from www.examiner.com – This year’s Sex Toy of the Year winner – the Axis Hitachi by Liberator – arrived at Sexaminer HQ on Christmas Eve, the same way Oscar-bait films sneak in at the end of the year with a Christmas release date to make the cut.

The packing slip said it was shipped from the Liberator Fulfillment Center. Indeed: Absolutely the most fulfilling product I’ve reviewed all year.

Liberator is a nominee for Toy Manufacturer of the Year at the 2010 XBIZ Awards (February 10, 2010), and before the arrival of the Axis Hitachi another Liberator product was in the running for my 2009 Sexaminer Award:

In June I reviewed the Wedge/Ramp Combo, Liberator’s signature “sex furniture” shapes (Better sex through geometry, June 30, 2009), by far the most beloved and most frequently used of all the lovemaking equipment my partner and I have tested in 2009 for this Sex & Relationships column.

The new Axis Hitachi ($130) takes the same sex furniture concept and runs with it, adding a critical dose of plugged-in power: The dirty little secret of anyone who uses and reviews sex toys is that nothing ever really measures up to the Hitachi Magic Wand, the classic “massager” first endorsed for use as a sex toy by Betty Dobson in the 1970s. Rather than try to reinvent the wheel here, Liberator has simply – and quite literally – harnessed the Hitachi’s 24-watt wonders and 6,000 RPM motor by creating a triangular Magic Wand mount for it.

There’s not a lot of reading between the lines here, ladies: This is a hands-free and partner-friendly mount for one of the most powerful vibrators on the market, opening up a whole new world of both solo and partner play options and making way for the most intense orgasms you’ll ever have. The Hitachi Magic Wand fits in between the Axis’ foam shapes (see slideshow below), and is tucked tightly into place using a zippered microfiber cover. The rest is up to you and, if you choose, your partner.

The Axis facilitates at least half a dozen different positions on its own – cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, standing, rear entry, scissors… – and, like the other Liberator products or other props you may be using (pillows, etc.) it allows for deeper penetration and enhanced thrusting. The Axis also works well in concert with other Liberator shapes you might have in your collection, thanks to its non-slip (and washable) microfiber cover.

My partner joked that it felt like we were building a sex fort as we piled the Axis atop our Wedge/Ramp Combo for some early experiments with the new product.

I should note here that the Hitachi Magic Wand itself is NOT included with this product. Liberator sells the wands separately ($44.96) if you don’t already have one (you’ve been missing out) and also sells some fun third-party attachments for the wand: The Gee Whiz clitoral/G-Spot attachment ($38.70) and the longer, textured Gee Whizzard ($42.30). Another vendor I recommend, The Magic Wand Shop, has slightly better prices, package deals, and a wider selection of attachments for the Hitachi Magic Wand, but the current Liberator.com promotion ($40 off a purchase over $200, using sale code SAVE40) is probably your best bet if you’re going for the combo or otherwise shopping around. I like Liberator’s Fascinator Throes blankets and their Silk Bonding Sash if you need help getting to that $200 mark.