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 We-Vibe Touch X has an excellent power range with soft, moderate, and strong settings. Its top power is a 7.75 out of 10 vibration strength. While not as extreme as some, it’s more than enough power for most people.

The Touch X’s gentlest setting is just 1.5 out of 10 vibration strength, so it begins softly enough for those overstimulated by intensity or who need a warmup. And it climbs gradually through its 8 power levels. There are no large, uncomfortable leaps. Since it thoroughly covers the soft, moderate, and powerful ranges, you’ll likely find vibration levels you enjoy – regardless of whether you prefer mild or powerful stimulation.

I enjoy each power level and usually orgasm on one of the top two settings. Its highest strength of 7.75 is effective without feeling overwhelming. I typically don’t use the higher settings of my stronger bullet and mini vibrators because I find power levels above 9 too intense.

Consider the FemmeFunn Booster Bullet or Blush Limited Addiction if you prefer extreme intensity. However, none of the extremely powerful bullet or mini vibrators I’ve tested have gentle warmup levels (or rumbly vibrations like the Touch X). The Touch X’s more comprehensive power range is better for most people.

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 We-Vibe Touch X has great rumbliness. The first 5 power levels are rumbly and provide that resonant, impactful stimulation that travels deeper than buzzy vibes. I love that the starting powers are so low-frequency because they feel gentle on the surface, so my clit is not overstimulated. But they travel deep and warm up my body for more intense vibrations.

And the Touch never becomes buzzy – even on its max power. The top 3 settings are neutral (neither rumbly nor buzzy). This adds a kick to those higher power levels that you feel more at the surface of your clit. I love neutral vibrations at this strength. It’s part of why the Touch X is one of my favorite mini vibrators. But if extreme rumbliness is your top priority, the We-Vibe Tango X is even more 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. 

The We-Vibe Touch X provides broad stimulation. This widespread contact is great if you want direct clitoral stimulation, but you’re also prone to overstimulation. This broad surface area is the only way I can enjoy direct clitoral vibrations because the pressure is more diffuse.

This rumbly vibrator blankets your vulva with soft, smooth silicone. The firm core of this toy allows you to apply some pressure over a wider area. Or you can use the flexible tip to target a more precise spot comfortably.

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 We-Vibe Touch X is very comfortable and easy to use. The wide, flat design fits comfortably in my hand, and I can easily push it against my vulva with my palm. Even though it has more contact with my hand than bullet-shaped toys, the vibrations only travel minimally into my hand since the plush silicone dampens them. So it’s very comfortable to hold.

As a palm vibrator, there’s not an obvious handle as bullet or wand vibrators have. So leveraging the Touch X for heavy pressure is less intuitive. You may need to adjust your finger placement or grip on the vibrator to apply substantial pressure. Those who enjoy especially firm pressure may consider a mini wand vibrator like the Magic Wand Mini. 

But I enjoy gentle to medium pressure with the Touch X’s broad contact area – and this is easy to apply with your palm.

The Touch X’s buttons provide fantastic control. It has 3 buttons to increase and decrease power or move through its 6 vibration patterns. So you can quickly reach your preferred setting. This is much more convenient than the one-button system most mini and bullet vibrators use, which requires you to cycle through every intensity level and pattern to return to a previous setting. This is another way the Touch X improved on the old model.

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 We-Vibe Touch X is awesome to use during sex. 

The Touch X’s tip is thin and curves downward slightly. And although its shape is relatively wide, it’s also contoured and reasonably flat. These aspects help it slip easily into tight spaces despite being bigger than many bullet vibrators. It maintains excellent contact with my clit, even in positions where space is limited, like Missionary.

It presses comfortably on my body, and the rumbly vibrations travel deep to stimulate me well. With a classic-shaped bullet vibrator, I spend more time trying to find a comfortable and effective placement. But the broader, flat surface of the Touch X blankets everything and eliminates the need to find the exact right spot.

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 We-Vibe Touch X is exceptionally discreet. It’s one of my quietest vibrators, which is especially impressive considering its high power.

My partner cannot hear it from the other side of the bedroom door when I’m using it on any power level or setting. And even from within the room, the sound is so subtle that even the most noise-sensitive folks will find this one hardly detectable.

When measuring noise, the We-Vibe Touch X was one of the only bullets or mini vibrators that was too quiet for our Sound Level Meter to measure. On its highest power, the Touch X remained quieter than the ambient background noise of the room itself. So, the 35 dB listed above is the ambient room noise. To measure the actual decibels, we will need a quieter testing studio.

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 We-Vibe Touch X is rechargeable and has a good battery life, lasting 85 minutes on high power during our testing. This is plenty for me, and I typically use it several times without charging between uses.

It uses We-Vibe’s standard magnetic USB charging cable, which is the same across almost all their current products.

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 We-Vibe Touch X has superb build quality. It’s covered entirely in silky smooth silicone. The silicone is thicker and more plush than other vibrators, especially near the tip. This makes it feel especially comfortable and luxurious. It still has a solid, rigid body beneath the silicone with a good weight that feels sturdy and durable. The buttons are also easy to press and feel well-made.

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 We-Vibe Touch X is 100% waterproof, making it very easy to clean. You can submerge this toy completely while you scrub it with soap and water! And, of course, you can use it in the bathtub or shower.