The BMS Essential Bullet is very strong for a small, budget-friendly bullet. Its wide power range sets it apart from other inexpensive bullets. It’s the only option I’ve tested with soft, medium, and intense power levels at this price point. 

This broad range is excellent for those who enjoy strength but also need gentle settings while warming up. It’s also great for beginners who want to learn their preferred power range (not everyone loves extreme power).

The BMS Bullet has 4 total power levels, with the first starting at 2.5 out of 10 vibration strength. This great warm-up level is comfortable for those who are easily overstimulated. The top strength reaches 7.75 out of 10, which is intense and packs plenty of power for most people.

With only 4 settings, it doesn’t have as many power levels in each range as some bullets, like the BMS Swan Maximum Bullet or Pillow Talk Racy, which both have continuous power ranges that gradually increase in tiny steps. But for the price, the BMS Essential has a great power range.

The Lelo Mia 2 has a very soft power range, which can be good or bad depending on your needs. Its first power starts at 0.1 out of 10 for vibration strength, which is the gentlest of all my bullet vibrators. There are 12 power settings in total, with the top strength reaching only 3.25 out of 10.

This means you have lots of small, incremental power steps to enjoy within that gentle range. Making the Mia 2 a nice option for those who are easily overstimulated and who need lots of soft vibrations without too much intensity. I can orgasm with the top strength of the Mia 2, but it definitely takes some effort.

I like more power personally, and those who want intensity will prefer other options in a comparable price range. For instance, the Lovense Ambi and We-Vibe Touch X each reach closer to an 8 out of 10 on high and begin softly at 1.5 and 2.5 out of 10 on low. So you still have gentler strengths for warming up, but you also have the option to crank up the intensity.

We rate bullets with rumbly vibrations higher than those with buzzy ones because it’s what most people prefer. Some people, including myself, still appreciate a neutral feeling or even slightly buzzy vibrations. 

The BMS Essential Bullet has acceptable rumbliness but won’t satisfy those prioritizing deep rumbliness. Only the lowest power level falls in the rumbly range. And since that power level is a 2.5 out of 10 intensity, most people will only use this level while warming up.

The two middle power levels are in the neutral range, and I consider the top strength “moderately buzzy.” I personally enjoy all 4 of its power levels.

If deeper rumbliness is a high priority, you’ll have to increase your budget a bit. The Pillow Talk Racy is the most affordable option with great rumbliness. Or the Original We-Vibe Tango, which is being sold at a discount while stock remains.

We rate rumbly vibrations higher than buzzy ones because it’s what most people prefer. 

The Lelo Mia 2 has average rumbliness. The low powers are in the rumbly range, but the higher strengths are in the neutral range. Since it has low overall strength, those neutral-feeling higher powers are the ones you’ll likely use most often.

Personal preferences on vibration frequency vary, and I actually really enjoy the Lelo Mia’s neutral vibrations. But if you want the most rumbly option you can find, the We-Vibe Tango X is a great alternative in the same price range.

The BMS Bullet has mostly precise stimulation because it’s a thin, small bullet. So whether you use the very tip or the side of the bullet, it covers a fairly limited surface area.

This is great if you like focused clitoral stimulation. For those who enjoy a bit more breadth, you can’t spread the pressure out much as you can with a wider bullet like the Blush Limited Addiction or Satisfyer Ultra Power Bullet 5. How much precision you enjoy is entirely a personal preference. 

The Lelo Mia 2 provides a medium amount of precision (purely a personal preference) compared to other bullet and mini vibrators – a hybrid between broad and focused. It has a relatively narrow, rounded tip that provides fairly focused stimulation. But the tip does not come to a fine point like many tapered or lipstick-shaped bullets that provide very precise stimulation.

Likewise, some mini vibrators like the We-Vibe Touch X provide broader stimulation that blankets more of your vulva. But still, you can get somewhat broad stimulation from the Mia 2 by angling it and pressing the side of the bullet against you rather than the tip.

The BMS Essential Bullet has below-average comfort and ease of use. It can be tiring to use for extended periods because of the small size and vibrations in your hand. 

You can adjust your hold on the bullet to limit how distracting the vibrations feel in your hand. I find they’re worse if you’re holding the bullet loosely or at the very end. But they lessen if you grip the bullet tightly. They’ll be noticeable throughout your experience, though.

Since it’s so short, it takes effort to grip the end tightly, and it’s difficult to leverage the bullet. It takes effort from your fingers and arm to maneuver and press it where you want. Longer bullets like the Blush Limited Addiction provide more space to grip, and you can leverage them more easily with minimal finger-work.

The BMS Essential bullet also uses a one-button control system. You’ll use a single button to cycle through all 4 power levels and 5 vibration patterns. So, to move backward, you’ll need to press the button several times. Or I find it easier to simply turn the bullet off and back on again to start over at the lowest intensity. It’s manageable but could be better. 

I prefer bullets with separate buttons to increase and decrease power, like the Blush Limited Addiction or We-Vibe Tango X.

The Lelo Mia 2 is very comfortable. The Mia is longer than most bullets and has a firm texture making it very easy to grip and leverage for solid pressure.

The Mia has separate buttons to increase and decrease vibration power. This is helpful over the one-button system many bullet vibrators use that requires you to cycle through levels. The buttons take firmer pressure than some, but this means you don’t accidentally adjust the power when you don’t mean to.

The BMS Essential Bullet is difficult to use during sex because it’s so short that you have to reach down farther than usual, so then your hand takes up too much space. 

Even in fairly open positions like Spooning, the long reach required to use the BMS Essential is tiring. And your hand gets particularly in the way in positions like Missionary where space is already limited. Your partner may need to keep penetration shallow to avoid bumping into your hand. And your hand is so scrunched up that maneuvering the bullet in this tight space is tricky.

If you want a cheap bullet to use during sex and want a comfortable, less-distracting experience, I’d recommend the Blush Limited Addiction instead. The Blush Limited Addiction is much easier to maneuver because it’s still small enough to fit into tight spaces. But it’s long enough to leverage it easily, giving your hand plenty of room.

The Lelo Mia 2 is easy to use and effective during sex. The thin design makes it easy to fit into tight spaces. I can easily move the Mia around without the end hitting my partner’s chest.

It’s made of very firm plastic, which can bump around a bit in missionary or other positions where your partner may occasionally press the toy against you. It’s small enough that it does not cause discomfort, but if you’d prefer something more plush, the Dame Pom is very squishy and flexible. But I think most people will not be bothered by the firmness of the Mia’s tip.

The BMS Essential Bullet is discreet. Even though it may have some louder decibel measurement than my other bullets (most bullets are very quiet), it’s still completely inaudible from behind a closed bedroom door. 

People outside your room won’t hear it. But the sound might distract you if you’re especially sensitive to noise. I consider myself fairly sensitive to sound and am not personally distracted by the BMS Essential Bullet’s noise. 

If you’re easily annoyed by vibration sounds, the Pillow Talk Racy and Pillow Talk Flirty are two of my quietest, relatively budget-friendly bullets.

The Lelo Mia 2 is one of my quietest bullets and cannot be heard from behind a closed door at all. But this is primarily because it’s a low-powered bullet vibrator that’s best for those who need gentle vibrations.

If you prefer intense vibrations, there are more powerful bullet and mini vibrators that are also discreet. The We-Vibe Touch X and Lovense Ambi are two much stronger options that are also entirely inaudible behind a closed door.

The BMS Essential Bullet has reasonable battery life, lasting 75 minutes on high power during our testing. While there are longer-lasting bullet vibrators, 75 minutes is about average for bullets of this strength. And the manufacturer lists only 30 minutes on high, but my tests yielded much longer results, so I was happy with its performance.

This is ideal if you often forget to charge between uses. And you’ll extend the battery life beyond 75 minutes if you typically use some of the low or medium power levels too.

The Lelo Mia 2 is rechargeable and lasts for an hour and a half on its highest power. This is long for a bullet. However, since its max setting is actually quite gentle, the battery life isn’t too impressive since it doesn’t use much power.

If you want more powerful bullets that last about the same time on their highest power, the We-Vibe Tango X and We-Vibe Touch X are excellent options. They’ll last even longer if you also tend to use some gentle settings part of the time.

The BMS Essential Bullet has a decent build quality. It has not given me any issues, but it feels a bit cheap. It’s the least expensive bullet I’ve tested, so I don’t expect a luxury or heavy-duty build. 

It’s made primarily of a silky lightweight ABS plastic, which feels thin but reasonably sturdy. Only the button is a more luxurious silicone material. It uses a charging system most sex toys have moved away from. You insert a charging pin through the self-healing silicone button into the toy. I’ve never experienced an issue with this charging mechanism, but it feels like it could damage the toy after a very long time.

It’s a nice toy to experiment on and figure out what you like, but not something you’d expect to last forever.

I base my ratings of Build Quality on my experience and how the toy “feels” to me unless I experience a substantial issue like the toy breaking. So we don’t weigh this score too highly. But if you’re looking for something that feels more solid, the Nasstoys Travel Vibe Mini is the cheapest bullet that felt exceptionally sturdy to me.

The Lelo Mia 2 has a decent build quality. I haven’t experienced any issues with it, but its extremely lightweight plastic construction feels somewhat cheap. The buttons also take some firm pressure to press. It just doesn’t feel as luxurious as some other premium bullet vibrators.

The BMS Essential Bullet is 100% waterproof, making it easy to clean. You can completely submerge it while scrubbing it with soap and water.

The Lelo Mia 2 is completely IPX7 waterproof, which makes it very easy to clean. You can completely submerge it in water while you’re scrubbing with soap and water – absolutely no worries.