Review: Mia (new version)

Discreet, decently powerful, easy to use, and come on, this vibrator is just swanky.

LELO Mia rechargeable bullet vibrator, in some snow.
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LELO is a sex toy company that listens to people. When consumers loved their uniquely-shaped Gigi, they invented a dildo version named Ella (which, by the way, changed my life). With the success of their rechargeable cock ring, Bo, they came out with an updated version called Tor. And now, the adorable USB-rechargeable Mia has been overhauled — and, I must say, greatly improved.

I was forgiving to the original Mia. I blamed my clit for not responding enough to Mia’s vibrations. Hey, it was 2008 and I hadn’t quite perfected my snarky attitude (and high standards) yet. The truth was, Mia was just not strong enough. I never used it. It went into a drawer, never to be seen or used again.

Until this email.

LELO will be launching a new version of the MIA in mid-February. We’ve reworked some of the old MIA’s issues, including giving it more power. I remember this was one of your complaints — so would you like to give this version a try and see how it compares?

This is the kind of email sex toy reviewers love getting. It delightfully inflates our heads. I proceeded to ask the only important question — which colors does the new Mia come in? — and my LELO contact replied, “Sadly, no turquoise or lime green this time… I think the only new colour will be black.”

#1. What! A manufacturer who knows that I long for turquoise and lime green? I mean, I do make it painfully obvious, but still — I’m impressed.

#2. MOTHERFUCKING BLACK.

Okay. So. What else is different, other than the new black Mia being totally sleek and sexy as hell? (Which, oh jeez, it really is. It’s so shiny and gorgeous.)

The new Mia is undeniably stronger. Yeah, man! This is not one of those it feels about the same but I’m gonna say it’s stronger because the company claims it is moments (which I would never pull on y’all, but some reviewers do). It really is stronger. But more importantly, the nature of the vibrations is different. The original Mia is extremely buzzy, very surface-level, and the vibrations feel like they’re not concentrated anywhere — like they’re frustratingly hidden somewhere inside the body of the toy.





The vibrations in the new Mia are much more rumbly, stronger1, and there’s no doubt about where they’re concentrated: in the tip, where they should be! If you compare the two Mias side-by-side, you can see with the naked eye that the old Mia stays stationary, while the new Mia vibrates rapidly back and forth. And, of course, on my clit, the new Mia can make me come much faster.

This pleases me greatly.

The new Mia is also quieter — much less buzzy and obnoxious-sounding — and it doesn’t emit a subtle high-pitched whine anymore, thank goodness! My ears and obsessive tendencies appreciate this.

A smaller change is that the new Mia’s cap has plastic guides in it, so that the cap can only be pushed over the USB jack a certain way, and it feels more secure when it’s in place. Mia is still not waterproof, though.

Other than that, the original Mia and new Mia are very much the same. Same design, same buttons, same three pulsation patterns (slow, medium, and fast). It can be locked for travel, and should last for 1.5 hours on a single charge (I have no reason to doubt this). Mia charges via USB port, and it can be plugged directly into it, which is just badass. Awesomely, if the toy’s battery is running low, the light will glow red as a warning. Mia comes with a USB extension cord, satin drawstring pouch, one year warranty, and 10 year quality guarantee.

Will this new Mia replace my other clitoral favorites, like the LELO Siri and the Eroscillator? No, not in 95% of situations. At home, surrounded by piles of sex toys, I would not choose Mia first. It still feels a bit too small on my clit, and it’s not as strong as the Siri. However, Mia is the best travel toy that I own, especially now that it has been revamped. And it remains the easiest toy to power up, ever. It’s made of plastic, so it doesn’t attract dust and lint…

…and holy fuck, it’s black.

Mia is a toy I would truly be happy to recommend to a newbie. And I’m not just saying that — it really has everything that beginners generally want. It’s discreet, decently powerful, easy to use, and come on, it’s swanky. Newbies love the swank.

Get the LELO Mia at one of my fave shops:
SheVibe, LELOPleasure Chest, or Lovehoney (international).

  1. Although not as strong as, say, LELO’s Siri, but definitely acceptable.