New to intimate wellness? Start here.
Buying your first intimate wellness product can feel surprisingly confusing.
There are different shapes, sizes, materials, controls, power options and dozens of features that may not mean much when you have nothing to compare them with.
You don't need to become an expert first.
For your first product, focus on six things: format, size, controls, material, care and power.
If you just want the short answer
For most first-time buyers, Plum recommends starting with a simple, compact product designed for external use, with straightforward controls, clearly disclosed materials, rechargeable power and easy cleaning instructions.
You don't need the smallest product, the most powerful product or the one with the most settings.
You need one that feels easy to understand.
1.Start with a simple format
Your first decision is not the brand. It's the type of product. Test
For a first purchase, we recommend starting simple rather than choosing something highly specialized or packed with features.
A compact external-use product is often an easier starting point because there is less to figure out: how to hold it, how the controls work, how to clean it and how to store it are generally easier to understand.
Once you know what you like and dislike about your first product, choosing something different later becomes much easier.
Plum recommends
For your first product, start with a simple external-use format. You can explore larger, more specialized or more customizable products once you know what features actually matter to you.
2.Don't guess the size, check the dimensions
Product photography can make it surprisingly difficult to tell how large something actually is.
Before buying, look for the product's exact dimensions.
You don't need to find some universally perfect size. Instead, think practically: Does it look manageable to hold? Will it be easy to store? Are the controls large enough to use comfortably?
Very small isn't automatically better for beginners. An ultra-compact product may be discreet, but it can also mean smaller controls or a smaller grip.
Plum recommends
Choose a size you can easily understand from the product page. For a first product, prioritize something compact enough to feel manageable but large enough to hold and control comfortably.
3. Choose simple controls
You may see products advertising 10, 20 or even more settings.
You probably don't need that for your first one.
What matters more is whether you can immediately understand how to turn the product on, change the setting and turn it off.
Look at the controls before buying. Are there one or two clearly marked buttons? Or are several functions being controlled through combinations you would need to memorize?
More options aren't necessarily bad. They're simply not a reason to choose one product over another unless you actually want them.
Plum recommends
For your first product, prioritize simple controls over lots of settings. A few easy-to-understand options are more useful than a long feature list you don't yet know you'll use.
4. Look for the actual material
You're likely to come across phrases such as “body-safe.”
Don't stop there.
Look for the specific material the manufacturer says the product is made from. The product page should clearly identify the main material and disclose relevant coatings or finishes where applicable.
You shouldn't have to search through FAQs or customer reviews just to figure out what you're buying.
This is also where good product information matters more than fancy marketing language.
Plum recommends
Look for a clearly disclosed material rather than relying on “body-safe” as a catch-all claim. If a brand doesn't tell you what the product is made from, choose one that does.
5. Check how you're supposed to clean it
This is one of the most important things beginners overlook.
Before buying a product, read its cleaning instructions.
You should know whether the product can be rinsed, whether it can be immersed in water, whether any charging areas need to stay dry, and how the manufacturer recommends drying and storing it.
If the care instructions feel complicated before you've even bought the product, that may be a sign to choose something simpler.
Plum recommends
For your first product, choose something with straightforward cleaning instructions. You should know how to clean, dry and store it before it arrives—not after.
6. Rechargeable is usually the easiest place to start
You'll generally see two power options: replaceable batteries or rechargeable products.
Both can work, but rechargeable products remove the need to keep replacement batteries around and are often more convenient for regular ownership.
Check how the product charges too. Some products use common charging connections while others require a specific cable.
Keep that cable somewhere you will actually remember.
Plum recommends
For a first product, we generally recommend rechargeable. Just check what charging cable it uses and whether a replacement is easy to obtain before buying.
7. Waterproof and water-resistant aren't the same thing
This matters mainly for care and where the product can be used.
Don't assume that “water-resistant” means a product can be fully immersed.
Instead, check what the manufacturer specifically says you can do with it.
If you want something that's particularly easy to rinse and clean, water resistance becomes more important.
Plum recommends
Choose a product with clear water-resistance instructions. If the brand doesn't explain whether the product can be rinsed or immersed, don't guess.
So, what should you actually buy first?
If this is your first intimate wellness product and you have no idea where to begin, this is the checklist we would use:
- Simple format: Start with a straightforward external-use product.
- Manageable size: Check the actual dimensions rather than judging from photos.
- Simple controls: A few obvious controls beat a complicated feature list.
- Clearly stated material: Know what the product is actually made from.
- Easy care: You should understand exactly how to clean and store it.
- Rechargeable power: Usually the most convenient starting point.
- Clear water-resistance guidance: Know whether it can be rinsed or immersed.
- Warranty: Make sure the manufacturer tells you what happens if something goes wrong.
If a product checks those boxes, you're already comparing products on the things that matter most.
You can worry about advanced features later.
Editorial disclosure
Plum Learn is published by Plum, an intimate wellness product company. This article may reference products sold by Plum.
We aim to distinguish verified product information from general education and to describe product benefits, care requirements and limitations clearly. This article provides general information and is not individualized medical advice.
