What Are Air Suction Toys?

What are air suction toys?

If you’ve spent any time scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably seen one of the most talked-about toys in pleasure: air suction stimulators. But unlike viral dance moves or trendy blind-box collectibles, these viral sensations have completely reshaped how many people experience pleasure - and they’re here to stay.

Air suction toys were first created by Womanizer, who introduced their patented Pleasure Air Technology. Unlike vibrators that rely on direct buzzing or rumbling against the body, Pleasure Air uses pulsating waves of air and changes in pressure to stimulate the clitoris (or wherever else you want to stimulate).

How do clit suction toys work?

Air suction toys have an opening that sits over the clitoral glans (aka the head of the clit — the small tip that’s visible near the top of the vulva). Inside that opening, the toy rhythmically moves air, creating gentle pulses of pressure that focus right on the glans, which is packed with thousands of nerve endings. But the clitoris is much larger than what you see. It extends internally with a shaft, paired bulbs, and crura (the “legs” that wrap around the vaginal opening), so that stimulation travels through the entire clitoral structure — which is why a clit sucker can feel both pinpointed and deeply full-bodied at the same time.

What do air suction toys feel like?

Despite the nickname “clit suckers,” these toys don’t feel like a vacuum. Instead, the pulsing airflow creates a sensation that is more fluid, more wave-like, and much more pleasurable.

The most common comparison is oral sex - specifically cunnilingus. Imagine someone’s mouth focused on your clit, alternating between gentle sucking and pulsing tongue flicks, maintaining that rhythm with precision until you get where you want to go. Now, of course, because it’s a toy, the shape and texture are different from how a body will feel, so it won’t be identical to partnered play — but that’s part of the fun! It’s a completely unique experience and one that has sensations that are definitely worth exploring.

What makes air suction toys different from vibrators?

Vibrators provide sensation through movement of the toy via a motor, providing a buzzing, rumbling, or oscillating motion that provides stimulation when it touches the body.

Unlike vibrators, many air pleasure and suction toys don’t rely on the toy itself coming into full contact with the body to stimulate it – instead it’s the trapped air in the opening of the toy that you feel providing the contact and sensation.
With that - some air suction toys do combine the air pressure with vibration to really enhance the sensation, and rabbit-style air suction toys like the Womanizer Duo or Womanizer Blend have an internal G-spot vibrator attached to the external clitoral air pleasure toy to offer a dual sensation that can be great for unlocking a blended orgasm.

How to use an air suction toy

First things first, as we recommend with all sex toys - grab some lube. Most air suction toys are made of silicone or have a silicone-lined opening, so make sure it’s water-based. Put some lubricant around the opening of your clean toy, as well as a bit directly on the clitoris.
Place the opening of the toy against the body, over the head of the clit, and then turn it on. The lubricant and the movement of the air inside the opening can create a seal against the body, trapping that air inside so all that sensation stays directly on the clit. If that feels overwhelming at first, hover the toy just above your skin, gradually bringing it closer until you’re ready for direct stimulation. These toys are designed to do the work for you — no pressure required.

Explore what feels good for you

Our bodies are unique, and so is how we experience sensation. To discover what works best for you, take some time with your new toy to check out all of the different intensity levels and settings to find your fit.

Try these to start:

• Rock the toy back and forth with your hand, like you might for a standard clit vibe.
• Move your hips and grind into it - try using one of these toys while laying on your belly to use your body weight for even more sensation.
• Set the toy to a higher pressure intensity and hover it over your body instead of against it directly to tease yourself.
• Hold the toy against the body and simply let the movement of air do all the work for you.
• Use it in tandem with your favorite G-spot toy, dildo, or booty plug - or bring it into play during partnered sex.
• Get creative with other external erogenous zones, like using your toy on the nipples.

Level up your foreplay

While air suction toys are great as a solo toy to get you off, the pressure and movement these toys provide help to ignite those nerve endings. So, playing with a toy like these ones can increase arousal and sensitivity -  which means even more sensation for your clitoris, and a great way to help get things going whether you’re enjoying your toy alone or with a partner.

Almost like a pump, air suction toys create airflow and pressure around the head of the clit, which encourages blood flow to the area. This engorges the erectile tissue of the clit and makes it more receptive to stimulation - so you can get revved up for other types of play like penetration, fingers, mouths, toys, you name it!

Finding the right suction toy for you

Since the Womanizer was first released, there have been countless toys that use air pulsation and suction to help you experience sexual pleasure. Here are some of our most popular options, and why they’re great!

Womanizer Premium 2

Womanizer was the OG of the air suction toy genre, and the Premium 2 shows that they’ve really been striving to stay ahead of the game when it comes to quality and functionality - it’s got 14 settings, and is 100% waterproof so you can play in the shower as well. The new Afterglow feature allows you to extend your post-O glow without powering off completely, having the pressure decrease to a 1 with a quick button-press so you can ride out those final waves. I also have to shout-out the Autopilot feature, which creates random patterns as you play for a more organic-feeling sensation - total game-changer.

The One Rose

If you’ve heard of clit sucking toys, you’ve probably heard of this icon - The Rose. This toy is a huge hit for first-time air suction toy buyers and aficionados alike, with a discreet design that looks like a pretty floral trinket more than a sex toy. But don’t let the sweet design fool you, this petite toy is designed with innovative tech that provides 3 speeds and 7 patterns of suction and pulsation with pressure wave technology to level up clitoral and nipple stimulation like no other.

Body Kisses Suction Vibrator

Designed to fit a variety of types of anatomy with a flexible opening that’s larger than most clitoral stimulators, the Body Kisses by Gender X is a great option for folks with clits of all sizes, and even fits some folks with phalluses (erect or flaccid). Body Kisses offers 7 suction settings, plus 7 vibration settings, so you can use the textured outside of the sleeve for external stimulation as well. 

(btw, we have dozens more options available to browse here!)

Not just for the clitoris!

Clits aren’t the only place that can benefit from this kind of targeted sensation, either – using an air stimulation toy over the nipples can feel fantastic as well, offering a similar kind of stimulation that many can enjoy with a mouth or nipple sucker – but leveled up with the intensity of a motor.

Air stimulation toys can feel great on a penis as well! Use the toy to tickle the scrotal skin, or put the opening of the toy against the frenulum (a hot-spot on the under the head of the penis). There’s even a toy called the Arcwave Ion that’s designed using the same tech as the Womanizer toys in the form of a soft silicone penis stroker, and The One Suction Stroker, which combines texture, vibration, and - of course - suction to deliver a super-unique play experience, earning it the nickname “the Male Rose”.