anal beads

Review: Njoy Fun Wand

Kate Sloan

It’s been said before, but… the Njoy Fun Wand is no match for its older sister, the Pure Wand.

Don’t get me wrong. Njoy makes gorgeous, flawless, luxurious, top-tier toys that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. But unless you have very specific needs that the Pure Wand cannot meet, that’s the toy I would recommend over any other Njoy product.

The Fun Wand is a versatile piece of steel. One end has a 1″ tapered bulb which can massage the G-spot; the other end, consisting of 3 smaller graduated bulbs, can also be used for G-spotting but is most effective when you put it in your butt. There is no denying that the Fun Wand feels good anally, but it’s not “oh my god, how did I live without you” good – more like “hmm, that feels nice – what’s next?”

The G-spot end is lovely too, but likewise, I find it only satisfies me for the first little while of any masturbation session, after which point I crave something bigger and with a more extreme curve. The Fun Wand’s “S” shape is beautiful to look at, but it’s not enough for my G-spot and it’s also not very ergonomic; it curves away from the body when inserted, making it slightly uncomfortable to grasp and thrust with.

The one satisfying use I’ve found for the Fun Wand is for G-spot stimulation when my vagina is sore (I think I’m coming down with another case of BV, ugh). Because it’s thin and naturally cold, it strikes a balance between soothing and pleasurable when my vag can’t handle something girthier.

I’d only recommend the Fun Wand to you if you have an extremely tight vagina or if you’re looking for a very luxurious ripply anal toy. Otherwise, save yourself the disappointment and pick up a Pure Wand from the get-go – it truly is the Cadillac of penetrative toys.

Review: Tantus Ripple (small)

Kate Sloan

When PinkCherry.ca told me they were going to send me a small Tantus Ripple, I knew I was in for an adventure. I’ve done some anal play before, but the two anal toys I already have – a small tapered beginners’ piece, and the Ryder – are both plugs, designed to be worn for periods of time. This is quite different from the Ripple, which is a probe – it’s not meant to be worn, it’s meant to be used.

I was sent the Ripple in black, and it’s a great black – deep, badass, sexy. It looks like something a dominatrix would brandish at a client as a “punishment” – one part menacing, two parts delicious.

The Ripple boasts four beads, graduated in size from ¼" to 1". The two smallest beads are flimsy, due to their size, and like to flop around, which can pose a problem during insertion. It takes some finagling, but it’s never a problem getting the Ripple to slide in. Its size is perfect for a beginner – the smallest bead is about the size of a little finger, and the largest bead is closer to two of my fingers. This makes it great for warming up to a larger anal toy, if that’s what you want to do.

As I said, my other experiences with anal toys have been with plugs, so my first inclination with the Ripple was to leave it stationary inside me while masturbating… but that’s really not the best use of this toy. Its 5" length makes it feel slightly uncomfortable for me when it’s slid all the way in (am I hitting an inner sphincter?), so I don’t leave it there for long. Slowly sliding it in and out, however, is bliss. The beads create a satisfying, smooth “pop” without any pain or discomfort; it feels like my anus is being massaged, manipulated, in a wonderful way. It’s a great accompaniment to clitoral stimulation – I love holding my Eroscillator (review coming soon!) on my clit while stroking the Ripple in and out of my ass.

One thing that’s slightly sad about the Ripple is how quickly it makes me want something larger. I don’t know if it’s the graduated beads working their magic, or if this size of the Ripple really is very small, but I almost always crave a bigger toy after only a few minutes of playing with this one. Of course, I can always switch over to my Ryder, but the jump in size is still pretty wide. I wonder if the Ripple’s large size might be the next logical step for me, since it’s only a half-inch wider than the small one.

I also find it slightly annoying that I can’t leave the Ripple inside me without touching it or it’ll generally slide out. This is in part due to its slender shape, and in part due to its circular base (clearly not made to nestle between buttcheeks). I can’t fault the Ripple for not doing something it’s not made to do, but it would be cool to have a truly dual-purpose probe/plug.

Even though this toy hasn’t been a perfect match with my anatomy, I still believe Tantus reigns as the best source for high-quality silicone sex toys, both anal and vaginal. This experience has made me curious to try out some of Tantus’s other anal toys, like the Little Flirt, the small Silk, or the B-bomb.

Thanks so much, PinkCherry.ca, for putting a spring in my step and a Ripple in my butt!