Review: Zalo Sweet Magic Desire Self-Thrusting Pulsator Dildo

When I learned that Zalo made a self-thrusting toy, called the Sweet Magic Desire Silicone Thrusting Dildo, I immediately saw it in my future. Here was a toy that—if it was a person—could only be described as “dressed to kill,” plus it would do the work of thrusting for me? I was intrigued.

Features & Materials

Zalo is a new-ish brand of luxury toys, all made from silicone and featuring gold touches, like the gold plating in the Zalo Sweet Magic Desire’s control panel and that section between the shaft and the handle.

All Zalo toys are app-controlled except the Sweet Magic line, which includes this thrusting dildo and a thrusting bullet. Those two toys also don’t vibrate: if you’re looking for an insertable G-spot vibe, then instead check out my highest-ranked picks here, like the Pillow Talk Sassy and the Sola Cue.

Sweet Magic Desire’s app-less-ness is fine with me, because I had a few things to say about the Zalo Remote App’s calorie-counting feature: like, that it’s bullshit that I don’t need in my life.

Instead of being app-controlled, Zalo Sweet Magic Desire toys (and the Zalo Queen G-spot vibe) are “pre-heating.” Zalo claims they warm to “human body temperature within two minutes.” In reality, this function needs work, because only the ridgy section of Desire’s body heats up at all. The pointed tip and lower shaft stay at room temperature.

But let me tell you about what I’m really interested in: the silicone. Zalo calls their silicone coating Softek.™ This trademarked name means that the finish is especially silky (a feeling that isn’t unique to Zalo, to be sure). It feels great to my fingers, and it moves beautifully with a little water-based lube.

Speaking of movement…

On Pulsation vs. Thrusting

Let’s get this straight: the Zalo Sweet Magic Desire Thrusting Dildo isn’t a thruster. Not according to my strict standards, at least. Instead it’s a pulsator, just like the Fun Factory Stronics. What’s the difference between a “thruster” and a “pulsator,” you wonder?

It’s simple: stroke length. Pulsators offer really short (and quick!) strokes, vs. the longer ones of a more sex-machine-like thruster.

That means: if you’re looking for a toy that’ll replicate penetrative sex, go with a thruster instead of a pulsator. If you love the feeling of being really screwed, either vaginally or anally, consider the Maia Max & Monroe ($109.99; includes vibrations and 3 thrusting speeds plus suction cup) or the Velvet Co. Velvet Thrusters ($199; super-powerful motors plus 10 different thrust speeds, and 4 different shaft shapes).

But keep in mind: one huge advantage of pulsators over thrusters is that they’re not godawfully loud. Use the Zalo Desire or any of the Fun Factory Stronic Pulsators in your bedroom and no one will hear a room (or two or three) over.

At first I wondered if the Zalo pulsator might not be powered by a magnetic propulsion system in the same way that the popular Fun Factory Stronics are. Like I note in this video, the Desire pulsator doesn’t have the weight, the heft, that the Stronics do:

Then, by accident, I realized that the Desire pulsator will pull a paperclip to itself. It’s clearly magnet-powered too. Here’s what that means for my vagina.

On the Feeling

The Zalo Sweet Magic Desire Dildo jiggles like crazy, especially on the higher couple speeds! It’s a very smooth motion; the silicone is so silky that I barely feel the three angled ridges in the shaft.

Instead, I get more sensation from the curved tip. The broad, flatter area of Sweet Magic Desire’s shaft—underneath those ridges—also massages down toward the entrance to my vag, for a nice effect. But that tip, angling forward like a single finger, is where the pressure is at.

But I was surprised that there’s air space in Desire’s head. The mechanical core doesn’t extend into last three-quarters of an inch. In use this doesn’t make a difference, because the silicone is firm and doesn’t compress easily. Compared to the Stronic G, with its beautifully curved, G-spotting head and softer silicone, this part of the Zalo Desire disappoints me. Air space is something that’s usually only found in cheaper toys as a cost-cutting method, like in the huge but still incredibly affordable Blush Ruse Jammy dildo (review here).

Overall, I would describe Desire’s jiggling movement as subtle. Sure, it’s super-speedy, and it’s a fun addition to clitoral stimulation. But serious G-spot impact is not the Zalo Sweet Magic Desire’s way. Truly, every time I look at it next to the Stronic G, I get a little sad because it just doesn’t do as much for me. I would choose the bigger head, the bolder power, of the Stronic pulsator any day of the week.

The Controls

One of the luxe touches on the Zalo Desire pulsator is its golden control panel. It has four buttons, each with a mysterious design on it. I find myself thinking of alchemical symbols—it’s almost as if you have to decipher some sort of secret code in order to make this toy function properly. (Or maybe, if you hit them in the right order, you’ll magically transform the whole goddamn thing into gold!)

I actually couldn’t figure out how to operate the Desire pulsator without the instruction manual. I own more than my fair share of sex toys, so this irritated me at first. The buttons just aren’t intuitive. 

It took me about five full sessions with the Zalo Desire before I had the symbols’ meaning down pat. Basically:

• The button at 3 o’clock means both “on” and then “go up one function.”
• The 9 o’clock button, opposite, makes the pulsator go down a speed or pattern if you hit it once. Hit it twice, though, and you turn the toy off entirely and throw off your rhythm.
• The crown button, 12 o’clock, makes Desire jump to the highest steady pulsating speed, which some might find a useful feature. (Personally I think the second-to-last speed is more orgasmic, so I don’t use the crown button much.)
• And last, the curly symbol at the bottom (6 o’clock) controls the heating function—which may as well not exist, IMO.

Sure, the control panel is very attractive, and the Swarovski crystal embedded in the center is a stunning touch. But I’m someone who’s using thrusters and pulsators because I want the toy to do the work for me. I personally don’t want to spend my time learning to use mysterious symbols, and the Zalo Desire thrusting dildo’s control system takes effort to figure out, compared to standard on/off, up/down control buttons.

Waterproof-ness and Cleaning

And a few more annoyances here: the Zalo Desire pulsator is splashproof but not submersible. Its USB recharging port—accessed by lifting a small flap of silicone on the back of Desire’s shaft—could potentially allow water into the motor. It’s not a self-healing port or a magnetic charger, like those of most luxury vibes.

The port has a silicone nub that locks into place, so I feel comfortable when washing this toy. Hypothetically, I would take Desire into the shower with me. (Though not in reality, because Desire’s curve doesn’t work as well for me when I’m standing upright—again, it’s not the Stronic G, which I’ve actually worn while putting on makeup before a night out. And, yet again I have to compare the Desire pulsator to the the Fun Factory Stronics because the latter are fully submersible.

The gold ring at the bottom of Desire’s shaft is a stylish touch. But there’s another but: The break between the two silicone sections also means that you’ll need to do a bit more work in cleaning it. I’ve had to use a damp cloth to wipe around the ring a few times, to remove lube + fluid build-up that normal washing didn’t.

Overall Thoughts

The Zalo Sweet Magic Desire is definitely a nice toy: it’s great on the eyes, and its silicone has a lovely satiny finish. Plus the curved tip makes for interesting focused stimulation. Desire’s super-speed jiggling is easy, hands-free pulsation when I’m lying on my back and I prop the toy up with a towel or T-shirt or whatever.

In the end, though, the Sweet Magic Desire Thrusting Dildo and I weren’t meant to be together for long. Desire’s pulsation speed does compete with the Fun Factory Stronic Pulsators, but the weight…it’s just not there. My G-spot doesn’t get the same impact, and I’m all about the G-spot action.

Desire will never be one of my most-reached-for toys. But, if you’re enchanted by its stunning “princess” look, I would recommend the Sweet Magic Desire’s rapid motion. It’s best when paired with a good bullet vibe like the We-Vibe Tango—or even the BMS Essential Bullet, whose motor (for only $20!) rivals the intensity of any Zalo vibrator.

You can find the Zalo Sweet Magic Desire pulsator here.

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