Arcwave Ion Review 2024: Pleasure Air Stroker for Men

Is the Arcwave Ion worth it? Our hands-on review covers how it feels, pros & cons to help you decide if this innovative male toy is right for you.

Whoever said sex and tech don’t mix is clearly in the wrong line of work.

From blowjob machines to penis milking toys, it’s safe to say that tech has brought sexual pleasure to whole new levels. And I’ve been lucky enough to test a lot (like a LOT) of tech-driven sex toys since I started this site.

Sure, they don’t always hit right. But they’re always interesting to write about. And when they DO work for me, it feels revolutionary.

Arcwave Ion is pitched as “the world’s first Pleasure Air stroker” – a new kind of a male masturbator along with the Arcwave Voy that could change the game for everything else on the market. But does it live up to that hype and can compete against Kiiroo’s Keon and Onyx+? Or does it feel like just another stroker?

I’ve been testing the Arcwave Ion for three months now (I know – lucky me). Now that I know it inside-out, here’s what I’ve got:

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Arcwave Ion’s Packaging – What’s In The Box?

10/10.

Other luxury sex toy brands take note — THIS is how you package a fancy masturbator. 

The Arcwave Ion packaging is absolutely gorgeous. For better or worse, it set my expectations sky-high.

Inside the beautiful box, you get: 

• Arcwave Ion stroker;
• Storage and charging base;
• Charging cable;
• Manual and safety instructions;
• Sample of Pjur lube 

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The Arcwave Ion’s Technical Specs

Here’s how the Ion of Arcwave measures up briefly:

Dimensions : 6” x 2” x 3.2”

Insertable length: 3.4” 

Sleeve diameter: 1.3” (stretches up to 1.75”) 

Storage base dimensions : 7.2” x 3” x 4.2”

Materials: Medical-grade silicone, body-safe ABS plastic, electronic stuff

Run Time: 60-70 minutes 

Charge Time: 2 hours

Warranty: 2 years

Modes: 8 intensities 

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Arcwave Ion’s Design and Feel

Except for the penis-shaped sleeve part, the Ion of Arcwave doesn’t look much like a sex toy. It’s modest, elegant, and understated. A bit like a Mercedes — it doesn’t need to show off.

The interface is simple, direct, and easy to use. The ONLY FLAW I noticed in the design is that you can’t actually see the buttons when you’re using the Ion of Arcwave.

But then, there are only three buttons on this thing so it’s not like learning how to touch type.

My favorite part of the design by FAR is the silicone sleeve. God, that sleeve. It’s buttery-smooth, softer than silicone has any right to be, and just feels FANTASTIC to the touch.

If you look at the inside of the sleeve, you’ll find a ribbed canal. This texture ensures that the vibrations penetrate your pleasure receptors.

And oh, the Arcwave Ion has an open-ended design.

That means it’ll be easier to clean your new sex toy, unlike most closed-ended male masturbators. Also, it won’t make A LOT of noise if you’d want to use it as a penis stroker.

I like the look of the storage box as well — again, it’s not flashy, it just looks like quality. It reminds me of an American fridge, in a good way.

It even doubles as a charging station (much more on that later). it’s super discreet that you won’t know what hides inside.

So it looks good and feels good in my hands. What about the fancy tech stuff? 

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Key Features of the Arcwave Ion

Pleasure Air Technology 

Most sex toys create stimulation by vibrating. That is, a motor moves back and forth really fast and it feels good on your skin. 

Instead of doing that, the Ion of Arcwave creates changes in air pressure to stimulate the sensitive nerves in the frenulum. Particularly, the Pacinian pleasure receptors. The Ion of Arcwave gives unique sensations that specifically target the frenulum.

This sextech is still in its infancy, in fact, Arcwave claims the Ion is an incredible male sex toy and the first male sex toy of this kind. It’s certainly a novel experience and one that I hope catches on in the industry.

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Smart Silence

When this feature is turned on, the Ion of Arcwave will only activate when it detects contact with skin.

I.e. when your penis is in it.

It helps with the noise, which can be loud when there’s no seal around the penis. 

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CleanTech Silicone 

Arcwave says that this fancy new material is high-density, hypoallergenic, non-porous, and durable.

As far as I know, any medical-grade silicone has these characteristics, but the Arcwave Ion CleanTech is body-safe AND super pliable.

And also, it is not common that you see male sex toys made of silicone so thumbs up for that.

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Where to Buy the Arcwave Ion?

You can get your Arcwave Ion from Lovehoney, SheVibe or their website.

I think the Arcwave Ion is a really good toy, and a great showcase for some innovative new tech that I hope catches on soon. 

BUT. Is it worth $200? 

There I’m not so sure. For some guys, it’s absolutely fantastic and well worth every cent. 

But there’s a significant proportion of men who won’t get much joy out of it. 

I would test my frenulum before handing over 200 bucks for a dedicated frenulum vibrator. Maybe you can borrow your girl’s vibrator for an evening (that’s what I did). 

Hell, you can even use an electric toothbrush. 

But that’s my best advice. Don’t buy one blind if you don’t know you’re into that kind of sensation. 

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Arcwave Ion Alternatives

Click the links if you want to see the full reviews for any of these alternative picks. 

Lelo F1s V2A is Arcwave Ion’s closest competitor.

Instead of air pulses, it uses sonic waves, which are also unique and interesting to feel. It boasts incredibly deep, strong vibrations, and some cool technology like Cruise Control and programmable apps. 

Personally, I still prefer the Arcwave Ion for the Pleasure Air, but they’re both good choices IMO.

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If you want versatility, go for the Fun Factory Manta.

It has outstanding vibrating power and since it’s closer to a wand design, you can move it around and explore different spots. It’s great to use with a partner as you can both benefit from the powerful vibes, and it’s cheaper than the Arcwave Ion at about $120.

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Finally, there’s the Hot Octopuss Pulse Solo.

Also cheaper than the Arcwave Ion ($100 for the Solo model), it has PulsePlate technology, which gives a really deep satisfying trembling feeling to your frenulum. Definitely worth considering.

Looking for more options? Check the best blowjob machines and best pocket pussy reviews here!

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How To Use The Arcwave Ion Properly?

As always, the first thing to do is to apply lube. Since it’s not made of fragile TPE or another porous plastic, you CAN use oil-based lube if you want. 

Normally I’d be so excited about using an oil-based lube since the Arcwave Ion feel more luxurious than water-based, but with the Ion of Arcwave, I don’t think it makes much difference since you can’t stroke that much with it anyway.

You only need a few drops of lube — don’t drench it or you’ll just make a mess. 

Power it up by pressing and holding the + button. It will start in the silent mode, meaning that it’s switched on but not actually working until it detects skin contact. 

Once you’re inside it will activate, then you can change the intensity with the + and – buttons. 

It’s a little awkward to hold since there’s no grip or handles, but since you’re not stroking it much it shouldn’t be a problem. 

Choose from one of the 8 different intensities, which (for me) range from “kind of a tickle” to “AAAAAA too much!”. 

Once you’re done, just turn it off. 

Easy. 

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Will The Arcwave Ion Work For Me If I Am Circumcised Or Uncircumcised?

Yep. I didn’t have any problems and I haven’t heard of anyone having problems with it whether cut or uncut. 

There is one thing to consider, though. The Ion of Arcwave is designed for the average size gentleman.

The sleeve is STRETCHY enough to accommodate most guys, but it might not be for you if you’re much larger or smaller than the average. I suggest you measure yourself before buying. 

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My Experience Using Arcwave Ion

Before I started, I saw that Arcwave recommends that you use it a few times to get used to it and master the controls. 

“Ridiculous,” I thought. “This ain’t my first rodeo. I can make it work on the first try.”

So I lubed everything up and got started. 

Pretty neat, but not all that useful since you’re going to have it in contact with your penis the whole time. 

I used the Ion of Arcwave mostly with Smart Silence off because A) I don’t need to be silent and B) when Smart Silence was on, the vibrations (or airwaves?) would occasionally cut out when I accidentally broke contact.

It didn’t happen often, but enough that it wasn’t worth using. 

Anyway.

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What does the Arcwave Ion feel like?

On the first try, I must say I was a bit underwhelmed. It felt good, but like there was something missing. I instinctively knew there was a perfect sweet spot somewhere that I just HAD TO HIT, but it eluded me like the last Pringle in the can. 

I couldn’t help but compare it to the Lelo F1s V2, which is a similar design with different tech inside. The F1s V2 had me in rapturous joy on the first try. In comparison, the Ion of Arcwave felt like a disappointment.

So I waited a day and tried again. 

And this time… syzygy. The planets aligned and suddenly it all made sense.

My orgasm built up from all parts of my body at once, tingling and exciting everywhere until WHAM! 

Success was sweet. 

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The Pleasure Air is a different kind of orgasm for sure.

It takes longer to build up, starting from my whole body into something very intense. Was that the female orgasm I’d heard so much about? 

Maybe. 

Would I choose this kind of orgasm over the regular kind?

No. But that’s the good part — I don’t have to. It adds a new experience to my sexual playlist. 

I want to experiment with multiple orgasms, which Arcwave claims are possible, but I haven’t had any luck there yet. 

For me, the highest intensities are way too much, but they might be perfect for someone less sensitive.

It’s like it was designed to be used halfway between. At least for me. Pleasure is totally subjective. So if something rocks my world, it might not even get a rise out of you.

But the Arcwave Ion definitely rocked my world.

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And what about the noise?

Well for starters, that squelching noise that you hear from closed-ended sex toys is not present with the Arcwave Ion.

With the pleasure air waves? The noise from that didn’t bother me so much, too.

But I have to say — I’m lucky enough that I don’t have to worry about keeping things whisper quiet. 

So when I say that the noise isn’t that bad, you should maybe take that information with a pinch of salt. 

I’d say that out in the open, the Arcwave Ion is about as loud as someone talking at normal volume, while the F1s V2 is a raised speaking voice.

Actually, once I got used to it I preferred the Arcwave Ion to the F1s in most areas. There’s more of a learning curve to get the right spots, but once I did there was no looking back! 

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How To Clean Arcwave Ion: Is It Easy? 

I gotta say the Twist To Open mechanism is a fantastic bit of design engineering. 

One of my biggest irritations with these kinds of closed vibrators is they’re hard to clean properly. 

So it’s great to see that Arcwave has thought of that. 

You can twist it so that the sleeve comes apart from the electronic part for easier cleanup. 

And since it’s made of non-porous material, you can wash it with soap without it damaging it. 

So rinse with water and scrub gently with soap. 

Then you simply put the Arcwave Ion in the charging case, which also has a built-in drying stick so it dries while it charges. These DryTech sticks help speed up the drying process by absorbing all moisture from the sleeve. Neat!

And the best part? They’re REUSABLE.

The Ion is IPX7 waterproof so it can be fully submerged without taking any damage. 

That means NO EXCUSES for not having a spotlessly clean toy every time! 

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Final Thoughts 

The Arcwave Ion is a tricky one. On the one hand, I had a great time with mine and it’s one of my favorite male vibrators and the best male masturbator out there.

On the other hand, I know that it might not work for everyone, so I’m careful about recommending it to every Tom, Dick, and Harry in the world. 

If you like frenulum vibrators, you’ll probably love the Arcwave Ion. Otherwise, maybe stick to regular strokers.