Sure, flowers and chocolates might get your better half into bed this Valentine’s Day, but how about buying something the two of you can use once you get there? Or if you’re single on this lovey-dovey day, why not treat yourself to some fun? With TV shows like Sex and the City popularizing vibrators and other do-it-yourself devices, the taboo around the subject is disappearing. And there are plenty of local shops that make customers feel comfortable about purchasing these most-private products.

Brookline’s Grand Opening!, for instance, sells all the basics, from vibrators ($9.95–$179.95) to edible oils ($10.95/four ounces) and edible undies ($6.95/pair) — and even has classes to teach you how to use some of them. Its "Sexuality" series offers instruction on things like "creative bondage" ($34) and how to "take it off" in striptease fashion ($39, women only). Grand Opening! also rents adult movies ($5/two-night rental) that, according to the sign, actually have plots.

Amazing Express’s selection of movies for purchase ($4.99–$52.99) is a lot bigger and a bit more risqué, with titles that make you pretty sure "plot" wasn’t on the director’s mind. Amazing also carries lots of vibrators, including one that is self-lubricating ($21.99) and another with a flexible shaft and five different speeds ($79.99). A faux-fur-lined paddle ($24.99) and a whip with rubber tassels ($9.99) can provide a peek into the S&M world, as can the Deluxe Fantasy Pak, complete with wrist and ankle cuffs, whip, and blindfold ($52.99). For the tamer among us, Amazing sells flavored whipped cream ($9.99) and a Bed of Roses set ($14.99), which comes with scented rose petals, four candles, and an invitation card. And ladies, Amazing offers a 10 percent discount and free candles to female shoppers from 6 p.m. to midnight on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hubba Hubba in Cambridge is also a good bet for sexy Valentine’s Day gifts, and the friendly staff is happy to answer any questions. According to manager Christina Chin, one of the store’s most popular products is the Osaki Twister ($30), a vibrator that’s similar to the "Rabbit" of Sex and the City fame in that the shaft twists and rotates, and it has a piece on top for clitoral stimulation. Chin says customers also go for remote-control underwear ($90). Made for both men and women, these undies have a built-in vibrator that the remote control can turn on from up to 12 feet away. The Water Dancer waterproof vibrator ($20) is also a big seller. And Chin says that in the world of sex toys, it’s color that matters — some people even like to color-coordinate their collection.

Where to find it:

• Amazing Express, 1258 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 859-8911; www.amazing.net.

• Grand Opening!, Arcade Building, 318 Harvard Street, Brookline, (617) 731-2626; www.grandopening.com.

• Hubba Hubba, 534 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 492-9082.