The Big Picture

A step-by-step set of instructions for inserting Ben Wa balls can be found below if you want to get right to it but I thought it would be best to start out with a quick introduction to their use at a higher level.

Ben Wa balls have been used in various forms by women throughout human history. It’s believed they were originally created by Japanese women before they spread to China (sometimes referred to there as Chinese Bells), India, Vietnam and then into Europe before becoming known worldwide.

They were traditionally made of two hollow brass balls, of which one was empty with the other containing either mercury or a smaller heavy metal ball. These days you can find them made from a variety of materials of course, you can check out our article on the types of ben wa balls here if you’re interested in learning more about that.

The empty ball is inserted first, all the way back to the cervix, followed by the 2nd “loaded” ball until they make contact. When the balls are in place even slight movements of the hips or thighs will cause the contents of the loaded ball to move or roll producing a pleasant vibration.

A common example of their use is to insert the balls as described above then gently rock in a rocking chair or a swing.

You can perform kegels to help hold them in and to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve the elasticity of the vagina. Ben Wa balls pre-date our more modern concept of kegel exercises but many believe they were used historically to provide many of the same benefits that kegel exercises aim to achieve.

Inserting Ben Wa Balls

Inserting the balls, or “wearing” them as you might hear it referred to is a relatively straight forward process but it can vary a bit depending on what type of balls you’re using. The basic idea is always the same though, get them in there without hurting yourself. To that end, here are some tips along with step-by-step instructions.

Use lubrication on the balls to help them glide in. Lay down if you haven’t done this before, then insert the ball (or balls) into the vagina while in a relaxed position. Hold the balls inside the vagina by tensing your leg muscles together and doing kegel exercises. Once they’re in you can sit up or move around depending on your ability, women with more experience can insert them without having to lay down and keep them in while moving around the house.

Quick Tips

It’s not uncommon to find women on the internet claiming to wear them in public, many of them probably do. If that sounds like something you’d be into then be sure to wear them at home until you’re very comfortable with them and can hold them in for a very long time. Otherwise you might be in for one hell of an “oops” moment in public…

Metal or glass balls can be more difficult for beginners to hold onto, you might want to start with plastic or silicone if you haven’t at least somewhat regularly done kegel exercises recently.

It will help them slide in easier if you use lubrication, but keep in mind that the easier they go in the easier they’ll come out too. Find a good balance when it comes to how much lube you use.

Thoroughly wash the balls with warm soapy water before and after each use. If you’re using balls that are attached via a string or silicone coating of some kind take the time to disassemble them as much as possible and thoroughly wash around the connections. Unattached metal or glass balls are the easiest to clean.

Don’t panic if you have trouble getting them back out or if they get stuck. They can’t get lost in there so relax, add some more lube, move around or squat and bear down. They’ll come out.

Setting Expectations

If you have just read Fifty Shades of Grey or heard about Ben Wa balls from a friend and are eager to try them your experience will be much better if you go into the experience with the right expectations. If you don’t know what you’re getting into you might make a wrong choice and end up being disappointed.

This video does a great job of summing it up.

If you spend some time reading reviews of Ben Wa balls you’ll see loads of people who went into the experience with flat out unrealistic expectations. Look at reviews for the simplest designs out there, such as stainless steel (unattached) balls. How can there be so much discrepancy between reviewers for something so basic in construction as those products? The answer is clearly that some buyers were expecting something totally different than what they got.

I’m not trying to suggest that all bad reviews for these products are because of this ignorance, some products truly are just bad or cheaply made and packaged. In fact, the sad truth is that most of the stuff you’ll find out there is overpriced crap and repackaged knock-off’s.

That’s the main reason that we only feature a small selection of products on this site. We’re always looking for more great offerings but it’s really rare to find a combination of quality construction and materials at a reasonable price. Heck, it’s even hard to find high quality when you include the products being sold at unreasonable prices.

Of course, if you know of any we’ve missed, leave us a comment and let us know or get in touch with us here.

Still have questions? Head on over to our FAQ page, it’s huge!