Ako is a fun little external vibrator. I spent a good few days on Eden searching for the right clitoral vibrator; something powerful (yet quiet), safe and easy to clean, and that would also be comfortable to hold during solo play as well as intercourse. Oh, and did I mention I didn’t want it to break the bank? Now I know what some of you may be thinking, “If you’re going to make demands like that, you going to have to dig deep!”. Nevertheless, I had high, though perhaps unfounded, hopes that I’d be able to find something that would fit the bill. Well ladies, I’m delighted to say that Ako met all of my criteria and more!

Ako is crafted of hard ABS plastic and silicone. The top 2/3 of the toy is coated in wonderfully soft silicone. Aside from the raised buttons on one side and the “PicoBong” inscription on the other, it is velvety/silky smooth. Ako’s screw-on bottom is ribbed ABS plastic perhaps so that you can play it musically like a mini washboard, but more likely in order to give it some texture to help you hold on to it. This toy gets an 8/10 on the safety scale as you cannot boil it or put it in the dishwasher due to the plastic.

Ako is ergonomically shaped with a slight bend to it in similar form as one’s fingers would be for clitoral stimulation. There is a little extra silicone on the tip of the concave side, which gives it the slightest cushion when you push it, but the rest of its body is hard with minimal give.

The Ako is 4.6 inches long and is 4.7 inches in circumference. The middle is about the circumference of a small chicken egg and this tapers down to a little larger than the width of my finger. It’s bigger than your average bullet vibrator but still small enough that it doesn’t get in the way during partner play. Also, where a smaller bullets size may cause handling issues when lubed up, Ako’s larger size offers you an ergonomic and secure grip.

The location of the motor is great, placing the vibrations just where you want them. While the vibrations can be felt all over Ako, I felt that they can be felt the strongest at the tip, specifically the concave side of the tip. Ako runs on normal batteries, just 2 AAA and you’re ready to go. The nice thing about this is that you can use rechargeable batteries in it, although I want to note that the manufacturer does warn that using rechargeable batteries can reduce vibration intensity.

Ako is also waterproof! I must say that this was one of its biggest selling features. You can take it in the shower or bath (or pool, or lake, or…), as it is submersible up to 3.28 feet! And who doesn’t want to have some fun in the tub?

These are my interpretations of the settings (to the best of my ability):
Supposedly there are 12, but I felt like there were thirteen when you count the constant vibration.
1. Constant vibration
2. Slow, longer pulses Vvvm_Vvvm_Vvvm
3. Pulses Vvm_Vvm_Vvm
4. Shorter pulses Vm_Vm_Vm_Vm
5. Even Shorter pulses Vm.Vm.Vm.Vm
6. Shortest Pulses VmVmVmVm
7. vvVMmvvVMmvvVMmvv
8. vvMvvMvvM
9. vvVVMMvvVVMMvvVVMM
10. vVMvVMvVMvVM
11. vvvVM.VM.VM.vvvVM.VM.VM.
12. vvVM.VM.VM.VM.VM.vvVM.VM.VM.VM.VM.
13. Random

There are 7 power levels, ranging from barely there (good for after you’ve had an orgasm and you’re overly sensitive) to quite strong. On the highest setting I’d say Ako is a middle to high 4 vrooms. The vibrations are definitely more on the buzzy side, however there is a little rumbly in there too. Considering the size of this toy the vibrations meet, if not exceed, my expectations.

The controls are in a good location, especially if you are right handed. When holding Ako with the tip of it on your clit the buttons ( - M + ) are easy to operate with you thumb. To turn on Ako you hold down the plus button and to turn off you hold down the minus button. To change the mode you press the M button. Pressing the plus or minus buttons changes the power levels, and when on if you press and hold the plus button it jumps straight to the highest power setting.

As far as sound goes, the Ako is super quiet. You can hear it above the covers, but not over soft music or a closed door.

Ako’s lovely silicone body means that you should only use water based lubes. This also means absolutely no intermingling with other silicone toys during storage! I made the mistake of storing a silicone dildo with a silicone cock ring once, and I will never make that mistake again!

Since Ako is made from silicone and hard plastic, there are no porous surfaces to worry about getting bacteria trapped in and in it is hypo-allergenic. That being said, because of the plastic (as mentioned earlier) you cannot boil Ako or put it in the dishwasher, as the plastic could melt. Cleaning with regular soap and water is most often sufficient, but if you want to more thoroughly sanitize you can use antibacterial soap or toy cleaner. The manufacturer advises against using alcohol. When cleaning be sure that the cap is securely screwed on, preferably with the batteries removed (just in case!), so that water does not find its way inside your Ako.

As with all toys that cannot be boiled and completely sterilized, be sure to put a toy cover or a condom on Ako if you are going to share it with another person.

The box that your Ako comes in matches the color of the toy, which is a nice touch. The package itself is aesthetically pleasing, informative, and cradles Ako securely to prevent it from moving around during shipping. The information packets that come in the box comprise of the do's and don’ts of proper maintenance, how to operate the toy, battery information, and your one year warranty!

Orders from Eden are always very discreet, but that doesn’t mean you should open the box in front of your conservative friend or grandmother. While Ako’s design doesn’t scream sex toy, it doesn’t really look like anything else either. If you don’t want the people around you knowing “what’s in the box” you should wait until you’re alone to open it up.

The variety of settings and power levels is absurd for such a small and relatively inexpensive toy. The texture is awesome and I love how easy it is to keep clean. I ordered Ako in purple and it is a lighter, pinker purple than shown in the pictures. Perhaps a trivial detail in most cases, but one still worth mentioning in the interest of full disclosure.

One of my favorite aspects of Ako is that it uses 2 AAA batteries, as I like to use rechargeable batteries when possible. While this may diminish the power levels, it is not a concern of mine; even using rechargeable batteries Ako’s highest power level is plenty intense for me (and I don’t have a sensitive clit). The different settings were very pleasurable and fun to cycle through. Ako easily got me to climax. Overall, I’m really satisfied with this purchase. This is a quality toy, especially considering the price. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a clitoral vibe!

I wavered between giving this toy 4 or 5 stars. It is not a totally perfect toy as it could be rechargeable and the vibrations could be more rumbly. It can't be boiled or used with silicone based lube, which could be a downside for some. However, for the price it surpasses my expectations which I think deserves 5 stars.