I’ve experienced it. And whether or not you’re a male or female, you have likely experienced it too. Premature ejaculation. It happens. Here's our breakdown of the best delay sprays for men.
But it doesn’t have to get in the way of a great sex life. The wonders of modern medicine have yet again crept into the bedroom to save the day. (Or night.) Enter male orgasm delay spray.
Here’s our review of the 7 best delay sprays for men.What Is A Male Delay Spray?
Simply put, a delay spray is a spray (or cream) that you put on your penis to delay ejaculation.
More specifically, it’s a lidocaine or benzocaine-based topical lotion you apply to your penis before sex. Benzocaine or lidocaine is a topical anesthetic that reduces the sensitivity of your favorite appendage.
Who Is Male Delay Sprays For?
In theory, anyone can use an orgasm delay spray. But 30-40% of men experience premature ejaculation at some point in their life. And for those men, a delay spray or cream used to be just what the doctor ordered.
But today, these creams are available over the counter. Or, if you’re a little embarrassed, you can order them online. These delay sprays are more available than ever.
How Do Delay Sprays Work?
These delay sprays contain lidocaine or benzocaine, which are topical anesthetics. These numbing agents were originally mostly used for dental procedures, but then, of course, someone thought “I wonder how I can use this for sex.” And it’s a good thing they did.
According to this study, men last about 2.4 times longer when they use an ejaculation delay spray. The men in this study, however, averaged 1 minute and 24 seconds before the use of these sprays. With the use of these sprays, the average “lasting time” increased to 11 minutes and 21 seconds. So, yeah. They work.
Delay sprays are applied to the penis about 15 minutes before intercourse. The spray (or cream) contains a small percentage of these numbing agents—usually between 3 and 13%.
The idea is that they desensitize your nerves enough to delay ejaculation, but not enough so that you don’t feel anything.

After making that last point, now’s a good time to say this. Do not go putting any ‘ol benzocaine or lidocaine on your johnson.
These sprays are specially formulated for the purpose of sex. Others aren’t, and are likely to contain more numbing agent than you need.
This may result in you being so numb down there that you can’t achieve an erection in the first place. This is not the goal of using delay sprays. This is the goal of wearing cock cages. But I digress…
How Do I Use Delay Sprays?
Carefully, thoughtfully, and most likely, sparingly. Every delay spray and every penis is different, which means you’ll have to experiment to see what works for you. But there are some commonalities across the board.
Almost all brands suggest applying the cream to “the most sensitive parts of your knob.” (Paraphrasing here.)
I’m assuming you, too, were once a teenage boy. So I’m also going to assume you know which parts of your dick are the most sensitive.
About 10-15 minutes before sex, put a few sprays on those parts and gently (gently!) rub it in.

A few sprays? What does that mean?
Well, you’re going to have to figure that out yourself. Every brand has different recommendations. Every brand has a different amount of numbing agent. And of course, every penis is different.
But again, some commonalities here. It’s recommended that you start off with one spray in your most sensitive areas. Wait your 15 minutes, then get to gettin’ to it. If you don’t quite last as long as you want, try two sprays.
Then three, and so on and so forth. Most companies have a maximum recommendation for how much to use, so check your product before usage. But in general, the goal is to use as little as possible that allows you to last longer.
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Delay Sprays?
Well, let’s start with the biggest advantage. You’ll last longer in bed. And if premature ejaculation haunts your prematurely-wet dreams, these sprays can save you some frustration. Although, given that you’ll last longer, it’s unlikely they’ll save you any time.
But realistically, premature ejaculation can be a frustrating thing for men and their partners. Using one of these delay sprays can improve your sex life immensely.
There’s one obvious disadvantage, though. Spontaneity. These sprays need to be applied 10 to 15 minutes before penetration. So when things are heating up, you’ll need to take a step back for a few minutes to apply the spray.
But here at Escape Vanilla, we’re all about turning negatives into positives. So when life gives you lemons, make foreplay. If you spend 10-15 minutes giving your partner oral while the spray absorbs, I can almost assure you they won’t complain about waiting.
This 15-minute window is a great time to pull out the sex toys and use them on your partner, as well. (Again, I can’t imagine many complaints.)
And speaking of advantages, these sprays absorb into your skin, then you rinse off the residual spray. So, if you and your partner don’t use barriers (EscapeVanilla always recommends safe sex practices!), it won’t numb your partner’s parts.
How To Choose The Best Spray For You
Before you try it, read some reviews online (hint hint) to see which product you think will work for you. Past that, you’ll have to try it for yourself. Which means having sex. Which is a good thing.
A small number of penis owners experience mild negative side effects while using these creams. Numbing sprays can cause irritation, burning, itching, or redness. And sometimes it’s the orifice owner who experiences these [again, usually mild] side effects.
Needless to say, if you or your partner experiences any of these side effects, discontinue use. There are always other brands to try.
And speaking of, let’s get to the best delay spray for men.
Reviews Of Best Delay Sprays For Men
Right off the bat, I was hesitant to try this spray. It costs about 4x as much as the second most expensive spray on this list. But the only longer hesitation than the one I experienced before I bought it was the one before I blew my load.
This stuff works well. Unfortunately, a little too well if you use too much. It does take a bit of experimentation to see just how much you need. But once you hit the sweet spot, you’ll get consistent results every time.
Pros
Cons
Given how well the Promescent spray worked, I had high hopes for these wipes. And let me tell you: neither I nor my partner were disappointed. Quite the contrary. We were both very pleased. I myself am in a long-term, monogamous relationship.
But these wipes are perfect for a guy who experiences PE and goes out on the weekends trying to get laid. They’re single-use and you can discreetly carry one in your jeans pocket. And if you get lucky, slip into the bathroom right before you go to town.
There’s no need to carry around a bottle and no need to explain to the person you just met your conundrum. A quick wipe in the bathroom, a few minutes of foreplay, and no one’s the wiser. And they work just as well as the spray!
Pros
Cons
I tend to lack faith in products (sex toys or otherwise) with some supposed-to-be-catchy but actually kitschy name.
Rest assured, my prejudices were proven wrong. This stuff works. Unlike most of the other sprays, this one has a slight cooling and tingling effect.
It’s a very strange feeling, and I mean that in a great way. It’s strange because it actually feels pretty good, but the whole point of these sprays is to make you feel less..!?
Even though it actually feels good, the numbing aspect does work and it was effective in making me last longer.
The recommended three or four sprays provided the perfect amount of numbing while still allowing me to feel pleasure. This has a lower percentage of benzocaine, which is actually good for more “exact” adjustments in how much you use.
Pros
Cons
Adam & Even is a highly reputable and trusted brand among the sexually inclined. And this product maintains that reputation. This spray helped me last much longer than I would have.
This benzocaine-based spray is very effective. The instructions say to begin with “two or more” sprays, but I would recommend beginning with one or two and adjusting from there. If you use too much, you can numb yourself too much.
But get it just right, and you’ll have a fantastic evening. (Or morning, or afternoon.) It also seems to absorb quicker than most other sprays.
Pros
Cons
Doc Johnson is another trusted brand in the sex toy industry. And this product is in line with that reputation.
The main thing that sets this product apart from the rest is that it’s a cream, not a spray. This can be good or bad depending on how you look at it, but it was a good thing in my experience. You can be more “exact” in how much you squeeze out of the tube, as opposed to a spray bottle.
Of course, if you’re in the dark and you want to quickly apply it before getting back to business, it’s not as easy to judge “one spray, two sprays, etc.” But honestly, that’s one very specific case when it’s not completely ideal. In almost all others, this cream is fantastic. It worked exactly as directed and made me last significantly longer in bed than normal.
Pros
Cons
Another product from Doc Johnson that delivers. Even though the previous product was called “sta-erect,” it didn’t really aid in that. But this one is similar in its ability to slow down your orgasm time.
This particular product has lidocaine as its main numbing agent and cannabis sativa seed extract. I’m not sure how much the cannabis helps, but the product itself works. The instructions say to apply between “3 and 10” sprays, which is quite the range. But once you see how much works for you, it’s easy to apply that exact amount.
Pros
Cons
This is the exact same product as the Doc Johnson Sta-Erect cream, but in a spray form. It worked just as well as the cream, but it felt like I had to apply more of the spray to get the same desensitizing effect.
That said, it does work as described.
The “apply three or more (but not more than 10) sprays” instructions are pretty vague. But once you experiment and find what’s right for you, it’s easy to ensure consistent results every time. It’s easy to not over or underdo the spray every time.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
If thinking of Michael Caine doesn’t delay your ejaculation, time to grab a stronger “caine”...
Benzo’caine’ and Lido’caine’ sprays have become increasingly viable options for men with premature ejaculation in recent years.
The Sliquid Ride BodyWorx Rock Delay Spray is the best of the bunch. It hits all the right checkboxes—effective and reasonably-priced, all while being odorless, tasteless, and made from natural ingredients.
It will delay your ejaculation, ensuring the sex life you and your partner crave and deserve.