Hands on with my Dolce

Lovense describe the Dolce (previously known as the Quake) as "the perfect choice for a blended orgasm". The rest of us look at it and think that it is just a Lush on steroids. Whilst that may be partly true, is it fair?

Let's just get this out of the way before we go any further. A lot of this review is going to be comparing the Dolce and Lush 3. That just cannot be avoided when they, from the outside at least, look so similar. For that reason, if you haven't done so already, you may first want to head over to my Lush 3 review so you have some context about what we are dealing with here

Also, if you are not familiar with what a blended orgasm is, it is essentially two simultaneous orgasms; one through clitoral stimulation and one through vaginal stimulation. Those two orgasms combined can result in a mind blowing, full body response that is far greater than what you are used to.

With that out of the way, let's find out how the Dolce stacks up!

Just a Lush?

It makes sense to start with appearances. The Dolce looks a lot like a Lush. And I mean a LOT. In fact, the main egg portion of the Dolce is exactly the same as the Lush 3. It obviously broadens out slightly more towards the base of the egg where the Lush would transition into its tail. But for the most part, they are essentially the shape.

That means that you still get the same shaped point on the egg to try to target the vibrations on your G-spot but the Dolce does feature some interesting grooves across the tip of the egg. Honestly, I'm not sure if they have any impact on user experience or if they are just there for cosmetic reasons.

Of course, the other end of the Dolce is where things become radically different to the Lush. Instead of a flimsy tail, the egg transitions into a stiff neck and then back into another shaped bulb.

While the tail of the Lush 3 will offer some clitoral stimulation via vibrations that transmit through the toy for the motor in the egg, the Dolce has its own dedicated motor in the bulb that sits right over your clit. What's more, it is independently controllable from the motor that is stimulating your G-spot.



In truth, I don't feel that the independent control is quite the standout feature I hoped it would be. Just like the Lush 3, a lot of the vibrations will transmit through the body of the Dolce. Even if you only have one of the motors buzzing, the other end of the toy will still be vibing away nicely. I often found that I could only tell a difference between the power levels of the two ends when there was a significant difference between them, i.e. when one was on low and the other was on high.

The rest of the time, it just felt like a shit-tonne of buzzing. And, do you know what? I'm OK with that!

The reason why is that when those two motors are buzzing together it offers so much stimulation. It's such a shame that, for whatever reason (I assume trademarks), they weren't able to stick with the original name because I feel that Quake sets exactly the right expectation for this little beauty.

The cost of power

But all of that power does come at a cost.

If we compare to the Lush 3 again, you'll find that the Dolce is over twice the weight and is significantly more bulky. I'm genuinely not sure if this is a toy that you could wear out for public play. For example, although I don't entirely agree, I have seen multiple comments from users that it isn't suitable for use while wearing underwear, which would certainly hinder its use for wearing out.

For me, it is more that I am just too conscious of it when moving around. Actually, I feel like the neck and clitoral bulb just get in the way. Certainly not something you could slyly slip in before you step out on the dance floor.

However, if you are brave enough to wear it out, you can be positively sure that this thing is not going anywhere. The neck, although bendable, is reassuringly stiff so you can adjust it to fit your body and it will hold perfectly where you set it. It's almost like a vice. It just won't let go. It's almost overkill at this point, but the inside of the neck also features more of those grooves to ensure there is maximum grip.

This also means that the clit bulb is not just flapping around near your clit. Instead it can apply a good deal of pressure, pushing those vibrations into you, if that's how you like it. Or you can adjust it so it's giving a lighter touch. Either way, it'll happily stay where you set it.

Alternative usage

On the subject of the bendable neck, Lovense says that it is adjustable for up to 120 degrees which gives a fantastic range of positions. So much so, that there is absolutely nothing stopping you from straightening it all the way out and essentially turning your Dolce into a dildo.

It is stiff enough that it will hold that position if you really need to get some thrusting penetration on the go at the same time. You can be pretty exuberant with your thrusting as well. I really do think this is a super cool quirk of the Dolce.

Burns bright but fast

If there is one shortcoming to the Dolce, it would be the battery life. A drawback of having two powerful motors is that it can eat through the battery in no time. Of course, mileage will vary depending on how hard you are running the motors. And, let's put it this way, neither I, nor the controllers who I let loose on it, took it easy on with the buzzing.

Lovense says it can manage 1.5 - 2 hours of continuous use. In my case, I've had the battery turn red after about an hour of very intense buzzing so the 1.5 hour mark sounds about right to me. Something to be aware of if you are used to something like the Lush 3 which can go on for much longer than that.

Really, between the battery life and bulkiness of it, it really does make me conclude that this is not just a steroided up Lush because I just get the feeling that the Dolce isn't for outside use. Instead, I see it as a phenomenally good hands free toy for use at home or in private. So, in fact, the Dolce and Lush really should not be viewed as toys that are in competition with one another.

Best for at home

And my impression that the Dolce is far better suited for home use than public is compounded by one other possible issue from having that extra motor; the noise.

The Lush is remarkably quiet when worn. The single motor is already quiet enough but, once inserted inside you, a lot of that noise will be dampened even further.

The same is obviously true for one of the Dolce's motors but the other one is potentially just a few layers of fabric away from the great expanse of the world. No real dampening of the sound there at all. Then add in the albeit muffled noise from the G-Spot motor and its not the most subtle thing. Again, when it was known as the Quake, that was a pretty fitting description of the toy.

And one final point on why I think the Dolce is targeted more at home use is the buttons on the toy. They feel far more useable than the single button the Lush has. Sure, that button can cycle through patterns but, let's face it, it's really just used for turning it on and off while the phone app is used to do the rest.

The Dolce's two buttons are far more prominent and, the fact there are two of them for cycling backwards and forwards through the patterns, tells me that Lovense expects more the Dolce's usage to come in a situation where the wearer can use those buttons. In other words, not in the middle of a restaurant or while queuing in the post office. The phone app is still the better way to control the Dolce but it seems to me that this is just a little clue about where you are most likely to be using it.

The only slight niggle with the buttons is that it is not immediately apparent which one is used for actually turning the thing on and off. That tends to be an experience akin to plugging a USB cable into a USB port where you just have to keep trying until you get it right. Not a big deal though.

Did it blend my orgasms?

I'm conscious that I've really just talked about how the Dolce is similar and different to the Lush but I really shouldn't neglect to talk about how well the Dolce lives up to Lovense's claims. I suppose I kind of take it for granted at this point that whatever Lovense release is going to be a fine toy to play with.

So yes, I can actually keep this part quite short because I don't need to say a whole lot about it. It's a fucking great toy!

I'm not sure if I have experienced a true blended orgasm yet but this thing has had me cumming hard and fast. Plenty of drenched towels going in the dirty laundry when I'm done playing with it.

Would I recommend it? Fuck yes!

Would I say that it is better than the Lush 3? Hmmm, it depends how you want to use it. Although it is not like comparing apples with oranges, I would say it is like comparing apples and pears. Outwardly fairly similar looking but actually quite different.

You've heard this bit before

And with that said, all that remains before I wrap up, is for me to go through the usual details that pretty much apply across all of the toys that I have reviewed so far.

It's made for body-safe silicone. If you are using lube with it, make sure that it is water-based. And when cleaning after use, use any decent sex-toy cleaner or mild soap. If you can stick to all of that, the silicon should stay in tip top condition.

In the box, you also receive the, now customary, toy bag to keep it in, as well as the magnetic charger that Lovense seems to now be using for all of the newer products. If you've already got a Lush 3, Nora, Hush 2 or Ferri, then you should already have at least one of these lying around.

Oh yes, and there is app integration which Lovense simply cannot be beaten on. So many great features to pick from and always something to get you off, no matter your mood.

And that's it!

If you think the Dolce is the sex toy for you, head over to the Lovense Store to pick one up now!