Dr. Laura Berman Minerva - vibrating penis ring by Cal Exotics - review by ImaGodiva

The Minerva is a cock ring, but it is best used as a couples' stimulator during sex. It has a lot of power! When I received it, I expected that it would be nice because of the previous reviews, but I didn't expect it to be THAT nice! I found it to be a really wonderful toy, with enough size to really rub nicely against the clit area and enough vibration power to really make me squirm.

I also used it on its own during masturbation, and used it for clit stimulation by putting it on another vibrator (it was great on the Fun Factory G4 Tiger!). Both felt really nice.

For beginners or those with sensitive clits, the lower speeds are nice, and the higher speeds might be too much. Power queens, rejoice and bow to your new goddess Minerva!

The Minerva is a bullet-type vibrator covered with a soft cover that includes a stretchy cock ring. The controller box is made of ABS plastic. The cover and cock ring are made of TPR silicone, which rates a 6 on Edenfantasys.com's safety scale. It has no noticeable odor and doesn't seem to have absorbed any odors during use. You should always use a water-based lube with silicone toys, and this toy should be stored in a bag/pouch or its box, away from other toys. It is slightly porous, so you should be careful about sharing it, and be sure to clean it before and after use with water and soap or antibacterial toy cleaner.

I tried to take the TPR cover off the bullet to clean both thoroughly, but couldn't stretch it enough to take it off. In fact, it started to tear before I was anywhere close to getting it off. This makes me a little bit uncomfortable about whether it's able to be fully cleaned because secretions could get trapped inside. There is a little plastic knob, which has been mentioned in other reviews, at the base of the cock ring, and I suspect the purpose for it is to help keep secretions and water out of the inside of the cover. My husband could feel it after awhile but said it wasn't painful, but he would rather that it not be there.



The ring is very stretchy, and measures 3" inner diameter when fully stretched. It should work fine for any size penis. My husband did comment that it felt firmer on him than he expected, but it didn't really have any erection prolonging or heightened orgasm effect for him. He could feel the vibrations a little, but he said it's not something he would normally want to use for his benefit alone. He was happy to see that I enjoyed it!

The ring and bullet cover have little soft nubs all over that increase stimulation, but are very mild. I liked the sensation they gave. The cover is thick enough that it covers the hardness of the bullet, and there is some give when you squeeze it. The bullet part is a nice size to rub my sensitive bits nicely. I used my hand part of the time to make it more targeted on my clit, but it did a pretty nice job on its own.

The ring and vibrator measure almost 4 inches from end to end, and the vibrator part is about 4 inches around and 2 1/8 inches long. The cock ring is 1 3/4 inches, unstretched.



It is attached to the controller by a cord that is about 28 inches long, which was long enough to easily control it during use, however a wireless version would be really great!



The control box is 6 inches long, 1 1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch deep. It is slightly angled for easier use.




The cord plugs into the end of the box. The toy is powered by four AAA batteries, and they are accessed through a removable plate on the back of the controller.



The box is a transparent pink, and the circuit board and connectors are readily visible inside. The bullet is also covered in clear plastic, and its little motor is visible through the TPR cover. Cool! I have always secretly wished that all electronics had clear covers so I could see what's going on inside!

The control box has a silver panel with four heart-shaped buttons that control the vibrator functions.



The two buttons on the left control the intensity of the vibrations (from 1-10, lower to higher), and there are little LED lights that show what level you are on. You can use the top button to increase the intensity and the bottom button to reduce it, while staying on the same pattern. I like vibes that control intensity and pattern separately, so I can change it as needed, e.g. make it stronger just before I come and then tone it down just after, so the vibrations can still be on but still allow me to feel the orgasm's strength. Yum!

The two buttons on the right control the vibe patterns. There are LED lights here too, so you don't forget which one you're on. There is even a "key" at the bottom that gives words to describe the different functions (the descriptors really don't describe the functions at all, but they are a charming addition).

They are:
I. "Arouse" - steady vibration (intensity is adjustable with the left buttons. The higher couple of levels may be too much for some).
II. "Tease" - escalating vibration (intensity is not adjustable, it escalates from the weakest to the strongest automatically. This one is pretty intense, and again, when it hits the higher few levels, it could be uncomfortable for some).
III. "Foreplay" - slow pattern of pulse-pulse-longer burst (intensity is controllable).
IV. "Ecstasy" - faster pattern of pulse-pulse-longer burst (intensity is controllable).
V. "Climax" - pulse-pulse-burst-burst (intensity is controllable, although even on the lowest setting the last two bursts are in the higher range and could be uncomfortable for sensitive clits).

It's a little noisy but not enough to be a distraction. Actually, the vibes were so nice I hardly noticed the noise. I would say it could be heard in the same room through blankets but not through a closed door, especially with some music playing.

This toy is not waterproof. The box doesn't say anything about whether the bullet and cock ring section can be immersed, but it does say the controller is not waterproof and should not be immersed. I rinsed the bullet/cock ring portion but was careful not to get water inside the cover, and immediately dried it well. As I previously mentioned, the TPR cover can be torn if stretched too far so be careful with it.

The toy came in a cardboard box, inside a plastic bag, with an instruction sheet for how to insert the batteries. The box would be okay to store the toy in for awhile, but probably wouldn't hold up to prolonged use.

I really like this toy. Its patterns and controllable vibration strength really work well for me. It's fun to try something new with my husband, and we had a nice time with it. We will definitely use it more! The vibrations are strong and not very buzzy. I wouldn't say they are exactly my preferred "thumpy," but they are close enough to make me happy. This is a great toy for beginners (just be careful of those higher-range vibrations if you're sensitive!), and for experienced users as well.