The Groove is a great introduction to anal toys. It's made for comfort as well as stimulation, and is very easy to use. I like that there aren't any bells or whistles; it's exactly what you anticipate it will be.

The Groove is great for couple or solo play, and wonderful for those new to anal toys. You can use it in the tub or shower, or really anywhere you please.

The Groove, being made of premium platinum-grade silicone is odorless and smooth to the touch. It's not quite as glossy-smooth as I thought it would be, but it's definitely not grabby or textured. The whole toy is extremely bendable, which can make insertion, especially for beginners, a little bit of work, but after the tip is inserted, it's a breeze to use.

The Groove's very squishy and flexible, but as you near the base, the larger bumps/grooves are much firmer.

The colour is gorgeous; what looks like a shimmering solid blue is actually, on closer inspection, a shimmering spectrum of blue and silver swirls. As I unpacked and cleaned The Groove for the first time, I couldn't stop turning it in the light to catch the faint sparkle and shine.

On first sight, The Groove gave me pause; I didn't realize that it would be quite so long! It is 7" long, with six of those inches being insertable. After trying it out, though, it is a very good length. The length allows for a gentle graduation of girth.

The bumps, or balls, vary from the size of the tip of your thumb to just a bit bigger than a golf ball, with a circumference of 4 3/4". I think this is ideal, because it allows you to work up to the larger size. So far, I have been able to use it all except the largest bump, and I imagine that, with more use, eventually I will be able to use the whole thing. If it were any smaller, it would be outgrown, so I think it's perfect as-is for beginners to intermediate users.

The only thing I would change is the flexibility of that first little bump; it does make it a bit difficult to get in, as it wants to bend rather than be inserted, so you really have to guide the tip in with your finger.

There's really nothing discreet about this toy, there's no hiding the fact that it is made to go inside your butt. If a family member or airport security caught sight of this big, bulbous, blue toy, they would know exactly what it is for.

Other than the squishy, flexible tip not wanting to be inserted and trying to bend and bounce away, The Groove performs really well. With ample (water-based) lube and a careful finger guiding the way, once the tip is inserted anally, the rest of it glides right in. The bumpiness gives enough to feel, but the smoothness and squishiness makes it completely comfortable. I like that the large size of the last bump gives me something to work towards.

The Groove is made of 100% premium platinum-grade silicone. This means that it's non-porous and easy to clean with warm soapy water, and easy to sanitize with a diluted bleach solution.

Having never used an anal toy, I was worried that it might hold on to odors, but after thoroughly cleaning, it smelled exactly as it did right out of the package.

The Doc Johnson stamp at the base does tend to catch and hold lube (and, I imagine, other materials) so it needs some extra attention when cleaning.

You will want to use a good water-based lube with The Groove, and be sure to store it on its own. I kept it in original packaging, but since it holds on to dust, lint, and animal hair like crazy, you could put it into a non-linty bag or zipper plastic bag to keep it clean. I wash it off before each use anyways because, try as I might, I cannot seem to keep it free of cat and dog hair.

Before I washed it the first time, I accidentally dropped it on the floor (and thought it would bounce all around like a superball! Unfortunately, it didn't) and when I picked it up, it looked like a caterpillar, all fuzzy and squirmy.

The Groove came in a standard plastic clamshell package with a simple sheet that includes the name, manufacturer information, and material information. There were no instructions, no raunchy pictures, only the basics.

I really enjoyed using The Groove and am happy that it was my first foray into the world of anal toys.

As someone with little experience with anal play, and no experience with anal toys, I wasn't 100% sure what to expect from The Groove. In addition to having trouble inserting it due to the flexibility of the tip, I may have added a bit too much lube out of nervousness. After several unsuccessful (and humorous) tries, I laid the tip against my index finger and sort of pressed the tip into me. From then on, it was easy.

I was surprised that I was able to comfortably take so much of it in so quickly! The design really makes it easy to use (once it's in) and it wasn't too much of a stretch to insert all but the very last bump. Try as I might, though, I wasn't able to get the last one in, it was just too girthy at 4 3/4".

Satisfied with being comfortable with the rest of it, though, I played with it on its own for a bit before deciding to try it with a vibrator for double penetration. Wow. Why have I never done this before? It was great! With minimal clitoral stimulation, I had a great orgasm in just minutes!