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 VeDO Bam is a powerful bullet with no low or medium power levels. If you prefer intensity, it’s enjoyable! But its lowest of 3 settings is a 7.9 out of 10 for strength, so it can be jarring if you don’t start by warming up with a gentler bullet first.

It reaches a 9.5 out of 10 on high, one of the most powerful I’ve tested. However, the Bam’s power and range underperform compared to cheaper options. The Blush Limited Addiction begins softer (5 out of 10) than the VeDO Bam and finishes stronger (10 out of 10) at a cheaper price. On the other hand, if you prefer milder stimulation, try the Pillow Talk Flirty instead – a bullet with its power range focused around gentler settings.

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 want. But this is a personal preference, so if you enjoy buzzy vibes, pay more attention to the frequency chart than the rating.

The VeDO Bam’s vibrations have a neutral feeling on its lowest two settings, and its highest setting is moderately buzzy. I personally enjoy the first two powers because I like neutral vibrations in a bullet. They provide a bit of zing while still traveling reasonably deep. But it would be nice if the VeDO Bam also had some rumbly low levels like the Blush Limited Addiction has. 

You’ll need to increase your budget if you care a lot about having deep, rumbly vibrations. Most bullet vibrators in the VeDO Bam’s price range have decent, but not excellent, rumbliness. The Pillow Talk Racy is a bit more expensive, and two-thirds of its power range is rumbly.

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. 

You can get a mix of focused and broad stimulation from the VeDO Bam. It’s wider than many bullet vibrators, so you can get somewhat broad stimulation and pressure using the side of the bullet. But the tip has a slight taper, so you can use the end for more precise stimulation. As a result, it’s pretty versatile.

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 VeDO Bam is a comfortable and easy-to-use bullet vibrator. It’s a great length for leveraging, and since the structure is very rigid, you can get excellent pressure.

The VeDO Bam transfers some slight vibrations into your hand. But it will only bother people especially sensitive to this. 

The button to control the vibration intensity and patterns is on the bottom. You have to adjust your grip slightly during use to press the button. You must also cycle through all powers and patterns to get to the one you want. It starts on the highest strength and cycles down to lower powers as you keep pressing. And since there are 3 power levels and 7 vibration patterns, there’s a lot to tap through.

I prefer bullets that let me power up or back down to find my ideal setting. That way, if I miss the one I want, I don’t have to cycle back through everything again. The Blush Limited Addiction is a budget-friendly option with a multi-button system.

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 VeDO Bam is a great size and shape for getting into tight spaces and leveraging easily during sex. 

The vibrations travel into the handle a little bit, which does not bother me much during solo use but can be distracting during sex for some. It’s all about how I hold the bullet, and I find it less distracting in the spooning position than in missionary.

I don’t notice handle vibrations as much with the Blush Limited Addiction, Pillow Talk Flirty, or Pillow Talk Racy. The Racy even has a convenient inward curve, useful for leveraging the bullet without bumping against your partner. And since they’re about the same price and are better overall, I’d recommend one of these instead of the VeDO Bam if you want something great during sex.

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 VeDO Bam is inaudible behind a closed door on all intensity levels – even with its exceptional power. So it’s a safe option if you are worried about housemates overhearing. 

The vibrations have a buzzy pitch, which isn’t as pleasant as deeper-sounding bullets, but they don’t bother me because they’re relatively quiet. If you are very noise-sensitive, there are quieter, deeper-sounding bullet and mini vibrators like the We-Vibe Touch X or Je Joue Classic.

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 VeDO Bam is rechargeable and lasted 78 minutes, continuously vibrating on high power during our testing. This is impressive, considering the bullet’s high strength.

You can find other high-powered options that last over an hour but are typically more expensive. So this is a great budget-friendly option if you care about a long runtime.

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 VeDO Bam has a good build quality. It has a nice weight that makes it feel solid and well-made. You charge the bullet by screwing off a plastic cap, which makes it feel a little cheaper. But the silicone is smooth and comfortable. It’s not quite as luxurious as some models, but it looks good, and I’ve had no issues with it.

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 VeDO Bam is completely waterproof, so it’s very easy to clean. It has an IPX7 rating which means you can safely submerge it up to a meter deep for up to half an hour. So simply clean it with soap and water.