 2 Pro. Lose the cable and any one will do. Product-specific magnetic cable: Satisfyer Men Vibration+, Men Heat Vibration, Arcwave Zing and Ion 2. Magnetic charging is part of the reason they can be IPX7, but a lost cable has to be replaced by the manufacturer. Lovense Max 2 has a brand-specific cable that's sold separately. Round DC connector: Svakom Alex Neo 2, where the cable is also excluded from the warranty. Mains power: Autoblow A.I. Ultra has no battery at all and must be plugged into a wall socket the whole time it's in use.

Run time varies more than you'd think. Solace Pro states up to 14 hours. Arcwave Zing states 60 minutes and Men Heat Vibration about 60 minutes. Satisfyer Men Vibration+ needs about six hours of charging for roughly 90 minutes of use, and Svakom Alex Neo 2 charges in 120 minutes for 90 minutes of use. Lovense also states that neither Solace Pro nor Max 2 may be used while charging. More on batteries and charging in rechargeable sex toys.

Hardly any manufacturer publishes a decibel figure for its masturbators. Lovense is the exception: Solace Pro is given as at most 63 dB, but without a measuring distance or setting, so the figure can't be compared directly with other brands. Arcwave, Svakom and Satisfyer give no figure for the models here, and Autoblow's packaging calls A.I. Ultra the brand's quietest machine without giving any number.

What can be said is that a thrusting machine has more sources of noise than a vibrator – motor, mechanics and air being pushed in and out of the sleeve – and that a table mount can transfer the movement to the tabletop. Arcwave Ion 2 has Smart Silence, which keeps the pump still when it's not in use. If quietness is crucial, read quiet vibrators on how to interpret noise specifications.

A manual sleeve has no battery to age, no cable to lose and nothing electrical to break. It can't vibrate or move, but for many people that's plenty. Choose a motor when it adds something you actually want:

Hands-free. A thrusting machine with a mount, or an open sleeve with a strap like Arcwave Zing, lets you keep your hands free. Stimulation a hand can't provide. Air pulses, vibration and heat are things you can't do yourself. Remote control and long distance. App-controlled models such as Lovense Max 2 and Solace Pro can be controlled by a partner from afar – see remote-controlled sex toys. A steady rhythm for a long time. A machine doesn't get tired.

A motor is the wrong buy if you mainly want a product that's easy to look after, if you don't want yet another thing to charge, or if you want to be able to take it travelling without thinking about cables. Then a manual sleeve is better. How Fleshlight's different formats differ is covered in the Fleshlight guide, and a comparison of the whole field is in best masturbators.

1. What kind of movement do you want? Vibration and air pulses stimulate while you set the pace yourself. Suction and contraction change the pressure. Only a thrusting machine does the movement itself.

2. How will it be cleaned? Check the IP rating for the whole product, not just for the sleeve, and whether the sleeve can be taken out or twisted off.

3. What is the sleeve made of, and can it be replaced? Silicone needs the least care. TPE sleeves are often a consumable part with a shorter warranty.

4. How does it charge? USB-C is the easiest to replace. Magnetic and DC cables are product-specific. Mains power means a cord the whole time.

5. Will it fit? Few manufacturers publish insertion depth or inner diameter. Svakom states an insertion depth of 138 millimetres for Alex Neo 2; Satisfyer gives neither length nor diameter for Men Vibration+. Arcwave Zing is open along one side and therefore has no upper length limit. Since opened hygiene products can rarely be returned, it's worth tracking down the measurements before you order.

Rinsing the whole product when only the sleeve can take water. Svakom explicitly excludes damage from submerging non-waterproof parts from its warranty. Take the sleeve out first.

Using the wrong lube. Every manufacturer here specifies water-based. Svakom's manual for Alex Neo 2 advises against silicone-based lube, oils, lotions and hand cream, which break down TPE. On silicone sleeves, silicone lube makes the surface porous over time. Read more in which lube to choose.

Boiling the sleeve or putting it in the dishwasher. Arcwave states that its products must not be exposed to more than 45 degrees, Svakom gives 40 degrees as the upper limit for Alex Neo 2, and Satisfyer gives a storage temperature of up to 60 degrees. Boiling and the dishwasher are ruled out for all the models here.

Putting the sleeve away damp. A canal that hasn't dried is where bacteria and mould take hold. The routine for cleaning and drying is in how to clean sex toys.

Running a thrusting machine without a break. Autoblow A.I. Ultra has overheating protection that requires ten minutes' rest when it trips. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and never use the machine without a sleeve.

Anyone who wants their hands free, anyone who wants to explore stimulation that can't be achieved by hand, and couples or long-distance relationships where a partner wants to be in control. For people with reduced strength or mobility in their hands and arms, a machine with a mount may also be what makes a masturbator usable at all.

Anyone who wants something simple, durable and quick to look after is usually better off with a manual sleeve or a sealed vibrating model with IPX7. And anyone mainly looking for something to add to sex with a partner may get more out of a vibrating cock ring. A broader overview is in sex toys for men.

Whatever the type: stop if it hurts or if your skin becomes irritated, and contact a healthcare provider if the problem doesn't go away. Use a condom and clean the sleeve between people if the product is shared.