Bullet vibrators may be small, but these pocket-sized vibes can pack some serious power.
If you’ve never used a bullet vibrator before, or if you’ve just bought one and aren’t entirely sure how to use a bullet vibrator, read on and we will tell you just what to do—because the humble bullet might be about to become your new favourite-ever sex toy.
What is a bullet vibrator?
A bullet vibrator is a vibrator that is shaped like a bullet (or a large pill, or a tube of lipstick). They're a small vibrator designed to be compact, simple to use, and easy to tuck away in a purse or a pocket.
ICYMI: this is our bestselling bullet vibrator Frankie!
For this reason, they're often suggested as a great first vibrator! They’re also great to use during partnered sex because their smaller size means they can be grabbed easily and used unobtrusively during penetrative sex, oral sex, and foreplay.
Bullet vibrators can be made of many materials, but the safest and most popular bullet vibrators are made of body-safe silicone. Unlike some cheaper plastics and silicones, body-safe silicone toys are long-lasting and easy to clean.
They're also safe to put inside your body—some cheaper materials, like jelly rubber, have been found to contain low levels of chemicals that are considered dangerous by some governments and industry bodies.
Many bullet vibrators are battery powered, but a lot of newer models are USB rechargeable. If you’re into sustainability—or if you just don’t want to add ‘AAA batteries’ to your shopping list every week—we recommend grabbing a USB rechargeable bullet vibrator.
What's the right bullet vibrator for me?
It might surprise you to learn that there are many types of bullet vibrators. They're a pretty versatile toy! Here are some of the more common ones, along with how to use a bullet vibrator.
Your choice of vibrating bullet is really only limited by your imagination and desires—so before purchasing, we recommend having a think about how you’d like to use it and who you’d like to use it with. Is it a double act? A solo endeavour? Or something in between?
Single bullet vibrator
The classic! A petite bullet-shaped vibe with some powerful vibrations. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how you use your single bullet: if you’ve been searching for a new toy to target a specific erogenous zone, the single bullet might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
A single bullet can be used for clitoral stimulation, nipple stimulation, or just to sexily trace around your inner thighs. Check out Frankie (including a how-to video from our sex coach Georgia) to learn more about this type!
Dual bullet vibrator
Double the fun. A dual bullet vibrator will have two vibrating motors, which means you can spoil yourself with a little extra stimulation or play with a partner and use the same vibrator.Some dual vibrators have two separate vibrating bullets connected by a wire; others might be shaped like bunny ears or a ‘V’ of body-safe silicone with a vibrator at the end of each arm.
You could use the latter type as a g-spot vibrator by placing one arm inside yourself and using the other for clitoral stimulation, for example.
Remote-controlled bullet vibes
Remote-controlled bullets can be seriously sexy. Secure the bullet vibrator against your erogenous zone of choice, and let your partner take the reins by controlling the vibrator using a remote or a specifically-designed app.
A remote control bullet vibe isn’t just for couples, though—they can be really enjoyable for anyone with limited mobility who would benefit by not having to reach down to adjust the vibe’s settings during play.
A wireless remote control will offer extra reach, while a remote with a wire will ensure you and your partner stay close.
Wearable bullet vibrators
Some bullet vibrators come with a harness that sits around your stomach and inner thighs and holds the bullet snug against your body. Other vibes can be used for internal stimulation by placing them into in the vagina or anus and removing them using a cord.
If you love the idea of using a vibe but want to keep your hands free for other things, a wearable bullet vibrator might be your new best friend.
We should note that although some vibes are designed for anal use, you should never put anything in your anus that doesn’t have a flared base or method of easy removal. Unlike the vagina, the anus doesn’t have an ‘end’ and toys can easily get lost inside you—this can cause serious pain and damage.
How to use a bullet vibrator
There’s nothing more exciting than taking a new sex toy out of the box and putting it to use! Here’s our advice for having an enjoyable and erotic first-time experience with your bullet
1. Charge it up!
Some sex toys come pre-charged or with a set of batteries, but not all do. Before you do anything, check to see how your bullet vibrator is powered and whether or not you need to charge it before use.
2. Give it a clean.
Your bullet probably looks clean, but it could have been handled in the factory before being packaged—and it also might have picked up dirt or germs from your hands after being taken out of the box.
We made a sex toy cleaner that doubles as hand sanitiser for these very moments, but if you don’t have a cleaner on hand you can wipe the toy over with a mild antibacterial soap and warm water.
3. Set the mood.
Even if you’re just after some solo play, you deserve to be in a space where you feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed. Lock the door, close the blinds, put on some sexy music or a nice scented candle... do whatever you need to do to get yourself in the zone.
4. Try it out.
You can use bullet vibes on almost any erogenous zone: they're great for clit stimulation, as well as stimulation of the nipples, penis and testicles, and perineum. it's really up to you! If you’re using your bullet vibrator for anal play, make sure it has a flared base or ring pull for easy removal.
5. Give it a second chance.
Sometimes sex toys just do not hit the spot on the first usage. If that’s the case, don’t be disheartened—try it again a second time, experimenting with new speed settings, erogenous zones, or positions.
If you feel seriously unimpressed after a few tries, you may be able to get a refund from the company who made it (we offer a 100 Night Stand on all of our products, so you have plenty of time to make sure you like them—just saying!).
6. Try it with lube.
We know that often lube is only used with toys that are made for penetration, but lube has a place with your bullet vibe as well. It can make everything feel slippery, soft, and smooth, and prevent any accidental friction or tugs on your skin.
Experiment with using lube on your bullet vibrator to feel some different sensations when it glides over your skin!
But not all lubes are created equal. It's important to check the material of your toy before choosing a lubricant. Never use silicone lube with a silicone toy; water-based lube is best.
How to get creative with your bullet vibrator
Ready to kick it up a notch? Here’s how to get creative with your bullet vibe and take things to the next level...
Use it with a partner
Grab your lover, hook-up buddy, or long-time squeeze and enjoy the toy together. Experiment by tracing just the tip of it over each other’s bodies and finding new erogenous zones together. Or, use a dual bullet to get each other off at the same time by placing it on your partner's clitoris or other erogenous zones.
Explore different positions
If you use the vibrator with other toys, or during penetrative sex, experiment with some different sex positions. Use a bullet vibrator for external stimulation during doggy style or try it for g-spot stimulation during anal play—a bullet will be small enough to fit in close to your body without getting in the way.
Try it on different parts of your body
If you only ever use a bullet vibe for clitoral stimulation, try using it on your nipples. If you only use it on your perineum, try using it on the shaft of your penis. Sometimes we can find brand new sweet spots this way—and if we can’t, at least we’ve spent a bit more time exploring ourselves and seeing what we like.
Use it over fabric
Sometimes using bullet vibrators directly on your clitoral hood or penis and testicles can be too intense, so we suggest using it over the top of your underwear or even your outerwear. The fabric will soften the vibrations, offering less intense stimulation and giving your body more time to get used to the feeling.
Experiment with speed
Most bullet vibes will have multiple speeds and vibration patterns, so why not check yours out? Varying the speed and pattern of vibrations can be a hot way to mix up the way you normally climax. With enough speeds or a vibration pattern that turns the vibe on and off in rapid succession, you can also experiment with edging and orgasm denial—if that's your thing.
Play around with tease and denial
If you have a remote-control bullet vibrator and a partner who likes to take control, hand them the remote and tell them that your pleasure is in their hands for the next few minutes. Alternately, if your partner is more the submissive type, ask them if they’d like to be in your control.
How to keep your bullet vibrator clean
Cleaning a vibrator isn’t exactly sexy, but it is really important. Vibrators can easily pick up dirt, dust, bodily fluids, and germs from our hands and other body parts—and unless you clean them regularly, all of that stuff can end up on you or inside you when you use the vibe again.
Always read the cleaning instructions that come with your bullet, but in general, we recommend using a sex toy cleaner or a mild antibacterial soap to wipe over most toys before and after every use.
If you share your vibe with someone, you should also consider cleaning it before giving it to them. The bodily fluids that collect on our sex toys can pass STIs between partners, and semen can also be passed between partners on sex toys.
If you don’t want to get out of bed and clean your toy off between uses, consider placing it in a condom and swapping the condom before giving the toy to your partner. You’ll still need to give it a proper clean afterwards, but you won’t have to interrupt your intimate moments.
Storing and charging your bullet vibrator
Once you’ve finished using your bullet vibrator, you may need to charge it again before your next use. If your sex toys are battery operated, we recommend taking them out and storing them somewhere separate to the sex toy.
Batteries can degrade and break down over time, and leaking battery acid can seriously damage the toy and even your skin.
If your toy doesn’t have batteries, leave it on its charger for an hour or so (or however long it takes to recharge). There’s nothing more annoying than going to grab your favourite sex toy and realising you forgot to charge it, so we recommend taking the charger and toy out at the same time and plugging the charger in ready while you use the toy.
As soon as you’re done with the toy, you can easily put it on the charger and then roll over to bask in the post-orgasm afterglow.
After it’s charged and clean, you’ll need to store it somewhere safe—and no, the bedside drawer won’t do! Find a safe, airtight box or fabric bag you can keep your toy in: if your bullet vibe didn’t arrive with its own dust bag like ours do, a cosmetics bag will do just fine.
Keep your toy stored somewhere it can’t be accidentally found by curious pets, kids, or housemates, and always give it a quick clean before you use it again.
Enjoyed this guide?
You'll love our curated newsletter delivering the latest guides right to your inbox: just sign up below.
You can dive deeper into empowering education with our acclaimed free video course, The Modern Guide to Sex, trusted by learners in over 40 countries - and our second course Come Together, where sex coach Georgia Grace tackles the top intimacy issues experienced by couples.
And of course, explore our collection for modern sexual wellness essentials anytime ✨
