"Great for both beginners and advanced users!" Sound familiar? So many of us reviewers toss this assertion around without a second thought, so much so that the phrase loses its meaning. What even makes something good for a "beginner" and an "advanced user," anyway? What kind of rubric would you use to decide of a paddle or a dildo would be as good for your 18 year old cousin who has never seen or heard of either, as well as your freaky, kinky Aunt Gertrude who has a whole room full of (eh hem) "private items" that she keeps locked at all times?

Well. I'm not here to pontificate about those questions, but only to offer up in light of them what I think may be one of the most perfect example of the "great for both beginners and advanced users!" sex toy/accessory. Something that to me could be used as a measure against which we weigh the mass appeal of other sex toys. The Wartenberg Pinwheel is an item that I would feel just as comfortable giving as a gift to the doe-eyed innocent of a cousin as I would the seasoned sadistic dominant of an aunt. Why? Because the Wartenberg Wheel's original purpose was not to indulge pain sluts or tickle curious vanilla bean couples on honeymoons, but rather to test and measure nerve reactivity in a medical setting. Yep, the reason this thing looks so medicinal is because it actually is. It was invented by Eastern-European neurologist Robert Wartenberg all the way back before color television and sex toy websites!

This particular version of the Wartenberg Wheel is fairly standard. It is comprised of a long metal handle (which is not unlike that of a fork or spoon,) with long, deep grooves in it to help you get a better grip on the slick metal. At the business end of this device the handle crooks downward and straightens out again into the home to the wheel itself. The wheel is attached with a screw that is tightened through the center that locks it into a small niche in handle's end. About 3/4 of an inch in diameter, the wheel is quite small, though it can pack a wallop in the right hands. I counted 22 tiny but very pointed prongs (only about a quarter of an inch in length) along the edge of mine, although I assume the exact number may vary somewhat. Nevermind the exact figure though; this thing has plenty of little spikes to provide you plenty of sensation.

And that's really the intent behind this toy, and the reason that I adore it. It is meant to be rolled along the skin by an experienced medical professional (or y'know, a curious lover) with varying pressures to test the response of your nerves to sensation. Gently rolled down your arm, breast or even the cheek of your face by a steady hand this wheel can feel as mild as a smoothly filed fingernail tracing your flesh. I love having this moved over my back, my buttocks and thighs until I'm covered with goosebumps, my nipples are hard and I'm panting like a puppy on a hot day in August. This kind of sensation teases, leaves you desperate, starved for more contact. It's a perfect way to slowly warm up to a perfectly non-kinky back rub, or a wonderful way to torture and deprive your little submissive.

Of course, there's a reason this thing looks as mean as it does. It certainly can be mean under the direction of a cruel user, and if sharp, pinching pain is the kind that gets you doing then you'll love this wheel. It's needle-sharp tips will leave enduring rows of little red bumps if the wheel is applied with medium pressure, and with hard enough pressure you may even draw blood (though in my experience this is hard to do.) Because it's difficult to draw blood by pressing straight down this can be used for relatively safe genital torture; I love to run this wheel over my partner's scrotum with a moderate amount of pressure and watch him squirm. Be advised that when dealing with sensitive areas you must take extreme caution and use a very careful hand. If you slip and drag the teeth across the skin instead of pressing straight down you can get some very nasty scratches (think: the kind a cat's claws give but finer and thinner.)

Because this tool is made from metal it allows for the possibility of temperature play as well - which just adds one more intense layer of sensation to this toy. Warm up the metal by slipping it under your thigh while sitting down for a moment or so in order to play the kind, nurturing doctor role...or put it in the freezer for a couple of moments to play the cruel, loony tunes experimental scientist. Honestly, warming up or cooling down glass or metal dildos never excited me too much. However, for me the different in temperature with the Wartenberg Pinwheel was very intense and pleasurable and can add a kinky psychological dimension to play if you're into medical RP.

All in all? Awesome toy. The amount of stimulation you receive is 100% customizable and can range from a light tickle to a resonating clawing. Don't pass this because you're not into pain because the Wartenberg Pinwheel does not have to equal pain! It only does if you want it to ;)

The Wheel comes in a thin vinyl pouch similar to the kind that many tweezers come in at drug stores. One side is opaque black and the other is transparent. Your pinwheel should be stored in it when not in use so the prongs do not become dulled by bumping into other objects in storage, and likewise so it doesn't scratch up nearby items. Insert the device wheel end down so that you aren't grabbing a handful of sharp needles when you go to pull it back out. If you need to clean your pinwheel for any reason you can use a little antibacterial soap and warm water, though be sure to dry off right away and allow the nooks and crannies to air dry completely before putting away to prevent rust. You may also use rubbing alcohol to clean your Wheel off. And of course...have fun and play safely!

This Wartenberg Wheel is, in a word, fantastic. I actually use this on a fairly regular basis - far more than I thought I would. I break it out during massages mostly, to add some different sensations to the mix. Combined with massage stones, ticklers and even my hair lightly trailed along the skin, the Wartenberg Wheel creates some awesome sensations. Alternating between a feather's tendrils and the sharp tips of the Pinwheel being lightly pressed on a lover's back will heighten their sensitivity and prime them for a nice massage. It's shockingly practical for regular, vanilla playtime considering it's such a devious looking device!