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 Maude Drop has a great top vibration strength but a mediocre power range. The lowest setting is a 4.75 out of 10 vibration strength, so it begins with moderate power. This may be too much for those who need gentle warmup levels, but it will be fine for those who are not extra sensitive.

The top strength is an 8 out of 10, which is above average for a mini vibrator and is more than enough power for me. There are only 3 intensity levels, so the jumps between strengths are not gradual. Some people will find the steps jarring. 

If you want comparable strength on high power but also need gentle warmup levels, consider the Lovense Ambi. If you enjoy intensity and do not need gradual steps, the Maude Drop is good.

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.

The Maude Drop is for those who want intense buzzy vibrations. Even its lowest setting is moderately buzzy. And the top two levels are extremely buzzy. 

If you don’t know whether you prefer rumbly or buzzy vibrations, I’d recommend a more rumbly option since that’s what most people like. But some (though fewer) people prefer buzziness. And the Maude Drop will satisfy those who like the combination of extreme buzziness and high intensity.

Rumble lovers should consider other options. The Pillow Talk Racy is the most rumbly mini vibrator in this price range. Or, if you’re considering the Maude Drop for its wide shape, try a mini wand like the Magic Wand Mini, one of my favorites. Or the Orion Your New Favorite Wand (now tricky to find) if you need to stick to a tighter budget.

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. 

Whether you enjoy broad stimulation that encompasses your whole vulva or precise stimulation that remains focused on a particular spot is a personal preference.

The Maude Drop provides very broad stimulation. It is an egg-shaped mini-vibrator, so you can’t limit pressure to a small area. Even the tapered tip feels wider than most mini vibrators. 

Pressing any section of this toy against you will stimulate most of your vulva. In this way, it acts more like a wand vibrator than a bullet! It’s great for those who enjoy diffuse stimulation that affects the entire area.

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.

Compared to my other bullets and mini vibrators, the Maude Drop is difficult to use and uncomfortable. 

Unlike most mini, bullet, or wand vibrators, the Maude Drop has no “handle.” So you hold the Drop directly where the motor is located. As a result, I feel the vibrations substantially in my hand. It’s tolerable on the lowest setting but very distracting on the top two power levels.

The handleless egg shape makes it difficult to leverage the toy for pressure – you must use your whole hand and arm to press. For those who typically just rest the vibrator against you, this won’t matter too much. But those who like to apply pressure will want a toy with a handle. 

The Maude Drop uses a single-button control system to cycle through the 3 intensity levels. Since there are only 3 settings, cycling through them takes little time, so having just one button is not an issue. But the button is difficult to press, and I often need two hands. 

If you want a broad mini vibrator like the Maude Drop, the We-Vibe Touch X is much more comfortable and easy to use. Or, if you are okay with a larger toy, consider a quality, affordable wand vibrator like the Magic Wand Mini.

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 Maude Drop is a poor toy during sex. I can only get good stimulation from it in the spooning position or others where I’m not facing my partner. And I get tired quickly from pressing with my whole arm since it can’t be leveraged easily.

When using the Maude Drop in missionary position, it’s too bulky to fit both the toy and my hand between our bodies, so I don’t feel any impactful vibes. Slimmer mini vibrators like the We-Vibe Touch X (one of my favorites) or Dame Pom have a better shape to use during sex in all positions. Or the Je Joue Amour is another broad option that’s more affordable.

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.

While the Maude Drop is not one of my quietest mini vibrators, it’s reasonably discreet. 

I can use the first two power levels in my bedroom without my partner noticing from the other side of the door. At its highest power level, my partner could hear it during our testing. However, he noted that he had to wait for noise outside our house to get especially quiet to hear the Maude Drop – and he doubted anyone would notice it during ordinary use.

Turning on a box fan or playing music in the bedroom completely masked the Maude Drop’s noise on its highest power. So if you need to be discrete, it’s definitely doable with some creativity. 

Consider the We-Vibe Touch X or Pillow Talk Racy if you prioritize quiet vibrations.

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 Maude Drop is rechargeable and has an acceptable battery life, lasting 75 minutes on high power. At this level, you’ll definitely have enough time, but you’ll want to charge between uses.

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 Maude Drop has a decent build quality. It’s covered in a comfortable, smooth silicone. The button feels a little cheap because it has some responsiveness issues and takes firm pressure to click. But the toy itself seems solid and durable.

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 Maude Drop is easy to clean by running it under the sink. It’s IPX6 splashproof, so you can safely scrub it under running water, but you should not completely submerge it.