Ben wa gold balls - vaginal balls discontinued by Doc Johnson - review by In Between Soliloquies

These ben wa balls are great for advanced users because they're small and heavy. Each ball is 3/4 inch in diameter and weighs 0.8 ounces. Although it may seem scary to use balls with no retrieval cord, I found they were easy to remove simply by "bearing down" in a squatting position or coughing/sneezing. They're not porous, so they're very easy to clean and pretty hygienic except for the coating (to be discussed below). They make absolutely no noise and are very small, so they're discreet enough to wear anywhere. I use them daily at school, work, home, etc. Whenever possible, I wear non-thong underwear so that if one slips out, it doesn't roll down my pant leg into the next bathroom stall (yes, this has happened, but fortunately I was alone in the bathroom). These should NOT be used anally as there is no retrieval system.

There isn't much texture of which to speak since the balls are very smooth, coated metal. Unlike "orgasm balls," these are not hollow with free-floating weights inside, so there isn't any vibration. I didn't experience any stimulation from using these; they strictly served a PC exercise purpose. However, it has been said by others that they offer stimulation.

The design is pretty straightforward and effective: these are designed for advanced users, so if they constantly fall out, you likely need to start with something larger and lighter. They come in a presentation box which allows for clean, safe storage (otherwise these little guys can get lost in the bottom of a large purse!).

These ben wa balls definitely get the job done. At first I wasn't sure if they were working when I started using them, but on days when I forgot to wear them, I could feel my PC muscles contracting as if the balls were still present--obviously I had trained my muscles in just a few weeks. They're really easy to use because of the size and lack of bells and whistles: no harnesses to maneuver, no strings to hide, no lint-attracting materials.

Okay, here's where the issue lies: These balls are fabulous. They get the job done and are super easy to use. However, they are gold-coated. At first, they seemed well-constructed and even when dropping them, they didn't chip or fade. Over time, however, the gold coating began to wear off. I thought it was my toy sterilizer at first, but nothing in the ingredients was enough to engage that sort of chemical reaction. After doing a little searching, I found some comments from others who had experienced this as well. So while these balls are great at doing their job, after a while they WILL TARNISH! Mine took about 3 months to do so, and I religiously washed them with mild soap and/or toy cleaner between uses.

There aren't any instructions other than the basic precautions for toy use, so don't expect any insightful, inspiring scientific exploration of the female anatomy. The velvet box is much larger than the balls need, so you may want to use your own small presentation box if you need to carry it around. The box looks like a jewelry presentation box (mid-size, such as for a bracelet), so it won't draw attention. I didn't find the packaging to be much of an issue since the only time the balls were in the box is when I slept or showered.

After a few weeks of use, my partner definitely noticed a change. During intercourse, I could squeeze him much tighter, which he thoroughly enjoyed (sometimes too much!). Overall, these worked while they were still safe. After a few months, I didn't feel comfortable inserting these knowing that the metallic coating was dissolving inside of me, so I stopped using them.