To categorize these as anal "beads" is something of a stretch (pun intended). As their name states, these are "balls" and not for anal beginner. They are bigger than you may be expecting and since they are all one size there is no warming up with them. You really need to get yourself relaxed with other, smaller anal toys in order to get yourself prepped for these. However, once you are comfortable taking something larger these are quite amazing. The balls are firm for easy insertion and hold lube well. The links between each ball is fairly short so there is no bending or twisting while trying to insert. The only issue is that the safety loop at the end is not coated in latex and it is also a little short for safety. Nothing to stop it from sliding in also. However, if you leave the last of the balls outside, then no worries.

The material is what lets these power balls down, it is not silicone. Rather, it's made of latex and as such it's not the easiest to clean and can retain a certain odor. There was no odor from the material itself when brand new, which is good as some other PVC materials reek. The latex of the power balls holds onto lube well which is really important as these can go pretty deep (12") and so you need a lot of lube to ensure comfortable insertion, as well as removal. Since it's latex and dipped rather than molded, there are no seam lines, which is good as seams can be irritating. It's just too bad they didn't dip the safety ring at the end. There is exposed cord which can retain bacteria if it gets soiled, and would be very difficult to clean. Regarding "after usage", I cleaned mine using alcohol and also hydrogen peroxide, seemed to do the trick without damaging the latex.

These power balls are big, and therefore not for beginners. They are all the same size so you don't get a chance to warm up with these... it's all or nothing. The cord between the balls feels tough enough that there is little risk of breaking and losing a ball. The cord between each ball is short, which is good as that means that when inserting one ball after the other it can't get knotted or twisted. The whole thing is a little long, at 12" it feels like you really have to push to get the last ball in and the first one all the way up there. However, that's what makes these fun. The safety ring, however, is too short for true safety. Longer would be better, especially as it's not fully coated in latex. My advice would be to leave the last ball outside for added safety.

These power balls are great. They are really filling, even though I didn't notice much stimulation from the internal beads. Personally, I think these have one ball too many as they go really deep. Also, I would prefer more of a safety leash on these to prevent them from going any deeper than intended.

Unfortunately this is where these power balls really fall down. The material is latex and as such cannot be fully sterilized. After a couple uses they definitely picked up an aroma. However, a little time spent soaking these in alcohol and then hydrogen peroxide removed the smell. Also, why they didn't just dip the whole cord, is beyond me. The last couple of inches of the safety loop are bare twine, which is a magnet for bacteria. Fortunately, the alcohol and peroxide got that clean also.

The packaging came with no instructions, but seriously, what do you need it to tell you. The plastic clamshell box can be used for storage and can even pass as discreet once you remove the cardboard liner.

I really enjoy these power balls, however they will only be used occasionally due to the hassle of cleaning them.