Glass ben wa balls - vaginal balls by Topco Sales - review by Spicy Sunday

These glass Ben Wa balls by Topco are primarily intended for use as vaginal exercise tools, specifically to help you perform kegel exercises. They can also be used "off-label" for other purposes, such as increasing consciousness of your vaginal muscles while wearing them, stimulation while going about your day, temperature play, adding a feeling of fullness during masturbation, and adding a feeling of fullness during sex with a partner. Like most of the previous reviews, my experience with these glass Ben Wa balls was not perfect. However, I personally prefer them to the Eclipse and Smartballs Duo style of attached balls. (I own a set of both of those attached balls, so I will compare them to the glass Ben Wa balls in this review.) The style of vaginal balls that will be best for you depends on what you are looking to experience and accomplish, and your comfort/confidence level in inserting and removing them. I definitely preferred this set of smaller glass balls.

These balls are made of solid pyrex glass, a material which is given the highest safety rating by Eden Fantasys. The glass is chip-resistant, non-porous, phthalates-free, and easy to clean. Because they are made of glass, they do not have a separate inner chamber with smaller balls inside to cause vibrations, like some styles of Ben Wa balls do. Instead, they have a decorative yellow-green flower design embedded within the clear glass. The surface of the balls is completely smooth and hard, and is odorless and tasteless. Glass holds temperature well, so you can warm or chill these glass balls for temperature play (just be careful to not make them so hot or cold that they could cause injury!).

These glass Ben Wa balls differ from the very popular Eclipse and Smartballs Duo style of attached balls in two important ways. First, these balls are much smaller. The diameter of these glass balls is around the diameter of a quarter (1 inch), about half an inch smaller than the other joined balls (which are both about 1.5 inches). They are the size of large marbles. Second, these glass balls are not attached to each other, and do not have a retrieval string or cord. However, despite their difference in size, all of these products are about the same weight (0.3 pounds). These glass balls are also seamless, whereas the other style of attached balls has seams and crevices that require more attention when cleaning them. Additionally, these balls are made of glass, so they are compatible with any lube, whereas silicone-based toys are not compatible with some silicone lubes.

In my experience, these glass Ben Wa balls are easier to clean, are compatible with more lubes, and maintain the same weight within a smaller size ball compared to other vaginal balls I have tried. In my experience, a smaller size ball of the same weight is more challenging to use than a larger size.

These balls are designed, first and foremost, to assist with the performance of kegel exercises. Kegel exercises are performed by tightening the pubococcygeus muscles of the pelvic floor, and don't really require any toys to perform. However, having an object (such as these glass balls) in the vagina provides resistance and may make it easier to feel when you are making progress strengthening these muscles. Smaller objects give your muscles more room to contract, and require more strength to grip than larger objects, so these small glass balls are more "advanced" or difficult than larger balls.

The most daunting aspect of this toy may be that there is no retrieval cord, and the balls are not attached to each other. These balls are NOT designed for anal insertion, and may become lost and require medical intervention to remove if they are inserted into the rectum. However, it is safe to use these balls in the vagina, since it is not possible for them to become "lost." The cervix will prevent them from moving into the uterus, so they will only move within the vagina. Some reviewers reported concerns about removing them, but in my experience I haven't had any trouble. I was able to just bear down, and then hook one finger in behind each ball and pop it out while lying down horizontally. If you encounter any trouble, you could bear down from a standing or squatting position, and gravity will help move them in the right direction. Another reviewer also suggested taking a warm bath to relax if you are having trouble removing them. Since the balls are so small, if anything you will have trouble keeping them in when you move to a standing position.

Since these balls are solid glass, they do not have vibrating balls within them, so they don't really provide much noticeable erotic stimulation if you are wearing them while you go about your day. Some people might find wearing them in secret to be a turn-on, and having them present to remind you to work on kegel exercises may make you feel more sensual, or be a form of foreplay. It may also be exciting for your partner to know you are working on toning your pc muscles. However, these are indirect effects - the balls themselves don't really cause any exciting sensations directly.

However, since these balls are small but relatively weighty, they can be challenging for their intended purpose, to help with kegel exercises. It is possible to get heavier barbell-style weights, but these objects are usually larger and more expensive. These small and relatively heavy balls are both inexpensive and challenging. The small size of these balls also makes it possible to keep them inserted during penetration by a partner or with a toy.

Since these balls are made of solid pyrex glass, they are compatible with all types of lubes. Cleaning and maintenance is absolutely simple - for everyday cleaning, they can be rinsed with mild soap and water or toy cleaner. For more serious cleaning, and if they might be used by multiple people, they can be boiled. I have used my set several times now, and have definitely clinked them together and even dropped one in the sink from a decent height by accident. I have not observed any cracks or chips, and I expect these balls will last for a long time. Definitely inspect your toy for any damage before use if you drop them though, just to be safe!

These balls came in a clear plastic outer shell, within a velvet box with a ribbon on it. The clear plastic is nothing special and can be discarded, but the velvet box makes a nice permanent storage space for the balls. The box is very inconspicuous and can be kept in the open, since it looks like a jewelry box and the balls themselves just look like fancy large marbles. This product is a great value because it comes with an elegant storage container, even though it is relatively inexpensive.

I have used two kinds of larger, connected vaginal balls, and have tried to use various dildos (instead of expensive kegel-specific barbell-style toys) while trying kegel exercises. These small glass balls work the best for me, but in reading reviews for all of these products, I can see that the choice of the best "kegel helper" really depends on the individual person. The small glass balls are best for me because they were made from body-safe material, durable, inexpensive, came in a great storage container, and present a bit of a challenge and give me room to improve and strengthen my muscles. They aren't very stimulating on their own, but I have other toys for that, and for me their simplicity and easy maintenance encourage me to use them for work, not play, and to use them often because they are easy to take care of (this last point is a major one for me!). The lack of a retrieval string is no problem for me, but other people may have different comfort levels with, let's be honest, inserting large marbles into your vagina! Basically, if I could give advice to people choosing among unattached balls, attached balls, and barbells to augment their kegels, I'd say consider these things:
- smaller objects are more challenging to grip around, and keep inside
- heavier objects are more challenging to grip and keep inside
- choose something you will be willing to use frequently, and regularly, for best results
- choose something that is made of body-safe materials
- choose something that you are comfortable inserting and removing
- decide if you want it to be stimulating itself, or just help with exercises

Even though I use these balls mostly to help with awareness during kegel exercises, for me they are fantastic and unique to have inside during orgasm while masturbating. If I can get them positioned in the right spot (I am guessing near my g-spot), during orgasm they press and provide a slight fullness that is unique from sex with a partner or using other larger dildos. I also like to run them under cold water to make them slightly chilled for more unique sensations. Unfortunately, they didn't do anything for me when keeping them inserted during penetration with a partner. I know they won't be for everyone, and some people will just prefer other styles of vaginal balls, but these are the best for me.