Designed as a plug, the Ceramic Swirl works well in that capacity. It was comfortable when inserted and seemed to stay in reasonably well, although its short neck means that you might have to intentionally hold it in (either with your anus or your hand) now and then. The biggest downside to using the Ceramic Swirl as a plug is that you only get to experience the ridges twice: once when it slides in, and once when it slides out. While it works as a plug (and feels good), this toy shines for more interactive play, when the ridges can be slid in sensitive bits and the sturdy base given a good wiggle now and then.

The ridges also make this a fun vaginal toy. The Ceramic Swirl can be used either penetratively or rubbed along the vulva for clitoral stimulation.

Ceramic butt plugs are a rarity, but this material has some unique characteristics. Like glass it is rock hard, holds heat and cold well, and is completely body safe and sterilizable. The fact that ceramics (in this case porcelain) can be cold-formed rather than requiring the maker to deal with a hot, runny mass allows for some flexibility in design (here the ridges) that would be very difficult to form in glass. Unfortunately ceramics share glass' big downside - they can be chipped if dropped.

Apart from the ridges winding down its length the Ceramic Swirl is finished in a completely smooth red glaze. The glaze makes the lubed plug to feel very slick and easy to insert, as well as making cleanup easy after use.

The Ceramic Swirl is a midsized, slightly angular and very straight plug with pronounced ridges spiraling down the length of the body. While the ridges look aggressive in the picture, they are smoothly rounded and feel quite good sliding in and out during insertion, removal, or thrusting play. The size is a good choice for most users, since the rock-hard ceramic material feels a bit bigger than it is.

The base is an oblong formed by two "wings" that are each about 1" long and have rounded tips. Their length and stiffness ensure that the Ceramic Swirl will not slide too far inside, while their narrow 1" width allows for comfortable wear even while sitting.

At 1/2" long, the neck is on the short side, but the rounded transition to the plug body makes this plug comfortable to wear. I found it to stay in easily most of the time, but from time to time I did need to clench down a bit to keep it inside.

How discreet this toy is depends on who finds it. The material and design do not scream "I'm a sex toy", but you'd be hard pressed to come up with an alternate explanation on the spur of the moment - possibly "small hand-held citrus juicer"

The Ceramic Swirl performs admirably. The ridges make this an excellent choice if you're interested in thrusting play or a "juicer" style of plug, while the stiff material and wide easy-grab base allow for plenty of "wiggle" stimulation. The more rounded transition between the neck and body in this redesigned model is comfortable for mid-length wear, as is the base, but the short neck means that the Ceramic Swirl probably isn't secure enough for use as a long-term plug without something to help hold it in.

Ceramic is a very easy material to take care of, so the only major concern with the Ceramic Swirl is to minimize the risk of it chipping or breaking. Since it's made of porcelain it is fairly strong, but you need to take approximately the same care with the Ceramic Swirl that you would take with a prized coffee cup. The included storage bag helps minimize the risk of chips during storage, and making sure to use it over a soft surface rather than a hard floor (such as concrete) will help to prevent mishaps during use from the plug being dropped.

The hard, smooth, and nearly indestructible surface of the Ceramic Swirl makes cleaning easy, the only downside possibly being the deep groves. You can clean the Ceramic Swirl using almost any cleaner known, with the exception of hydrofluoric acid. I personally use soap and water in the sink, but toy cleaner or even a trip through your dishwasher are acceptable ways to clean the Ceramic Swirl. Once it's clean you can sterilize it if you want by boiling it in water or soaking it in a 10% bleach solution, both making the Ceramic Swirl safe for sharing.

The Ceramic Swirl ships with a black cloth storage bag that helps protect the Swirl from chips and scratches. Also included is a small paper with instructions for care. Those of you keeping score might be interested to note that this is possibly the world's first oven-safe buttplug. While it is possible to use the oven to warm the Swirl up I strongly advise plenty of caution when doing so. Most ovens do not reliably hold temperatures under 150F, so if you're not careful the Swirl can get a bit warmer than you might want.

I'll reiterate the instruction's note to avoid the microwave for heating. Since ceramic materials are a mix of different materials rather than being homogenous, it's possible for there to be areas that get substantially hotter in the microwave - as anyone who's burnt themselves on an unusually hot part of a microwaved coffeecup knows.

Duncan Charles Designs' first butt plug had some problems, but they have taken the Ceramic Swirl back to the drawing board and changed what was needed to in order to make it into a comfortable product.

The Ceramic Swirl retains the pronounced spiral ridges of the original Swirl. These ridges look aggressive (especially when you realize that they're made of rock-hard porcelain), but are very comfortable and stimulating during use (although I'd not recommend this plug for a beginner).

Duncan Charles' changes are small but do what's needed. The redesigned Swirl is a bit slimmer than the original plug, with 5" of circumference. The neck is the same diameter, but the upper part has been re-contoured in order to flow into the body better (a source of discomfort on the original model). A redesigned base (with narrow wings) rounds out the list of changes, and turns a product that had lots of potential into a product that delivers. Bravo to Duncan Charles Designs for listening and taking action.