As no two people can ever enjoy precisely the same books, movies, foods, music, and so on and so forth, for the penis-equipped, no one self-pleasures themselves in exactly the same way.
A fact which sextech manufacturers like Lovense are thankfully very familiar with, giving us toys like their recently released Calor, a “Depth-Controlled Heating Male Masturbator,” and the Max 2, which they very accurately describe as “Revolutionizing Male Masturbators.”
A pair of uniquely different—yet remarkably related high quality and smart sextoys.
So to lend a hand, and perhaps other body parts when needed, to help the penile-equipped—or those looking for a gift-that-keeps-on-coming for a friend or partner with one—let’s examine what the Max 2 and Calor have in common, what sets them apart and, in the end, which of them should be crowned the winner of our pleasure-tech showdown.
Looking at Lovense’s Calor
Brand spanking new, the Calor is definitely a sleeve masturbator. The reason I use that term to describe it—especially as other toys like the Max 2 use a textured interior to stimulate whoever’s using it—is due to the Calor’s overall flexibility.
Which allows it to be squeezed as much or as little as needed. The benefit to this approach is it feels distinctly more natural and not as artificial as other masturbators, which have built-in motors to produce the same sort of contractions.
Utilizing the user’s own grip also means a “quicker than you can say Jack Robinson” response time instead of users having to use a toy’s built-in controls or something like the Lovense Remote app to adjust its fit.
Not the Calor isn’t motorized or smart, but it uses its brains and brawns differently. For its brains, it’s a match made in heaven for the Lovense Remote app, supporting all of its impressive features and has a series of interior sensors which can be set to measure the length and speed of a user’s strokes and then cause the Calor to vibrate faster or slower.
All of this and, as an extra-added bonus, when its magnetic charging cable is attached and it’s A button is pressed the Calor can heat up—so no more sticking a favorite body part into a cold and lifeless tube with this toy.
All about Lovense’s Max 2
I have no problem calling the Max 2 legendary as, when it comes to feature-packed, finely-engineered masturbators, few come close to what it can do, how well it does it, and how much fun can be had with it.
Beginning by how Lovense didn’t merely slap a vibrator onto a sleeve, wrap the whole thing in an ABS plastic tube and call it a night.
Nope, though the Max 2 does use a vibrator, albeit extended to reach more of the user’s penis, that same mechanism also provides a range of adjustable contractions. Contractions which can be further adjusted via an air vent on its base.
That and Lovense sells a separate, more vagina-ish sleeve so users can swap it out with the provided one when they want to spice things up.
Last but not least, the Max 2 and the Lovense Remote app were literally made for one another—and, yes, I used “literally” correctly there—which is why it’s become their interactive adult entertainment mascot, such as for their new partnership with SexLifeReal, and how it’s supported by the in-progress Wild Life explicit video game as well as Lovense’s very own Mirror Life one.
Similarities between the Lovense’s Calor and Max 2
More than anything, the Calor and the Max 2 are sleeve masturbators designed to be used by people with penises.
Both have vibrators, have three pre-installed power levels and four patterns. However, for greater control, interactivity with adult videos and games, wireless linking to other Lovense smart sextoys, and other optional sextech extras, I highly recommend they be used with the Lovense Remote app.
The Max 2 and the Calor have pleasantly textured, contractional interior sleeves, ABS plastic outer shells, and use magnetic cables for charging.
On the same topic, they are remarkably similar in their charging to playtime ratios: each requiring two hours for one and a half to enjoy them—more or less depending on how many of their various functions are used.
Where the Calor and Max 2 are different
The obvious place where these toys differ from one another is the Calor’s flexibility, the ability to squeeze it to make it tighter, versus the Max 2’s motorized design.
While not advertised as an on-the-go toy, the Max 2’s nine and a half-inch length and nearly three and a quarter inch diameter doesn’t make it particularly suited for traveling—where the Calor’s six and quarter by two and three quarters can easily be concealed in a suitcase or carry-on bag.
There’s also how, despite its more numerous features, the Max 2 isn’t as smart as the Calor, which has the option to use those sensors I mentioned to respond automatically. Or not, as the case might be.
Cleaning the Max 2 is far different than the Calor. For the former, Lovense says to never to use any sort of soap, including the so-common-with-sextoys antibacterial variety. Instead, they recommend removing and rinsing the sleeve with a small splash of water before thoroughly drying it.
And for the Max 2’s ABS plastic shell, the same tiny amount of water and drying before reassembling and storing it away.
As its sleeve can’t be separated from its shell, the Calor, however, has no problem with a dash of antibacterial soap, warm water, and finishing up with a good drying.
Pros of Calor over Max 2
The Calor is hands down the favorite for the penis-equipped out there looking for a more hands-on masturbatory experience. With its flexible shell, it feels like an extension of your own hand—and using its vibrator, with or without its automatic response system turned on, it’s never distractingly artificial.
Which is another point in the Calor’s favor. Freed from having to use its built-in controls or the Lovense Remote app—challenging enough without hands slippery with lube—you can instead focus instead on giving yourself a good time.
And if you want to use it for in the same room or anywhere-in-the-world interactivity with other Lovense toys, vibrate along with adult videos or games, make your own customized patterns or see what other users have created, syncopate the Calor with your favorite tunes or nearby noises, and a host of other sextech delights you can always—and easily—can.
Pros of Max 2 over Calor
Conversely, if you’re into toys which take the helm, you can’t go wrong with the Max 2.
You can even use it for hands-free pleasuring as, unlike the Calor, it’s not wholly dependent on your muscles to produce its arousing sensations.
Sensations that can be more intense and with greater variety, like how you can select any of its three power levels or four patterns as well as how much it contracts. Physically using its air vent, built-in controls, or for greater finesse, with the Lovense Remote app.
The Max 2 is also the spokes-toy for adult entertainment interactivity, so if you like fantasizing about long-distance, teledildonic sex; feeling as well as seeing the action in your favorite adult film; exploring the erotic, speculative fiction universe of Wild Life, or experimenting with what Mirror Life has to offer, and all those other futuristic sextech possibilities then here’s a toy that’ll do all of that and more.
The verdict
So the question is, which of these self-pleasuring techniques tickle your respective fancy: the most manual Calor or the option-packed, potentially hands-free Max 2?
If you remain undecided—and speaking purely from my own experiences with each of these thoroughly excellent toys made by an equally amazing manufacturer—it might help to hear me say I have to grudgingly give the Calor the gold medal.
Largely as I’m one of those penis-possessors who find more-encompassing toys like the Max 2 a bit too confining. Or, I guess another way to say it would be I don’t like how they make me feel cut off from myself—and apologies for that mental image.
A discomfort which never came up when I played with the Calor; instead replaced with a sense of liberated excitement: feeling the toy and I were happy partners working in beautiful harmony towards turning me on.
Brilliant it may be and decidedly pleasurable, my experiences with the Max 2 were good. But I often I found myself craving my own hand.
But these are my personal opinions, so take or leave them as you see fit as, after all, the only thing that truly matters is what gets you going.
So if you hear yourself going hmmm as stroking your chin or panting like a ravenous beast at the thought of spending quality time with either a Calor or a Max 2, then that’s the sextoy path you should follow.
And if you find yourself on the fence, by all means, consider the daring move of picking up both of these sextech marvels so you can switch between whenever you want.