Lelo - F1S v3 Review

Design and quality - An aluminium beast.

The Lelo F1S V3 XL (wow that's a mouthful) is, to put it simply, an app controlled, hands free, male masturbator that comes packaged into a sleek, modern, premium feeling shell. Yes, it's expensive at $369.99 AUD / $249 USD but in a market flooded with cheap thrusting, rotating or sucking products, the combination of features, AI, and an overall exceptional quality of product makes the F1S really stand out in the male segment of the sex toy market.

The unit itself features the following:

• Dual Synchronized Motors: Designed to stimulate both the penile nerve endings and shaft simultaneously, delivering consistent, motion-free pleasure (a motor in the base of the toy).

• SenSonic™ & Cruise Control Technology: Uses sonic waves to generate vibrations that maintain consistent intensity even under pressure (a motor near the penis head on a piston that push and pulls the silicone sleeve).

• Auto-Adjusted Liquid Silicone Ribs: Thoughtfully engineered to conform to your anatomy, reduce air pockets, and offer enhanced softness, elasticity, and durability, (simple ribs of silicone).

Encompassing all this tech is a faceted, black machined aluminium body, exposed shiny aluminium at the base and around the plastic window gives the unit a bit of added detail. Yes, plastic could have been used but given the cost associated with this product, the aluminium body really up's the perceived value! The silicone sleeve blends seamlessly with the body as it wraps around the opening, this served two functions, it seemed to give the unit a more waterproof feel closing up any gaps in the body and also ensured that there were no hard surfaces pushed against your crotch during use. The window on the side of the unit gives a good view of the toys internals, however it offers no function other than a bit of a nice detail.

The top of the unit is kept clean and minimal. An LED ring surrounds a silicone circle providing basic visual feedback, a central button turns the unit on and off, and plus and minis buttons either side control the intensity.

This is not some cheaply made and slapped together device. Instead on face value at least the Lelo F1S is instead quite impressive, the unit is well made, waterproof, and all parts seem to be considered.

Features and specs

SPECIFICATIONS - F1S V3 (as per the specifications on the Lelo website)

• Materials: Body-safe silicone, Aluminum alloy, LEXAN™ 141R Size: 144 x Φ 72 mm / 5.67 x 2.83 in

• Insertable length: 110 mm / 4.3 in

• Diameter: 40mm-60mm / 1.57 in - 2.36 in

• Weight: 314 g / 0.69 lb

• Battery: Li-lon 850 mAh 3.7 V

• Charging: 2 h at 5.0 V 850 mA Rated

• Power: Input: 5V 3.75W Output: 3.7V 1.5W

• User time: up to 2 h

• Standby: 90 days

• Frequency: suction motor: 64 Hz vibration motor: 93 Hz

• Max. noise level: < 75 dB Interface: 3 buttons

App Controls:

• AI Mode - Lets the F1S increase and decrease vibrations and patterns based on the amount of movement in the device.

• Motor 1 - Controls the intensity of the motor at the top of the unit. Patterns are selectable independently.

• Motor 2 - Controls the intensity of the motor at the base of the unit. Patterns are selectable independently.

• Gear - Controls the speed of the vibration pattern.

App screenshot

Experience and performance - Girthy guys may struggle.

I'll start with the bad points -

I'm not large, but this thing feels tight. There is a pressure point about a quarter of the way down the unit (above the motor that vibrates the shaft) that makes it difficult to push through when erect. There is some give but the experience can feel a little constraining if you try and enter the unit erect. I had a better experience entering flaccid and allowing the vibrations to stimulate me into an erection, thus avoiding this issue. In the writing of this review I also had a look at some of the posted reviews on the Lelo website, many echoed this criticism, particularly with the original model (the non XL).

Secondly, as far as I can tell, this isn't meant to be used as a masturbator type device. It's not a Fleshlight that you can lube up, fuck and cum in, using it in this manner leads to...well...noise. This device can be incredibly loud as lube squelches and air is forced in and out of the sleeve, the interior ribs seem to exasperate this. It's noisy and not particularly pleasant. When used as intended (hands free) this is a non-issue, it's only evident when used manually as a stroker.

The sound from the motors in the itself are also quite loud, I will say though that the noise from the unit is dampened when in use. Just remember to turn it and and off before and after insertion and you wont have an issue.

Lastly - the AI - I'm not sure if I was doing something wrong, but the AI never really did anything for me when used hands free. It is apparently meant to adjust the motor intensity based on feedback from the unit. This would work if I used the unit as a masturbator and gently moved the toy up and down the shaft, the unit would then gradually increased the power of the vibrations (this intensity would then be displayed on the app screen), in practice however the AI did nothing when used hands free and it seems to adjust based on an accelerometer sensor rather than anything to do with time or how hard you are.

Sounds bad but...

This all sounds like it would be a disappointment, however when used hands free and manually controlling the vibrations plus an expectation that this is more of an edging / long payoff type device...I bloody loved it!

The motor that sits at the base of the shaft is strong and rumbly while the "sonic" vibrations at the head sufficiently tease and stimulate the glans, the app also allowed me to play around with a huge amount of options, controlling the vibration patterns, intensity and speed quickly easily (I also didn't experience any drop out between the toy and my phone).

To test, I found some content (20-30min videos worked best so that I don't need to worry about finding something mid way through as session), adjusted the settings to my liking via the app and simply kept the unit in place with some minor movement while I slowly built myself up to orgasm.

In the end it was the combination of vibrations and the slow build-up that I really feel make the F1S worthwhile. If I could compare this toy to anything it would be a FunFactory Manta or maybe a Magic Wand, but instead of concentrated vibrations in a single point you get both rumbles all along the shaft and concentrated vibrations to the penis head where the extent and amount of different vibrations that are felt along the entirety of the penis make it a lot more enjoyable.

Plastic side panel and exposed aluminium details.

F1S control panel

Materials and care

While the unit itself is of high quality, the FS1 unfortunately suffers from the same issues as every other single entry product - cleaning is a bit of a pain. While there are limited spots for material to be caught and the unit is waterproof so technically the unit can be submerged, I still found that it took multiple rinses to completely ensure there was no material caught inside. Not a deal breaker, but it is still something to be aware of.

Otherwise even after multiple uses, the unit is pristine with no degradation in the silicone surface or scratches on the aluminium body. I see no reason why this wouldn't hold up for years to come. Sure there is some lint which finds its way to the silicone but overall everything seems premium and reflects the high price tag.

Internal view of the device.

Packaging - A premium experience

For the price, the packaging for the F1S hits all the right notes. It feels premium, constructed out of a heavy weight cardboard with a plastic viewing window on the front cover which nicely displays the device. Inside you find the F1S neatly stores between a foam protector along with a charging cable, two single-use packets of lube, marketing tag, and safety leaflet with the link to the instruction book.

While not revolutionary it all comes together into a nicely design package.

My one complaint is that it would have been nice if there was an included storage bag. It wouldn't add anything to the price however it would allow you to safely store the device when not in use and avoid it picking up dust or lint. It's something that I've had included on much cheaper toys and given he price of Lelo's products would have been nice to have.

Box contents

Price

Was it worth it? - yes and no.

Did I have fun and enjoy my time with the F1S - yes I did. Would I buy it again if it broke - Yes.

It's an expensive piece of kit and while it feels great, it is an investment that is for better or worse situated in the luxury price range that not everyone can afford. At the end of the day there are other many options available for a quarter of the price, however none offer the same range of features.

The male market is dominated by cheap toys that mainly offer a single experience only and while the F1S doesn't hit every mark I applaud Lelo for trying something different and innovative. This is a toy designed for edging and a slow build-up, as long as you go into it with this mindset, this is a toy that I can recommend. If you are after something quick then this may not be for you.