Durex Play Allure Vibrator

Pleasantly surprised

Reviewed: 30 Aug 2011 by esmeralda, a Going Steady Straight Female

I didn't expect a condom brand to produce a great product like this.

Besides this one wearing out a little (that could be my fault, for all I know), I have NO OTHER complaints.

It's great when I'm alone, and I've even used it on my boyfriend, who loves it.

A lot of other vibrators are loud and don't last as long. This is very sturdy.

Discreet and powerful

Reviewed: 29 Oct 2008 by englishrose, a Single Bisexual Female

As you might expect from Durex, the allure vibe is excellent quality at a reasonable price. It arrives securely packaged in a box with a window, discreetly covered by a flap, and there are no cheesy pictures of gasping women or dodgy low-rent porn scenes on the front. The first impression is therefore excellent, suggesting a serious piece of kit that passes above the "adult novelty" idea.

The vibe itself comes with a handy little instruction booklet, in case you need some help, and also a purple drawstring bag - just the thing for discretion when travelling or to enable you to leave it out on the nightstand without everyone knowing what you're getting up to. A nice touch (though is anyone ever deceived by this? Is there anything innocent that you might leave out and about covered up in its own little pouch? I'm not sure - but even if not, it's a great storage solution: and top marks to Durex for not putting it in a translucent, gauzy fabric, as some other makers do...) and another indicator of the quality.

Another nice touch is that there is an AA battery included in with the set- already installed and just waiting for you to remove the plastic separating the battery from the contacts, and turning it the right way up. A really handy idea - and great for when you've forgotten to order batteries from Lovehoney or can't find your supply at home.

The vibe itself is pretty discreet - fairly standard and rather slim, made of a single piece of white plastic, with a purple control ring towards the base. It's completely odourless, even when straight out of the box, and incredibly easy to clean, though it's not totally waterproof. Where it excels itself, though, is in the power of the vibrations. Despite only being powered by one battery, you can feel strong vibrations which go all the way to the tip, even at the lowest setting. The controls are a simple twist mechanism, allowing you to adjust from high to low and back again, or to leave the power on at your chosen setting. I found the lowest setting was more than enough - when turned up high, things just moved along even faster: so it really depends exactly how you're wanting to use it and your personal taste as to how strong you like your vibrations - there should be something here for everyone.

This would be a great vibe for beginners, who are just testing the waters and maybe don't want something too big or too threatening. It's also great for introducing your partner to the joy of toys - some men get scared of massive cock-shaped vibes: there really is nothing in the allure to terrify anyone - you can even use it on tight muscles elsewhere in the body to great effect. It's slim size means it's also great as an introduction to anal vibes, and its powerful punch has a wonderful effect. Just remember, though, not to get carried away and insert it too far - it doesn't have a flared base, and the thought of it buzzing its way out of reach is just grim.

I found it particularly effective when used on my clit - it wasn't quite substantial enough to work totally effectively when inserted - and when used on my partner: I read a nice tip somewhere on this site about holding a vibe to your cheek whilst giving a blowjob, and can confirm that not only does this give excellent results, this is also a great vibe to do it with - it won't rattle all your teeth loose in your head like some monsters, it's small enough to hold easily in one hand but it still delivers powerful vibrations to your partner.

I was very impressed by this vibe - but I do have a few reservations about the allure. The first of these is the sound. At a low setting, the hum is barely perceptible - however, once you crank things up, the buzz is extremely pervasive and, to my mind, a bit intrusive. And certainly not discreet if you're trying for some solo satisfaction sotto voce. Obviously, inserting the allure does quieten things down a fair bit - but even so, the highest setting is still quite noticeably noisy.

The second reservation concerns the controls. If you are quite clumsy, like I am, and have big hands like mine, you may also find it somewhat fiddly to operate one-handed. The speed is controlled by a twist mechanism, but instead of the fairly standard roughened ring you get on many vibes, the ring on the allure is smooth, so hard to get a grip on, especially if you're lubed up. Worse than that, it is also all too easy to accidentally unscrew the battery lid when trying to turn things down a notch: this has happened to me several times now - it's frustrating, and though it's undoubtedly my fault for being cack-handed, not a problem I've had with other vibes of a similar design. This is only a small niggle, though, and the more I use it, the more I'll get used to knowing when to stop twisting!

Non-intimidating, non-distinct

Reviewed: 22 Dec 2012 by exposed, a Going Steady Straight Male

The vibrator comes in a nice package and includes a pretty satin pouch for storage/transport.

I bought this to get a non-intimidating first vibrator for my girlfriend, but when she saw it she actually found it boring.

She found the vibrations too strong, but I attribute that more to not her not using a vibrator before than the strength of the vibrations.

If you find it difficult to twist off the battery cap, don't worry, it's a bit tight, but it won't break if you force it.

An OK starter

Reviewed: 07 Dec 2008 by Sparkly~Bi~Attitude

I bought this product 2 weeks ago and I do keep using it but I wouldn't say it was brilliant.

It's a great shape, has good vibrations and is a simple design that I like however it isn't the easiest to switch on and off or vibrate up or down. My first go I was un-doing it and the batteries were falling out. I have the hang of it now thankfully.

It comes beautifully packaged and a purple satin pouch is supplied for the toy.

I would only recommend this item if you are starting out on your journey of sex toys or are wanting a simple product that will make you orgasm with little to no fuss.

Good size and vibes

Reviewed: 27 Mar 2013 by Bootilicious, an Engaged Bisexual Female

This was one of my first toys. Not too big or thick, overall a good size.

Me and my BF used this a lot before we went shopping. Good beginners toy, but there are better toys available on the market. Although its form gives it a nice touch.

He has a variable speed, but pretty hard to handle when you are using it.