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 Vibe has great strength and decent range. It’s best if you prefer moderate to intense vibrations and don’t need many gentle settings. It starts at a 5 out of 10 on the lowest level and reaches 8 out of 10 on the highest. With 3 power levels, jumps between settings aren’t staggering, but they’re not gradual either.

With how buzzy the vibrations are, even the first power level feels pretty intense and can bring me to orgasm, so I often don’t go up to the second power. I enjoy the Maude Vibe, but since there are no truly gentle levels, I’ll sometimes use another vibrator to warm up.

If you enjoy moderate to intense power but need gentler levels when warming up, you could also consider the Lovense Ambi or BMS Swan Maximum Bullet. Each reaches at least the same intensity as the Maude Vibe, but they both have gentler settings too.

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 toys with rumbly vibrations higher than those with buzzy ones because it’s what most people prefer. But it’s a preference that varies from person to person, and I actually enjoy several neutral or moderately-buzzy bullet vibrators myself.

The Maude Vibe is primarily a buzzy bullet vibrator. Its first intensity level feels neutral (not quite buzzy yet), but its second feels moderately buzzy, and the third is extremely buzzy. I really enjoy the Maude Vibe’s first level and use it often. Though personally, I find its upper settings a bit too buzzy combined with their intense strength.

I think the Maude Vibe is a great option if you want an intense, buzzy bullet vibrator. Those who prefer rumbliness will want to consider the Je Joue Classic in a similar price range or the We-Vibe Tango X (my most rumbly bullet) if you have a larger 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. 

The Maude Vibe provides a medium amount of precision compared to other bullets and mini vibrators. It’s definitely not broad like palm vibrators such as the Dame Pom or We-Vibe Touch X. But its rounded tip doesn’t come to a fine, precise point like tapered-tipped or lipstick-shaped bullets.

It’s reasonably versatile as you can use just the end for more focused stimulation or press its widened side against your vulva to cover more surface 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.

The Maude Vibe is reasonably comfortable and easy to use. It’s a great length to leverage for firm pressure, and its tapered shape helps it fit easily in tight spots. The vibes travel minimally into my hand, but I don’t find it distracting. Unless that’s an area you’re especially sensitive to, it won’t be a deal-breaker for most people.

It has a one-button control system to cycle through the 3 power levels. Since there are only a few levels and no vibration patterns, I don’t mind that you need to cycle through the settings to step back down in intensity. But I have noticed some responsiveness issues with the button. Sometimes I have to press it a couple of times before it works.

If you strongly prefer the ability to increase and decrease power with separate buttons, the Je Joue Classic and We-Vibe Tango X are great choices. These two also have the most similar power range to the Maude Vibe, but they are more rumbly.

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 Vibe is generally good to use during sex. It works best in positions where you’re not facing your partner (like Spooning or Doggystyle). It fits into tight spaces, and you can leverage it comfortably with just one hand. Its rounded tip and shape that widens toward the base also help it maintain excellent contact with my clit during movement.

The Maude Vibe is a little trickier in positions where you are facing your partner, like Missionary. Since the Maude Vibe is longer than some bullets, the handle can bump against your partner. But if you angle it differently, you can still achieve good clit stimulation without issue. I still generally enjoy it in all positions.

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 Maude Vibe is discreet. In our testing, it was inaudible on all power levels from behind a closed door. So it’s safe for those worried about roommates overhearing or just general discretion.

I also don’t find the sound annoying or distracting at all during solo or partnered play.

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 Vibe is rechargeable and lasts for just under an hour on high power. This is below average for a bullet, but will still be good enough for most people. Since I mostly use its lower power level, I can extend the runtime and get a couple uses in before charging.

If you care strongly about battery life a few of our bullets last over an hour and a half, including the We-Vibe Tango X and Nasstoys Intense Travel Vibe Mini.

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 Vibe has a decent build quality. It’s completely covered in a comfortable smooth silicone, which I love. And it has a slightly flexible tip with a little bit of squish to it. The feel and unique shape are luxurious.

My only complaint is the button, which you must press fairly hard, and sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get it turned on because it has some responsiveness issues. It’s something you get used to if you’re using it often, but could be frustrating to some.

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 Vibe is very easy to clean. It has an IPX6 water-resistance rating which means it can safely resist heavy jet-streams of water. So you can safely clean it with soap and water under a running faucet. But you should not completely submerge it.