Grinder Sex Toys & Humpable Vibrators How-To!

Grind off. Do you like clit stimulation from rubbing and humping, not just letting a vibrator sit still? If so, awesome, because:

Humpable vibrators & silicone grinder toy choices have boomed💥 lately. I’m here for it, since I only orgasm clitorally when I’m stroking a vibe: massaging and rubbing off!

From my beginnings grinding on a Magic Wand head, to all my new favorites, I’ll dive into the best grinding sex toys I’ve tested, plus how-to grinder positioning ideas that’ve worked for me. All my grinder toys employ body-safe silicone as the material that’ll be in contact with your clitoris and vulva; no cheap “jelly” products, to ensure the toy remains clean over time!

How to Position a Toy for Humping & Grinding

How does grinding sex work, and why?

Grinding can be complete vulva stimulation.

It’s typically a form of humping sex: gettin’ on top and rubbin’ your stuff against a surface. Grinding covers more nerve endings all over the pelvic floor—not just the clitoris, but also both sets of labia. And, grinding vibrators’ raised bump also massages the vaginal opening & perineum.

Humping & grinding are normal: Many people with clits start their orgasmic journeys by humping pillows, table edges, and more. (I started out on a rolling-ball back massager😄.) Cowgirl-style sex with a partner can involve grinding too, as the rider rubs their clit against their partner’s pubic mound or testicles (depending on which direction they’re facing!).

To start grinding with a sex toy: You sit on top, and rock your hips and pelvis forward—creating motion, light friction, and broad stimulation. Here are my favorite ways to position grinder toys:

1. Cowgirl grind: On top of two pillows in bed. This best imitates riding on a partner, except you can focus on the external stimulation and don’t have to go for vaginal penetration. (Tip: To shield your pillow from drippage, put a small “waterproof pet blanket” on top.)
2. Chair support: Good for eliminating leg strain; comfortable chair with narrower middle required. Here, you can face the back of the chair and use it for leverage, as you wrap your legs around the chair and rock back-and-forth. Or, flip around and sit in the chair normally…except you can rock your hips & butt forward, with your back supported.
3. Lazy queen: Lying down in bed, back propped up by pillows, grinder underneath. Minimal effort humping, barely rocking your hips; works great with a strong vibrator.
4. Stroke it: Rubbing-off clitoral masturbation is a form of grinding sex. I truly love the wrist-and-arm motion of “jerking off” clitorally: Lie back in bed (comfy pillows behind ur back!), while gripping a sex toy and stroking it up-and-down your vulva. This way, you can finely adjust the pressure and speed. It’s easier with toys that have a grippable handle that’s not huge. (For this, I like the Shroomie vibe’s wide, soft cap most; followed by G-spot vibrators rubbed clitorally.)
5. MW, bound. “Harness” a Magic Wand so you can sit on top and grind. Either (1) twist a soft fabric scarf around the wand’s neck, then double-knot the scarf-ends behind a propped-up pillow (cheaper, but less stable for vigorous play; gauze cloth cost me $6.99 here); or (2) buy a magic wand harness or magic wand mount.
6. Underwear grind: Honestly a new one for me, as I’ve finally found a soft-silicone grinding vibrator that it’s comfortable to mash my bits against. Place it inside your underwear… then sit on a padded chair, and rock your hips so your clit is grinding into the lay-on vibrator.

Favorite Grinding Toys Recap

My favorites are mostly grinding vibrators, with one tentacle grinding toy that can have a small vibe added.

• VibePad 3: For G-spot stimulation as you grind against a big, firm clitoral hump. (Also a smaller “butt bump”!) VibePad 3 is large, so it covers your whole pelvic floor. Three vibrating motors; remote controlled; extra-rumbly. (If you don’t like G-spot stimulation, see instead the non-penetrative VibePads: 1 and 2.)
• Uncover Creations Tentacle Grinder: Personal fave for humping all up on, clitorally. Squishy tentacles with a ton of fine textures; super-comfortable. Place it atop 2 pillows on my bed. Bullet vibrator hole can be added, get that!
• Maia Shroomie: Large, soft cap covers alotta vulva. The Shroom vibe’s short stalk is easier to grip & move versus Magic Wand’s long handle. Fantastic for broad-stimulation rubbing; 2.3-inch-wide squishy cap.
• Cashmere Velvet Curve: For sticking in underwear, sitting down, and rubbing on. Super-soft; smooth inside arcs forward to press into the clitoris.
• Magic Wand remains a classic for a reason: great power. The Rechargeable “Hitachi” is still my favorite one. (MW Mini is the most disappointing one.) Magic Wands R. & Plus are long, 13″ length, so you’ll want to hump from on top / harness your Magic Wand for extended sessions.

Best Grind Pad Vibrators, 2023

You can grind off on any vibrator, from wand heads to G-spot vibes. Magic Wand grinding-off is popular, and one of my first fully satisfactory rubbing-off vibrator experiences was with Magic Wand Plus. Magic Wands are stronger, but:

Vibrator pads a.k.a. grind pads don’t require holding or extra positioning: they’re specifically designed for you to sit on top and hump them. Top grind-pad picks:

VibePads by You2Toys/Orion

A vibrator-pad trio, the VibePads are big silicone surfaces (≈11.5 inches long, by 5.5 to 8.2 inches wide). Each VibePad has a different thang:

• VibePad 2 has a licking tongue for clit stimulation + a vaginal hump. 2 motors. Self-propelled tongue makes it IMO the laziest humpable vibrator😊
• VibePad 3 has a G-spot vibrating shaft + large clit hump + small butt bump. 3 motors. Classic G-spot curve makes me feel like I needa squirt whenever I put it in. Rumbliest vibration of any grinder; it rolls all through the vibepad!
• VibePad 1 is the original: Full, taller clit bump + vag bump. 2 motors.

All VibePads include a remote control that lets you separately change the 2 or 3 vibrating motor’s functions (7 functions × 3 motors for VibePad3; or 7 functions × 2 motors for VibePads 1–2). They’re waterproof and USB rechargeable, and the vibration is moderately strong.

Dual Riders & Lust Rider by CalExotics

CalExotics, a sex toy giant, also makes 3 kinds of “Rider” vibrator-pad. IMO one of those has a specific point vs. the VibePads:

• Pinpoint stim. Dual Rider “Bump & Grind” agressively targets the clit & surrounding tissue with its firm dots as you rock against it. Revving motor makes this the strongest grinding vibe.
• Smaller ride-on. The original Lust Rider is a two-bump saddle that’s smaller than the VibePad, and very close for vibration power. It’s rippled for a lil extra textured stimulation; the ripples are barely harder to clean vs. VibePads.
• Thrusting ride-on vibrator…sometimes. The “Thrust & Grind” Dual Rider has a 1-inch-wide thrusting peg that moves in-and-out, vaginally. I love the concept of a ride-on thrusting dildo, but practically, this one stalls out more than I would like.

Grinding Vibrator Power & Functions Comparison Chart

I rate for vibration strength on a 10-point scale¹, plus rumbliness on a 10-point scale². All these humpable vibrators include a remote control, and dual or triple motors.

Find all six with 10% discount here (applies in cart)!

Soft, Vibrating Grinders

I love softness for comfort reasons: it’s more forgiving to hump and grind off on. Happily, we finally we got soft-squishy silicone starting to be utilized by big vibrator manufacturers—whereas in past years, the only soft vibrating options were porous jelly (TPE or PVC), which degrades and harbors bacteria. My favorite new silicone vibrators for grinding:

• Maia Shroomie: I love wide vulva rubbing, so this is tops for me: a wand-vibe-sized head, but softer. The strongest vibrator in this section, I still only rate the shroom a 6.75 out of 10 for its top intensity — roughly comparable to MW Rechargeable’s speed #2. But for me, Shroomie’s soffffft rubbing-off compensates for its “pretty good, not strong-strong” power.
• Maia Rina: Above in yellow (also in teal!), a mini-wand squishy head with flat cutout, for resting over the clit. Two motors, separately controlled: So the pinpoint bullet vibrator end is such a different feel from the squishy & round head. Much more focus clitorally vs. the Shroom.
• Cashmere Curve by CalExotics. A “lay-on” vibrator that you can sit on. Put it in underwear, sit in a padded chair, and rock forward so you’re rubbing your clit against the thick silicone cover. Downside: No remote control. Comparison: I see Cashmere Curve as a better option than the made-for-underwear OhMiBod Foxy with squishy grinding hump & app control—because Foxy is unfortunately very high-pitched/buzzy (2/10 for rumbliness on high intensity), made for only those who don’t seek rumbly vibration.
• Uncover Creations Grinder pads, 9 grinder-shapes to choose from, with bullet vibrator add-on (+$12). Super-soft 00-40-Shore silicone is squishy & so comfortable. The bullet vibe is fine, don’t expect serious power. More on why I love the original Tentacle Grinder’s teeny tendrils next in 🐙 fantasy grinding opinions:

Handmade Silicone Grinding Toys

“Fantasy” sex toy makers craft dildos (and now grinding toys!) from truly-super-soft platinum silicone, often colored in gorgeous marbles. Tentacle grinders are common because the suckers provide tons of soft texture. You’ll also find humanoid vulvas with fantastical flourishes (mermaid, anyone?), and a multitude of varied shapes.

The original Tentacle Grinder by Uncover Creations is my personal favorite textured rubbing toy. Why? Its suckers are so small, they give a good amount of stimulation, but don’t poke like larger raised lines would. (I’m sensitive.) I love humping all down on this particular tentacle, gettin’ it real wet:

A beautiful smaller grinder is the Xymon size small by Strange Bedfellas. I’d recommend it in 00-30 (super-soft) silicone, though the 00-50 (still darn soft) option will let you feel the raised suckers more: they stand out, they’re big and open! SB does amazing work. Find a fuller list of indie silicone grinding toys here.

Sybian-style Ride-On vibrators

Sybian started the “ride-on” vibrator trend in the 1980s, based on creator Dave Lampert’s thought that women [& AFAB folks] will orgasm best from sex when riding on top. Sybian machines have strong vibration + rotation.

Motorbunny and the Cowgirl are two Sybian competitors/copycats. Each vibrating-mound-maker offers silicone grinding attachments. (Motorbunny has more; their firm silicone attachments covered here.) I’ve reviewed the Motorbunny because the company’s 45-day “try it and see” policy is helpful given these ride-on vibrators’ ≈$1,000 pricetag. Riding atop a huge vibrating mound that rocks your literal floor and your pelvic floor is an experience, and the rotation has taken me places. But IMO, you will get just as much pure power from the strongest handheld wand vibrators pressed hard against the vulva.

NOTES

1. Where the strongest vibrators—high-power, full-sized wands—average out at 10/10; whereas most smaller vibrators will max out between 5 to 7 out of 10.
2. Rumbliness scale based on Hertz readings of vibration frequency, translated into my point system.