Wanachi mini - massager by Pipedream - review by pasdechat

If you’re debating whether or not to get the Wanachi Mini, allow me to sum up in one word the ideal candidate for this vibe: everyone.

Okay, so there are actually a few things you probably shouldn’t/can’t use it for. It’s not really meant to be inserted (at least, not without some sort of attachment), and it’s not flared and thus not a good choice anyway if you’re looking for an anal toy. And if you want to share it, I’d use a condom or other toy cover; the head is supposedly made of silicone, but given the faint smell it had when I opened the package (and the extremely reasonable price), I’m not sure I totally believe it. The Wanachi also doesn’t have vibration patterns, so if that’s a deal breaker for you (I’ve never understood the appeal, frankly), look elsewhere.

But seriously, those are pretty much the only limitations of the Wanachi. I’m hard-pressed to think of someone who wouldn’t enjoy it, except for maybe someone who doesn’t like vibrations, ever. New to vibrators and curious about massagers? Definitely try this one out; it’s cheaper than most wands but will give you a good idea of what the more expensive ones are like. Love the power of massagers but looking for something more portable? The Wanachi packs tons of power but is much smaller than most massagers, and only takes two AA batteries—perfect for travel. Don’t like massagers as sex toys? This would work just as well on sore muscles. The Wanachi is possibly the most versatile vibrator I’ve ever encountered.

The Wanachi is made of silicone and plastic—silicone for the head, shiny ABS plastic for the body/handle. I did a little research but couldn’t find out very much about what kind of silicone Pipedream uses for the head; it doesn’t feel like pure silicone to me, and it has a faint smell (though nothing off-putting), but I don’t know exactly what it is. I like my Wanachi too much to risk a flame test, though, so its exact composition will remain a mystery, and I’d suggest using a toy cover if you want to share it—a good idea regardless, since the plastic parts of the vibe can’t be sterilized.

That said, I really like the feel of the material. The head has virtually no give, which I personally appreciate because I enjoy pressure. I haven’t noticed the texture very much either way, but I’d describe it as similar to rubber or matte silicone—softer than shiny plastic, and with some drag to it.

To be honest, the Wanachi isn’t much to look at. It’s not a luxury toy by any stretch of the imagination, and its appearance is more functional than aesthetic—though I do appreciate the variety of colors that it comes in. I can’t quite put my finger on what (other than the lack of frills) makes the Wanachi look, well, a little cheap to me—maybe it’s the tiny screw that’s visible on the base of the toy, or the seams on the head and handle. But unless you are super hung-up on aesthetics (and this comes from someone who is easily sucked in by pretty/unique designs), you shouldn’t let this deter you; what the Wanachi lacks in looks it more than makes up for in performance.

Besides, it’s actually a pretty well-designed toy. I was a little worried that the flexible ne

ck would be too flexible for my tastes—while I like my Mystic Wand, I do tend to have a difficult time getting enough pressure out of it to suit me—but I have no complaints about the Wanachi in that respect. The neck does bend a little—probably 45 degrees at most—but not so easily that it doesn’t offer any resistance. The battery compartment is easy to get into—just unscrew the base and slide the batteries in—and the dial base works well. I applaud Pipedream for finding a balance between a dial that is easy to turn even when your hands are slippery, and one that doesn’t switch settings with every gust of wind; in fact, it’s the first dial base I haven’t become massively frustrated with as a result of either not being able to easily ramp up/decrease the power or of constantly having the toy change settings whenever I so much as touch it the wrong way. The Wanachi even has a rubber O-ring, so you can take it in the bath with you (although I personally haven't tried it).

And it’s small—8 ¼” long, 1 ¼” in diameter, and a little over 5 oz in weight. It’s perfect for a travel-vibe, or even as a go-to toy for those who like the intensity of corded massagers but dislike the bulk/being tethered to a socket. All in all, it seems like a well-built toy, and I expect it to last for some time.

I’m something of a power queen, but since portability is also important to me, I’m always on the lookout for smaller, more discreet vibes that can still get the job done. I didn’t think I’d find what I was looking for in a $17 toy, but now that I’ve used the Wanachi Mini, I almost feel like my search is over.

I say that because the Wanachi gets around some of the things you might find annoying about the Mystic Wand—my go-to travel vibe up until now—and it does it at about a quarter of the latter’s $70 price tag. First of all, if you, like me, weren’t smart enough to fork over the extra $5 for the rechargeable Mystic Wand, you have likely realized by now how incredibly non-cost-effective it was to instead buy a toy that needs four AA batteries to run; I mean, batteries aren’t exactly cheap. To be fair, the Mystic Wand does seem to get pretty good mileage out of its batteries, and I haven’t had the Wanachi long enough to know how it holds up in that respect. But still, it takes two fewer batteries!

The Wanachi is also more travel-friendly and discreet. It’s slightly smaller (though not in terms of length—the Mystic Wand is just under 8" long, 1 ¾” wide, and about 8 oz) and looks less like a sex toy, at least to my mind—maybe it’s because mine is bright blue. It’s not the quietest toy, true, but it’s better than a lot of massagers; I think the volume of the Wanachi is probably comparable to that of the Mystic Wand—somewhere around three or four bees at full power—but it’s higher-pitched and therefore (to me) a little more intrusive.

The Wanachi also has a smooth head, which is in my opinion a vast improvement over the ridges of the Mystic Wand, which are a pain to clean and don’t add much in the way of stimulation.

Most importantly, though, the Wanachi is—dare I say it?—more powerful than the Mystic Wand.

At least, it feels more powerful to me. Not as powerful as the Hitachi, sure, but is anything? The vibrations are a little bit buzzier than those of either the Hitachi or the Mystic Wand, but honestly, when a toy is this powerful, I just can’t bring myself to care. Speaking as someone who needs a lot of stimulation, I can safely say that the Wanachi should be more than powerful enough for most women; it’s one of a very select group of toys that I can even climax with through one or more layers of fabric. And while it doesn’t have vibration patterns, the Wanachi does have a dial control, so women who don’t like extremely intense vibrations (at least right off the bat) have a few more options than the usual low-medium-high—I counted at least five or six distinct speeds.

My one complaint about the Wanachi is that the vibrations do transfer to the handle a lot more than they do in other massagers I’ve used. I got used to this pretty quickly so it’s at most a minor annoyance, but if you’re the sort of person whose hands go numb easily, the Wanachi may not be for you.


Compared to the Hitachi Magic Wand

Compared to the Mystic Wand

The Wanachi Mini is a pretty low-maintenance toy. It has a motor and plastic handle, so it can’t be sterilized by boiling or bleaching, but rinsing it off with antibacterial soap and water or toy cleaner should suffice for everyday use. It does have a kind of accordion-style bendy neck, though, so be sure to clean those grooves out thoroughly.

Storage shouldn’t be an issue. The Wanachi is a fairly small and discreet vibrator, so tucking it away in a drawer or box is simple. Do keep it from coming into contact with either silicone lubricant or other silicone toys, though, to prevent the silicone from degrading.

Finally, while it’s always a good idea to remove a toy’s batteries in between uses, be sure to do so if you’re travelling; the dial base isn’t super-sensitive, but better safe than sorry when potentially facing the embarrassment of having a vibrator turn on in your luggage.