Lelo Mia 2 vs BMS Swan Maximum Bullet Side-By-Side Comparison
Performance Ratings
Our Verdict
The Lelo Mia 2 can be a good bullet vibrator if you prefer gentle stimulation and are overwhelmed by intense vibrations. It provides a ton of power levels, all in the low-intensity range.
If you prefer more power, the We-Vibe Tango X, the Lovense Ambi, or the We-Vibe Touch X are better options in this price range. These are each more powerful than the Mia 2 and also have some (though fewer) mild settings. I personally prefer these since I enjoy the intensity and only need gentle levels while warming up.
Except for its lack of powerful settings, the Mia 2 has great performance. It’s comfortable, easy to use solo or during sex, and it’s quiet. So if you strictly prefer mild stimulation, it can work well since it has the most concentration of settings in the gentle range.
The BMS Swan Maximum Bullet is an excellent, affordable bullet vibrator. It’s my most powerful bullet and has the widest power range – it also begins gently for a comfortable warmup.
You make some tradeoffs for the outstanding power range at a reasonable price. The vibrations are primarily buzzy, which some people dislike but others prefer. The vibes also travel into my hand, which is distracting on the higher levels. But it’s not an issue on the low to middle settings.
It’s also a fairly short bullet, so it’s not as easy to grip and maneuver as longer options. And the press-and-hold button system provides excellent control over your exact strength, but you need to keep the button pressed firmly when changing settings, which can be tiring.
But the Swan Maximum has the longest battery life of the bullets I’ve tested. It’s also IPX7 waterproof, so it’s very easy to clean. And for those who want an exceptional power range at an affordable price – the BMS Swan Maximum is a great choice.
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Vibrations: Power And 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.
The BMS Swan Maximum Bullet has the strongest top power of all my bullet vibrators, reaching an 11 out of 10 strength. You read that right—an 11. The Swan Maximum was released after my first round of bullet vibrator testing, but it beat out my previous most powerful bullets, the Blush Limited Addiction and Doxy Bullet, which I had rated 10!
The BMS Swan Maximum’s 11/10 power is stronger than I could ever need. In fact, without the silicone grip that comes with the bullet, its top setting is too strong to hold in my hand!
Thankfully, it also has the widest power range of my bullets (another benefit over the Blush Limited Addiction and Doxy Bullet), starting at just a 2.5 out of 10 vibration strength. So, it has plenty of milder settings if you prefer gentle to moderate stimulation.
The press-and-hold buttons also let you gradually increase and decrease intensity in tiny steps. With such a comprehensive power range, most people will find some intensity levels they enjoy.
Vibrations: Frequency (Rumbliness)
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 Swan Maximum’s vibrations are primarily buzzy. The lowest power levels are moderately rumbly, which is a nice, gentle intro. But by the time you reach settings with moderate strength, the vibrations feel neutral. And they quickly become buzzy as you increase the intensity higher.
Whether this is good or bad depends on your preferences. Some people prefer buzzy vibrations, whereas others want rumbly (low-frequency) vibes.
Since I prefer moderate intensity, I only need to use the first half of the Swan Maximum’s power levels – so I typically use those rumbly and neutral vibes. But if you’re interested in those extremely intense top settings, you have to love buzzy vibrations.
However, none of my rumbly bullet vibrators come close to the Swan Maximum’s vibration power. The We-Vibe Tango X is my strongest rumbly bullet, reaching a top strength of 7.75.
When it comes to bullet vibrators, you generally need to choose between more power or more rumbliness. If strong, rumbly vibrations are your priority, a wand vibrator like the Lovense Domi 2 or BMS Swan Era Wand is better. Because wand vibrators’ motors are heavier, they’re often both rumbly and strong.
Stimulation Precision
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.
Whether you prefer broad or focused stimulation is up to your personal preference.
The BMS Swan Maximum Bullet provides a versatile experience because you can use the thin lipstick tip (just 0.75 inches wide) for very precise contact. But you can also press the side of the bullet to your body to cover more area for those who prefer to spread the stimulation out more.
Comfort & Ease of Use
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 Swan Maximum Bullet is very easy to use, but it has some uncomfortable aspects.
It has great controls with two press-and-hold buttons that let you increase and decrease power continuously – there are no jumps between settings. Simply hold the increase or decrease power button, and the Swan Maximum will gradually change power. This control system makes finding the exact power level you need easy.
Some other bullet vibrators, like the Pillow Talk Racy and Flirty, have a similar continuous system. But these bullets have just one button, so you can only increase power gradually. To decrease power, you have to turn them off and on again to start over. So, the BMS Swan Maximum’s second button is helpful.
I personally find the Swan Maximum’s buttons take firm pressure to hold down, which is tiring if you change power often. The Pillow Talk Racy’s button is easier to press. And if you don’t need super tiny power adjustments, ordinary clickable buttons like those of the Blush Limited Addiction are fine. But the Swan’s two press-and-hold buttons have their benefits in finding your ideal strength.
The BMS Swan is only adequately comfortable. The bullet is shorter than I prefer, and the base tapers inward, forcing you to grip it toward the middle of the bullet. This makes the usable length even shorter, causes my fingers to feel cramped in a tight space, and doesn’t provide as much leverage as longer bullets.
The Swan Maximum’s vibrations travel into my hand, too. They’re comfortable at low to medium power levels, but they’re distracting at the top half of the settings. The silicone Comfy Cuff that comes with it is a must if you plan to use the higher powers—it helps dampen the vibrations in your fingers but doesn’t completely eliminate them.
The Blush Limited Addiction is another extremely powerful bullet with less (but not zero) vibrations in your hand. With very powerful bullet vibrators, your fingers are close to the motor since bullets are tiny. So, if you’re particularly sensitive to vibrations in your fingers, try a mid-sized toy like the Lovense Hyphy or a small wand vibrator like the Lovense Domi 2.
Use During Sex
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 Swan Maximum is excellent to use during sex. Its small size and tapered tip make it easy to fit into tight spaces. And since it can reach very high powers, it provides plenty of stimulation.
If you’re not using the silicone cuff to dampen the vibrations that travel into your hand, you can use it to attach the bullet to your fingers. That way, you can maneuver and press the bullet to your body without gripping it. While it’s not completely hands-free, like some couples vibrators, it’s minimal effort.
This can make it easier to hold during sex. Though, I can only tolerate using it this way on the low to medium levels (which have plenty of strength for me). If I use the Swan Maximum’s highest levels, I need to use the Comfy Cuff to dampen the vibrations instead.
Noise
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 Swan Maximum Bullet has good noise levels, considering its enormous power.
When I used it in the bedroom, my partner could only hear it on the highest settings from the other side of the bedroom door. We also found that he could only hear the Swan Maximum when the bullet accidentally brushed up against the comforter on my bed, which made a louder sound. When I kept the vibrator pressed to my body, he couldn’t hear it on the highest setting.
If you’re concerned about noise, stick to the medium power levels, which are still quite powerful. You can also turn on music or a fan to mask the noise.
Battery Life
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 Swan Maximum Bullet has an amazing battery life. After charging it fully, I ran it on its highest power until it died – 139 minutes later. It lasted longer than any of the other bullets I’ve tested so far.
This was especially surprising since extremely powerful vibrators often die faster (since they use more power). All the bullet and mini vibrators that come close to the Swan Maximum’s battery life are substantially weaker.
Build Quality
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 Swan Maximum Bullet has a good build quality but is not luxurious. The ABS Plastic has a nice, metallic look and feels well-made, but it shows scratches easily. It seems durable but feels lighter than I expected due to the metallic look. Bullet vibrators actually made of metal, like the Le Wand Grand Bullet, are heavier and feel more solid.
The silicone buttons have a nice feel, and the detachable silicone grip is very plush. I wish the grip was wider to cover more surface area since the vibrations travel easily into my fingers, but it still does the trick well enough.
Cleaning
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.
The BMS Swan Maximum Bullet is IPX7 waterproof, so it’s very easy to clean. You can fully submerge it while scrubbing or use it in the bathtub.