Review: Lora DiCarlo Filare

One major wish of any sex toy company (at least I would assume) is to break through into the mainstream. After all, every brand wants to be known, and for a industry that is constantly blocked from advertising, social media, and anything else of value, achieving this feels like playing a game that has been rigged against you. There are companies that have come close, of course, but honestly I don’t think any one brand can truly claim the title of being public knowledge in the same way that OnlyFans seems to have recently become. Out of them all though, it is a company called Lora DiCarlo that has recently begun to lead the charge with the passion that only a new brand could muster, and in the short time they’ve been around they have already made a lasting impact on this industry. So, when For Her Box recently reached out to me about reviewing their Filare clitoral stimulator, I couldn’t have been more excited.

The Brand

Lora DiCarlo first entered my radar when they made headlines in 2019 with the release of their very first toy, the now discontinued Osé, which won an award at the prestigious Consumer Technology Association, before having it revoked for being too “obscene”. In response Lora DiCarlo, the company’s CEO and namesake, penned an open letter to the show, labelling it as sexist and misogynist, and noting that while her product was denied, the show had no problem promoting porn and toys for straight cis men. DiCarlo’s words resonated with the industry, and after gaining immense support, CES was forced to formally apologise, restore the award, and put the brand front row and centre at their 2020 show, thus finally creating space for feminine sexual wellness in the world of tech. Since then they’ve been slowly building up their range of unique “robotics”, and even more recently they were in the news again with the announcement of their new co-owner and creative adviser, Cara Delevingne. As one of my favourite actresses and models, with notable roles in genre works such as Suicide Squad, Carnival Row, and Valerian, this was a huge deal for me personally, and now, just days after taking home the title of New Pleasure Products Company of the Year at the 2021 XBIZ Awards, I think it’s finally time to see what all the fuss is about!

Product Description

The Lora DiCarlo Filare is a clitoral stimulator with a difference. So far at the blog we’ve seen an immense amount of suction toys (they are my favourite, after all), and a handful of the more tongue-like stimulators, but nothing has quite come close to this toy before. Labelled as a “microrobotic clitoral stimulator”, the Filare has two movable balls within its body-safe silicone, which can spin in a circle to mimic the sensation of someone swirling their tongue on your clitoris during oral sex. You can see a video example of what this sounds and looks like here, and, rather surprisingly (considering this toy’s luxury price tag), that is all it can do. No vibrations, no suction, just balls swirling around, with the ability to change their direction and height if you wish. In terms of appearance the Filare, which means spin in Italian, is quite stylish and forgoes the typical sex toy look for something much more neutral. While it’s always a shame when a toy only comes in one colour, the Filare’s signature navy blue is beautiful and refreshing, whilst its sleek mix of matte silicone and shiny ABS plastic creates visual interest between the two contrasting surfaces. On the flat silicone area, the two balls stand out slightly, whilst the hollow area around them is emphasised by a circular pattern in the silicone that I can’t help but relate to the appearance of an anus. An obvious seam is then also found here on the silicone, which is the only aspect of the toy that takes away from its otherwise luxurious nature. On the curved plastic you’ll find three buttons, one featuring the brand’s logo, and the other two together in a debossed area, whilst magnetic pins for the toy’s USB charger can also be found here. In addition to all of this, the Filare is also fully waterproof and features a travel lock function.

Packaging

My order for the Lora DiCarlo Filare was placed with For Her Box on the 12th of January and I received it promptly on the 15th, which was fantastic. As usual the package was completely discreet, with no mention of the sender or contents, and as with my previous order from them the contents were beautifully gift wrapped and included lubricant and massage oil samples, as well as a thank you card that offered a discount on future purchases and care instructions (you can see a full unboxing video here). The box for the toy itself is then fairly large and heavy despite the small toy it contains, but otherwise incredibly luxurious and gift-worthy. The initial cover is quite minimal, featuring some basic information on the toy and a picture, and this can then be slid off to reveal a beautifully discreet white box underneath, which is ideal for storage. A small handle here opens up the magnetic door (and this is quite strong so there’s no chance of it openly accidentally), to which you’ll then be presented with a fun yellow interior and the message “The Pleasure Is All Yours”. Spreading this out fully, you’ll then see the toy resting safely in plastic on one side, and on the other side you’ll find a small branded box containing the product’s accessories, which are its charging cable, instruction manual, 1-year warranty card, and storage pouch (this is easily one of the best bags I’ve received with a toy, being made with 100% recycled plastic that was found in the ocean and featuring a fun yellow colour that makes me think of the beach, however the actual construction of it is lacking and I fear it won’t last long). In addition to all of this, every Lora DiCarlo toy also comes with a complimentary coaching session with one of their Wellness Coaches (this can be accessed through their website), which is a really nice touch and further adds to how giftable this product is.

Charging

Since the Lora DiCarlo Filare is USB rechargeable, charging it is easy. Simply plug one end of the cord into a USB port, and then the other end can be connected magnetically to the toy. One downside however, is that the magnetic connection strength between the two is quite weak, and getting the cord to stay attached can be difficult. Once this is achieved though (usually by placing the Filare on its side) you can view the toy’s battery level as indicated by the ring around its main button, as the light here will gradually grow to show where the battery level is at, and once finished it will be fully lit. This is the second time I’ve seen this sort of battery display directly on a toy, but the first time quite like this, and I think it’s absolutely brilliant. Charging should then take two hours, which will give you around one hour of playtime, and Lora DiCarlo recommend charging the toy for at least one hour prior to first use. In addition the Filare also features a low-battery alert, where the light will begin to flash when there is less than 5 minutes of battery left, as well as an auto-shutoff, where the toy will automatically turn off when left on stand-by mode for more than five minutes.

Controls

Controlling the Lora DiCarlo Filare with its three buttons is pretty straightforward, although since it is my first time using a product like this I did still need to refer to the instructions first. To start you’ll need to hold down the larger circular button for a few seconds until the toy makes a noise, which will put it into stand-by mode. Next you may use the longer button to increase or decrease the speed of the balls by 10 levels (plus and minus symbols at either end of this button indicate which side to press), or you can press the smaller button to change the toy’s mode. There are three modes in total, and this is how you go about adjusting the direction and height of the Filare’s balls. Mode one sees the balls moving in an anti-clockwise direction whilst being fairly low, mode two has them moving clockwise and being much higher, and mode three just switches between the other two modes every two seconds. If at any point you want to reset the speed of the Filare to its lowest level instantly, you can press the power button again, and then to turn the toy off completely you can just hold down this button. In addition you can also activate and deactivate the Filare’s travel lock by simultaneously pressing the power button and the decrease speed button for a few seconds, with success being indicated by the light flashing rapidly. Overall I am happy with all of this and like the simplicity, although since it is advertised that you can customise the Filare’s balls, having what is essentially two options feels a little lacking. Plus, I do feel the stand-by mode (which is usually used when a toy needs to connect to an app) was a little unnecessary, but at least the auto-shutoff ensures it won’t drain the battery if left on accidentally.

First Impressions

Upon turning the Filare on for the first time I was very impressed by the speed and strength at which its dual stimulation points move, although without any similar toys to compare it to I really had no idea of whether it would be any good. The one thing that did stand out to me though was just how loud this toy is, with a sound that is similar to that of a toy racing car (I also wrote “dying goat” in my notes), making me think more along the lines of an unfinished robotics prototype than a luxury toy from an award-winning tech company. It’s because of this that I don’t think the Filare would make a good product if you have a reason to be discreet, as it’ll likely be heard even behind closed doors.

My Experience

As with most new sensations, the first time I tried the Lora DiCarlo Filare it was hard to know what to make of it. But the more I have used it, the more I have enjoyed it, and it has ultimately been an overwhelming positive experience. Easily the closest replication of the sensations of oral sex I have ever felt from a sex toy, the Filare’s swirling balls genuinely feel like a tongue, or at least far more so than the tongue imitators and suction stimulators I’ve tried in the past. While I do have trouble achieving the sort of pressure I am use to, I do find that I can press it against me far firmer than I initially thought I’d be able to without stopping the balls from moving. On that note, the ability to easily stop the balls with my finger is a huge plus, as I frequently need to reposition the toy over my clit (similar to when you’re using a suction toy), and this essentially acts as a way to instantly turn the Filare on and off, which is fantastic. Then, as the balls move (I like to switch between mode one and two, but dislike three as this throws me off and feels similar to a pattern mode), I find the sensation to initially be quite subtle, until it suddenly ramps up rather surprisingly and brings in an extremely satisfying orgasm. What’s more, I’ve found it perfect for my brand of lazy masturbation, requiring minimal cleaning and care, and even being able to be used over my underwear like a wand massager. Overall the Filare has turned out to be an absolute winner, with my only complaint during use really being the noise level, which is quite distracting and can make partner play or use whilst listening to something difficult.

Cleaning & Care

Cleaning the Lora DiCarlo Filare is easy as it is waterproof. Just wipe it down with some warm soapy water, rinse, and leave to air dry. You can then store it in the bag it came with. Additionally, make sure to not use silicone-based lubricant with this product, as it may react badly to the silicone it is made of.

Final Thoughts

The Lora DiCarlo Filare isn’t a perfect toy, but considering it’s one of the first of its kind to offer this advanced type of oral-sex stimulation I thought it was damn good. There is one glaring issue I haven’t mentioned yet that is too big to overlook however, and that is its price. At almost $300 AUD, the Filare is now one of the most expensive sex toys I own, and as far as I’m concerned for a toy to be worth that kind of money it better be making me see stars like the Womanizer DUO does. It’s because of this that for the average consumer I do not feel that the Lora DiCarlo Filare is worth the money it costs. However, Lora DiCarlo is not aimed at the average consumer, and for their tech-savvy and high income audience it is exactly what it should be: a first-look at a piece of sex tech that will likely be the next big thing. So if this sounds like you and you have the money to splurge then I say go for it. For the rest of us though, I would only suggest this toy to those who really enjoy the sensations of oral sex and have been looking for a product to replicate it, or better yet, as a gift. Personally though I am really happy I was able to try such an innovative new toy, and hope to see this style of stimulation back again soon with a more approachable price tag!

You can get the Lora DiCarlo Filare from Peepshow Toys for just $247 AUD / $180 USD, plus use my code GRACE to get 10% OFF your order!

This post was sponsored by For Her Box, but as always, all opinions are my own. Affiliate links have been used in this post.