When were vibrators invented?

Answer 1

Steam-powered vibrating devices were patented in the late 1860s and 1870s by George Taylor, and various other models soon followed. They were used by doctors of the time to alleviate female "hysteria" and other complaints.

Answer 2

The first vibrator was a steam powered contraption called the "Manipulator" (not a word of a lie), invented by George Taylor M.D. It was designed to give doctors relief (sore wrists and forearms) from treating women with hysteria. Apparently the treatment for hysteria was to manually sexually satisfy the women with a dildo (I'm guessing there weren't many in the way of ugly patients for a reason).

Around 1880 Dr. Joseph Mortimer Granville patented the first electromechanical vibrator.

The first vibrator available retail "came" from Hamilton Beach in 1902. Oddly enough, my coffee maker is from Hamilton Beach.

The vibrators of today are children of a patent application by Jon H. Tavel on June 30, 1966 for a "Cordless Electric Vibrator for Use on the Human Body". That patent was approved on March 28,1968 (coincidentally that's my birthday).

Answer 3

Right after the electric toothbrush.