About.com Rating

I was prepared to be unimpressed with the Trojan Tri-Phoria Intimate Massager (buy direct). Few manufacturers make great products their first time around, and the vibrator options from Trojan thus far had been underwhelming. Also, while it's hard to understand given the size of a company like Church & Dwight, the marketing for Tri-Phoria felt cheap and kind of throw-away, expressing, at least to me, a lack of interest in the product.


Maybe it was the low expectations, but once I managed to wrestle the box open, I was pleasantly surprised with the design and power of Tri-Phoria. It's designed and marketed to first-time vibrator users, and it's simplicity is a welcome change from the high-tech toys that are often over burdened with unnecessary options and technology. One battery goes in a twist off cap, and a two-button switch cycles through five speeds and three pulsation modes of vibration.

Most surprising were the three interchangeable tips, which are easy to switch up and provide genuinely different sensations. One is a classic hard plastic cap (made famous by the original Japanese Pocket Rocket), one is a silicone domed and ridged tip, and one is a thin, flat tip that offers a kind of flickering motion.

So that's the good news. The not-so-good news is that the toy is L-O-U-D. This is extra annoying since they've decided to put "quiet vibration" on the front of the box. There's nothing quiet about Tri-Phoria, and if you've got thin walls, a lack of privacy, or are worried about anyone hearing you, you're either going to have to crank the music up, or choose another vibrator.

Beyond the noise, what the Tri-Phoria reminds one is how much better sex toys are today than they were even 15 years ago. The Tri-Phoria comes with no information about a warranty and only partial information about what the toy is made from. When your competition is going out of its way to respond to consumer requests for more information and for greater responsiveness from the manufacturers, the approach of a large multi-national like Church & Dwight seems out of touch. Mind you they aren't really going for the market of people who are already using vibrators and are comfortable shopping in sex stores. Their eyes are set on the much larger untapped market of people who have never used a vibrator before and might not feel immediately comfortable going to a sex shop and getting the kind of honest, detailed help one can still get from the better sex stores.

So even though for the price I can think of a few other vibrators I'd recommend as first time toys, I'm keeping my mind open about Trojan's future as a sex toy manufacturer, and there's no doubt in my mind that the Tri-Phoria would be a great choice for some people looking to try their first vibrator.

Pros

• Five-speed motor offers both mild and powerful vibration.
• Three interchangeable tips offer distinct sensation options for external stimulation.
• Product design is comfortable to hold and the push button controls are easy to use.
• Fully waterproof, easy to clean.

Cons

• Tri-Phoria is very loud, reminiscent of old-school hard plastic vibrators.
• The handle vibrates a fair bit, which can make your hand go numb when holding.
• You have to cycle through five speeds to get to pulsation.
• No warranty information.

Description

• Hard plastic vibrator comes with two silicone and one hard plastic interchangeable tips.
• Battery powered motor uses one "AA" battery (included).
• Motor has five speeds and three pulsation modes.
• Comes with a lined sex toy bag and basic instruction information.

The Bottom Line
As Trojan's first serious attempt to make a full sized vibrator, the Tri-Phoria has many things to recommend it -- yet lots of room for improvement, namely making this toy a lot less noisy. However, the shape is easy to hold and suitable for solo or partner play, the design is discreet without being clinical, and the five-speed motor is surprisingly powerful. Considering the selection of sex toys already out there, I'm not sure that I'd agree that "pleasure just got better" but the Tri-Phoria is a pleasant surprise and may be a good choice for some first-time vibrator users.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by Babeland. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.