Is it actually waterproof?

IPX7 is a real standard and most listings quote it correctly. What it does not tell you is that the test is done in clean, still, cold water on a brand-new unit, which is not the situation you are buying it for.

Why it stopped charging

Rechargeable toys rarely fail at the motor. They fail at the charging port, and there are only three reasons it happens. Two of them are worth trying to fix.

Bringing it up with a partner

The conversation is usually shorter and less awkward than the version people rehearse in their heads. What makes it go badly is rarely the subject. It is the framing.

How to read a product listing

A listing is written for two audiences at once: the people who will check, and the people who will not. Once you can tell the two halves apart, most of the marketing stops working on you.

How to actually clean one

Most cleaning advice for these products is either too vague to act on or quietly wrong about the materials. The part that matters is knowing which of two categories yours falls into, because the two need different things and one of them cannot be sterilised at all.