I like vibes that have something unique or special about them, but not gimmicky. So when I heard that the Ola by Minna did something that no other vibrator did, I asked to test it.
Most vibrators come with patterns set by the manufacturer. Patterns with vibration levels that someone thinks will “rock my world”. They are usually wrong. Minna claims that they came up with a vibe that is completely controlled by the user. The Ola allows for the adjustment in the amount of vibration and allows the user to compose a pattern that will work for her.
The Ola arrived in a distinctive sturdy cardboard tube package with a 2 piece charger, instruction manual and satin pouch.
The Ola measures 7.75” long with 5.5” insertable and has a diameter of 1.25” with only two buttons (one for on/off and one for compositions) and is completely covered in silicone. However, the Ola is not completely smooth. It has raised seams running down the length on opposite sides of the vibrator. Although they do not hinder external play, people who are quite sensitive may not want to use it internally. It completely waterproof, so may be submerged for bath time fun and easy cleanup.
Ola is rechargeable and uses a magnetic charge clip. It is a little odd that the lights on the Ola pulse during charging and pulse slowly when fully charged. I had a difficult time seeing the difference between the charging pulse rate and the fully charged pulse rate. However, every time the Ola is turned on, it gives a number of vibrating pulses to show how much charge is left; three for fully charged, two for medium, one or none for low battery. I noticed that it also retains its charge for a very long time. I have used it several times after charging and mine still gives three vibrating pulses when turned on.
One end the vibrator has what Minna calls a soft spot. This is the place where one squeezes to control the strength of the vibrations. The more pressure that is applied the more intense (stronger) the vibration. When full pressure is applied, the vibrations are similar in strength to the low setting on the Hitachi Magic Wand. Though the Ola is far quieter; then again, most things are quieter than the Wand. But Ola really is quiet. One is hard pressed to hear it from under a thick blanket, let alone another room.
I was anxious to try composing my own pattern. By pressing the composition button and pressing out a pattern on the softspot, my first pattern was created. The Ola continued to loop this for a while. Unfortunately I noticed that anytime the softspot was touched again (even slightly), the pattern changed. Since the softspot is quite responsive, this happened fairly frequently so I moved onto the lock feature. After composing another pattern, I pushed the composition button again. The softspot was no longer responsive, so my pattern was not interrupted. I enjoyed making up the patterns, but wish there was a way for Ola to remember the ones I created. As it is now, the pattern is not saved once the Ola is turned off or once another pattern is created.
My use:
I loved the Minna Ola for external use. It is rare to find a vibrator that is very strong, very quiet and fairly lightweight. As I am really not much of a pattern girl, I found myself locking it on high.
I was not thrilled with the Ola when it came to internal use. Although the seams did not bother me, the placement of the recharging strip and the curvature of the toy made is more difficult to use. The charging strip is at the bottom of the insertable portion of the vibe so has the potential to be a rough spot. For me the Ola’s insertable end seems to curve backwards for easy g-spot use. To hit my g-spot, the softspot has to be pointed down towards my ass. This makes it difficult for me to use as I prefer to push with my thumb so my arm is twisted awkwardly. If I use my fingers on the softspot, my hand ends up clenched and cramped. In order to enjoy this as a g-spot vibrator it is required to lock a created pattern before insertion or have a partner control the vibrations.
Overall, I think that Minna came up with a good concept in the Ola. I had fun with the pattern composition feature and will continue to use the Ola for clit stimulation. But I can’t recommend it for internal use.
Full Disclosure: We did not purchase this product, it was sent to us specifically for review. Our policy is to, regardless of how we acquired a product, review it fairly and openly. No writer for Life On The Swingset will ever deliberately mislead our readers into believing that a product is good because of anything we received from the company. We are open and honest, and cannot be bought or bribed. If we love a product, we'll tell you, if we don't, BELIEVE us, we'll tell you that too. End disclaimer.
