💧The Original Lube + The Extra Thick Lube Review – Official The Handy Lube
Hello everybody, and welcome back to another review!
I am particularly happy about this one because it marks the beginning of a somewhat new collaboration between The Handy and me.
I have already covered the Handy 2 Pro in a previous review, but this collaboration is going a bit further. Several additional products are coming my way for testing, with more reviews planned over the next months.
We are starting with something that might not look quite as exciting as a new device or sleeve at first glance, but which can make a surprisingly large difference during actual use:
Lube.
The Handy sent me both of their own branded lubricants to test:
The Original Lube
The Extra Thick Lube
And rather than reviewing them individually, I think comparing them directly makes much more sense. They are designed for slightly different preferences, and switching between them can noticeably change how the same sleeve feels.
For this review, I will mainly focus on:
Texture & Feel
Quality
Amount Needed & Efficiency
Smell
Cleanup
Value for Money
The practical differences between Original and Extra Thick
After this, the next Handy review will move on to something a little more exciting visually: three different Handy sleeves in one review.
But first, let's make sure everything is properly lubricated.
You can find the lubes here:
💸Community Discount Code
🏷️Handy 2 Discount: Use code SLIBOWITZ to get 15% off the Handy 2 and support my work at the same time.
🔍Disclaimer & Transparency
In the spirit of full transparency, here are a few important things to know about this review:
This product was provided to me for free by The Handy as part of our affiliate partnership.
All photos, GIFs, and videos in this review were captured by me using a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and are presented without filters, AI enhancement, or image manipulation. My goal is to show the product as accurately and realistically as possible.
All links in this review are affiliate links. If you choose to buy something through them, you directly support my work — at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for considering using my affiliate links. Your support truly helps me continue doing what I love.
While this is a sponsored review, all opinions are my own. I always aim to be honest, constructive, and fair in my assessments.
This review reflects my personal experience. Every person is different, and sensations, preferences, body type, comfort levels, and use cases may vary.
This review was written with the help of ChatGPT. I provided my own testing notes, key points, experiences, and opinions for every section, while ChatGPT helped organize and polish the writing. All impressions, conclusions, ratings, and final judgments are entirely my own.
🧾 Product Overview
Two water-based lubes, one goal, but noticeably different approaches.
The Original Lube
Specification | Details |
Price | €13.69 / $14 |
Amount | 118 mL / approx. 4 US fl oz |
Brand | The Handy |
Type | Water-based |
Toy Compatibility | TPE and Silicone |
Ingredients | Glycerin, Water (Aqua), Cellulose Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben |
Scented | No |
The Extra Thick Lube
Specification | Details |
Price | €15.47 / $16 |
Amount | 118 mL / approx. 4 US fl oz |
Brand | The Handy |
Type | Water-based |
Toy Compatibility | TPE and Silicone |
Ingredients | Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorphenesin, Vitamin E Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide |
Scented | No |
A Short Look at the Ingredients
Both products are water-based lubricants and are listed as compatible with both TPE and silicone toys, which makes them suitable for a wide variety of sleeves and other products.
The Original Lube uses a relatively straightforward formula. Glycerin helps retain moisture and contributes to the lubricating feel, while cellulose gum is commonly used as a thickening and stabilizing ingredient. Methylparaben and propylparaben act as preservatives.
The Extra Thick formula is a little more complex. Alongside water and glycerin, it contains propylene glycol, which can help retain moisture, and hydroxyethylcellulose, which contributes to the noticeably thicker consistency. Polysorbate 20 is commonly used to help ingredients mix evenly, while chlorphenesin functions as a preservative. The formula also contains vitamin E acetate and sodium hydroxide, with the latter commonly used as a pH-adjusting ingredient.
There is no added fragrance listed for either product, which I personally appreciate.
The presence of preservatives or ingredients such as glycerin does not automatically mean that a product will or will not work well for every person. Individual sensitivities can always differ. During my own testing, I experienced no irritation, burning, itching, or discomfort with either lubricant.
I do not have an officially provided pH value for either product, so I will not speculate about that.
As always, if you experience irritation or discomfort with any lubricant, stop using it.
🧴 Bottle Design & Dispensing
Simple bottles, good control, and thankfully no wrestling match required.
Both lubes use essentially the same bottle design and dispensing system.
Each bottle holds 118 mL, with the product name, ingredients, and other standard information clearly printed on the outside. The design itself is fairly simple, but it looks clean and well-made and gave me a good first impression.
To dispense the lube, you press down on one side of the cap. This opens a small nozzle on the opposite side. From there, you simply squeeze the bottle.
The Original Lube
The Extra Thick Lube
Personally, I think this kind of squeeze bottle is one of the easiest ways to apply lubricant.
You can control the amount very precisely, it works comfortably with one hand, and there is no pump mechanism or awkward cap to deal with during use.
There is a small learning curve when using the bottle for the first time, though. Start with a gentle squeeze until you know how much product comes out.
Otherwise, you might accidentally flood the sleeve.
Unless that was the plan, of course.
A gentle squeeze already dispenses a useful amount of lubricant.
With The Original Lube, I usually needed slightly more because of its thinner consistency. The Extra Thick Lube requires less, and in some situations a single squeeze may already be enough.
The exact amount will naturally depend on the sleeve, toy, and your personal preference.
The thicker consistency of the Extra Thick Lube also makes it very easy to apply directly where you want it. The Original Lube flows more freely, so you can simply allow it to spread naturally through the sleeve.
Another nice detail is that the nozzle remained relatively clean throughout my testing. Once closed, I did not notice lubricant continuing to drip out afterward.
It will probably still benefit from an occasional wipe or rinse, but overall the bottle design works extremely well.
Simple, practical, easy to control.
Exactly how a lube bottle should be.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
💧 Texture & Feel
This is where the two bottles finally start behaving very differently.
The Original Lube
The Original Lube has a noticeably thinner and more liquid consistency.
In that regard, it reminds me quite a lot of OnaEki, which also sits on the more fluid side of the spectrum.
Despite being thinner, it does not feel watery or cheap.
The consistency is very smooth, natural-feeling, and importantly, not sticky.
It provides plenty of lubrication without making everything feel excessively slippery. There is a very good balance between smooth movement and still being able to feel what the sleeve is actually doing.
Because the lube is relatively liquid, it naturally spreads very easily.
Once applied, it flows through the internal structure without requiring much additional work. It is more runny than a thicker lubricant, obviously, but not to the point where it instantly disappears from wherever you applied it.
One characteristic I personally notice quite consistently with thinner lubes is that they allow me to feel more of the toy's internal texture.
That was also the case here.
Highly textured sleeves felt slightly more pronounced when using the Original Lube compared with the Extra Thick version.
That does not necessarily mean that the Original Lube objectively makes every toy more intense for everyone, but during my own testing, I could definitely feel more direct texture feedback.
If that is something you enjoy, the Original Lube is the more interesting option of the two.
The Extra Thick Lube
The Extra Thick Lube is...
Well.
Extra thick.
Unexpected, I know.
Its consistency is considerably denser than the Original Lube and reminds me quite a lot of the TYO Lube I previously reviewed. Both sit in a fairly similar consistency range.
Despite being thicker, the Extra Thick Lube remains smooth and natural-feeling.
It is also not sticky, which is especially important with thicker lubricants because poor formulas can sometimes become unpleasantly tacky.
That never happened here.
The thicker consistency does create slightly more resistance compared with the Original Lube. It is still properly lubricated and smooth, but there is a little more friction and slightly less of that extremely slippery feeling.
And that is exactly why someone might intentionally choose a thicker lubricant.
It also does not flow through a sleeve as automatically as the Original Lube.
I usually spread it by pressing the sleeve together and gently rubbing it between my hands. That helps distribute the lube evenly through the internal structure.
The biggest practical difference, however, is again the texture feedback.
For me, thicker lube slightly softens the intensity of highly textured sleeves.
It absolutely does not remove the texture, but the sensation becomes a little less direct.
That can be extremely useful if you have a particularly intense sleeve or simply want a longer, slightly more controlled session.
And sometimes it is simply about preference.
Some people enjoy the smoother, thicker feeling more than the highly slippery sensation of a thinner lubricant.
So Which Texture Is Better?
Neither.
They are simply different.
And that is actually what I like about having both versions available.
The difference is not night and day, but it is noticeable enough that the same sleeve can feel slightly different depending on which bottle you use.
If you are unsure which consistency you prefer, I would genuinely recommend trying both over several sessions and with different sleeves.
One session is not necessarily enough to decide.
Switch between them and see how each one affects your preferred toys.
Both offer excellent lubrication and feel considerably better to me than many cheap, generic lubricants I have used in the past.
I say this in basically every lube review, but good lubricant matters far more than many people initially think.
You can have an excellent sleeve, but poor lubricant can still drag down the experience.
A good lube complements the toy instead of getting in its way.
And both Handy lubes do exactly that.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
⭐ Quality
The kind of product you mostly stop thinking about once it is doing its job properly.
Both Handy lubes made a very good quality impression throughout my testing.
The Original Lube costs €13.69 / $14, while the Extra Thick version costs €15.47 / $16.
Both contain 118 mL.
Compared purely by volume, they are not the cheapest options available.
For some context:
OnaEki: €19.95 for 370 mL
TYO Lube: €23.95 for 360 mL
Using the European pricing, that works out to roughly:
The Original Lube: €11.60 per 100 mL
The Extra Thick Lube: €13.11 per 100 mL
OnaEki: €5.39 per 100 mL
TYO Lube: €6.65 per 100 mL
So if we judge the products purely by price per millilitre, the Handy lubes are clearly more expensive than those larger bottles.
That is worth mentioning.
However, price per millilitre is only one part of evaluating lubricant.
Actual efficiency matters as well.
During my testing, I never needed large amounts of either Handy lube, and both remained effective for a good amount of time.
Both were comfortable during use, easy to apply, compatible with the TPE and silicone products I tested them with, and I personally experienced no skin irritation or discomfort.
Most importantly, they noticeably improved the experience rather than simply making the toy wet enough to use.
That is where I personally separate a good lubricant from a cheap generic one.
Years ago, I used to buy very inexpensive one-litre bottles. On paper, that seemed like incredible value.
In reality, I needed considerably more product, it dried faster, and the actual feel was worse.
You can buy more lubricant for less money.
That does not necessarily mean you are getting better value.
Both Handy formulas feel refined, reliable, and genuinely well suited for sleeve use.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
⚙️ Amount Needed & Efficiency
A good lubricant should spend more time in the sleeve than disappearing from the bottle.
Efficiency is one of the most important aspects of any lubricant for me.
And this is an area where both Handy lubes performed extremely well.
Because the Original Lube has a thinner consistency, I generally needed slightly more.
When testing it with the official Handy sleeves, around two to three squeezes was usually enough for me.
With the Extra Thick Lube, I generally used around one to two squeezes.
That is very efficient.
One important thing to keep in mind is that sleeves usually require less lubricant than larger or more heavily textured Onaholes.
They are often shorter and contain less complex internal structures.
If you use either Handy lubricant with a larger Onahole, you may need another squeeze or two.
As always, there is no universal amount.
Some people prefer using a lot of lubricant.
Others use considerably less.
The sleeve itself, the amount of texture inside it, session length, movement speed, and intensity of use will all affect how much you ultimately need.
During longer or more intensive sessions, I occasionally found that a small reapplication improved things.
But under normal use, the initial amount generally kept everything running comfortably for around half an hour during my testing.
Neither lubricant dried particularly quickly.
That is an important strength.
Instead of constantly stopping to add more, you can apply a fairly small amount and simply continue using the sleeve.
The Extra Thick version gets a slight natural efficiency advantage because its denser consistency means less product is usually required.
But both performed very well.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
👃 Smell
Because nobody asked their sleeve session to smell like a perfume department.
Both Handy lubricants are essentially odourless during normal use.
If I open the bottle and deliberately smell the lubricant directly, there is a very subtle neutral scent.
But during actual use, I do not notice it.
And I am quite sensitive when it comes to smells.
That makes both products particularly pleasant for me.
There is no strong artificial fragrance and nothing distracting from the experience.
Simple and neutral.
Exactly what I want from a lubricant.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
🧼 Cleanup
Good performance is nice. Not spending forever cleaning afterward is even nicer.
Cleanup is extremely easy with both lubricants.
Neither becomes sticky or particularly difficult to remove after use.
When cleaning the Handy sleeves under lukewarm water, most of the lubricant rinses away immediately.
Usually only a small amount remains afterward, and that can easily be removed by hand.
The same applies to any lubricant left on the body.
Water removes it without requiring excessive rubbing or repeated washing.
Another positive point is that I did not notice dried residue appearing afterward.
Even textured areas inside the sleeves remained relatively easy to clean.
I was slightly curious whether the Extra Thick Lube would require noticeably more work because of its consistency.
It does not.
Despite being considerably thicker, cleanup felt almost identical.
That is a big convenience advantage.
Because the last thing I want after finishing a session is discovering that I have accidentally signed up for another ten minutes of cleaning.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
💰 Value for Money
Small bottles, but surprisingly economical ones.
Overall, I think both Handy lubes offer very good value.
As mentioned earlier, their price per millilitre is higher than larger bottles such as OnaEki or TYO.
That should not be ignored.
However, the practical efficiency helps compensate for the smaller bottle size.
With the Handy sleeves, I generally needed only:
2–3 squeezes of Original Lube
1–2 squeezes of Extra Thick Lube
That means very little product is required for a typical session.
This is something I learned quite clearly after moving away from extremely cheap generic lubricants.
I previously used a one-litre bottle that cost somewhere around €20.
On paper, that looked unbeatable.
The problem was that I needed significantly more product, it dried relatively quickly, and the lubrication itself simply did not feel as good.
So I ended up using that supposedly economical litre much faster than expected.
A higher-quality lubricant can be more economical in practice because you simply need less of it.
And more importantly, it improves the actual experience.
I cannot realistically tell you how long one 118 mL bottle will last because that depends on session frequency, toy size, how much lubricant you personally prefer, and several other factors.
Based on the amount I needed during testing, however, I expect a bottle to last a reasonable amount of time.
There is one thing I would genuinely like to see changed:
Bigger bottles.
118 mL is fairly small.
I would love to see The Handy offer something closer to 300–400 mL alongside the current bottles.
For someone who regularly uses sleeves or other toys, buying one larger bottle every few months would simply be more convenient than repeatedly ordering smaller bottles.
You can obviously buy two or three bottles at once, and they do not exactly take up half the cupboard.
Still, a larger option would be nice.
For someone simply wanting to try the lubricant, however, 118 mL is actually a very sensible starting size.
So while the bottle size is my main criticism, the performance and efficiency still result in very good overall value.
The Original Lube Score⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube Score⭐5 / 5
⚖️ Comparison – The Original Lube vs. The Extra Thick Lube
Same brand, same purpose, surprisingly different personalities.
Category | The Original Lube | The Extra Thick Lube |
Price | €13.69 / $14 | €15.47 / $16 |
Amount | 118 mL / approx. 4 US fl oz | 118 mL / approx. 4 US fl oz |
Brand | The Handy | The Handy |
Type | Water-based | Water-based |
Toy Compatibility | TPE & Silicone | TPE & Silicone |
Ingredients | Glycerin, Water, Cellulose Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben | Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorphenesin, Vitamin E Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide |
Consistency | Thin / liquid | Thick |
Texture Feedback | More direct in my testing | Slightly softened |
Longevity | Very good | Very good |
Amount Needed | Around 2–3 squeezes with Handy sleeves | Around 1–2 squeezes with Handy sleeves |
Stickiness | None noticed | None noticed |
Smell | Essentially odourless | Essentially odourless |
Cleanup | Very easy | Very easy |
Dispensing | Controlled squeeze bottle | Controlled squeeze bottle |
Best Suited For | People who prefer a thinner, more slippery feel and stronger texture feedback | People who prefer thicker lubrication, more resistance, or slightly reduced texture intensity |
Overall Value | Excellent | Excellent |
Main Advantage | More direct texture and effortless spreading | Higher efficiency and slightly more controlled friction |
Who Might Prefer The Original Lube?
I would choose the Original Lube if you:
Prefer thinner, more liquid lubricants
Like a more slippery feeling
Want the lubricant to spread through the sleeve very easily
Enjoy feeling as much of the sleeve's internal texture as possible
For me, the Original Lube produces slightly more direct texture feedback.
Especially with already highly textured sleeves, that can make the experience a little more intense.
Who Might Prefer The Extra Thick Lube?
The Extra Thick version makes more sense if you:
Prefer thicker lubricant
Want slightly more friction
Find some sleeves overly intense
Want to slightly soften texture feedback
Prefer longer or more controlled sessions
Want to use a little less lubricant per application
It can be particularly useful with intense sleeves where you still want to feel the internal structure, just not quite as aggressively.
Is Keeping Both Worthwhile?
I actually think so.
They are different enough that switching lubricant can subtly change how a familiar sleeve feels.
If you already know that you strongly prefer either thin or thick lube, simply choose accordingly.
But if you are unsure, trying both makes sense.
Use them across several sessions and several toys rather than immediately deciding after one use.
You might even discover that you prefer Original with certain sleeves and Extra Thick with others.
There does not need to be one winner here.
Both simply serve slightly different preferences.
✅ Pros & Cons
Excellent performance across the board, with one obvious area where I would like more.
✅ Pros
Excellent overall lubrication
Smooth and natural feeling
Neither lubricant felt sticky during my testing
Very efficient
Good longevity during normal sessions
Easy and controlled squeeze-bottle design
Compatible with TPE and silicone toys
Essentially odourless during use
Very easy cleanup
Only small amounts required with Handy sleeves
Original Lube provides excellent direct texture feedback
Extra Thick can slightly soften intense textures
Extra Thick generally requires even less product
Both formulas feel noticeably better than cheap generic lubes I have used
Different consistencies give users a genuine choice rather than two nearly identical products
❌ Cons
118 mL bottles are relatively small
Price per millilitre is higher than larger OnaEki and TYO bottles
Larger 300–400 mL bottle options would be very welcome
Original Lube may require slightly more product due to its thinner consistency
📌 TL;DR
Both The Original Lube and The Extra Thick Lube from The Handy performed extremely well during my testing. They are smooth, non-sticky, essentially odourless during use, easy to clean, and highly efficient.
The biggest difference is consistency. The Original Lube is thinner, more slippery, spreads extremely easily, and gave me slightly stronger internal texture feedback. If you enjoy really feeling what a sleeve is doing, this would probably be my starting point.
The Extra Thick Lube is considerably denser and creates slightly more resistance. In my testing, that softened the intensity of highly textured sleeves a little, making it especially interesting for longer sessions or toys that might otherwise feel overly intense.
Both lubricants also performed very well in terms of longevity. With official Handy sleeves, I generally needed around 2–3 squeezes of Original or 1–2 squeezes of Extra Thick, with only occasional reapplication during longer or more intensive sessions.
My only real criticism is the 118 mL bottle size. I would love to see larger 300–400 mL options in the future. The smaller bottles are relatively expensive per millilitre compared with larger competitors, but their excellent efficiency and overall performance still make them very good value in practice.
🏆 Final Rating
Two different consistencies. Two very strong results.
The Original Lube
Category | Rating |
Bottle Design & Dispensing | 5 / 5 |
Texture & Feel | 5 / 5 |
Quality | 5 / 5 |
Amount Needed & Efficiency | 5 / 5 |
Smell | 5 / 5 |
Cleanup | 5 / 5 |
Value for Money | 5 / 5 |
Final Rating The Original Lube ⭐5 / 5
The Extra Thick Lube
Category | Rating |
Bottle Design & Dispensing | 5 / 5 |
Texture & Feel | 5 / 5 |
Quality | 5 / 5 |
Amount Needed & Efficiency | 5 / 5 |
Smell | 5 / 5 |
Cleanup | 5 / 5 |
Value for Money | 5 / 5 |
Final Rating The Extra Thick Lube ⭐5 / 5
Both lubes receive a full score from me.
They perform extremely well, feel excellent during use, noticeably improve the experience, last well, and are very easy to clean afterward.
Efficiency is one of their biggest strengths.
During my testing with Handy sleeves, only a few squeezes were required, meaning I expect even the relatively small bottles to last for a reasonable amount of time.
The one thing I would genuinely like The Handy to improve is simply offering larger bottles.
118 mL works well as an entry size and keeps the initial price fairly accessible, but regular users would benefit from something closer to 300 or 400 mL.
Beyond that, I have very little to criticize.
If you already know which consistency you prefer, the choice between them is easy.
If you do not, trying both is genuinely worthwhile.
They provide noticeably different experiences without either one being inherently better.
Two excellent lubricants and, in my opinion, two deserved full scores.
✍️ Closing Words
That is enough talking about lubrication. For now.
Thank you very much for reading!
I hope you found this review useful and that I could also show why I consider good lubricant such an important part of the overall experience.
It is very easy to focus entirely on the sleeve or device itself, but the lubricant you use can noticeably change how that product feels.
I will definitely continue using both Handy lubes, especially together with their official sleeves.
And speaking of sleeves...
That is exactly where the next review is going.
I will be testing and comparing three different Handy sleeves in one review, which should be an interesting one.
I am definitely looking forward to putting them through their tests.
A big thank you to The Handy for sending me these products and for the continued partnership.
And thank you as well to everyone who considers using my affiliate links when purchasing something. It helps support my work and makes future reviews possible.
Now I am curious:
What type of lubricant do you prefer?
Do you prefer something thin and slippery, or are you firmly on the thicker lube side?
And are there any other lubricants you think are worth testing?
Feel free to let me know.
Thank you very much for reading, and until next time,
Slibowitz
🔗Affiliate Links
If you decide to purchase the product through one of the links below, you’ll be directly supporting me — at no extra cost to you — through a small commission.
Thank you so much for considering it!
You can find the lubes here:
🏷️Handy 2 Discount: Use code SLIBOWITZ to get 15% off the Handy 2 and support my work at the same time.
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