Review: OSUGA Cuddly Bird

It goes without saying that aesthetics drive a large portion of our purchases, even if we might not want to admit it. But while choosing the cute phone case or the wine bottle with a happy dog on it over another one might not have a huge impact on its performance, the same logic sadly doesn’t usually follow over to sex toys. The immense amount of products within this industry paired with a complete lack of awareness about them by the general population is a dangerous combination, and is the reason why thousands of people continue to unknowingly risk their health every day by using toxic toys. Plus, without the usual means to advertise or promote items, companies need to think fast about how to make their toys stand out in a world that doesn’t want them. One such product is the OSUGA Cuddly Bird, a multi-award-winning clitoral stimulator that is not just adorable, but also doubles as a lamp to give it that extra touch. The question is, how much of this is a gimmick designed to capture people’s attention, and how much of it is actually a good quality sex toy?

Background

Before we go any further, I think I should address what everyone has been asking me since I got this: “Isn’t this the same toy as what Biird and Cuddly Buddy claim as their own?”. It’s something I’ve been wondering myself since I saw this toy for the first time last year, and after a lot of research I can tell you the short answer is yes. The long answer is that this was originally a collaborative project in 2019 between two Chinese brands, with Courage & Wisdom supplying the brief and manufacturing, and In-Dare working on the design and functionality. Both brands don’t seem to have had prior industry experience, but aimed to make something that was “more than just a sex toy” and that could “attract newcomers” with its appealing appearance. They ended up winning three design awards, including the prestigious Red Dot, and launched an Indiegogo for further funding. This then attracted the attention of Dutch company Biird, who offered to distribute the Cuddly Bird to a European market for them. The problem was, Biird renamed the toy to Obii and claimed it as their own, with their website stating that it was created by them “after years of research and tinkering”. In fact, they emailed me saying that it was created in the Netherlands in 2018 “when 4 veterans of the adult industry got together to create memorable products”, and was then later launched to the Asian market in 2019 by them, which is just blatantly untrue (and when I asked them about it, they ghosted me). Courage & Wisdom then forced them to change the name back (which is why you’ll no longer see “Obii” on most Biird branding), but after continued legal issues, ceased supplying the product to Biird altogether (which raises the question of how they’re still selling it?). Taking on the name OSUGA, Courage & Wisdom then began selling the Cuddly Bird internationally themselves. As for where Cuddly Buddy fit in, I am a little less clear, but they do seem to be an authorised retailer of the product, probably intended to replace Biird and appeal to an US market. The big takeaway here though is that OSUGA are the original manufacturers, and Biird shouldn’t be trusted.

The Brand

Despite the challenges OSUGA may have faced to bring this toy to the western market themselves, they seem to be doing an excellent job of it now. They have an international website where they sell the Cuddly Bird, as well as their latest release, the G-Spa. Similar to the Cuddly Bird in that it uses suction and an animal-like appearance (this time being that of a seal), it also keeps things a little simpler (aka it’s not a lamp) which is a potentially positive change in my opinion, as I always worry when companies try to do too much at once with a single product. Plus, one feature I love about the OSUGA website is the ability to check authenticity of your product by entering its security code (this can be found after scratching off the silver strip on the back of the box), as with the popularity of this toy it is bound to attract counterfeit copies.

Product Description

The OSUGA Cuddly Bird offers both suction and vibrations within its little body, however it is easy to quickly forget that and be completely distracted by its absolutely adorable appearance. It balances the bird-like elements of its design perfectly, allowing it to remain cute rather than creepy, with its suction nozzle resembling a beak whilst the tapered point at the back looks like a tail. Beautiful ridges reminiscent of the Tenga Iroha Plus Kushi then flow throughout the body, and a flat base ensures the toy can stand upright when not in use. One thing that In-Dare note on their website that they gave particular attention to was feel of the silicone, and this was absolutely worth the effort as it is some of the softest I have ever felt, and that paired with its ridges makes the Cuddly Bird extremely satisfying to hold in your hands. Coming in beautiful pastel shades of yellow (which is what I have), blue and pink, the silicone it is made with is then 100% body-safe. At its base you’ll find a small area of ABS plastic, and this is where the toy’s two buttons are also located, which are wonderfully shaped like a little moustache, plus next to this on the underside of the “tail” you’ll find the OSUGA logo imprinted in the silicone. Made of metal, the buttons also then double as the toy’s magnetic charging plates, and it is these that connect with the toy’s charging stand, which lights up when plugged in. An included clear plastic dome can then be placed over the Cuddly Bird when it is on charge, and while this doesn’t serve any functional purpose it looks fantastic and helps keep things discreet. Finally, as with all good sex toys this product is USB rechargeable, however it is sadly only water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, which is a shame considering suction toys are popular for use in water.

Packaging

OSUGA sent their Cuddly Bird to me on the 21st of January and I promptly received it by the 28th. The sender was not listed, however the contents read “G Spa” (as this toy was also included), which isn’t the most discreet, but at the very least a quick Google search of the word does not result in the product, and for my full unboxing you can check this out. The packaging for the Cuddly Bird itself was then quite minimal, featuring an almost entirely white box, with the only identifiable features being a large debossed version of the OSUGA logo on the front alongside a small piece of text labelling what it is and its design awards, a barely noticeable outline of the toy on the side, and a sticker at the back which lists all the legal information. This part of the box can then be slid up to reveal a smaller light blue box within, and it is here that you’ll find the product in its charging case resting securely in foam. Lifting this off will then let you access the toy’s accessories, which are its charging cord, instructions (which also detail the toy’s 1 year warranty), and a beautiful blue storage bag which is made with the coziest material ever. In addition, the toy also features one of my favourite security stickers (which you must remove before taking it out of its case), as it reads “The journey to the new world”, which is a hilariously bold statement that I am 100% here for. Overall I really love OSUGA’s packaging for the Cuddly Bird as it feels very luxurious and stylish, whilst also giving you the assurance that no one would be able to tell what it is unless they have a close look.

Charging

Charging this toy is certainly unique and adds a new depth of fun to the Cuddly Bird. To start you’ll just need to connect the base to a USB charging port using the included cord, and then the toy can be placed on top of it. On the base is an outline of the moustache-like buttons, so you can use those as reference for which direction to place the toy, however the magnets will also help guide you and pull the toy towards its correct position. Once on the magnetic strength is then pretty strong, and it’s unlikely the toy will fall off, especially once the cover is placed over the top. Plus, a strip of silicone on the underside of the base ensures it will grip to whatever flat surface you’ve placed it on. A light on the base that surrounds the toy will then slowly glow with a yellowish-greenish light off and on to indicate when the toy is charging, and this will turn off upon completion, with charging taking around 2.5 hours and giving you around 2.5 hours of suction and 80 minutes of vibrations. Alternatively, you can just have the base plugged in without the toy, and the light will stay on for use as a mood lamp instead. Everything about this looks absolutely beautiful, whether the toy is included or not, and it can totally pass as just another homeware item, with its strong resemblance to the glass domes that are so popular to place items in these days. The downside though is that if you do have reason to be especially discreet with your toys, there is unfortunately no way to charge it without using the base and having it light up, so this is definitely something to consider. Finally, the toy also features a low battery alert, and so when there is only 20% of its battery left a red light near its buttons will flash 2-3 times.

Controls

Since the OSUGA Cuddly Bird only has two buttons, controlling it is pretty easy and I haven’t needed to refer to the instructions once. One thing that did surprise me however, is that I expected to be able to use the suction and vibrations at the same time, similar to the Satisfyer Luxury, but this is sadly not the case as the two functions cannot run concurrently. Anyway, the buttons each run one of the two functions, and are easy to identify via the symbols that are printed next to them, with the circle representing suction and wavy lines representing vibration. To turn either function on you’ll just need to hold down the corresponding button for 3 seconds, which will then place it on its lowest steady speed. You can then continue clicking the corresponding button to flick through the modes the Cuddly Bird offers, with the suction having three levels of intensity and the vibrations having three steady speeds and one pattern. If you want to switch functions at any time you can hold down the other button for three seconds, and to turn the toy off you’ll just need to hold down the button for the function that’s currently in use. Plus, you can also activate and deactivate the toy’s travel lock by holding both buttons down for three seconds, with success being indicated by a red light near the toy’s buttons flashing. Overall this all works well, but as I mentioned in my previous review, having just three levels of intensity when it comes to suction stimulation is extremely low and simply not enough in my opinion.

First Impressions

After coming off my somewhat horrific previous review of the Bestvibe Suction Vibrator, there are a few similarities about these two toys that I just can’t help but notice. Firstly, they are both toys that offer a combination of suction and vibrations, and they are also the first two toys out of my extensive clitoral stimulator collection that only offer three suction intensity levels. But what’s even more concerning is that the Cuddly Bird, like the Suction Vibrator, does not feature a deep suction nozzle for contactless stimulation via air waves like every other toy of this kind that I own, but instead has a small fully silicone hole that is only as deep as my pinky finger’s nail. When I was initially reviewing the Bestvibe toy I didn’t think much of this, but in the end it turned out that the toy didn’t really offer suction at all, but rather a poor attempt at replicating it using vibrations, which ended up causing me quite a lot of pain. So you can see why I was concerned when I saw that the Cuddly Bird looked similar, and sure enough, the technology used here appears to be exactly the same, with no real suction being produced at all. Instead, a small plate simply vibrates within the nozzle in order to try and reproduce the sensations in a cheaper manner (which also explains why it has so few intensity levels, because it’s using a vibrator motor which are commonly made with three speeds). At the very least it is far less noisy than the Suction Vibrator was, which is something I suppose. Then, as for the vibrations, these were also immediately concerning, feeling very buzzy and faint, while also being considerably loud. Plus, even though OSUGA promotes the fact that the toy’s entire body is equally “vibratile”, I see this more of a downside, as it means that not only is there nowhere to comfortably hold the Cuddly Bird, but there is also nowhere that the vibrations feel strongest.

My Experience

After my experience with the Bestvibe Suction Vibrator, I was understandably nervous to try the OSUGA Cuddly Bird. Especially considering other bloggers had already warned me about receiving injuries from it. However after numerous tests I really do feel that whilst the Suction Vibrator was an example of this alternative “suction” technology gone wrong, this is an example of it done right, and I have actually thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Cuddly Bird. When using Bestvibe’s version I often reflected that I could barely feel anything, and frequently wondered if I had turned it on incorrectly, but this is absolutely not the case with the Cuddly Bird. Instead it feels super intense and immensely pleasurable, and I have had some brilliant orgasms with it so far. Plus, I haven’t had any issues with its vibrating plate accidentally hitting me or turning off if I press against it too much, which is likely what caused my injury previously. In regards to how it compares to an actual suction toy however, well it is a noticeably different sensation, and personally I still far prefer the traditional air wave stimulation of my Satisfyer and Womanizer toys. But even if there wasn’t any difference, the lack of intensities in the Cuddly Bird (my current favourite has a fairly standard 12, just for reference) is a massive downside, and one that makes comparing it to any of the other toys in my suction collection a challenge.

As for the Cuddly Bird’s vibrations, they are sadly far too weak and buzzy to stimulate me enough to bring pleasure, let alone orgasm. I feel in OSUGA’s mission to ensure the entire body of the toy could be used as a vibrator, they have placed the motor right in the centre, so that no area has enough vibrations to really penetrate deep enough for my clitoris to feel. Plus, with my hand then being equally vibrated, which isn’t so pleasant after awhile, and no real area to really grind upon, it just wasn’t for me.

Cleaning & Care

Cleaning the OSUGA Cuddly Bird is relatively easy, but you do need to be careful to not get it too wet as it is only splash-proof. Just wipe the nozzle down with a little soap and then rinse it in warm water. If you have dirtied the body as well whilst using its vibrations then you can do the same, but you may also need to scrub over any areas where bacteria may have hidden, such as the ridges or controls, with a spare soapy toothbrush. You can then leave it to air dry and later return it to its stand or storage bag. Since it is made out of silicone, also ensure that you do not use silicone based lubricant with it, or if you do then first perform a spot-test.

Final Thoughts

At the start of this review I spoke about how too many companies lately are turning to quick gimmicks to make their sex toys stand out instead of focusing on pleasure and user safety, and sadly I do feel this is a trap OSUGA have also fallen into. The Cuddly Bird comes off as a product created by a team with excellent design skills who have ensured it is both visually appealing and sounds good on paper, but without the necessary experience to create a quality sex toy, and if you read In-Dare’s design brief that it exactly what it is. While it looks amazing, the vibrations are buzzy and the suction technology used is not the same as the type recently made popular by Satisfyer and Womanizer, but rather a second-rate version likely created to avoid copyright issues. Plus, not only is this new type of “suction” not as pleasurable, it also brings up safety concerns, and while I had no issues personally I know others that haven’t been so lucky. This is because the area for your clitoris within the toy is so small that if yours is any larger than mine (which you probably won’t know until you try), you either won’t fit at all or you risk injury if the vibrating plate hits you. At the end of the day though I did personally enjoy using the suction of the Cuddly Bird, and so I’m not going to tell you to steer completely clear of this toy, especially when I know so many people would probably just be happy to buy it for how it looks. But just be aware of the issues I’ve addressed here and the fact that it may not work for you, and as always, ensure you cease use if any pain does occur.

You can get the Cuddly Bird directly from OSUGA for just $134.46 AUD / $99 USD!

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