How to choose your first sex toy

Read about the author Megan Barnett

You may feel a little apprehensive about buying a sex toy for the first time, but you could be missing out on a lot of fun. It’s important that you don’t just dive in, however, and you do your research before buying.

What do you want to gain from your first sex toy?

This may seem like a no-brainer, but this will actually make picking your first sex toy much easier; it’s important to factor in size, shape and texture as well as function. One size does not fit all which is why our product pages list the length and girth, where appropriate, to make it easy for you to choose.

70% of women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm, so you might want to start off small and buy an external vibe. All internal vibes can be used externally too, but if you haven’t used a sex toy before, then it’s probably not a great idea to buy the biggest thing you can find!

The Jo Divine IMMY is a great beginner vibrator as it offers two for the price of one. The supple silicone sleeve is great for internal and external stimulation alike, and offers satisfyingly strong vibratory power for such a small toy. You can also remove the sleeve and use the 80mm bullet for external play, whether alone or with a partner.

IMMY is featured in our health brochure and is recommended by many healthcare professionals to help their patients regain their sexual function and reclaim their sex life.

Bullet vibrators are a great way to begin your sex toy exploration, from simple battery powered products to gorgeous rechargeable bullets with deep rumbling vibrations, you are sure to find one that suits your sexual needs.

If you want dual stimulation, a rabbit vibrator is a great choice. Again, start off with a smaller product such as the Fun Factory Miss Bi, which has dual motors that work independently of each other, the Rocks-Off Everygirl a powerful rechargeable rabbit, offering incredible flexibility or the flexible battery operated Eden Bunny.

Clitoral toys are fun and great for solo and couples play. Small in design, they can fit between you and a partner or slip into your bag when you go on your travels.

Rose Buddies Flix is your floral finger of fun! With its adorable, discreet shape and subtly satisfying silicone finger, the Rose Flix mimics the feeling of a skilled lower with a powerful fingering motion. LELO Lily 3 is a powerful but petite toy, waterproof and rechargeable, and it fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.

Air pulse and sonic wave toys offer very different sexual sensation to a classic vibrating toy because they don’t vibrate. LELO SONA 2 is a sonic wave stimulator relying on SenSonic technology. It teases and caresses your clitoris into submission. The sensation is totally different to vibration, and it is ideal for those who struggle to orgasm. For more experienced users, it offers an intriguing variation.

The Satisfyer Pro 2 is a true innovation in clitoral stimulation, offering touch-free massage that you blow you away. Using sound wave technology, the Pro 2 engulfs the clitoris and creates gentle pressure waves that gently suck and tease the clitoris with a choice of eleven amazing intensities.

What materials are best to use?

When buying a product that’s going to be in contact with your genitals, it’s essential to ensure that it is skin safe. Materials such as rubber and jelly can be harmful as they are porous, making them difficult to clean. This means that bacteria can linger on the product and could give you thrush. They also contain phthalates, a substance banned from children’s toys because it is harmful to health.

Silicone, metal and glass sex toys are all safe to use as they are non-porous, making for easy cleaning. They also feel wonderful too!

Glass and metal sex toys are safe to use with oil, water and silicone-based lubricants, however you can’t use silicone lubricant with a silicone sex toy. This is because the silicone will react, leaving a tacky texture and a ruined toy. Water and oil-based lubes are silicone-sex toy compatible.

Rechargeable vs Battery Operated

While both are great to use, you may want to weigh up the pros and cons of rechargeable and battery operated products.

Rechargeable sex toys are more environmentally friendly and are compatible with most USB socket chargers such as the one you use for your phone. They can also be charged in your laptop or computer. These products do tend to be a little more expensive, however, so you might need to rethink your budget.

The VUSH Peachy G-Spot massager is a great first-time buy as it’s slim, rechargeable and petite but powerful in design

Battery operated toys are just as powerful as rechargeable toys, but you will have to keep buying batteries! Having said that, they are great entry-level products to experiment with. The Rocks-Off Prism a sleek and slender beauty, ideal for people who want to try a vibrator but are concerned about size or prefer a slim product. With 10 functions, this battery operated powerful skin-safe multicoloured, long and slim vibrator delivers intense internal and external stimulation

The Rocks-Off Chaiamo is an incredibly powerful rechargeable classic vibrator that had a tapered head for precision stimulation for both your clitoris, G-spot and even the head of the penis.

What about non-vibrating products?

Vibrations aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and many people enjoy using dildos for masturbation and as part of sex play. Just like vibrators, dildos are available in a range of sizes, textures and styles to suit your needs.

The RealRock Ultra 15 is the smallest in our RealRock range of realistic dildos. Around the average male penis size in both length and girth, this is for those looking for a realistic dildo and don’t want to be challenged too much.

RealRock Ultra are silicone dildos with a difference! The silicone covers a thermo-reactive core which softens when warmed and stiffens when cooled, allowing you to bend the dildo to a shape you enjoy and enjoy different levels of hardness. The dildo has a suction cup base, allowing you to attach to smooth surfaces.

Are sex toys just for women?

There is still somewhat of a stigma about men using sex toys, but this is completely unfounded and there is a diverse range of male sex toys on the market. Like feminine products, male sex toys are available in vibrating and non-vibrating styles and are suitable for external stimulation or internal play.

Male masturbators are a great introductory toy to use, whether alone or with a partner. They offer completely new sensations felt during sex play, although some do have realistic designs. A TENGA Egg is a good place to start as they’re available for less than a tenner!

Prostate stimulators are great to use too, as the prostate is essentially the male G-Spot, aka the P-Spot. Having orgasms through prostate play is also beneficial to your health and could reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer by 22% as it helps to flush away impurities and bacteria.

The Rocks Off O Boy is a great beginner’s anal vibrator as it has a slim shaft for easy insertion and also has the benefits of perineal stimulation too.

Share the pleasure together

While you can incorporate any sex toy into your sex play, there are certain products available that have been specifically designed for couples to use together during sex. The Hot Octopuss Pulse III Duo has a unique oscillating plate that stimulates the frenulum of the penis. It also has a powerful vibrating underside for clitoral stimulation, which can be controlled via a remote.

Bondage toys are also great to try, and they’re a fun way to experiment with role play and act out your fantasies together. The Sex & Mischief Intro to S&M Kit is a great starter pack for beginners as it includes some great bondage essentials and would make for a fun gift too or try the Creative Quickie Cuffs made from flexible silicone, Quickie Cuffs are easy to use, quick to fit, comfortable to wear and quiet, a perfect fit for every wrist size.

Discreet enough to slip into your bag, enjoy domination or submission wherever you are.