I’ve reported on sex toys for almost five years, and time and again, the best remote-control vibrators are at the top of our most sought-after toys. There’s something so hot about giving someone else the ability to control your pleasure. The toys often work as long-distance sex toys because they can be directed from anywhere via phone app (hello, creative Valentine’s Day gift). Many are also wearable, either fastening into the underwear or fitting snugly enough inside the vagina that your hands are left free to focus on other feel-good areas.
So what are the best vibrators for hands-free play? Well, our team of Glamour reviewers put dozens to the test to find out. Everything on this list has been vetted and recommended not only by us, but by sex educators. (If you don’t want to scroll the whole article, I’ll leave this here: The Lelo Tiani Duo is my favorite thanks to it’s easy to use app, and two powerful motors.)
The best remote-control vibrators, at a glance
- Best Overall: Lelo Tiani Duo,
$199$139 - Best App-Controlled: We-Vibe Sync 2, $159
- Best for Long-Distance: Lovense Nora, $130
- Best for Couples: Lelo Tor 3, $119
How we picked the best remote-control vibrators
What we looked for
To select the top remote-controlled vibrators for this list, we evaluated the following criteria in order to curate our selections:
- Ease of use: We considered how straightforward each device was to operate (especially crucial for beginners as well) and how comfortable it was to grasp for long periods (and, in some cases, how comfortable to wear).
- Effectiveness: We examined how strong the connectivity of each toy was to its remote and/or its app, as well as how diverse its range of offered sensations and intensities was.
- Battery life: Does the toy last for an hour on a charge, at minimum? The longer it stayed charged, the better we rated it.
- Value: We measured the price of each vibrator against its quality and features to make sure it delivered bang for its buck.
- Noise: We selected for toys that were either whisper-quiet or not distractingly loud. The audibility of the toy was especially important for ones that might be used in public environments, such as panty vibrators.
I weighed these factors along with expert opinions, reviewer feedback, and my own experience.
How to shop for a remote-controlled vibrator
Consider how you’ll use your vibe. Vibrators with remote functionality can be used both for masturbation or with a partner(s). Panty vibrators like the We-Vibe Moxie+, for instance, can be worn fastened into undies for a buzz that no one will see or feel save you—with the controllability of their intensity either in your hands or someone else’s. In a long-distance relationship and want to play from afar? Make sure your toy is app-controllable.
Think about what type of sensations you’re after. If you’re really into clitoral stimulation, a suction toy like the We-Vibe Melt mimics the flicking feeling of a tongue (while its 12 levels of intensity can be guided via remote). Want more G-spot action? Many toys are designed to slide inside the vagina and target the G-spot. For instance, one motor controls the shaft of the Lovense Nora rabbit vibrator, which fits inside the body, while a separate motor powerfully drives the toy’s clit-ticking ears. Playing with a partner? The Lelo Tiani Duo buzzes against the G-spot and clit, as well as the penis, during penetrative sex.
Factor in the toy’s features. Check the remote toy’s specs. Want a toy with limitless controllability? The wearable We-Vibe Sync 2 can be directed by app from anywhere. Plan to use it with a partner inside the confines of your bedroom? You can choose a toy with a short-range remote like the Tiani Duo. Also factor in options such as whether you’ll want to use the toy in the shower (many of them are waterproof, but not all), and the level of intensity you want to achieve (some toys have greater spectrums of sensation than others).
Meet our experts
- Suzannah Weiss, certified sex educator and Glamour sex toy reviewer
- Amanda Chatel, sex writer and Glamour reviewer who’s tested over 1,000 sex toys
- Jess O’Reilly, PhD, Toronto-based sexologist and author
- Malia Griggs, Glamour commerce editor who’s reported on sex toys and sexual wellness for over four years
1. Best Overall: Lelo Tiani Duo
- Use: Internal and external
- Material: Body-safe silicone and ABS plastic
- Battery: 2-hour USB-rechargeable with 2-hour run time
- Modes: 8 intensity levels
- Waterproof: Yes
- Remote- or app-controllable: Remote only
This is one of our top sex toy for couples. The egg-shaped end of this toy buzzes against the clit, while its slimmer tail fits inside the vagina to hit the G-spot (and vibrate against the penis during penetration). Each arm is powered by a separate motor, lending equal intensity to both facets of sensation. “My partner and I have tried a handful of hands-free, remote-control vibes in the past few years, but this one stands out because of its design,” says one Glamour reviewer. “Once you slip it in, you can tell it’s not going anywhere, and the wider external arm delivers a greater range of pulsations.” To direct its vibration modes, Lelo’s circular remote can be worn around your (or your partner’s) wrist; each flick of their hand increases or decreases the toy’s intensity. It’s a smart, comfortable-to-hold design choice versus the traditional remotes that leave you fumbling to find buttons in the heat of the moment. This version of Lelo Tiani is remote-controllable, but if you’d like to add in the app-controlled feature for a longer-distance relationship, check out the Lelo Tiani Harmony.
- Why we love it: Can be worn during penetrative sex; motion-controlled remote; long battery life
- What could improve: Doesn’t have app connectivity
2. Best Panty Vibrator: We-Vibe Moxie+
- Use: External only
- Material: Body-safe silicone
- Battery: 1.5-hour USB-rechargeable battery with 2-hour run time
- Modes: 4 intensity levels and 6 vibration patterns
- Waterproof: Yes
- Remote- or app-controllable: Both
Here’s a wearable vibrator that smoothly attaches to the underwear with a tiny magnet, so it can be worn out and about and totally hands-free. “This remote-control panty vibe doesn’t have the bulkiness that others have, so I can slip it into the pocket of my undies, and it’s a perfect, snug fit right up against my vulva,” sex writer and Glamour reviewer Amanda Chatel says. She suggests pairing it with tight undies so the toy more easily stays in place. The Moxie+ is a must-have for adventurous types, especially any couple experimenting with public play. “It’s powerful, discreet, and designed to be worn around the house or out to a party as your little secret,” says Jess O’Reilly, PhD, a Toronto-based sex expert and author. “You can control it yourself using the remote or pair it with the free We-Vibe app and let a partner join in on the fun.”
- Why we love it: Stays put; wearable; app-controllable
- What could improve: Can be noisy on higher settings
3. Best App-Controllable: We-Vibe Sync 2
- Use: Internal and external
- Material: Body-safe silicone
- Battery: 1.5-hour USB-rechargeable battery with 2-hour run time
- Modes: 10 intensity levels
- Waterproof: Yes
- Remote- or app-controllable: Both
We-Vibe makes some of the OG long-distance sex toys—and the Sync 2 is the gold standard of remote controllability. “This brand was my first introduction to long-distance couples vibrators, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” says Chatel. “Just like the first one I tried about a decade ago, Sync 2 is just as fun yet as reliable as the first generation. For me, it’s the ideal sex toy for my LDRs.” The C-shaped toy has a flexible, adjustable body that snugly hugs the vagina while stimulating the clit. Each end of the toy has its own motor, which one We-Vibe shopper called “deep and rumbly (which is better than buzzier toys that overly desensitize).” Within the app, you or your partner can control both ends of the vibrator, playing around with its 10 intensity levels.
- Why we love it: Comfortable; long-lasting; syncs beat to music; stays put
- What could improve: Expensive; Bluetooth connectivity can be spotty
4. Best for Long-Distance: Lovense Nora
- Use: Internal and external
- Material: Body-safe silicone
- Battery: 2.5-hour USB-rechargeable battery with 4-hour run time
- Modes: 7 intensity levels with multiple patterns
- Waterproof: No
- Remote- or app-controllable: Both
The Nora’s sloped shaft massages the G-spot (and rotates for extra-deep sensation), while its smaller arm flutters against the clitoris. This dual stimulating dream of a rabbit vibrator is perhaps best known, however, for how smartly it’s designed for long-distance relationships. The two motors within the arms can be separately controlled via app by someone else—and it WiFi syncs with other Lovense toys, like the Max 2 male masturbator. The Max fits around the penis like a sleeve, and the faster its wearer strokes it up and down, the more intensely the Nora vibrates in response. The Nora isn’t waterproof, unfortunately, but its variety of sensations, app-controllability, and four-hour battery are undeniably great features.
- Why we love it: Toy sync; long run time; app-controllability; syncs with music
- What could improve: Not waterproof or wearable; noisy
5. Best Dual Stimulator: Lelo Ida Wave
- Use: Internal and external
- Material: Body-safe silicone and ABS plastic
- Battery: 2-hour USB-rechargeable battery with 2-hour run time
- Modes: 10 vibration patterns and intensity levels
- Waterproof: Yes
- Remote- or app-controllable: Both
This dual stimulating vibrator allows for blended climaxes—and in our Lelo Ida Wave review, sex educator and Glamour sex writer Suzannah Weiss found it helped her break her personal orgasm record. “Each orgasm was progressively more intense and felt like it was coming from a slightly different place,” she says. “And after each one I’d think I was done for good, and then suddenly I’d feel the vibration in a slightly different place and get extremely turned on all over again. Which is why I began to think, Maybe the key to female orgasm is stimulating different erogenous zones at once, until it all adds up to one giant combustion.”
The toy is designed to mimic the come-hither motion of fingering—sans finger—while its rounded side vibrates against the clit. Most uniquely, its internal arm rotates in a swirling circular motion that can feel wildly good and spread sensation across the vulva. Weiss used the toy for a long-distance video session with a partner, controlling its 10 vibration patterns and 10 intensities with the app on her phone. “I appreciated the fact that it stays in place, no hands required—so I could focus on other things, like holding and positioning my phone,” she says.
