Choosing a first sex toy means taking in a lot of information at once. There are hundreds of products, most of them described in language that manages to be both vague and overwhelming, and very little of it explains what actually matters. So here is the short version: four or five decisions get you to the right first sex toy, and everything else is detail. This guide covers the main types, why material matters more than anything on the box, what to spend, and where we would start in our own range.
Start with what you already like
The most useful question is not “which one is best” but “what kind of sensation do I already enjoy?” Most people have a rough answer, even if they have never put it into words.
If you lean towards focused, external sensation, you want something small and precise. If you are drawn to pressure and fullness, you want something internal. If you genuinely do not know, that is normal, and it is an argument for starting external: it is the most common first choice and the easiest to adjust as you learn what you like.
The main types, described plainly
External vibrators
Small, held against the body rather than inserted. The most popular first purchase by a wide margin, because it is simple, needs no technique and suits most bodies. SVAKOM Tulip (€42.95) is a good example: a compact bullet in soft silicone with a lightly ridged surface, 10 vibration modes, waterproof and quiet. The First Time Set (€59.95) puts Tulip together with a 300 ml water-based lube and a toy cleaner, for €10.90 less than the three bought separately.
Air-pulse stimulators
Instead of vibrating against the skin, they surround the clitoris with waves of air pressure, without direct contact. It is a distinctly different sensation, and people tend to have strong opinions in both directions. Worth trying if ordinary vibration feels too sharp or goes numb quickly. Womanizer PRO (€79.95) has six intensity levels, simple controls and up to four hours of use; the Womanizer Starter set (€84.95) adds a 300 ml water-based lube. How the technology works, and why some people feel little at first, is in air-pulse stimulation explained.
Licking and suction
A newer category that combines a moving tongue, pulsating suction and vibration, each usable on its own or together. SVAKOM Klitty (€60.95) has 10 licking modes and 3 suction levels, and pairs with the SVAKOM app, which also lets a partner take over the controls. It also comes as the Klitty Pleasure Set (€69.95) with a water-based lube.
Internal
Curved toys designed for pressure against the front vaginal wall – the area usually called the G-spot. They need lube and a little more patience, and on their own they are less universally satisfying than external toys, which is why many people end up owning both. SVAKOM Margot (€79.95) is designed for G-spot and clitoral stimulation at the same time, with two motors and a tip that warms to about 42°C. If you would rather start without a motor, Utopia (€39.95) is a curved dildo in 100% liquid silicone, 14.8 cm insertable and 3.5 cm across, with a suction cup for hands-free play.
Dual and rabbit
Toys that do internal and external at once. More capable, more expensive and more to learn – a reasonable first purchase only if you already know you enjoy internal sensation. SVAKOM Mora Neo (€79.95) has a semi-rigid shaft with a moving beaded ring and an independent arm for the clitoris. Satisfyer Endless Fun (€34.95) is a bendable multi-vibrator with three motors that you can shape around the clitoris, the G-spot or the penis, solo or with a partner. It runs on two AA batteries rather than charging.
Wearable
ILY Panty Vibe (€39.95) is a soft silicone lay-on vibrator that sits in your underwear, with a quiet motor, 3 speeds, 7 patterns and a remote you can keep or hand to a partner. Toys that put control in someone else’s hands are covered in our guide to app-controlled toys.
If you have a penis
The same logic applies: start with what you already enjoy and keep it simple. Satisfyer masturbator eggs (€5.95) are a low-stakes way to try something new – a stretchy, textured sleeve that turns slippery with a splash of water. They are made from TPE and meant for single use, which is the one exception to the material rule below. Endless Fun works on the penis too, and for people with a prostate, a small butt plug is a common first step – our guide to butt plugs for beginners covers how to start. Everything is in the For Him collection.
Material is not a detail
This is the one place we would push you to be picky. Look for body-safe silicone on anything you will reuse, and be sceptical of toys described only as “silky”, “jelly”, “TPE” or not described at all.
Silicone is non-porous, so it does not trap bacteria in microscopic gaps and can be cleaned properly. Porous materials cannot be fully sanitised however carefully you wash them – fine for something single-use, not fine for something you keep for years. Cheaper toys often use them without saying so. Check the product description for the material before you buy. If it is not stated, that tells you something too.
Rumble beats buzz
Motor quality matters more than motor power. Cheap motors produce a high-frequency buzz that sits on the surface and goes numb quickly. Better motors produce a lower, deeper rumble that carries further and stays interesting for longer. Reviews that say a toy “goes numb after a minute” are usually describing a buzz problem, not a power problem – and a better motor is the upgrade people notice most when they replace a first toy.
The practical checklist
- Rechargeable or batteries. Rechargeable is usually the better default: no dead batteries halfway through, less waste. Battery-powered toys such as Endless Fun never need a cable, which some people prefer.
- Waterproof. Even if you never take it in the shower, it means you can wash it under running water. Splashproof is not the same thing.
- Noise. If you share walls, look for toys described as quiet. Air-pulse stimulators tend to be quieter than vibrating motors.
- Size. Smaller is easier to hold at an angle for a while. First toys are often bigger than they need to be.
- Controls. Buttons you can find without looking. One button cycling through fourteen patterns is harder to use than three buttons that each do one thing.
What to spend on a first sex toy
Below about €25, you are usually buying a weak motor and an unclear material – single-use products like the eggs above are the exception, because they are designed for exactly that. Most good first toys in our range cost between €35 and €85: Tulip, Klitty and Womanizer PRO all sit in that window. Above it you pay for app control, extra motors or design. Those are real features, but they do not make a first toy better.
Sets are worth a look for a first purchase. The First Time Set, Womanizer Starter and Klitty Pleasure Set each include a lube, so nothing else needs ordering, and each costs less than its pieces bought separately.
Then: lube
Use it. Not because something is wrong, but because silicone against skin creates friction, and friction is the main reason people call a toy uncomfortable when the toy was fine. With silicone toys, choose a water-based lube – silicone lube can damage the surface of silicone toys over time. Our guide to choosing a lubricant goes through the options, and the basics of washing and storing a new toy are in cleaning and storing your toys.
Using it with a partner
A first toy does not have to be a solo purchase. Small external toys fit easily between two bodies, and bringing one in early, during foreplay, is much easier than introducing it halfway through. Positions where a toy does not get in the way are in using a clitoral stimulator during sex.
Discreet delivery
Every order ships in a plain box with no logo, product names or images, and the sender on the label just says Moody. Delivery takes 2–5 business days within Poland and 3–9 to other EU countries, and it is free from €90 in most EU countries (€150 for a few distant ones).
Three questions, and you are done
External or internal? Body-safe silicone? Rumble rather than buzz? If you can answer those, you can open any catalogue, ours included, and narrow hundreds of products down to a handful.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best first sex toy for beginners?
For most people with a vulva, a small external vibrator or an air-pulse stimulator. Both are easy to use and need no technique. SVAKOM Tulip and Womanizer PRO are the two we suggest most often.
Should my first toy be a vibrator or an air-pulse stimulator?
A vibrator if you like firm, direct pressure or are not sure yet. An air-pulse stimulator if direct vibration has felt too intense or tends to go numb. Neither is objectively better.
How much should a first sex toy cost?
In our range, most good first toys cost between €35 and €85. Much cheaper usually means a weaker motor and an unstated material; much more expensive usually pays for features you do not need yet.
What is the safest material for a sex toy?
Body-safe silicone for anything you will reuse. It is non-porous, easy to clean and lasts for years. Avoid jelly, PVC and toys with no material listed.
Do I need lube with a sex toy?
Not always, but it almost always helps, and with internal toys it is essential. Choose a water-based lube for silicone toys.
Is it normal to feel awkward about buying one?
Completely. Most people do. Ordering online, with a plain box and Moody as the only name on the label, takes most of the awkwardness out of it. For the things nobody explains, see five things about pleasure nobody teaches you.
Browse all toys or start with the First Time Set.
