Recently, I’ve been caught up in a passionate love and squirting affair with Ella, LELO’s pure silicone double-ended dildo with a G-spot tip. But I had never experienced the Ella’s older sister/mother, and predecessor, Gigi, which gets rave reviews time and time again. Gigi’s shape inspired the design of the Ella, so I was certain I would love the Gigi.
Turns out, the Ella has spoiled me. I know — the Ella’s about half the price of the Gigi and it doesn’t even vibrate; how could it surpass the Gigi? Well, vibration isn’t everything. And that’s a big statement for me to be making, but in this context, I’m willing to make it.
Don’t stop breathing, over there. Hear me out. There is plenty to love about the Gigi. It’s made by LELO, so it comes in the most exquisite packaging ever: a lovely black box, with a white satin drawstring pouch and a one-year warranty. It’s a beautiful piece of erotic art in and of itself — a lovely deep magenta shaft, a ribbon of silver, and a white plastic handle with controls that light up. The jack for the charger is concealed by a blip of silicone, to keep liquids and lubes out. There is no aesthetic element of the Gigi that isn’t elegant.
The Gigi is one of those toys that I have always seen reviews for and pictures of, so I had my own assumptions about it. I always imagined that the entire shaft of the Gigi was made of silicone, so I was surprised to find that the shaft is hard. Its texture is soft, of course, as it’s covered in 100% silicone… but underneath, it is hard as a rock. Unlike some other vibrating silicone toys I’ve used, it will not flex in any way. I assume this has to do with the mechanical inner workings of the toy, and allows the vibrations to be stronger than if they were traveling down a flexible silicone shaft.
Unfortunately, the Gigi emits a subtle high-pitched whine on some of its lower settings. I’m very sensitive to sound — I will delete mp3s if they have the slightest hint of distortion — so I can’t stand to use those settings. The Gigi has four steady vibration levels, but I always skip the first two. Then it has three pulsation speeds and one rollercoaster vibration level, and each of these can be strengthened or weakened via the circular control panel. On the panel, the + and – stand for vibration strength, while the up and down arrows cycle through the different functions. Overall, the vibrations are sufficiently strong and fairly quiet. As with other vibrating LELO toys, the Gigi can be locked for travel by holding down the middle of the control panel for five seconds.
The Gigi feels nice on my clit, but let’s not kid ourselves — this is a G-spot toy. And my G-spot requires an extreme amount of stimulation. I have to thrust like a mofo to finally squirt. I’m not sure the Gigi was built for people like me. When I thrust quickly with it, the hard shaft sometimes gets caught on my pubic bone (an issue I do not have with the Ella, as it is pliable), and the silver ribbon occasionally irritates my vaginal walls. To make matters worse, thrusting like a mofo requires grasping, and I found the Gigi’s plastic handle very troublesome. Firstly, this toy is just really short — only a little over six inches in length — so it’s easy to lose the shaft in my pussy and have very little to hold. Secondly, the handle is plastic, which does not play well with lube and squirt. Using the Gigi, I have to wipe the handle and my hand off periodically, or I won’t be able to thrust. This has the unfortunate side effect of momentarily ruining my momentum.
And while the location of the control panel makes for a sexy, streamlined toy, it is in the exact spot where my thumb needs to rest. You can infer the issues that inevitably arise from that dilemma. Although I was definitely aware of the moments when I accidentally changed the vibration function or intensity, I did not find the vibrations to make much of a difference when I was thrusting. They didn’t greatly enhance the experience. Actually, I became neurotic when the Gigi was on a pulsation mode and I was thrusting out of sync with it.
In the end, the Gigi did make me squirt, but with a lot of effort and worry expelled in the process. While the Gigi is a wonderfully unique and elegant high-end vibrator, I find more G-spot satisfaction with the flexible, all-silicone Ella. I think personal preference will dictate whether someone prefers the Gigi or Ella; if your G-spot requires less thrusting, more vibration, and/or a hard toy, you’ll love the Gigi. But I need pliability and a bit more length, so I will be returning to the Ella.
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January 31st, 2009 at 6:25 am
I feel the same way about the control buttons – right where my thumb rests. I have the Elise and the Gigi and experienced the same issue. Unfortunately all the fancy modes are lost on me, I just want straight powerful vibrations – and I kept hitting the button and losing that!
January 31st, 2009 at 10:08 am
Thank you for this review. I was *this close* to getting one. Trying to convince myself, that I could overcome the crappy control panel placement and short handle, but nope. I think I’ll pass.
Great, thorough, and helpful review.
January 31st, 2009 at 10:37 am
“Actually, I became neurotic when the Gigi was on a pulsation mode and I was thrusting out of sync with it.” That made me laugh (while the OCD in me nodded in agreement with you.)
I’m glad to hear someone else noticed the high pitch whine on the low settings. I was starting to think mine was a dud because of that.
Great review!
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:23 am
My Iris has the same high-pitched whine on the lowest setting. It’s probably something about the Lelo motors.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I love the Gigi, I really need to try the Ella from the way you make it sound though.
May 19th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Thank you so much for reviewing Gigi! I’ve had my eye on her for a while now, but with all your talk about “vibration isn’t everything”, I’m thinking I should cast my eyes elsewhere. Like towards that double-sided dildo, Ella, you keep raving about.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Excellent review! I have the very same issues concerning the pubic bone, the length, and the location of the controls. And I have been taking a paper towel and placing it over the plastic and holding on to it that way to keep my hand dry. I have pretty much decided to just use this for clit stimulation, and not so much for g-spot work.
July 20th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Thank you for another wonderful review. I was torn between the Ella and the Gigi, and couldn’t decide which way to go. As someone who needs FIRM and vibration over thrusting, I went with the Gigi, and I’m glad I did. Your awesome work told me what I needed to make the choice. Thanks!
July 20th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
@Luscious Lily: Aww, what a wonderful comment! I’m glad you’re happy with the Gigi, and especially happy that this review was instrumental in your decision to get it.
July 20th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
funny i thought i wrote the only less than positive review of gigi i was ever going to see…
http://badinfluencegirl.com/2008/08/12/review-lelo-gigi/
i’m glad i’m not the only one who didn’t madly love it. now i want to try ella though!
(also, really they need one more power setting, when i’m really going i want MORE)
October 4th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Your Gigi is in the pink family !?!?!?!
October 4th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
@sophie2229: I know. It’s a shame. But the turquoise one hadn’t even come out when I got mine!
October 4th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
I have only heard good things about the Gigi so far. Thank you for an honest review. I like to read the not-so-positive reviews.
October 6th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
The Gigi — in light pink (I know, thrash me) — was the first sex toy I really coveted. It’s what made me make my first sex toy wishlist. It’s gorgeous… but now I’d much rather have the Ella. Internal vibrations don’t do a lot for me.
October 7th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Thanks, Epiphora! I love your reviews!
Did anyone else feel like the clitoral stimulation was not direct enough? I have a review to write on the Gigi and feel like it’s just not enough for my clit. Great shape though, I think I’ll take Epiphora’s Ella suggestion!
Here’s our Nathalie’s take on Gigi: http://blog.qwikimal.com/blog/2010/10/07/lelo-gigi-rechargeable-vibrator-review/
October 7th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
I agree. I like my Ella better for thrusting/penetration.
Ironically, I love the Gigi used for clit stimulation — probably better than my toys meant solely for clit stimulation.
October 9th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
This one tempts me but I’ve had such bad luck with expensive vibrating toys. I’d hate to add another expensive dust collector to my collection.
October 10th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Thanks for the review! I’ve yet to have a g-spot orgasm, so I bought the Gigi, but I had that problem with the end catching on my pubic bone and it is oh so painful to remove. I had no idea the Ella was flexible, damn! Maybe I’ll put that one on my wishlist.
October 12th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
I still want to try Gigi…well not just try, give a home to is more like it, haha. I LOVE the turquoise version of Gigi.
October 13th, 2010 at 10:50 am
I took your advice and ordered an Ella after using my Gigi more as a dildo than a vibrator. For me, the vibrations just don’t do the trick. <— Clit-o-Steel.
October 15th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
It’s pretty, but I’m liking the definition of the Ella better as well. The Gigi’s grip does look awkward. :\