Review: Womanizer Marilyn Monroe

Of the five core products in Womanizer’s current portfolio, there is only one I have yet to try. The Classic 2, which offers a step up from the Womanizer Liberty while not being quite as powerful as the Premium, has managed to elude my grasp so far. In fact, I had a similar experience with its predecessor, and when I finally did get one, it was sadly discontinued before I could review it. So when I recently heard Womanizer were bringing out a limited edition version of the Classic 2, and Lovehoney asked if I’d like to try it out, I was more than a little excited, not wanting history to repeat. However, the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition has since proven to be quite the controversial release, with some fans of the late actress and model praising the German brand for honouring her legacy of empowerment, whilst others have condemned it, noting that her inability to consent to the use of her name runs parallel to the objectification she suffered during her lifetime.

As an American icon, I don’t have a huge amount of familiarity with Monroe, but I do think the critique of Womanizer for this move is very valid, especially when there are plenty of sex positive celebrities out there that can consent to a collaboration such as this, like with their previous Liberty by Lily Allen. For me though, my main focus is on making sure that the fans who are considering purchasing this product have access to a trusted and reliable review of it, for good or for bad. Plus, despite the limited edition colours and packaging, this product is just the Womanizer Classic 2, which I’ve been promising a review of for far too long.

Product Description

The Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition, or the Classic 2, is the next generation of the brand’s mid-range offering. Sitting comfortably between their $150 travel-friendly Liberty and $300 luxury Premium 2, the $200 Classic 2 is the toy for those who want a high-quality suction stimulator but don’t need all the bells and whistles that the Premium offers. The new model adds two additional suction intensities, bringing the total up to 10, alongside an Afterglow feature to allow for the toy to quickly return to its first speed. The overall design is then the same as on the original Classic, with a sleek, tapered body featuring three buttons, charging prongs and a Womanizer logo on one side, and on the other is a removal silicone nozzle. While this nozzle-side then feels the same, this soft-touch plastic now covers the entirety of the toy, for a much more luxurious feel and making it far more worthy of its still quite expensive price tag. Additionally, the buttons are now 100% silicone, making them easier to press and feel against the plastic, and whilst the magnetic charging prongs still protrude more than I would like, they are thankfully somewhat less sharp. The biggest change visually then, would have to be the colours, as whilst the original Classic only came in purple (my pink version of it was a special for Lovehoney’s 2021 Advent Calendar), the Classic 2 comes in both black and bordeaux. Plus, the Marilyn Monroe Special Edition takes this one step further, with a selection of four luxury tones: black marble, white marble, vivid red and mint (which is what I have). Finally, as with all of Womanizer’s toys, this product is also USB rechargeable, body-safe, fully waterproof and comes with a five year warranty.

Packaging

My order with Lovehoney for the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition was placed on the 8th of September and I promptly received it on the 13th. As usual the package was then 100% discreet, with no mention of the sender or what was inside. While I’m quite familiar with the Womanizer brand, I still wasn’t fully sure what to expect with the Classic 2’s packaging since my original came in an advent calendar, and was happily surprised to see the more luxury-style box that the Premium 2 came in present, rather than the more simplistic boxes of the Liberty and Starlet 3. Featuring images of Marilyn Monroe alongside a clear window to see the toy, the box matches your chosen colour and offers plenty of information on how the product works, including a short guide on how to use it. Two magnetic doors can then be opened up to reveal the toy, and the entire thing just oozes elegance, creating a wonderful experience for whoever receives it. Inside you’ll then find the toy itself, alongside a high-quality storage bag, charging cord, quick start guide, safety instructions, brief product catalogue, and an additional silicone nozzle. Overall, I absolutely loved all of this, and just to top it off, this updated packaging uses 41% less plastic than the old one!

Charging

Being USB rechargeable, charging the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition is easy, and works exactly the same as on the original Classic. Simply plug one end of the cord into a USB port, and then connect the other end to the charging prongs on the toy. Plus, even though this connection is magnetic, it is quite strong, so you don’t need to worry about it falling off. The toy should then take 120 minutes to charge, which should give you an estimated run time of around 180 minutes, with the LED light on it flashing slowly to show it’s nearly discharged, flashing quickly to show it is half charged, and lit up constantly to show it is fully charged. Finally, Womanizer also recommended charging the toy before first use, and a logo is present on one end of the cord to make it easy to identify.

Controls

Controlling the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition is much the same as it was with its predecessor, with the main changes being the two new suction intensities and the Afterglow mode. To turn the toy on, simply hold the power button down for two seconds, which will put it on its lowest speed. You can then use the plus and minus buttons to increase and decrease the toy through its 10 suction intensities, and to turn it back off simply hold down the power button again. To use the Afterglow feature, which is a new function introduced with the Classic 2, you can then press the power button briefly at any moment the toy is on to instantly reduce the intensity to the lowest speed. The idea of this is to provide a relaxing end to an orgasm, by allowing you to bask in the “afterglow” without worrying about becoming too sensitive for the higher levels. Also worth noting is that the Classic 2 now has a memory function, so that it will return to the speed it was turned off on, and that its stand-by mode has been reduced from 30 minutes to just 10 (or 5 if the battery is low), meaning that if no buttons are pressed during this timeframe, it will automatically turn off.

First Impressions

While I enjoyed my original Classic, eight speeds did feel a little low for a suction toy, and so I was glad to hear this was being upped to ten for the Classic 2. Although the downside is that these additions aren’t actually intended to increase the power of the toy, but rather just provide a softer opening speed and a greater range overall. With this in mind, turning on the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe for the first time felt quite familiar, just with the speeds being a bit more spread out. Although a problem quickly arose, as I realised just how spluttery and disjointed the pressure waves felt. A fault I’ve experienced many times before on suction toys, it is not normally this bad nor is it something that happens to products immediately, so to have it on the outset of the Classic 2 is a real disappointment. Because of this, rather than feeling like a smoother increase, the lower levels of the toy instead feel like they’re constantly changing, to the point where they are pretty much unusable. Plus, the move between some levels can often be a massive jump, which can be painful if you’re not expecting it. In addition, it is also much louder than the original Classic (again, likely because of the malfunction), with a high-pitched motorised noise that grows in intensity whenever the nozzle is covered, to the point where it is actually on par with the Premium 2’s noise level (despite being a lot less powerful than it), making it not at all discreet. Finally, the two nozzles are the small and medium sizes I’ve become accustomed to Womanizer sending out with their toys, which alternate in length rather than width. If you’d like an even larger size, however, they can be purchased directly from the Womanizer website.

My Experience

If I consider my experience with the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition in isolation, then I had quite a good time with it. While the lower speeds were often a spluttery mess, I was more than happy to skip past these to the far more stable higher settings. There, I was able to really enjoy Womanizer’s powerful stimulation, and while orgasm does take longer than with stronger toys like the Premium 2, when it does it is completely satisfying and rewarding. I quickly realised that using the Afterglow feature right after climax, as it is intended, was not for me, as I like to enjoy a continuation of the sensation during, and after I prefer to just remove the toy completely. However, it soon found its place as a way to help me edge, which worked out perfectly since due to the memory feature I was unable to turn the toy off and on again to achieve this like I usually would.

So the problem, therefore, comes when I compare it to its predecessor, the Classic. Because when things get an upgrade, you usually assume they improve, which I am not certain is the case here. Firstly, with the two toys having the same maximum suction strength, the only real change available here is that there’s more variety to enjoy in the lower speeds. But whether my Classic 2 is malfunctioning or it’s supposed to be like this, I can’t enjoy any of that. Plus, even though the top levels of the two are meant to feel the same, they don’t, with the original Classic’s suction feeling much deeper and more steady, not to mention a whole lot less noisy. Then there is the fact that I cannot edge as I would like by turning the toy off and on, and while the Afterglow feature does help somewhat with that, it isn’t as enjoyable as edging with the original Classic or any of Womanizer’s other toys. On that note, I’ve also found that I prefer using the cheaper Womanizer Liberty more than the Classic 2, and even toys from other less premium brands, such as the Satisfyer Luxury, can ultimately feel more satisfying.

Cleaning & Care

Cleaning the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition is easy. Simply remove the silicone head, wash it in warm soapy water, and rinse. If the body of the toy is dirty too then the whole thing can be placed and washed in the water as well since it is waterproof. Then leave these to air dry and reassemble, before storing however you wish. Additionally, make sure to not use silicone-based lubricants with the toy, as it may affect the silicone nozzle.

Final Thoughts

After enjoying the original Womanizer Classic so much yet not being able to review it before its discontinuation, I was beyond excited to finally be able to share my love for this suction toy when I received the Classic 2 in its Marilyn Monroe Special Edition. However, it seems the opposite has happened, with my love of its predecessor continuing to outshine my feelings for this newer version. While its strange spluttering suction was the most obvious downside, which I’m fairly certain is just some sort of malfunction limited to my toy, there were plenty of other “upgrades” which I felt actually inhibited the experience. For instance, the inclusion of a memory function meant I could no longer use the product how I enjoy, and while the 10 minute stand-by mode didn’t affect me personally, I know a lot of people who this was a problem for. And that’s not to mention how it is noisier than the original Classic, despite not even being more powerful. So while I do prefer the new materials and colours of the Classic 2 and Marilyn Monroe, these benefits simply aren’t enough to make this the superior product. Unfortunately though, with the Classic no longer being produced, this is all moot point, unless you can find one still for sale somewhere (which, at the time of writing, is the case at Lovehoney!). Still, it does mean that if you are looking to buy a Womanizer, you’re probably better off sticking to the Liberty or forking out the extra money for the Premium 2, especially if you think issues like the memory function or stand-by mode might affect you. As for me, I’ll be patiently waiting for the Classic 3.

You can get the Womanizer Marilyn Monroe Special Edition for just $199 AUD at Lovehoney Australia or $129 USD at Lovehoney US, plus use my code HONEYX10 to get 10% OFF your total order!

I received this product in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Affiliate links have been used in this post.