For Couples

It's no secret that sex toys are a fun way to mix things up in (and outside of) the bedroom. And while they're obviously very fun to use solo, couples sex toys are a great way to up the ante and take more control of your pleasure when you're with a partner, too.

Of course, fingers, mouths, and genitals can go far, but vibrators, sex toys, and other fun accessories like bondage can open up new doors and avenues to O-town—and, sex therapists agree. "Toys are a great asset to increase arousal," says Jenni Skyler, PhD, certified sex therapist. "It’s kind of like, you can make a fire with flint. But if you have some gas lighter, it’s going to go a little more smoothly for you."

Assuming you and your partner have agreed to purchase one (kudos!), the next step is deciding what toy—or toys—you want to bring into the bedroom. As Good Vibrations staff sexologist Carol Queen, Ph.D., tells Glamour, any toy can be a couple’s toy. Their use is as diverse as the people within a given relationship, and they don’t have to be used for just penetrative intercourse.

Plus, partner sex isn’t one specific act. For starters, foreplay is key, and these toys can help you explore different erogenous zones. They can take the tension relief of makeup sex to the next level, and assuming you’re both past the “should you or shouldn’t you buy a sex toy?” stage, a new gadget could be just what the two of you need to blow off steam. (After all, when’s the last time you felt vibrations so good you nearly passed out?)