Why Professional Sex Toy Testing Is a Legitimate Career
By the year 2025, engaging in the work of a professional sex toy tester was becoming a legitimate career in a burgeoning sexual wellness market projected to become an $80.7 billion industry by 2030. Qualified testers evaluate, for the benefit of consumers, sex toy products’ construction for performance, durability, material safety, and function. Following established guidelines for testing, testers provide formal reports that guide manufacturers to understand ways to enhance design and safety or to enhance consumer satisfaction.
Between free products and compensated work, sex toy testers will profitably increase in salary and opportunities as their expertise develops. This unique career combines professional knowledge of the product through firsthand experience and professional, reportable communication of intimate experiences.
Now that anyone can engage freely in talking about sexual wellness as it becomes more recognized as a discipline, sex toy testers are gaining endurance and validity in the job. More importantly, progression within the field will allow cultured sex toy testers to educate others on sexual wellness and its history. What an interesting and validated profession!
Secret #1: How to Transition from Traditional Careers to Sex Toy Testing
Are you in a boring 9-to-5 job? Well, look at Sarah Riccio! She went from being a nanny to working with sex toys. Sarah realized she loved pleasure products after saying, “The only thing I love more than sleep is sex.” So, she decided a normal office job wasn’t for her.
Surprisingly, you can take many transferable skills developed in conventional careers and use them in a sex toy testing career. In fact, Sarah learned “unsuspecting skills for product reviewing” while working at Sleepopolis testing mattresses after seeing an advertisement on Craigslist in 2018. This made way for expertise in reviewing intimate products.
Here are five ways to transition into a career:
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Start reviewing things you already have at home to begin building a portfolio.
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Practice writing in detail while still engaging your audience; this will be important for Quality Control Assessments.
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Learn about body-safe materials so you understand the relevant knowledge if you want to work as a professional tester.
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Look for entry-level opportunities (e.g., Lovehoney’s testing program).
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Choose to specialize in a specific toy category.
Sarah’s experience of taking the slow and steady approach—from nanny, to bed tester, to co-founding Delicto—proves that there is room for error in career paths both personally and professionally.
Secret #2: Why Material Safety Knowledge Is Your Most Valuable Credential
Are you curious about what makes amateur reviewers different from professional sex toy testers? Knowing about body-safe materials is your golden ticket!
Think of yourself like a pleasure detective; you will need to know specific terms on labels such as “medical-grade silicone,” “phthalate-free,” and “BPA-free.” Seventy percent of cheap toys don’t pass safety testing and often contain hormone-disrupting phthalates or porous jelly rubber that hosts bacteria.
Professional testers assess products using the following methods:
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The “sniff test” (cheap, toxic toys will have a strong smell of plastic).
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Confirming silicone material (real silicone will not melt or degrade).
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Confirming glass toys are certified borosilicate (not shatter-prone).
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Checking metal toys for finishing, including medical-grade certification.
This knowledge is priceless. The sex toy industry is much less regulated than medical devices, which leaves consumers at risk for skin irritations and infections. With your material safety expertise, you are literally protecting people’s most intimate health as a professional tester.
Secret #3: What Testing Methodology Separates Amateurs from Professionals
Have you ever considered what makes a professional sex toy tester worth their weight in gold? The process! Amateurs may use a toy once and recommend it with a simple “I give it a thumbs up.” However, professionals follow a systematic method of assessment that treats pleasure product evaluation as more of a science and less of a hobby.
A professional will use a toy on average 3–5 times. Venus O’Hara, a prominent sex toy reviewer, has confirmed she uses a toy “at least four times” before making final claims about it. This detailed testing process allows for accurate dissection of a toy’s performance—to pick up inconsistencies in vibrations, battery performance, and longevity that a one-time trial could easily miss.
During professional evaluation, toys are assessed for:
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Testing all functionality across all settings.
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Noise measurement in decibels.
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Waterproof claims.
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Assessing ergonomics for different body positions.
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Reporting battery life across several uses.
Documentation is also vital—a professional will keep a detailed testing journal outlining ratings of sensations, charging time, ease of cleaning, and material interactions.
Professionals also know that assessing different bodies is intrinsic. A toy that may be a “showstopper” for one anatomy may be “good for nothing” for another. For this reason, testing with varying bodies is essential for an overall assessment.
Secret #4: How to Build a Business Around Sex Toy Testing
Can turning pleasure into profit be your next business model? Yes, it can! Sarah Riccio made the transition from mattress reviewer to sex toy expert. She launched a comprehensive website called Delicto to review sex toys. Delicto sells products and provides sex toy educational material for everyday consumers.
Establishing a presence on multiple platforms is important for successfully publishing reviews:
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Your own e-commerce website (like Delicto).
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TikTok to post educational, “shame-free” videos.
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Collaborations with other reviewers or webpages focusing on sex products.
There is a market beyond free products:
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Reward programs like Lovehoney’s Orgasm Advisory Board ($1,000 per year plus $250 a month in free toys).
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Affiliate partnerships (20% commission codes).
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Subscription-style models for exclusive content.
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Educational tutorials and positioning guides.
Your site will not be successful if promoted alongside unethical product manufacturing. You have to partner with ethical brands! Sarah emphasizes, “We sell body-safe materials—which is why our dildos are $30 instead of Amazon’s $10 toxic options.” This resonates with your audience and builds credibility and trust.
Steps to launch your own Delicto-style site:
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Develop expertise through consistent reviewing.
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Lean into sex education, not just sex toys.
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Remain transparent about materials and safety.
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Create relationships with ethical manufacturers.
Key message: “Sex positivity is about erasing shame—whatever you do with your sexuality is really what you should be doing.”
Secret #5: What Educational Content Complements Your Testing Career
Do you want to transition from being a simple product reviewer to a reputable sex educator? To provide educational content, you need to use educational content! When we think of sexuality education, we tend to think of it as gross, silly, or something to shy away from. Shame-free education can be done if the sexuality educator approaches the topic matter-of-factly.
Instead of saying, “This vibrator vibrates the clitoris” (which has 8,000 nerve endings) in a childish way, speak confidently. Professional testers discuss pleasure products’ functionality with the same level of confidence as kitchen appliance reviewers.
It is easy to increase your professional value by producing educational content such as:
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How to clean silicone toys.
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Comparison videos showing varying vibration patterns.
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Educational content on the anatomy of pleasure zones.
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Technology features such as app connectivity.
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Addressing common misconceptions, e.g., “No, waterproof does not mean submersible,” or “No, even though it says silicone, it may not actually be silicone—be careful.”
This approach makes your input feel less biased because you show consumer advocacy rather than just reviewing products.
Content format effectiveness varies by platform:
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TikTok/Instagram/short video outlets for quick tips or myth-busters (under 60 seconds).
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YouTube for full reviews and educational series.
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Blogs for in-depth articles and SEO.
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Email newsletters for curated educational content to build loyalty.
Focusing on education confirms to viewers, “It’s not just about pleasure; it’s about informed choices related to intimate wellness products.”
Secret #6: How to Handle Privacy Concerns While Building Your Brand
Striking a balance between public exposure and personal privacy is the balancing act every professional sex toy reviewer faces! Most successful testers begin anonymously under pseudonyms like “PleasurePro” or “VibrationQueen.” Once confident and their brand feels established, they decide how public they want to be. For example, Venus O’Hara started anonymously before becoming the global face of pleasure product reviewing.
To maintain privacy early in your career, try these strategies:
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Establish separate professional email and social media accounts.
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Use a P.O. Box for product deliveries.
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Set guidelines about what content you will or will not provide.
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Prepare standard responses for inappropriate requests.
If a manufacturer asks for inappropriate content, such as explicit marketing videos, respond professionally:
“I prefer to keep reviews as professional evaluations, providing objective assessments of functionality for consumers and manufacturers.”
Address confusion immediately by educating brands or consumers:
“I ethically cannot demonstrate the product; I evaluate its functionality, material quality, and overall user experience.”
This response clarifies your role as a professional tester rather than an adult content creator.
Remember, privacy concerns are not about shame—they create sustainable boundaries for a long-term career in adult pleasure product reviewing.
Secret #7: Why Specialization in Specific Toy Categories Creates Opportunities
Jack of all trades, master of none? Not in professional evaluation! Specializing in a specific category of pleasure products provides a path to become a leading expert.
Sarah from Delicto committed three full months exclusively to app-controlled devices before becoming known as an expert in remote-controlled intimacy products. This focus gave her deeper insight into connectivity issues, app and Bluetooth use, and long-distance operation—knowledge a generalist would lack.
Specialization brings unique perspectives:
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Left-handed reviewers identify ergonomic flaws.
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Plus-size reviewers highlight size inclusivity issues.
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Reviewers with limited mobility assess accessibility.
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Transgender, genderqueer, and LGBTQI reviewers test gender-affirming products.
Diverse testing panels provide comprehensive feedback. The general public wants peer opinions on products they plan to use.
Being an innovation expert also gives a competitive edge. Manufacturers seek testers knowledgeable about the latest technology, vibration, and material developments. As one reviewer said, “When I can speak intelligently about pressure-wave technology versus sonic stimulation, it adds exponential value to my credibility.”
Building Your Testing Career: From First Review to Full-Time Professional
Ready to turn your pleasure into a profession? Here is your career path:
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Practice reviewing toys you already own to get used to writing.
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Write about material safety, user experience, and functionality.
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Take at least 8 quality pictures and upload videos for thorough documentation.
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Avoid clichés like “spice up your life.”
Epiphora once said, “Write at least semi-well,” which is a good principle to follow.
In 2025, multiple companies are looking for testers:
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Lovehoney’s Orgasm Advisory Board ($1,000/year plus $250/month in products).
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Doll Authority ($70,000/year for a remote tester).
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Ricky (£100/$125 voucher per review).
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Fleshlight, Lovense, Adam & Eve, etc. (multiple programs with criteria).
As you develop your career, build good relationships with manufacturers. Provide honest reviews and post-test evaluations. Maintain open and transparent communication to build trust. I used a similar model as Sarah Riccio to launch Delicto because of my honest reviewing style.
Income potential can grow significantly:
| Level | Income Range |
|---|---|
| Starting | Free products only |
| Part-time/Established | $35,000–$45,000 per year |
| Established + Niche Expert | $70,000+ plus free products |
| Reviewer + Tester + Brand Owner | Six figures (like Sarah Riccio) |
The Future of Sex Toy Testing: Where Is This Profession Headed?
The pleasure product sector is transforming faster than ever! Professional testers face exciting developments that will change how adult toys are evaluated.
Technology is revolutionizing testing protocols at an unprecedented scale. For example, biometric response trackers now measure arousal patterns objectively, and VR interfaces allow testers to assess interactive layers for app-controlled toys. As one industry leader noted, “We’re moving from subjective sensation ratings to quantifiable pleasure metrics.”
As evaluation standards shift, so does the understanding that testing must represent and include all people. Companies now ask for diverse testing panels representing various body types, abilities, gender identities, and sensitivities. Sex toys must work for everyone, not just idealized body types.
New credentials are emerging rapidly:
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Sexual Wellness Product Expert credential
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Material Safety Testing credential
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Accessibility in Adult Products credential
Career evolution opportunities are infinite. Today’s testers can become product developers, company consultants, or sexual wellness advocates tomorrow. As the global pleasure product industry approaches $80 billion, professional testers with technical and interpersonal skills will be in high demand.