Nasstoys - Deluxe Anal Beads

Rating: 4/5
Impressions: A good all-around size. A staple in my toy collection.
Price: $15 from JT's Stockroom

When it comes to anal beads, there's never much to say about them. They're either well-made or poorly-made, they're either too big, too small or just right, they're either too floppy, too rigid or just right and they're either made of a material you like or they're not.

Frankly, there's nothing glamorous or innovative about a string of anal beads. They're utilitarian, although various manufacturers spice them up with fun colors and textures. There's not a whole lot you can do to be new and innovative with your anal beads (although Fun Factory managed to strike a blow for creativity with their Flexi Felix anal beads, which are sadly too small for my tastes and not rigid, which I prefer, but otherwise commendable), and that leaves me without much to say about my personal favorite anal beads, Nasstoys' Deluxe Anal Beads.

But, that being said, I can address the issues I mentioned above and I do feel the need to say that I'm quite happy with this particular incarnation of the classic design.

Nasstoys' Deluxe Anal Beads are clearly well-made, especially considering the price. There aren't any rough edges, seams or shoddy workmanship in evidence, which should always be concerns considering the delicate nature of where you're going to be shoving these things.

Size-wise, the beads on these should appeal to a broad spectrum of people, although my next strand will definitely be larger as I prefer something a bit larger than the largest beads on this particular model for my own personal use. The beads range from 0.75" to just under 0.94" at the largest end. The only issue here is that if you happen to be one of those people who prefer the larger beads but don't want something shoved way the heck up there (these are pretty long, probably around a foot in insertable length, maybe a bit less - I haven't measured and don't have them on hand at the moment). Inserting the full length of these is probably not something to be taken lightly if you're inexperienced, worried about poking places that weren't meant to be poked or particularly diminutive as I can clearly feel the beads in what seems to be an almost unnatural position in the upper small of my back with them entirely inserted. It's not painful - for me, anyway - but they're clearly bordering on territory that they ought not to be tresspassing on, I do believe. I do know that my husband doesn't like the combination of the rigidity and length of this particular strand of beads, so your mileage may vary.

When it comes to the rigidity of this particular model of beads, I couldn't be happier, although what makes me happy could easily be something that someone else might not like at all. They're quite rigid and although they'll clearly bend more than, say, a glass anal popper wand, they're not floppy and so should be inserted with some caution until you're sure you're not going to be causing any damage. That being said, the rigidity is a plus for me. I prefer something substantial that doesn't just pool the way traditional anal beads on a string would.

Material-wise, I'm comfortable using these beads, both in the sense of physical comfort and in the sense of peace of mind. I refuse to use jelly toys because of the questionable chemical components (pthalates to the scientists out there) and generally prefer medical grade silicone as I'm sure it's completely safe, not to mention comfortable, but these beads are made from Pearlshine, which, as far as I can gather is a sort of rubber concoction created through some sort of dripping and fusing alchemy. At any rate, there's no real chemical smell of note and the material is pleasingly solid without being too rigid.

The beads also feature both a handle and a white rope-type cord for retrieval, although I removed the cord from mine and just use the handle. The handle also serves to prevent the beads from getting "lost" inside you or slipping too far in, which is always a plus from a safety point of view.

All in all, these beads are easily one of my favorite staple toys. They're versatile, just the right size to enhance the pleasure of masturbation without distracting from the rest of the action (and they're fun to play with with someone else, too, of course - I love anal play and having my husband use the beads on me is always a turn-on) and well-made without being expensive. While I'm planning on getting another strand of beads in a larger size, these will almost certainly have a permanent place in the staples of my sex toy collection.

(Buy Deluxe Anal Beads from JT's Stockroom)