Let me just begin by saying I’m pretty excited that Fun Factory has gone ahead and updated a toy that so many women have raved about in the past. The original SmartBalls got a lot of praise, but this company saw a way to improve one of their most popular toys and took the time to do it right.

I was pretty psyched when I received the newish SmartBalls Teneo Duo for review from Goodvibes.com. I have some Ben Wa balls, but never got my hands on the original SmartBalls. Since the Duo is crafted from 100% medical grade silicone instead of Elastomer like the originals, I think it was well worth the wait!

So, the Duo is a set of Ben Wa type balls that are designed to strengthen the PC muscle. All you need to do is insert them and then go about your business. The vibration of the inner balls will cause your PC muscle to work to keep everything in place and you get a workout that will lead to better orgasms! It’s really simple and equally important to do your kegels – everyone with a vagina should make sure to exercise daily.

The Duo has an interesting texture that includes a finger groove that is meant to help insert the toy. I definitely recommend you use a water-based lube (they include a sample) for insertion as they are pretty big. Because they are made from silicone, you should not use a silicone-based lubricant because it could ruin them. Once inserted, as long as you’re moving, you’re exercising! I have gotten in the habit of using mine after work when I go through my daily cleaning routine.

The greatest thing for me is that they can be sterilized by wiping them down with a 10 percent bleach solution. While I’m not sharing them, I use them all the time and I love the fact that I can be sure of their cleanliness every time I use them. I’m especially thrilled that the retrieval cord is made from silicone because toys with nylon cords kind of gross me out.

I really like the Teneo Duo, although they may be a little much for beginners. If you’re worried about that, you should check out our review of the Teneo Uno, which is basically the same item but with only one ball.

Do something smart (and sexy!) for your body with Fun Factory Smartballs Teneo Duo!

While some sex toys are purely for pleasure, there are others that are designed to both feel awesome on your most sensitive bits, as well do wonders for your health and physical wellness. One of these fabulous multi-tasking toys is the Kegel exercisers.

Originally created to work a woman’s pubococcygeus (or PC) muscle, which is otherwise known as the Kegel muscle, by being inserted into the vagina and gripped by the muscles, these toys just so happen to feel pretty amazing as well. Kegel exercisers come in a bunch of shapes, sizes, and weights. Two of the most popular options in muscle strengthening sex toys are the barbell exercisers and the ball exercisers. And one awesome option in ball exercisers is Fun Factory’s Smartballs.

Available in both one ball and two ball models, Fun Factory’s Smartballs are designed to both feel great inside you and work your PC muscles, which can help with continence and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. A great way to use your Smartballs as a PC muscle exerciser is to insert the ball, then use your muscles to grip the ball while you tug on the retrieval pull. To find out more info on PC muscles and kegel exercises, check out our PC Muscles sex tips!

To really test out the Kegel-ness of this vaginal exerciser, we asked one of our mom friends to test out the Smartballs Teneo Uno (the one ball model) and report back on her findings. Take it away Smartball reviewer!

This is not what I had imagined. When I heard of Smartballs I thought, this should be an interesting experience, I’ll put them in and have to be careful when I get in and out of a car, move from one room to another…but nope. This pushed in with the ‘easy-in’ formed finger hollow and that was it. It is a very tight fit. There will definitely be no falling out. Again, not anything like what I thought.

I’m not exactly sure how this will benefit me. I’ve carried three children and pee just a tiny bit if I sneeze. The Smartballs don’t do anything for the bladder, or they don’t claim to. The Benwa Balls do claim to help with continence and make childbirth easier. Since the Smartballs are similar to the Benwa Balls, I’m hoping they will help with continence as well. When I inserted them I began to have a little bit of a stomach ache. It felt sort of like a tampon. I would shift my hips from side to side and feel a tiny movement from the inner ball. I had to severely concentrate to feel the movement.

I moved around a lot, up and down stairs, jumping jacks – nothing moved this and I felt like my pelvic muscles were not doing any extra work. If they were, I had no idea it was happening, which could be a great thing. Exercising without even knowing it. I got into the car and drove around town and ran some errands. The constant motions of the car made the ball move a little. I could feel small movements and kept starting and stopping the car. The movement was very subtle. The more I thought about it the more I could feel it. But if my mind was not completely focused on it, I would not know it was there, other than the flexible silicone retrieval pull cord hanging out.

The Smartballs are advertised as quiet and smooth, and both claims are positively true. I held it next to my ear and shook it vigorously. I heard a rocking noise, but once inside, I could hear nothing.

Smartballs is made with silicone, a very tolerable material for the body. It is very resistant and easy to clean. The unique grooves on the sides are meant to add additional stimulation. With the first time use, I could not feel any increased feelings from the groves, but I shall try, try again.

Can’t necessarily rate this as a toy…as a device, easy in and easy out. With a little pelvic muscle push and a pull on the retrieval handle, it was out. The Smartballs came with a water-based lubricant, which I also suggest using.

Thanks for helping us understand the Smartballs Teneo Uno! It’s true, Kegel exercisers are not just a wham bam kind of you. While you might not feel any difference the first few times, give your Smartballs a month or so of play and see if you feel any changes. Just like you wouldn’t expect to go to the gym for an hour, then be able to lift a 100 lb. weight with one arm, don’t expect to have a totally buff muff the first time. Take it slow, do it often and see if you can’t grip that ball extra tight soon!

Also, strengthening PC muscles can help a woman have bigger, longer orgasms, so definitely keep that in mind when you’re whining about your workout. But really, this is so much more fun than going to the gym…

Do something smart (and sexy!) for your body with Fun Factory Smartballs Teneo Uno! And keep a look out for our Smartballs Teneo Duo review, coming soon.

I’m just the tiniest bit competitive and after reading up on the woman with the strongest pussy in the world, I was primed and ready to get my hands on Burning Angel’s Spiked Duotone Balls.

You see, Duotone Balls bear a striking resemblance to the weights that the strongest woman uses as part of her daily exercise routine (just not made out of crystal or weighing several pounds each.) Burning Angel’s variety happen to have soft spiky nublets on the outside that make them easier to grip than your average duotone balls and are fun to run over your clit and outer lips prior to insertion.

I’ve heard all kinds of awesome tales of how Ben Wa balls (the original low tech duotones) and duotone balls are supposed to be great for exercising your Kegel’s as well as providing hours of discreet pleasure around the house and at the office. Well, not for me – I didn’t want to have to maneuver the string during bathroom breaks at work, one, and two I didn’t exactly find the sensations that the balls themselves gave all that pleasurable. They did give me a noticeable sensation, which I wasn’t expecting since they’re completely sans batteries. However that sensation feels like – well it feels like balls moving within balls within your vag. Kind of like those Baoding Balls (Chinese stress balls for the hands) only internal and only really noticeable while moving pretty vigorously, but not too vigorously or you run the risk of forgetting they’re up there. I slipped them in while doing some household chores and forgot they were in there when I slipped into hyper-drive to make stir-fry.

Not exactly unpleasant but not writing-home-to-mother great either, I definitely didn’t reach any kind of orgasm thanks to the balls alone. That might have something to do with my one complaint with the balls, getting them in and getting them out; even with a ton of lube dribbling off the balls and all over my living room floor, as well as a half dozen twisty athletic position changes, I had serious difficulties getting these duotone balls in. I’m not sure if that was because of the spiky nubs or the size, or that the space between balls is where my body seemed to ‘rest’ between insertions, but I was rudely surprised when getting them in proved to be more fun than getting the suckers out again. See, like I said, I’d been running around doing stuff to get the most out of the sensations and then I nearly forgot they were in there. This led to trying to take the toy out dry – I really don’t recommend doing that, ever – unpleasant with one ball, twice as not fun with two.

Unlike Ben Wa balls which are really tiny and not connected by a handy dandy dangling rubber ‘string’ for retrieval purposes, duotone balls are fairly huge. For a figurative size comparison, say Ben Wa balls are about the size of my thumbnail, duotone Balls are about the circumference when I connect my thumb to my pointer finger and make an O – much bigger. Another key difference between the two is that Ben Wa balls are just little metal ball bearings, while their bigger counterparts often have a weighted ball inside of the larger outer shell which is free to move independently of the larger ball. It’s the interior balls movement that I really seemed to feel with the duotone balls once inserted.

So do I feel stronger – no idea. I’m definitely more in tune with how sensitive my vag actually can be though. I can’t say that Burning Angel’s Spiked Duotones will get you to the big O, but I think over all (even including retrieval) I have to say I had fun with my ball experience. Definitely something I’m going to be trying again sometime soon – after all, I’m kind of competitive.

Get a pair of Burning Angel’s Spiked Duotone Balls of your own!

I hate working out. Never liked it and I probably never will. But I do it because I know the benefits of having a strong, healthy body. I want my heart to keep me going as long as I need it! Same goes for my vagina, so I take my kegel exercises just as seriously as my cardio. Kegel exercises strengthen the pubococcygeus (P.C.) muscle of your pelvic floor, which can not only help with incontinence and all sorts of issues surrounding pregnancy and menopause, but can also help women have stronger, more intense orgasms. And the fact just is: amazing orgasms trump my lazy dislike of working out. It’s just true.

While I usually do my kegel exercises by just squeezing my muscles (the same ones that you use to stop your stream of urine mid-flow), when I got the opportunity to test out a toy specific for kegel exercises, I jumped on it. I figured, hey, if I’m going to have to work out, why not make it as fun as possible. So yes, I think of my Fun Factory Smart Balls as a hip-hop cardio dance class for my vag.

My little red/grey Smart Balls are little (about 1 ½” diameter) elastomer (phthalate free!) spheres attached to each other by a short stalk with a string loop hanging off the side of one ball. They have little round weights in the middle of them that you can’t actually see, but you can definitely feel and hear, especially if you shake them. To use them for kegels, you basically just insert one or both balls into your vagina and squeeze your muscles around them. For extra resistance, you can gently tug on the string loop. Even sexier than the hottest of pole workout videos.

I’ll admit it was a little weird to me to get all aroused and excited just to exercise my P.C. muscle, but to get the balls into my vag, I needed to be hot and bothered. I mean, I guess I could have just lubed them up and shoved them in, but I’m a pretty big supporter of treating my vagina the way I’d like to be treated, so I showed her a little love and she opened right up for me. Once the Smart Balls were in, I could feel my muscles working harder to squeeze around them (which is the whole point). It definitely didn’t hurt, but it was a little uncomfortable – like pushing yourself to grab the heavier weight or speed up the tread mill. It forced my body to work a little harder to shape up, and in return helped by muscles get stronger. Pulling on the cord definitely created a resistance that was noticeable, but it also allowed me to control how much resistance there was, which was really nice.

I even walked around my house with the Smart Balls still inside me and wasn’t bothered by them at all. They didn’t move or jingle or anything and I was able to continue my hardcore workout while I washed my dishes and watched T.V. At that point it was no longer sexy for me really, but it did make me feel like I had a secret, which gave my evening a dirty little edge – and that’s at total turn on.

I don’t think I’d ever use these balls for a sexual experience, per say (though you can), I will say that they did have what it takes to be a total turn on… all while giving me the tightest, hot orgasmest, healthiest vag on the block. Two thumbs up for 2 Smart Balls!

Get the workout of your life with Fun Factory’s Smart Balls!

If you’ve ever picked up an issue of Cosmo, you know what kegel exercises are and why they’re super important. I’ve previously used wand style exercisers, but until I received the Luna Pleasure Bead System I’d never tried Ben Wa style balls before.

Ben Wa balls, for those of you who are unfamiliar, are small spheres that are inserted into your vagina to help strengthen the PC muscles. This kit comes with two sets of balls – the pink weigh 28 grams and the blue 37. They are placed into a silicone girdle in any combination and then inserted. The weighted balls in each sphere then do their magic by shifting and forcing your muscles to work to keep them in place.

In my opinion, this Lelo set is an upgrade over traditional Ben Wa balls for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that it’s made out of body safe materials. The girdle is out of silicone and can be sterilized and the spheres are made out of phthalate-free plastic. The second is that Lelo provides you with two sets of balls that allow you to constantly change your workout. A diverse workout is important no matter what muscles you are focusing on!

So far, I’m pretty impressed with my experiences by the Luna System. I started by using both pink balls and have to admit it was a little unusual at first. I decided to wear them and then go on with my day and as the balls shifted I was definitely aware of them. I started by doing dishes and while I was a little distracted at first, by the time I was done I was definitely digging it and found myself a little turned on! While I haven’t dared to wear them out of the house yet, I’m looking forward to going out on a dirty little adventure…

Of course, after just a couple of weeks of use, I can’t really come out and say how well they have worked to strengthen my PC muscle. I think I’ve noticed a difference, but not sure if that’s just wishful thinking. Like any other workout, I’ll have to stick with this to see positive effects, both short and long term.

Of course, Lelo has packaged this set in a lovely black box that’s perfect for storage. They’ve also included a satin bag that’s really handy for travel.

Kegel exercises are really important, especially for women who are pregnant or a little bit older, and the Luna Pleasure Bead System is a great way to make sure you’re keeping in tip top shape!

Work it out with the Luna pleasure bead system!

Today we have a special little treat for you. We offer up weekly toy reviews on the site, but thought it was time we changed things up for you, dedicated readers.

Besides looking for a little knowledge, we thought our older readers would appreciate to hear from a peer occasionally, so we invited our favorite cougar to review the Natural Contours Energie for us! We really appreciate her perspective and hope you will too!

For years I’ve known about the benefits of kegel exercises, as my gynecologist advised me to do them, but I haven’t done much about. They are done to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that can be weakened by childbirth and age. These exercises are helpful in controlling incontinence and to tighten the vaginal walls to aid in better sexual pleasure.

Having had three children and being post-menopausal, these exercises would be especially valuable to me now. So when I heard about the Energie, a kegel exerciser made by Natural Contours, I was interested in trying it.

The device is shaped like a barbell, made of metal covered in plastic and is phthalate-free. It weighs a little over a pound and comes in a nice plastic box. The Engergie is very easy to use and care for, and even comes with instructions!

Basically, you insert it in your vagina and squeeze your kegel muscles. As you contract your muscles, you’ll feel the resistance of the device, which helps to strengthen the muscles. It is easier to do the exercises with the Energie than without it because you can feel your muscles contracting around something. It’s not the most fun thing to do, since I don’t love exercising, but it only takes 5-10 minutes a day (I spend more time walking on the treadmill.) Certainly the benefits of strengthening my pelvic muscles make a few minutes of exercise worthwhile.

Since I just started using it, I don’t know the long term-effects, but as with any exercise program, it will take some time.

To sum up, the Energie is relatively inexpensive, easy to care for, and easy to use. If used consistently, it is very beneficial in helping to strengthen pelvic muscles, which can make a huge difference in women’s health and sexual issues.

Add some bounce to your step with the Natural Contours’ Engerie!

Because kegels aren’t all work and no play, check out our review of the Pure Wand for a dirtier look at another Kegel muscle exerciser.