Guide · Anal beads
Start with a silicone chain with small, graded balls and a sturdy loop or a wide handle that always stays outside the body. Insert one ball at a time with plenty of lubricant, remove them just as slowly, and wash the chain carefully afterward.
Anal beads are a row of balls that are connected, either on a soft chain or on a firmer bar. The point is the passage: the feeling when each ball glides in and out through the anal opening, which is one of the most nerve-rich areas of the body. They’re used alone or with a partner, and by all genders.
Here’s how: apply plenty of lubricant to the balls and the anal opening, insert one ball at a time at a calm pace, stop when it meets resistance, and always keep the loop or handle outside the body. Remove the balls slowly, one at a time. Clean the chain right after.
Below, we go through grading and size, why the loop is the most important safety feature, lubricant, a step-by-step process, and cleaning. Measurements and materials come from the manufacturers’ published information.
Soft chains. The balls sit on a flexible silicone stem with a loop at the end. They follow the body’s shape and give a clear sensation with every ball. Mr. Play Anal Bead Large and Satisfyer Love Beads are examples.
Firmer bars with handles. The balls sit on a sturdier stem and end with a wide handle that also works as a stop.Lelo Soraya Beads has four beads in increasing size and a drop-shaped handle, and Anal Fantasy Rechargeable Anal Beads has four graduated beads and a wide, sideways T-base. Both vibrate.
Plug with a bead shape. A shorter toy with a few beads and a flared base, made to stay in place.Icicles No. 47 is a glass plug with three graduated beads, a narrow neck and a flared base. More about plugs can be found in anal plug for beginners.
Graduated beads get bigger the further back on the chain they sit. That way, you can start with the smallest ones and move on only as far as it feels good—the progression is built into the toy. For a beginner, two measurements are most important: the diameter of the smallest bead, which determines how easy it is to get started, and the largest, which determines how far you can go.
Mr. Play Anal Bead Large is unusually well measured: the manufacturer states the diameter of all seven beads, from 21 to 33 millimeters, and a total length of 267 millimeters. Satisfyer Love Beads contains two chains with five graduated elements each, 28 to 33 millimeters according to the manufacturer—the one with round, grooved beads and the other with diamond-shaped elements.
Longer chains fit better when you know what you think about them.Blush Anal Adventures Large has 38.1 centimeters of insertable length and beads from 2.3 to 3.8 centimeters, and Black Velvets Anal Beads is 40 centimeters with beads on 2.3 to 3.9 centimeters. You never need to insert the entire length—but a short, narrow chain is easier to handle the first time.
The anus can draw objects inward, and a toy that ends up completely inside can be difficult to get out. Everything used anally therefore needs something that stays outside the body: a flared base, a wide handle, or—on chains—a sturdy loop.
A loop is not a base. It doesn’t prevent the chain from sliding in on its own; it only lets you hold it and pull it out. Therefore, a simple rule applies for ball chains with a loop: the loop must always be outside the body and within reach, and the chain should never be left without supervision. Never insert the entire chain.
Also check how the loop is secured. Chains like Mr. Play and Blush Anal Adventures are molded in one piece of silicone, without seams between the balls, the stem, and the loop. That means there are no weak joints and no gaps where dirt can collect. Balls threaded on a string can’t be made completely clean or controlled as easily.
If you want a toy that can stay in place on its own, choose one with a wide base: Anal Fantasy has a wide, crosswise T-base, and Lelo Soraya Beads has a broad handle that works both as a stop and as a grip.
The anus has no lubrication of its own, so lubricant is necessary. Apply it to every ball and around the anal opening, and keep topping up as you go—the balls carry the lubricant in and out.
For silicone balls, use a water-based lubricant, because silicone-based lubricant can damage the silicone surface. Glass tolerates all types, even silicone-based, which lasts longer and suits many for anal use. Oil should not be used with a latex condom. Read more in Lubricant for anal sex and compare in lubricant best in test.
1. Go to the toilet in good time, shower, and have some lubricant and a towel ready. Check that the chain is intact and clean.
2. Warm up. Massage the area around the anus with your fingers and lubricant until you feel relaxed.
3. Put lubricant on the first bead and press it gently against the anus while you exhale. Let your muscles relax on their own instead of pressing.
4. Continue one bead at a time. Stop at the size where it starts to feel difficult. You don’t need to use all the beads.
5. Keep the loop or handle outside the body the whole time.
6. Remove the beads slowly, one at a time, preferably during an exhale. Many people think that the removal is the most intense part, and some do it in connection with orgasm — but never pull hard or fast.
7. Wash the chain right away and let it dry.
Anal beads work well for partner play, where one person inserts and removes the beads. Communication is the important thing: decide in advance on a clear word or signal to slow down or stop, and let the person receiving control the tempo. The person holding the chain should keep good control of the loop at all times.
Use a glove or a condom on your fingers if you want, and remember that beads that have been in the anus should be washed before they’re used anywhere else. More ideas for couples can be found in which sex toy is best for couples, and for prostate stimulation in Prostate massage for beginners.
Vibrating anal beads have a motor in the handle or base. They are firmer than soft strings and therefore sit more like a bar. Lelo Soraya Beads, according to the manufacturer, has eight modes, three buttons, and IPX7, with up to two hours of runtime. Anal Fantasy Rechargeable Anal Beads is specified for about 120 minutes of runtime and about 90 minutes of charging, but the manufacturer does not publish any IP rating—it is only listed as waterproof.
Vibration is not a necessity. Soft strings without a motor have no battery that ages and nothing that can stop working, and they can often be cleaned more thoroughly.
Wash the beads with lukewarm water and mild, unperfumed soap directly after use. Go through each bead and the space between them, where lubricant and other things can easily stick, and rinse carefully. Let the string dry completely, preferably hanging.
One-piece silicone is the easiest: Satisfyer states IPX7 for Love Beads, and a string without electronics can be rinsed without any restrictions. Glass like Icicles No. 47 can, according to the manufacturer’s datasheet, be put in the dishwasher. Beads with a motor are cleaned according to their enclosure rating.
Always wash a toy used anally before it comes into contact with the vagina or mouth, because intestinal bacteria can otherwise cause infection. If the beads are to be split: wash between each person and use a condom where it’s possible. See how to clean sex toys.
Beads that are too large too soon. Look at the diameter of the smallest bead and start there.
Too little lubricant. Reapply more often than you think.
Pulling the string out quickly. It can hurt and cause small injuries; take it slow.
Letting go of the loop. It should always be outside the body and within reach.
Balls on a string or in porous material. Choose one-piece silicone or glass.
Compare more models in Anal beads best in test and browse through anal toys. How we read the manufacturers’ information is described under So we review.
