The question that keeps coming up in these studies is whether couples who use sex toys are more satisfied.
The main limitation
All are observational: an association does not show that toys cause greater satisfaction; it may be the other way round, or both may depend on another factor.
In practice
The data do not allow us to say that toys improve a relationship. They do show that they are a common practice and that, in some studies, using them with a partner is associated with greater satisfaction.
What kind of studies there are
Observational 1
Descriptive or expert opinion 4
We classify each study by its design. A synthesis of many studies or a randomised trial supports firmer conclusions than a survey or an expert opinion. The design does not tell you whether a result is good or bad.
What the studies say overall
The question that keeps coming up in these studies is whether couples who use sex toys are more satisfied. The answers are not uniform.
A large survey in six European countries found that owning and using toys was associated with greater sexual satisfaction and greater life satisfaction; relationship satisfaction was only associated with owning toys and using them with a partner, not with using them alone.
Another study, with a national sample of people in heterosexual relationships, found no link between toy use and relationship outcomes when it analysed the role of pornography use.
In Colombia, women in stable relationships who used them scored slightly higher on sexual function, and in the United States many women said that stimulating the clitoris with a finger or a toy during penetration made them reach orgasm more often or enjoy penetration more.
Where they disagree
The studies disagree because they measure different things: sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, sexual function or orgasm. A single study may find a link with one of them and not with another.
Limits of the evidence
All are observational: an association does not show that toys cause greater satisfaction; it may be the other way round, or both may depend on another factor. They rely on what each person reports, use very different samples, and one of them focuses only on men who use remotely connected toys.
The studies, one by one
We have gathered 5 verified studies. Each summary is our own; the quotation in inverted commas is taken word for word from the original abstract, in English.
What they found: The frequency of sex toy use with a partner was significantly associated with greater relationship satisfaction. (Hald et al., 2025)
Population Respondents from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France and the United KingdomJournalJ Sex Res
Verbatim quotation from the original abstract (in English)
“we found that sex toy ownership and use were significantly associated with higher sexual and life satisfaction, while higher relationship satisfaction was only significantly associated with currently owning a sex toy (but not number of sex toys) and frequency of use with a partner (but not alone).” Hald et al., 2025
What they found: In a cross-sectional study of 1,759 women in stable relationships in Colombia, 72.76% used sex toys and their mean sexual function (FSFI) scores were slightly higher than those of non-users (29.55 versus 27.43); this is an observational association. (Espitia De La Hoz et al., 2025)
What they found: 69.7% of women reach orgasm more often or find vaginal penetration more pleasurable by stimulating the clitoris with a finger or a sex toy during penetration. (Hensel et al., 2021)
Population American women aged 18 to 93JournalPLoS One
Verbatim quotation from the original abstract (in English)
“Finally, 69.7% of women orgasm more often or make vaginal penetration more pleasurable using 'Pairing': when a woman herself (Solo Pairing) or her partner (Partner Pairing) reaches down to stimulate her clitoris with a finger or sex toy at the same time as her vagina is being penetrated.” Hensel et al., 2021
What they found: Sex toy use was not significantly related to relationship outcomes in the analysis of sexual behaviours as possible mediators of the association between pornography use and relationship wellbeing. (Dover et al., 2024)
Population People in heterosexual relationships from a national sampleJournalArch Sex Behav
Verbatim quotation from the original abstract (in English)
“Both vaginal sex and oral sex had positive effects, while anal sex had a unique, negative effect (use of sex toys was not significantly related).” Dover et al., 2024
What they found: Use of connected sex toys with a partner, compared with use exclusively alone, was significantly associated with relationship status, more toys and sexual partners, greater sexual desire, the ability to reach orgasm with a partner and higher sexual self-esteem. (Dussault et al., 2026)
Population Cisgender men who used connected sex toysJournalJ Sex Res
Verbatim quotation from the original abstract (in English)
“Partnered teledildonics use, compared to exclusively solo use, was significantly associated with relationship status, higher number of sex toys and sexual partners, higher sexual desire, ability to orgasm with a partner, and sexual self-esteem.” Dussault et al., 2026
The data do not allow us to say that toys improve a relationship. They do show that they are a common practice and that, in some studies, using them with a partner is associated with greater satisfaction.
What these studies measure is what each person reports. Read them as a trend, not a recipe.
