Pipedream Icicle No. 8: Thaw Me to the Core

Pipedream Icicle No. 8

Thaw Me to the Core

In my previous reviews, I mentioned on many an occasion my limited personal knowledge with glass toys, possibly to the point my readers roll their eyes in annoyance and say, "Yeah, yeah, we know." That one unsavory experience deterred me from seeking out another glass wand, and my hesitation persisted for several years. That is, until now! At long last, I feel ready to dabble in the realm of crystalline pleasure again. However, armed with more appropriate knowledge, I believe it best to avoid going big or going home in this instance and select a more realistic toy, at least until I can accurately determine my physical limits. While searching for the best toy to start my endeavor with, I stumbled across Pipedream's gorgeous and extensive collection of Icicle dildos and was immediately smitten with the detail and quality. Although I'm usually all about heavy textures, I opted for something small yet reasonable with enough size and surface variation to provide noticeable stimulation without pushing my limits too far off the charts. And I especially wanted to locate the perfect anal toy since my last experience with anal beads left much to be desired and borderlined on sheer misery.

I originally discovered Pipedream's Icicle No. 8 while browsing for art references on Google Images. Unsurprisingly, the official product images are usually doctored to seem more appealing with enhanced color variations in the core, so I stopped in to Spice 2 Nite to view it in-person first. While the inner spiral looks less like an aurora burst or multi-colored crystal and more of a solid singular color, the delicate blue swirls within the glass are still very arresting and beautiful enough to overlook the false advertising. I ordered mine from Amazon because of the drastic price difference. However, the trade-off was waiting three weeks for it to ship from China, but like Isyld's experience ordering her glass dildo online, mine too arrived in a lovely red box with a gold silk inlay that I still use to safely store it.

No matter how deep I delve, I simply cannot find the original MSRP of this toy, but it retailed in Spice 2 Nite for roughly $30 (ridiculously more than it needs to cost, in my opinion) and I paid $16.99 for mine with free shipping though I recall it available for as low as $10-11 a few months prior. Although one of the safest and most hypoallergenic materials available for sex toys, borosilicate/Pyrex glass costs very little to manufacture and therefore should not retail for much unless you find a massive dildo the size of your arm made out of it. Dish sets at Walmart are made from Pyrex and are reasonably priced, so there is no reason for you to break the bank for a glass toy. For $30, you essentially pay for the brand, so be kind to your wallet and search elsewhere if you decide to purchase one for yourself. I made it a general rule of thumb never to pay more than $20 for a glass dildo.

The Icicle No. 8 is one of the smallest/most slender toys I've ever owned with an overall length of 7 in (18 cm) and an insertable length of 5.5 in (14 cm), and it looks even smaller in person when held in your hand. The width at the widest point is 1.5 in (4 cm) with a 2.75 in (7 cm) diameter/8.6 in (22 cm) circumference. The profile is not something I normally gravitate towards, but I thought it the best and most reasonable option for testing the waters. The surface is utterly smooth except for three bulges in the shaft and a large bulb at the base that acts as a handhold or stopper. The tapered tip lends for easy insertion, and each corresponding bulge is slightly thicker than the last.

As previously mentioned, the Icicle No. 8 is made of Pyrex or borosilicate glass, one of the safest materials next to medical-grade silicone and stainless steel. Since I ultimately intended to use this anally, I need something comprised of the absolute best material available, and glass hands-down offers the easiest clean-up. Borosilicate glass is also surprisingly sturdy so you could drop a glass dildo on the floor without fearing it might shatter, but because the Icicle No. 8 has pinched areas between the bulges, I worry the structure could be compromised compared to a solid shaft and might snap at these weaker points if dropped. So while glass toys don't necessarily require additional care, I treat mine delicately just in case.

I first tried the Icicle No. 8 vaginally before any cross-contamination occurred just to satiate my curiosity, and in all honesty, it absolutely blew my mind! I expected the slim and short profile compared to my other toys to only offer a so-so experience, but I felt every knob sliding in and out and almost climaxed right away without any clitoral stimulation, and once I did throw that in the mix, I exploded immediately. I made such a wonderful gooey mess everywhere, but the simple clean-up took a grand total of two minutes, and my toy was like new again. This initial experiment made me exceptionally optimistic to test it anally. Unfortunately, that experience was sub-par in comparison. The bulbs felt nice but did not provide nearly enough to stimulate me fully, and I ended up abandoning the act, thoroughly cleaning the toy and resuming with it in my vagina instead. Because of the awkward spacing and number of bulbs, the Icicle No. 8 makes serious anal play lackluster. The tapered tip fails to truly stimulate unless you continuously pull it out and perfectly angle it to plunge it back inside you. Move it just off center, and it only causes discomfort or frustration. The last bulb might be a viable option for someone else, but for me, it was spaced just far enough that it felt too painful to press it far inside and put forceful pistoning out of the picture. That leaves only the middle bulge which on its own is simply not enough to bring me even remotely close to climax.

Despite the anal setbacks, the toy provides relatively easy use. The tapered tip makes insertion a breeze, and the pinched areas between the bulges prevents you from taking on more than you can handle at once, like a stopper. Like previous experiences with glass toys (both mine and others), this performs best when used in specific positions because of the rigidity, but its thinner profile offers more wiggle room. I find it the most manageable when sitting up perfectly straight or lying all the way back with my legs up. Any angles such as reclining or on my knees causes too much discomfort from pinching and pressing on the inside, though comparatively not as drastically to the point you lose your momentum.

Overall, the Icicle No. 8 exceeded my expectations and is quite effective although I argue it works best as a foreplay tool instead. It functions amazingly well at bringing me right up to the edge in a short amount of time but then fails at tipping me those last few steps over. That being said, as soon as I switch to some form of clitoral stimulation such as my hand or "Magic Mic," I generally climax immediately. In the anal department, it slides in rather easily and provides a pleasant massage but no more. I'm still disappointed in its performance as an anal tool since that was my entire intent, but I can't deny its ease of use and the fact I can spirit it away in my bag to use during those lonely late night hours at my job. The Icicle No. 8 is not a ground-breaking innovation, but for an inexpensive price it's a nice toy to have on hand if you so desire. It has no major downsides, and I have no regrets purchasing it. To some, it may not be worth the trouble if it doesn't offer what it appears to advertise, but if you have some cash to spare and think it can do you some good, I recommend it. It does encourage me to experiment with some of the other glass items in Pipedream's Icicle collection to see if another model offers what the No. 8 lacks.

Summary

Size: ★★★★☆

Cost: ★★★★★

Texture: ★★★★☆

Material: ★★★★★

Ease of use: ★★★★☆

Effectiveness: ★★★☆☆

Final rating: ★★★★☆

For more info:

Pipedream Website

                       Shop

Amazon

Want to help contribute to the cause? Check out the blog wish list on Amazon!

Gift givers will receive a free hi-res file of the illustration promoting the item they purchased as well as a special shout-out as that month's patron.

Want to be a guest reviewer on the blog?
Send an email to missannabellehawkins !at gmail.com and we can set up an interview! Guests also receive a hi-res file of their toy illustration.

Pipedream Deluxe Vibro Balls: Love-Hate Relationships (Guest Review)

Pipedream Deluxe Vibro Balls

Love-Hate Relationships

Guest Review!

This month's review is brought to you in part by:
G

I have quite the interesting review lined up for you this month, dear readers! With the help of the charming G who graciously let me interview her about her experiences with Pipedream's Deluxe Vibro Balls, I present you with a double featurette of contrasting proportions. I hope my readers absorb my opinions with a grain of salt and understand my experiences with a specific toy may differ wildly from yours. I intend my reviews to provide a raw, genuine look into an adult toy without the potential biases from websites' product reviews. The following feature presents a perfect example of how one person may rave over how phenomenally a toy performs while another might say it was a waste of their money.

I purchased the Pipedream anal beads several months before G contacted me, but I never removed them from the box because I didn't have the time or opportunity to test them out yet. When I met with G, she handed me a velvet bag from her purse and asked me to guess the type of toy. By simply shaking it, I recognized immediately the telltale jostle of the balls and felt excitement well up. During our interview, she provided a glorious recollection of her adventures with the Deluxe Vibro Balls and could not praise them highly enough. Fueled by her encouragement, I drove home that evening and immediately tried them out...to incredible disappointment. Yet it was an experience that still satisfied me because it reminded me of my own advice: take what you hear with a grain of salt. So I will also butt into the spotlight and provide my review alongside G's to offer two sides of the same coin.

Both G and I purchased our Vibro Balls online (as is generally my recommended custom). G, having lost most of her toys in a fire, purchased the balls from an online adult site (name unknown) in an attempt to start from scratch. Anal toys were always a default for her, so she sought out a previous member of her collection to begin again with. Although she can't remember the exact purchase price, she recalled it was inexpensive, roughly around $20. I purchased mine from Amazon for about $13 on a whim since trying out anal beads consistently topped my sexy to-do list. The claim of "natural vibrations" from the weighted balls inside intrigued me because you may recall my necessity for that sort of stimulation. Normally the Pipedream Deluxe Vibro Balls retail for $24.95, a fair enough price but bordering on expensive for the size and nature of the toy.

The overall length of the Vibro Balls is 17.4 in (44.2 cm) with an insertable length of 10.8 in (27.4 cm). Each ball has a 3.9 in (9.9 cm) circumference/1.25 in (3.2 cm) diameter placing them on the higher end of anal bead sizing. G absolutely loves their size though, claiming the balls are large enough to provide excellent stimulation without being too large to cause pain. She adores the way each one feels going in and out of her body and really notices the girth and pressure once inside. The balls for me, unfortunately, are borderline too much to handle when inserted. I find the balls manageable going in but unfortunately, unlike G, they are next to unnoticeable once inside of me. I only feel a slight pressure and mild weight shift when moving around caused by the interior balls rolling about. As for removal, the first ball is almost pleasurable but rapidly gives way to pain and exhaustion when attempting to remove the entire string. The unyielding nature of the plastic does not help either.

The balls themselves are made of ABS plastic with a smooth and slick surface except for a slightly raised seam running through the center where the pieces connect after the manufacturers placed the weighted ball inside. A nylon cord attaches all four balls roughly an inch (2.5 cm) or so apart from one anther. Two majors factors arose when I researched the quality of the Vibro Balls before purchasing mine. One dealt with the seam causing users pain and requiring filing down before use. The other questioned the integrity and cleanliness of the cord. G said she experienced no issues with this seam and never had problems cleaning the entirety of the toy including the cord, which she claims can also take a good hearty yanking without worrying about snapping. The balls especially are easy to clean, and she feels confident with the overall quality of the anal beads. I noticed a slight ridge to the seam once inside me, but nothing of major concern. However, I couldn't help worrying over the actual quality of the plastic. While ABS plastic is technically safe, it is very cheap and not necessarily something you want to have inside you for extended periods of time. My nervousness regarding the integrity of the cord never passed despite G's reassurances so I never truly tested the strength of it. And after one use, the cord smelled terrible despite the extra measures I took cleaning and prepping myself and scrubbing the toy thoroughly twice afterwards. The plastic still had a lingering stench, and the cord smelled like I hadn't bothered to wash it at all. It repulsed me so much, I eventually threw the whole thing out.

G uses the Vibro balls both solo and with her partner. While great on its own, she claims it's best when combined with something vaginally such as a dildo or a dick. The addition of an object enhances the pressure inside, and if she uses it in tandem with her boyfriend, he also benefits from the sensation. If he provides a little tug  or yanks the entirety out of her during sex, it drives her over the edge without fail. It offers excellent foreplay opportunities and assistance during sex while requiring little to no coaxing to push inside her. The vibrations are also quite pleasurable for both her and her boyfriend. The small size makes for easy packing when on the road or traveling, so why leave home without it? Effective and reliable. Easy, breezy, beautiful: Pipedream.

My experience, on the other hand, is much less optimistic. Although an anal toy, I tested it vaginally first out of curiosity to avoid cross-contamination later on. While nice, it was nothing near orgasm-inducing even when paired with my Shibari Halo Wand. Using it anally turned into an unpleasant endeavor. Again, I paired it with "Magic Mic" and asked my lately to assist by tugging and jostling the cord. And again, it felt nice but devolved into a painful annoyance after a few minutes. Then came the removal. During my session, the balls somehow twisted around themselves inside of me so the cord knotted around the middle. When clumped together, it was impossible for me to push them out without tearing something, so I reached inside me to blindly untangle the balls and tug them out one by one. It was painful and left a horrible and disgusting mess in its wake. The vibrations too were weak and barely noticeable. I really needed to dance and shimmy to mildly feel them rolling back and forth, but they never clacked to produce a notable shock wave. Overall, the experience was tedious with unpleasant results and discouraged me from trying again.

As her continued favorite toy, G highly recommends the Pipedream Deluxe Vibro Balls to anal adventurers while I believe better products exist that provide more satisfactory results. But this just goes to show that you should not rely too heavily on one person's opinions. If you purchase your own Vibro Balls, will you share in G's amazing experiences or risk falling under my misfortunes? Regardless of your decision, I hope our combined reviews helped educate and warn you and that you enjoyed this month's read!

G's Summary

Size: ★★★★★

Cost: ★★★★★

Texture: ★★★★☆ 

Material: ★★★★★

Ease of use: ★★★★☆

Effectiveness: ★★★★★

Final rating: ★★★★★

My Summary

Size: ★★☆☆☆ 

Cost: ★★★★★

Texture: ★★★☆☆ 

Material: ★★★☆☆

Ease of use: ★☆☆☆☆

Effectiveness: ★★☆☆☆

Final rating: ★★☆☆☆

For more info:

Pipedream Website
                       Shop
Amazon

Want to help contribute to the cause? Check out the blog wish list on Amazon!

Gift givers will receive a free hi-res file of the illustration promoting the item they purchased as well as a special shout-out as that month's patron.

Want to be a guest reviewer on the blog?
Send an email to missannabellehawkins !at gmail.com and we can set up an interview! Guests also receive a hi-res file of their toy illustration.