Did you know that one of the most popular sex toys in the world isn’t actually a sex toy at all? Did you also know it was almost retired a few years ago despite its worldwide success?
It is hard to believe a sexual world without the Magic Wand. Ever since Betty Dodson brought the toy to the attention of the world in the early 1970s, it has been a staple of masturbation and sexual satisfaction for women. And men too! One of the great things about the Magic Wand is its versatility. And that might be because it really isn’t a sex toy at all.
What is the Magic Wand?
Brought to market almost 50 years ago, the Magic Wand really is a personal massager in every sense of those words. It was designed to relieve sore muscles all over the body, but particularly the back, after a hard day at work. I can’t imagine it took too long before people discovered the alternate use for the massager. Vibrators had been available for decades before the release of the Magic Wand, but none were as powerful as the big, plastic behemoth.
Despite it being big, industrial and entirely unsexy, women discovered the untapped potential of playing with the Magic Wand. Not everybody likes it, the most common concern being that it is too intense. However, many people have enjoyed it over the years since it was released. Millions of units have been sold and it continues to top sex toy sales lists. It is also one of the most recognizable sex products on the market.
Change of name?
So, why am I not referring to it by the name we’ve all come to associate the Magic Wand with? The more common, and still used name for this sex toy is the Hitachi Magic Wand, or simply shortened to the Hitachi. The company that created the Magic Wand is the same company that has brought us countless other electrical devices such as power tools and computer peripherals. For decades the Hitachi name featured on the casing of the Magic Wand, but in 2012, the company seemed to have a change of heart about the product.
It seems Hitachi is a conservative family company and they decided they were no longer interested in offering a product linked to sex. They may have profited handsomely on the device for decades, but they decided they’d had enough. Were it not for the intervention of the toy’s American importer, Vibratex, the Magic Wand would have been mothballed and everybody who loves them would be holding on tight hoping theirs never broke. But, Vibratex did succeed in rescuing the Magic Wand and now it is just known as that. The Hitachi name has been removed.
Along with ensuring the continuation of such a popular sex toy, some updates were made and now it is better than ever. The casing was made lighter and there are now rechargeable versions so that you’re not tethered to the electrical socket any more. The Magic Wand is a simple but versatile sex toy that has, no doubt, factored into improved sex lives for many people over the years.
Jon Pressick is the sex community's international gadabout and Cherry Banana's writer in residence. An award-winning sex writer and blogger, Jon is the editor of the critically-acclaimed Best Sex Writing of the Year, Volume 1. He is a frequent contributor to Cherry Banana with a range of sex-related content and his writing has appeared in numerous magazines and books, as well as all across the Internet. Jon is also a co-host and producer of the long-running sex radio show Sex City. You can keep up with his many sex-related articles here at Cherry Banana or at his own blog, Sex in Words.
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