If you’re looking to buy the iconic Magic Wand vibrator (formerly the Hitachi Magic Wand massager), or the “Cadillac of vibrators,” or as I coined it, The One Vibe to Rule Them All – it may be tempting to look for the best deal.
As a girl on a budget myself, I totally understand wanting to go for the cheapest option. But in the case of the super popular Magic Wand massager, the market is flooded with counterfeit, fake, knock-off Magic Wands that don’t even come close to the quality of the original. In fact, tons of websites, including seller-driven platforms like Ebay, sell counterfeits under the guise of “genuine products”, misleading customers and providing disappointing quality. There’s a HUGE quality difference between an authentic Magic Wand and a knock-off, and getting a low-quality toy isn’t worth the discount. It’s definitely disappointing to spend nearly the same amount for a toy – and have it be significantly lower quality.
So, to help our community get the best vibrator out there, I compared the real Magic Wand Rechargeable vs. a fake Magic Wand. Counterfeits used to primarily emulate the Magic Wand Original, but have since adapted to primarily knock off the rechargeable version, though I’ll lay out key differences to be aware of for all versions – including the Magic Wand Plus and Magic Wand Mini (you can decide which model best suits your desires)! In this guide, I’ll compare and contrast the quality of the authentic Magic Wand from a fake version to show the differences in quality – as well as a few key differences to look for to recognize and detect a fake Magic Wand before purchasing.
Why Buy an Authentic Magic Wand?
Simply put – fake “Magic Wands” are much lower quality. So much so that it’s not worth the slightly lower price, at all. From the vibrations to the design, everything about the counterfeit pales in comparison to the authentic Magic Wand Original, Rechargeable, Plus, and even the Mini — by a landslide.
At first glance, as soon as I opened the counterfeit’s box, I could tell that the fake was super low quality compared to the real thing. It looked similar to the original in size and design (aside from the iconic “Magic Wand” name and logo on the front) – but it felt lightweight, flimsy, and had some scuffs and scratches throughout.
In particular, the head smelled strongly like rubber (a porous and often toxic material for sex toys), and the outer coating of the head can easily pull off to reveal foam and plastic underneath. In contrast, the authentic Magic Wand is sturdy and has a silicone head that’s attached fully and can’t be pulled off. The fake is also incredibly flexible between the head and base, so much so that it felt like it might break off.
I also noticed that the counterfeit has a short 3-foot USB cord for charging, while the authentic has a long 6-foot cord that directly plugs into an outlet. A previous fake I tested actually had a UK power cord with a flimsy US adapter, while the real Magic Wand is only sold by verified sellers in the US, and 2 verified shops in Canada.
The Real Magic Wand Vibrator is MUCH More Powerful
Beyond the design, the real mark of quality is the vibrations themselves. To someone who’s never tried the Magic Wand vibrator before, the fake version may feel very powerful. In fact, the vibrations of nearly any wand are more powerful than bullet vibrators and most insertable vibrators. Yet, the fake is still far less powerful than other wands on the market, and certainly not nearly as powerful as the real Magic Wand. Not even close.
Even compared to other high-quality massagers, the counterfeit feels weak and buzzy. When putting the heads of both vibrators in glasses of water, the highest speed on the fake barely caused a ripple, while the lowest speed on my real Magic Wand created waves.
Comparing each setting – the authentic Magic Wand is rumbly and deep on its lowest setting. If it’s sitting on the couch with me, it can rumble my butt from across the cushion. Rather, the counterfeit is buzzy and light in comparison and doesn’t have any vibration travel at all. Even when placed firmly on my clit, the vibrations feel dull and dispersed. They are not central, condensed, or earth-shaking like my Magic Wand. They just fall flat. The fake also has a high-pitched robotic whirring sound that’s very annoying, rather than the rumbly, deep bass of the Magic Wand.
As you increase the speed, each setting on the fake just gets louder, buzzier, and faster — while the authentic Magic Wand Rechargeable gets deeper, rumblier, more intense, and only has a slight sound increase that is more bass-y than mechanic or robotic.
Even the highest setting of the fake is embarrassingly weak compared to the real thing. While the Magic Wand nearly shocks my clit into instant orgasm, the counterfeit version would take quite a bit of rocking and work to bring me over the edge. . Even in several “blind-clit” tests (where I literally laid down blindfolded and had my partner alternate between the Magic Wand and the Faux-tachi), I could pick out the real versus the fake version. Every. Time.
Could I orgasm from the fake version? Probably. Would I reach for it before the real Magic Wand? Never.
If you’re curious about the science behind the Magic Wand’s power – I asked Vibratex’s CEO directly! Authentic Magic Wands have a huge motor in the handle itself (which is why the authentic is heavier than fakes). This motor uses a heavy-duty spring to turn a weight, which transmits the vibration to the head. Instead, the fakes simply bury a small bullet motor in the head, and have a little control panel in the handle. This is why the fakes are also so flexible – there’s no heavy-duty spring inside to do the heavy-duty work needed to make the weight rumble! Just a small little bullet vibe, buried inside and buzzing away.
How to Tell if it’s an Original Magic Wand
In an online world with counterfeit knock-offs, the only way to get an authentic Magic Wand is through a verified seller (listed below). Often, unverified retailers and sellers on eBay use stolen photos of the real deal to advertise their product, when in reality, theirs is a counterfeit version. It can be hard to tell which toy is the authentic Magic Wand, and which is a cheap counterfeit. Yet, there are signs to look for to determine if the “Magic Wand” being sold is real or not. Here’s some ways to spot a fake before you make a purchase — whether you are buying the Magic Wand Original, Rechargeable, Plus, or Mini, these key authenticity markers are consistent across products!
1. If the toy has “Hitachi” anywhere on the toy body, the box, or the listing — you can be sure it’s a fake.
While Hitachi still technically manufactures the Magic Wand, they removed their association with the products over a decade ago, when they realized people were using them for pleasure instead of simply back massages and sore muscles. Vibratex is the official distributor, and has rebranded the toy, box, and listings themselves to no longer mention Hitachi. So, there is no authentic “Hitachi” Magic Wand massager — only the Magic Wands verified by Vibratex are real Magic Wand vibrators. Some verified retailers may still use this name in marketing because it’s iconic and easy to recognize (and many people still search for “Hitachi”). But, an authentic Magic Wand will NOT have “Hitachi” anywhere on the BOX or TOY or in photos of the product or manuals.
2. Vibratex has official, verified distributors, and they are the only shops that carry authentic Magic Wands.
If it’s marketed with any mis-spelling of Hitachi or Vibratex or uses a slightly different name, you can guarantee it’s fake. The most common fakes market themselves as “Love Wand”, “Magic Massager”, or “Magic Massage Wand”, yet some fakes go so far as to use the trademarked names. On eBay, there are several counterfeits that say “Magic Wand” on the box, toy, and listing (and the colors are the same), yet the box’s branding looks different than the true boxes of each Magic Wand vibrator, and they usually don’t use the logo. You can check Vibratex’s website to see what each toy and box should look like (although they don’t directly sell Magic Wands) to compare the pictures on-site. The differences can be clear or very subtle.
3. The real Magic Wands have Intertek certification stickers at the top of the back of each wand
Whether you have the Original, Rechargeable, Plus, or the Mini, the sticker is there. Some sites claim that authentic Magic Wands have an engraved number and a sticker at the bottom. In fact, there is a very convincing eBay listing that uses ALL of Magic Wand’s branding and photos, and even shows the inside of a “real vs fake” wand, and yet claims that “real” wand has a serial number and a sticker at the bottom, while fake wands do not. I received every version of the Magic Wand vibrator directly from Vibratex, and they all have a sticker on the top back of the wand, not the bottom. The Magic Wand Original (plug-in version) has a serial number on the bottom, but no sticker. Any verified seller that receives Magic Wands to sell, is receiving the wands directly from Vibratex, so they will all also have the same sticker in the same place if it’s truly authentic.
4. The designs will have subtle differences.
Fakes of the Magic Wand Original often have an oval blue sticker around the controls rather than a square sticker. On my Magic Wand Original and counterfeit version, both stickers are square. However, the fake sticker says “Hitachi” and has red and white dots on the buttons, rather than lines. Many fakes will also show red dots in the photos.
For the The Magic Wand Rechargeable, the fake has an indented space for the sticker, but doesn’t actually have a sticker, nor does it have any branded name. Many fakes will have the trademarked name on the product, but remove the logo or use different fonts or styles, like a squiggle under the name.
5. The authentic Magic Wand vibrator is ONLY compatible with US outlets with an AC plug.
Counterfeit versions may have a USB cord or The version I got was a UK outlet with a UK to US adapter. That’s a clear mark of a fake.
Where to Get the Authentic Magic Wand
There’s only one surefire way to know you’re getting an authentic Magic Wand vibrator – buy from a verified retailer. A verified retailer not only has the real deal but has warranty options for replacements if something is wrong with the product. Definitely DON’T buy your toy on eBay. While it’s possible to decipher which toys are clear fakes, so many counterfeits use Magic Wand’s photos directly, so it’s not possible to guarantee its authenticity or quality, let alone troubleshoot an issue. EBay is the worst possible place to buy toys, as retailers are not verified as toy sellers, are not held accountable for their actions, and can get away with selling counterfeit toys easily. Even if the retailer has good reviews, these reviews are often from folks who haven’t actually tried the authentic Magic Wand so don’t know the difference, and many haven’t used vibrators before at all.
Instead, go to a verified Magic Wand seller and sex toy retailer where their reputation depends on the quality of their toys. Opt for sex-positive shops that are vetted, reviewed, and recommended by industry professionals (aka; reviewers like us!) that have good reputations and relationships with their customers and the community, and have proven that they’re legit and care about quality. When you shop at online retailers with stellar reputations, you can feel confident that you’ll get the real deal and quality customer service. You’ll also be assured that if the toy breaks for any reason, you’ll be covered by warranty. Here is our favorite sex-positive and lowest-cost place to buy the Magic Wand Original, Rechargeable, Plus, and Mini!
Get the Original at Good Vibes for $69.95
Get the Rechargeable at Good Vibes for $129.95
Check out all our reviews of the Magic Wand line with verified sellers:
The Magic Wand Original
The Magic Wand Rechargeable
The Magic Wand Plus
The Magic Wand Mini
If you like our site, posts, and reviews
please click our affiliate links before you purchase!
This way, a small percentage of your sale comes back to us, at no cost to you.
If you’ve been clicking affiliate links on other sites and want SGP to get credit,
you can clear your cookies on any browser to ensure our links work.
View this post on Instagram
Thanks for the article. I think more people need to become aware that if they want a quality toy, they have to pay a quality price. They do need to know that if the price is too good to be true, it’s probably because it is.
I am an Ebay seller. My tips in addition to yours are:
– Don’t buy from a seller who sells it for 50% or more off retail price with free shipping. He can only sell it that low because it’s FAKE. A fake one probably costs like $10. No one is going to lose money to sell you a sex toy.
– Go to the brand’s website and compare what the brand says versus what the listing says or the look of the product versus the listing pictures.
– Check the feedback before you buy. If you see reasonable negative comments, avoid it. If the seller doesn’t respond to the feedback, avoid it.
First off thanks for the article. I currently live in Japan so thought I would easily find a Hitachi Magic swans, considering Hitachi are a Japanese company. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. After much searching I thought I found one. It wasn’t cheap, which gave me hope it was the real deal, but alas it says Hitachi on the box so it looks like it is just another fake (and an expensive one at that!).
Just wanted to mention that the picture you show of the plugs does not show a UK plug. Or is they the US adapter you speak of? I never realised that American plugs were exactly the same as Japanese plugs!
I guess my search for a real Magic Wand this side of the Pacific continues…
Don’t buy from Maxiwand.com. They are not listed as Vibratex safe vendors and have worrisome ratings on scam detection sites. They told me they could not send me the product to Mexico due to Hitachi’s policies, and when I sent them Vibratex answer that the product can be sent to North America, which includes Mexico “Marc L.” (Actual signature on mail, no last name, and there is only one e-mail address on their page, so it is probably a one-man operation) , from “customer service”, ignored the facts and got surprisingly aggressive for no reason (other than getting caught on ignoring the maker’s policies). They send original wands to blogs but that doesn’t mean the one you will get is legit, and if you need customer service later, believe me, it is not Marc’s forte to write nicely. Buy from their guaranteed vendors. It is much safer and possibly cheaper. They list physical as well as online stores.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m so sorry you went through that.
We received the fake Magic Wand Original from MaxiWand – NOT the authentic Magic Wand.
We definitely recommend buying from a verified reseller or trusted affiliate! The affiliates listed in our full review (linked at the bottom of the post) are verified Magic Wands.
I just ordered one off eBay for 9.99, was advertised as magic wand handheld. .. everything on the pictures look legit so far, but with it being 9.99 free shipping, I’m assuming it’s a fake, I haven’t received it yet.. as long as it does the job I’ll be happy, my husband took all my vibrators apart while I was sleeping, when I woke and seen all my toys in pieces, I asked why, he said because he is making something and needed the motors!.. that was two weeks ago, and he has yet to show me the finished product of what he was making! : l .. I just need to explode, and only a plug-in “back massager” was good enough to do the job, I hope it’s strong enough, because I’m a tad bit sexually frustrated!