Billy - sex toy for men by LELO - review by Clandestine

Billy's main usage method is one of insertion. This can be done anally, as the toy is marketed, or vaginally like many of its Lelo relatives.

Use of the Billy is quite simple, though it is good to familiarize yourself with the control panel first. You will see a circular button with four symbols in each cardinal direction. The left and right sides of the button, featuring a - and a + sign respectively, control the intensity of the vibration. Appropriately, the
+ will increase the intensity and the - will reduce it. The top and bottom sides of the button, which picture an upward and downward pointing triangle respectively, is used for changing the mode of vibration.
Pressing down on the center of the circle and holding it will allow you to lock the console; it will flash once when it is locked. Do the same again to unlock it.

Billy features a number of different vibration modes, which are further modified by your chosen intensity of vibration:
- Constant vibration
- On-off vibration (Slow)
- On-off vibration (Moderate speed)
- On-off vibration (Fast)
- Gradual, wave-like vibration
As for the intensity, I remember there being roughly five, from a gentle shaking to a fairly powerful tremor.

Moving along to use, here are a few considerations:
Start with a clean toy which is always very important. I've found that the silicone in the Billy doesn't attract quite as much lint as shinier, tacky silicone, but cleaning before use is still recommended. Also ensure that you have unlocked the console as having to do so later may make things less fun.

Make sure you've applied an adequate amount of lube for you. Remember, with lube, more is more. Be comfortable and not stingy. Furthermore, water-based lube is ideal as Billy is made of silicone which can react to silicone lubes; more on that later.

If you feel you need to warm up first, especially if using anally, feel free to do so. Either with a lubricated finger, a smaller toy, whatever. I've found Billy to be quite beginner friendly in size, but I could have skewed perceptions. Again, comfort first.

It's your choice as to whether you want to choose your vibration option first and then insert it, or insert first and vibrate later. Some find that gentle vibrations elicit easy insertion, so it could be worth a shot. Be warned that you should operate Billy with a dry, lube free hand as the console is splash-proof, not water-proof.

From then on it is freestyle mode. Change up the vibrations, move Billy around gently, use him for thrusting. Do what feels good and avoid being too forceful. Though the insertable portion of Billy is silicone, it is actually a coating of silicone around a plastic shell, so he is quite rigid.

After use, clean Billy with warm water and soap. I recommend using a damp wash cloth for this as you don't want to get too much water around the control pad. More on cleaning methods later. Store him in the box he came in if you so desire, and/or the included silky pouch.

When you first open the packaging and unveil your new Billy, you will want to feel the silicone portion. It's matte and soft, and velvety smooth. It's very, very nice. You will be hard pressed to notice any chemical smells or tastes, though the plastic portion may have a very slight plastic smell which is to be expected. Mine didn't, but just saying.

Billy consists of the internal machinery surrounded by a plastic body, which also includes the control panel, and the aforementioned velvety silicone coating for the insertable portion. I am unsure of the thickness of this silicone coating as I did not feel like conducting a dissection lab, but it certainly isn't thin enough to break during normal use.

Because of Billy's anatomy, he is not a plush toy but rather a rigid one, like many of its Lelo siblings. The velvety texture holds onto lube nicely and does not inhibit insertion. It doesn't add much to the sensation, but much of Billy's tactile appeal comes from the pressure and vibrations he exerts upon one's anatomy.

Dimensions:
Length: 6.5", 4" insertable.
Circumference at widest: 3.25"
Diameter at widest: 1.125"

Design wise, Billy is very similar to the Liv with the chief exception being the widened area where the silicone meets the plastic console. This makes it safe for anal play. There are a few more exceptions, but they are quite similar.

Billy seems to be designed to have a curve which aims for the prostate or g-spot, depending on how he is being used. I have found him to be quite good at this; the rigidity of the material coupled with the nice vibrations definitely felt nice in all of the right spots.

Because of Billy's relatively small size, he should be pretty beginner friendly. Complete beginners may want to do some warm-up first, as I mentioned before. Also consider that he is rigid and not squishy like some other toys. Luckily, his shape is tapered a bit from the tip, making insertion gentle and not terribly difficult.

I would say that Billy is safe for travel in a suitcase. Since his control panel can be locked, he won't start buzzing spontaneously, and his small size makes for easy storage and discretion.

In my opinion, Billy is an all-around excellent toy that achieves the purposes he is meant for. I've found him to be super (ultra? mega?) comfortable while in use, to the point of wanting to just keep him there. The vibrations are intense enough and can be varied to suit all but the most tremor hungry of us all. The modes of vibration allow for further customization to accommodate for many users.

Furthermore, Billy is hygienic and body-safe. I love how he is rechargeable and has (in my mind) a long lasting battery life. Even though he is small, I believe he is of the length necessary to reach the prostate, rather than bypassing it. And the vibrations aren't terribly loud as I feared they may be. Extra points for the ever necessary flared base.

The only downfalls I can detect in this toy reside in the control panel. It wasn't too small for my fingers, but they are rather thin. Someone with larger hands might have difficulty choosing just one option on the panel. Because of the circular design, it is easy for anyone to press the wrong button unintentionally. My second issue is the lack of a totally waterproof console. However, this would be difficult to achieve with the recharge port and the nature of the control circle, so I won't complain further.

Some care instructions are included with Billy, as Lelo is nice like that. However, for the purposes of this review, I'll give my own interpretation.

Billy can be cleaned with warm water and soap, antibacterial if you so desire. I recommend using the soap in conjunction with a damp washcloth so as to avoid getting water in the splashproof console or recharge port. Rinse in the same manner, using a soap-less washcloth. It pays to be careful when bathing Billy, as he should last quite a long time. The company even provides a 10-year quality guarantee, details of which can be found in the literature included with Billy.

While Billy's insertable end is silicone, you cannot boil him or let him take a ride in the dishwasher. He will not like it, I mean it. However, wiping down the business end with a 10% bleach solution as you would with other silicone toys should be fine, just rinse thoroughly.

Recharging Billy is easy; unplug the soft cap covering the recharge port and plug him in with the included adapter. He will even let you know when he is finished charging with the lights in his control panel. Speaking of notifications, when Billy's battery is low, his console will glow red. Neat, right?

Storage of your Billy is made simple. Lelo not only sends you your new pleasure object in a lovely, discreet black box, but also provides a silky white drawstring pouch made just for tucking your toy in for the night. (Too cutesy? Sorry.) In any case, storage shouldn't be an issue.

As for lubricants, Billy has a silicone component that should automatically warn you against using silicone lubes. I only use water based lubes to be safe, though I did do a spot test with a sample of Wet Platinum silicone lubricant I received and noticed no damage to the surface material. Be sure to do a spot test if you really must use silicone lube.

One more thing about lube, try not to let it get too close to the control panel as you cannot clean these areas as thoroughly. I've used a barely damp cloth to clean these areas without much problem, but prevention is the best practice here.

As I mentioned above, Billy comes in very nice packaging that can be reused as a storage container. It is discreet and non-descript, its only identification being a subtle LELO inscribed on the top. It is made of a fairly stiff material, and while not as heavy and thick as the boxes used by Njoy for their toys, it is still sturdy enough for reuse.

This makes an excellent gift container, especially if Billy is first placed in the included white pouch. All instructions and warranty (1-year) information are included in the box, as well as the charger. I would be quite pleased to receive a gift wrapped in such a way. It's classy and elegant and most of all, it's discreet.

The first few times I used Billy were mostly experimental. I'd fiddle with the controls, try and find what's most pleasing, and use him for a while. At first, he was just a supplement to regular masturbation, but he has grown to be more of a main event. While I have not achieved an end with Billy alone, the sensations provided make the whole session more worthwhile.

I know I said this before, but Billy is so comfortable too. Even though I like them bigger, there's something nice about a toy that just glides in and out and makes you feel happy without having to be big. Even though I didn't think I was a fan of vibrators, Billy has converted me to a point.

Oh, and while this isn't as important, I'd like to mention that he makes a good massager for sore muscles, especially the neck. Mmm.