The Pulse from Hot Octopuss

UPDATE — Feb. 17 2020: If you’re reading this review 6 years after I posted it, let me tell you there are new and improved Pulse masturbators that have been released since the time of this original review. Find updated links at the bottom of this post.

An oscillating sex toy designed to wrap around your cock and apply amazing stimulation to your frenulum? You need to check out this new masturbator.

The Pulse from Hot Octopuss is one of those sex toys that landed with a splash near the end of 2013. Billed as “a revolutionary male stimulator powered by a next-generation oscillating PulsePlate,” I was immediately intrigued when I saw reviews for this toy popping up on other male toy blogs. As a guy who enjoys orgasm through direct and pinpointed frenulum stimulation (i.e. rubbing that “sweet spot” just under the head of the cock), I couldn’t wait to try this thing. After reading four separate reviews from guys who liked it, I ordered my own.

Before I get into the actual experience of using the Pulse, I’ll give a little background on the toy and how it works. The Pulse was created by Hot Octopuss, a London-based team that is passionate about merging technology with sexual pleasure. They’ve designed a rechargeable device that wraps itself around the shaft of a guy’s penis and provides intense stimulation. The shape is kind of a cross between a large egg and a large cannoli shell. While the curved “expanding wings” are designed to almost encircle the shaft, the base of the toy contains a powerful motor that provides oscillation (kind of a rapid back and forth motion) to the frenulum via the aforementioned PulsePlate, which is the raised circular bump you can see in the above picture. In addition to this intense oscillation, the Pulse also vibrates nicely. While it’s touted as a couples toy (meaning a female partner can enjoy vibrations that are delivered through the pointed tip while a male wears it), the purpose of this review is the use of the Pulse as a solo male masturbation toy.

There are two components to the toy’s exterior: hard smooth plastic on the back, with the rest made up of thick, flexible silicone. It’s nice to see companies using silicone even when a toy isn’t insertable. This material is body-safe, soft, non-porous and has no odor. In my experience, when taken care of, silicone toys have a much longer life than toys made of cheaper materials. The Pulse has a pleasing high-grade feel right out of the box.

Charging is easy. Simply insert the round end of the charging cord into the base of the Pulse and place the other end into a USB slot on your computer. Hot Octopuss recommends charging for four hours before use. Mine has never taken that long to fully charge, and the Pulse maintains its charge for quite a few uses, even if you have it sitting unused for a week or so.

Once you’re charged and ready to go, simply insert your penis into the folds of the silicone wings. This is a great toy for men who have trouble obtaining or maintaining an erection, because the Pulse can be easily used even if your penis is flaccid. Hard or soft, push your cock between the wings and position the frenulum near the PulsePlate. Unlike other vibrating masturbators I’ve tried in the past, the controls on the Pulse are easy to navigate, and placed in a spot where they are not only easy to adjust during use, but aren’t easily switched by accident. There’s nothing worse than finding a groove with a toy like this and accidentally bumping the controls and slowing it down (or shutting it off) just as you’re climbing toward release, so the buttons are definitely well placed. To start the toy, simply click the raised button the right side of the Pulse. Even on its lowest setting, the vibrations that come from the toy are deep and rumbly. While the Pulse doesn’t offer anything other than a steady vibration, there are nine different levels, and you can easily bring the intensity up or down as needed, especially if you are using the toy for an extended session.

Right away you’ll notice that the concentration of the vibration is right near the head of your cock. Need to adjust the position? Not a problem. With the Pulse’s open-ended design, you can slide it up and down (a lot, or just a hair). You can angle the Pulse too, so you can get the stimulation right where you want it. Not only does the PulsePlate work wonderfully, but the vibrations are intense enough to radiate into the spine of the toy, stimulating the entire shaft. The wing design not only hugs your cock, but it also delivers more of those great vibrations. You can even press the edges of the wings into the coronal ridge, the edge of the head of your cock. Enjoy vibrations on your balls? Gently push the toy into your balls and delight in the added stimulation.

As I said before, the Pulse is shaped somewhat like an egg, so it’s very comfortable to hold in your hand, and makes for a very natural fit. The wings are strong enough to clench your cock for hands-free use, but flexible enough to accommodate penises of varying lengths and thicknesses. Another way to use the Pulse is to bring your legs together and hold the toy between your thighs, hands-free. With a little creative maneuvering, you can slightly alter the position of the vibrations on your cock. However you use the Pulse, you should experience some pretty intense climaxes as the PulsePlate rattles against your sweet spot.

Being an open-ended toy, you don’t have to worry about ejaculating inside the toy, but you’re probably going to make a mess of it anyhow, because it’s difficult to pull away from the Pulse when you start to climax. The only real downside to the Pulse that I’ve found is that it’s not entirely waterproof. Instead of cleaning it under running water, Hot Octopuss recommends cleaning it off with a damp cloth, which is a bit of a task if you find your Pulse coated with fluids after you’re finished with it. Still, the extra bit of attention it takes to clean up is totally worth the experience, in my opinion.

If there’s a better toy out there to give a guy orgasms through intense frenulum stimulation, I haven’t found it. While the price tag is a little steep as sex toys go, for the pleasure the Pulse has given me in the last couple of months, it’s pretty much worth it. Because of the nice design and superior materials, I’m hopeful my Pulse will never quit on me!

While the original Hot Octopuss Pulse is no longer available, you can enjoy the newest version — The Pulse Solo Essential — from these online stores:

• Peepshow Toys
• SheVibe

 Images of The Pulse: TOP from Hot Octopuss
BOTTOM from allmalesextoys.com