Reference

Glossary

The terms this category uses, defined plainly. Several hide a condition inside a single word.

Last reviewed September 10, 2026

Automatic stroker: A powered device that moves a sleeve along the penis so the motion does not come from your hand. The category EROVYN starts with. Also sold as an automatic masturbator or a stroking machine.
Sleeve: The soft insert that makes contact. On some devices it lifts out for cleaning and can be bought separately; on others it is bonded into the housing. Which of the two it is decides both cleaning time and whether a worn part ends the device.
Stroke length: How far the mechanism travels in one pass, usually given in inches or millimetres. A short stroke at high speed feels very different from a long stroke at the same speed.
Strokes per minute: How many complete passes the device makes in a minute. On its own it says less than it seems to, because the feel also depends on stroke length.
Strap-driven: A design where a strap or belt around the sleeve pulls it up and down. Grip comes from strap tension, so it can be adjusted by hand, and the sleeve can often be one you already own.
Enclosed: A design where the sleeve sits inside a powered housing that sets the diameter, the length and the grip. It repeats the same way each time, and the sleeve range is whatever the maker makes for that housing.
Hands-free: The device runs without you holding it. The word hides a condition: many devices need something to hold them in place, and whether that is in the box is a separate question.
Mount: Whatever holds a device in position: a clamp, a suction base, a strap, a stand or a piece of furniture. Often sold separately, and often needed for hands-free use.
Fit range: The span of sizes a device can accommodate, usually given as a girth range. It is the single most useful specification in the category.
Girth: Circumference, as opposed to diameter. Many fit specifications are given as girth, and confusing the two by a factor of about 3.14 is a common way to choose the wrong size.
TPE and TPR: Thermoplastic elastomer and thermoplastic rubber. Soft, affordable and slightly porous, and they cannot be sterilised. Common in sleeves, and they should be rinsed promptly after use.
Platinum-cure silicone: A silicone cured with a platinum catalyst. It is non-porous and tolerates high temperatures, and it is the material claim most worth checking against the maker's own documentation.
Water-based lubricant: The compatible default across the widest range of materials. It dries out and needs reapplying.
Silicone lubricant: Long-lasting, and it can degrade silicone toys over time. Where a maker advises against it, follow the maker.
Offline use: Whether the device does anything with no phone, no account and no internet. It decides what still works if an app changes or a company stops supporting it.
Pairing: The first connection between a device and an app, usually over Bluetooth. Some devices need an account to complete it.
Cloud relay: Control that travels through a company's servers on its way from phone to device. It allows control at a distance and stops working when the service does.
Firmware: Software running on the device itself. Updates can add features or remove them, and a device that needs an app for updates depends on that app.
Decibel at a stated distance: The form of noise figure worth comparing: a number, the measuring distance, and the speed and load it was taken at. Without all three, a figure cannot be compared.
Under load: Measured while the device is doing its job. Motors sound different when they are working, so a figure taken while running free describes a condition nobody uses.
Hygiene seal: A seal whose condition decides whether an item can be returned. Most returns policies in this category draw the line there, and once it is broken the decision is usually final.
Billing descriptor: The text that appears on your bank statement. It is set by the payment processor and is worth knowing before you buy.
Attributed specification: A specification shown with its source, such as the brand's own documentation. EROVYN marks separately anything it has checked itself.