I don’t know about you, but sex machines always intimidated me. In addition to seeming incredibly performative, I associated sex machines with people who knew more than me; Or had more sex than I did. (Where did I get this idea? I have no idea.) Also, I always wanted to see a sex machine comparison chart and simply couldn’t find one that wasn’t biased and made by one of the companies.
The further that I got into my sex therapy and educator career, the more curious I became about these machines. And, frankly, it started to feel irresponsible to not be able to speak to these from experience. How could I recommend something I didn’t understand? How could I know when something could help someone when I didn’t even know what it was like.b
I had talked to folks who had used them and I definitely saw my fair share of them in porn. I also heard them talked about on Howard Stern and around sex-positive circles. It was time to try one. But it wasn’t time to not just try one — rather the 4 main sex machines on the market right now. And not just try them, but compare them, so you can know if/which one is right for you.
For this research, I had the pleasure (pun definitely intended) of trying four different machines.
Today, Sybian has become the Kleenex of the sex saddle/sex machine world. Even when folks are talking about other brands of sex machines — they call it a Sybian; Similar to how folks refer to almost all facial tissues as Kleenex. Why is this? Well, Sybian is the original sex-machine. Launched in 1987 by Dave Lampert, it’s still the most luxury machine on the market. Sybian allows you to pick between different colors of leather and a solid design that just.. works.
Before we get into each machine and compare them, let’s talk about what a sex saddle – aka a sex machine – aka a fuck machine – aka a riding vibrator is.
These machines typically consist of the main seat, a controller, and some sort of attachment to sit on. Whoever is using the sex saddle can hop on top or pull it towards your body vertically. Once the machine is on, it will either twirl, rotate, or thrust (depending on the machine) and vibrate through your entire body (and floor.) These machines will make most folks orgasm in a matter of minutes.
While they’re definitely large and can’t be put away in a bedside table like other sex toys, they’re very versatile. They’re all designed with a lot of adjustable settings and attachments making truly an infinite number of pleasurable possibilities. With all of these machines, I recommend you put down a mat, towel, or place it on your mattress.
Here is a little bit about each machine and my experience with it — and then we’ll get into a side-by-side comparison to pick which unit (if any) is best for you!
Sybian
Named after the Ancient Greek city Sybaris, a city of luxury and outrageous pleasure-seeking, this is the original sex-machine. The first thing that stuck out to me about this machine is how nice it looks. “The Sybian looks like a half-barrel or riding saddle with a vibrating ridge on the top which can be fitted with a different dildo or clitoral stimulation attachments,” Aliyah Moore of SexualAlpha.com says. It’s a little bit smaller than the other units and has a really retro-looking controller attached to it.
Additionally, we got it with red leather, which makes it… so beautiful. The remote control has two knobs on it — one for rotation and one for vibration. While others have written about how much they love the rotation setting, it’s just not for me. In my body, it feels a little too much like someone is trying to create space inside my vagina like a mix-master or a whisk (I don’t need to be throthed, thank you!) But, the vibrations are really nice. A bit less intense than its counterparts, the Sybian comes in at 0.059 HP and 6,000 RPM (as compared to the Motorbunny at .08 HP and 7,000 RPM).
You can find more comparisons on the chart below.
The Sybian is simple to use on your own and fun to use with a partner or during group play. You can use it flat on a bed or mat (it’s very loud, so you want something underneath to help with the vibration distribution.) It comes with 4 TPE attachments or 2 silicone attachments (Note: I will always recommend silicone over TPE for your ultimate health and safety). Here’s the deal: TPE can be softer than silicone, but it’s porous, which means that it can’t be fully cleaned. Silicone, on the other hand, is not porous and can be cleaned thoroughly (hooray, silicone!). Also important to note, Sybian has 6 extra silicone attachments you can purchase in addition to the 2 that come with it. The Sybian also comes with a positioning stool, which is helpful when you want to position yourself in various ways. (Bonus!)
OH! Fun fact… the Sybian and Motorbunny core designs are so similar that you can actually use the attachments on each of them. So, I recommend sticking with the silicone attachments for both (Motorbunny offers TPE as well.)
Sybian offers a 45-day trial so you can try it out and see if you like it. (But wait to click any of these links until you read all the way down to our handy comparison chart!)
Motorbunny Buck
This was REALLY fun, very pleasurable, and fun to use alone and with a partner. Honestly, this one was kind of my favorite, but also the hardest to use alone. The thrusting piece of the Motorbunny BUCK in addition to the vibration is REALLY cool and has two options (one more of a traditional thrust & one is a g-thrust aiming right at the g-spot or p-spot). You can ride on top of the machine like the others, or you can put it on the angler. Doing this allows you to lay on your back (even better with the Liberator Wedge pillow), or on your hands and knees. If you’re using it on its side, it’s super helpful to have a partner be able to angle it and push the machine towards your body.
It’s totally doable to use this solo AND it was a very fun partner activity. (Thanks, babe!)
The vibration covers so much surface area and offers a deep and rumbly vibration that provides a very intense full-body orgasm. It comes with 3 attachments, 1 non-penetrative and 3 penetrative. They’re all delightful and made of high-quality easy-to-clean silicone (so use WATER-BASED lube, like LeWand’s or System JO’s water-based lube!). I really love that the machine has a controller AND can be controlled via an app. It also links to games, which is frankly just FUN. Anything that can make sex more fun, whether that is solo, partnered or group is just that.. FUN!
It’s a great machine to explore what you like and to go all-in on what you know you like.
It’s a great machine for solo sex aka masturbation and it’s a great machine for partnered or group play.
It’s a very sexy machine, not gonna lie.
The Motorbunny website explains this and the difference between the BUCK and original so well, I wanted to give you the blurb. “Motorbunny exists to empower sexually creative experiences by providing high-performance products, tremendous value, and overdelivering on customer service expectations. Motorbunny Original is the most versatile power-vibrator in the world, combining powerful vibrations with rotating attachments. Motorbunny BUCK is the only power-vibrator with realistic thrusting motions. In short, a Motorbunny BUCK is a Motorbunny that thrusts instead of “twirls.”
Motorbunny Original
This twirling tech on the Motorbunny Original is similar to the Sybian, in fact, their attachments can be used with both machines (Motorbunny and Sybian) — pretty cool huh?! While there are absolutely differences between the two, they’re in the specs and pricing and not as much in the experience of using the machines, in my opinion. One of the biggest differences, however, is that the Motorbunny has four eyelets for BDSM play – if you love the forced orgasm or other BDSM play — it’s easy to clip a leash, collar, wrist restraints or anything else you (safely) want to clip on.
In fact, here are some attachments by Motorbunny that are also compatible with Sybian.
Cowgirl
Last but definitely not least in any way is the Cowgirl. I had the pleasure of trying the Cowgirl in its limited-edition Unicorn garb. Although the machinery itself is the same, regardless of whether it’s dressed up as a unicorn ‘costume’ or not, it was fun to use this unicorn-themed situation. The company that makes the Cowgirl is COTR, Inc. which is the parent company of b-Vibe and LeWand, two of my favorite toy companies. I felt excited and intimated trying this sex machine by myself, and it turned out to be so much easier and less intimidating than I thought it would be. The Cowgirl (traditional and unicorn) comes with a plug-in controller and can be controlled by the app as well.
The vibrations are rumbly and deep and make for a very intense full-body orgasmic experience.
One Reddit user anonymously posted a review that said “I turned the dial to halfway and I swear I could get off from the vibrations transmitting through the floor from just being next to it never mind actually sitting on it.” The Cowgirl doesn’t have any eyelets (just like Sybian), and it comes with 2 silicone attachments (one penetrative and one non-penetrative), which makes choosing one a bit easier with less decision fatigue and offers six other styles you can purchase (all silicone, vs. the other companies that have a TPE option).
It comes with two different rod types that go between the unit and the attachment and are used to help transfer the vibration and spin the toy. One is a firm plastic rod and the other is a more flexible spring (the Sybian and Motorbunny Original have these options as well) which will provide for a variety in how the attachment will actually feel. The Cowgirl is a bit wider than the other sex saddles, so if you have any trouble with your hips, it may be a bit intense (and for others, it’s the perfect fit). On the flip side of that same wider coin is the extra padding for comfort.
Side-by-Side Sex Machine Comparison
As one reviewer put it, “their most powerful settings will numb you fast and trick the orgasm out of you… but lower settings will be nicely massaging.” I didn’t get numb at all and thoroughly enjoyed all four of these toys. Here is a chart comparing the specs of each sex saddle to find out which one is best for you. And please, please, stay away from the TPE attachments… please.
Where to Purchase
Sybian
Here is the link to purchase your very own Sybian.
Motorbunny
Here is the link to purchase your own Motorbunny Original or Motorbunny BUCK.
Cowgirl
Here is the link to buy your own Cowgirl.
