Best Sex Toys for Beginners

If you’re a sex toy beginner who’s ready to dive into the wonderful world of male and female sex devices but doesn’t know where to start, this is the article for you! This week, Sexyland’s Fun Specialists are going over all the must-know basics of what types of sex toys are available, how to pick the best ones for you, and how to care for them, along with some top recommendations of the best beginner-friendly adult toys for male, female, and gender-neutral folks.

What are sex toys and how do they work?

Sex toys are items that people use to enhance the pleasure of intimacy, whether it’s solo masturbation or partnered sex as a couple (or larger groups). In terms of how sex toys operate, some use batteries, some are rechargeable, and some plug directly into wall power for non-stop fun! If your toy has multiple functions, it will contain a small circuit board to let you choose what setting you want to experience, as well as at least one motor that moves somehow to create pleasurable sensations. Depending on the shape, design, and what part of the body part the toy is intended for, the motor might vibrate, rotate, thump, thrust, or even create contactless air waves! 

Are sex toys safe to use?

Yes, as long as they’re used and cared for properly (more on that later). What is potentially harmful are the things people use as sex toys that were definitely not designed for that purpose. Some folks resort to, shall we say…‘improvised’ alternatives (looking at you, vegetable aisle), potentially because they may feel ashamed, guilty, or embarrassed about buying an actual sex toy.

We want to reiterate that it’s completely normal to use sex toys, and it's also normal not to — it's a personal decision, and everyone's different. As long as you're using sex toys in a safe and consensual manner that leads to you feeling happy and fulfilled, there's nothing harmful about it, but for your own health and safety, we strongly encourage you only use things as sexual devices when they are supposed to go inside your genitals, or have your genitals inside them.

Sex toys are made from body-safe materials that can either be cleaned for hygienic, repeat use, or are designed to be disposable after a single-use so they don’t have a chance to harbour germs and bacteria. Even textured sex toys are designed to be ‘smoothly’ textured rather than gritty or abrasive like non-fit-for-purpose alternatives as these can scratch sensitive skin in intimate areas.

Sex toys are also designed not to be easily breakable, because nobody wants jagged edges near their intimate parts, or to lose the part of the toy that keeps it at a safe depth inside your body — this is especially important with anal toys, because if anything gets lost up there, that’s a mandatory trip to the hospital! (And yes, there does need to be a part that specifically stops the toy from slipping into your body, because the rectum naturally contracts and pulls things into itself when you’re in the throes of pleasure, even when you think you’ve got a good grip on the toy.)

What types of sex toys are available?

There are lots of different types of adult toys to suit all kinds of people and their preferences. Female sex devices are designed for people with vulvas and can offer internal pleasure (stimulating the inside of your vagina or anus), external pleasure (such as stimulating the nipples, clitoris, or vulva), or both at once. A male sex device is designed for someone with a penis and a prostate, and these can also offer internal (inside the anus), external (nipples, around the penis, testicles, nipples, etc.), and a third kind of pleasure where the user inserts their body inside the toy (such as with penis stroker and masturbator toys). Here’s a breakdown of the different types of adult toys that Sexyland recommends for beginners:

The best sex toys for female beginners

If you have a vulva, the sweetest hot spots you can stimulate are the G-spot and clitoris. Tease and please them separately if you’re still getting used to penetration, or try stimulating them together to experience a blended orgasm!

• Clitoral stimulators – these sex toys are suitable for those who prefer pleasure without penetration, and are also good at stimulating other sensitive external erogenous zones like the nipples! You may have heard of viral clitoral stimulators such as the Satisfyer Pro 2 and the TikTok-famous Rose Vibrator, so if you’re not sure where to start, have a read of some of the reviews on the Sexyland website and see what other folks had to say.
• G-spot vibrators — these women’s sex toys have bulbous heads and angled or curved shafts to help the tip reach the G-spot.
• Rabbit vibrators — the insertable shaft follows the same design principles as the G-spot vibe but is complemented by an external arm that stimulates your clitoris. Some models let you control the G-spot head and clitoral rabbit separately for fully customisable pleasure!

The best adult toys for male beginners

• Masturbators and penis strokers — these are your classic ‘Fleshlight’ or ‘pocket pussy’ type of toy that mimics the feeling of penetrative sex. They come in a variety of designs, depending on if you prefer something anatomically lifelike, like a sculpted vagina, anus, or mouth at the entrance, or there are also non-specific designs that look more like smooth, genderless holes. They almost always have textured interiors to increase stimulation as you stroke, twist, or thrust it up, down, and around the penis.
• Cock rings — these stretchy rings fit around the base of the shaft (but can sometimes be worn behind the testicles too) to trap blood flow away in the wearer’s erection, keeping it harder for longer and intensifying their orgasm. They can be used solo during self-stroking sessions for longer-lasting, more intense masturbation, or as a couple to enhance sex. There are vibrating cock rings and designs with sections that stick out to offer a female partner some clitoral stimulation during sex so everyone can enjoy greater heights of pleasure that last longer!
• Prostate massagers — these go inside the anus and are designed to target the ultra-sensitive prostate gland (which is nicknamed ‘the male G-spot’ due to how sensitive it is), resulting in a prostate orgasm. Prostate orgasms are said to feel intensely pleasurable in a different way than a penile orgasm, but you’ll never know until you try… 😉

Unisex beginner-friendly sex toys for everyone

Pleasure is for everybody, and we’re proud to carry a wide range of gender-neutral sex toys online and in Sexyland’s adult shops! And sure, some sex toys were originally designed with a specific body part in mind, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t repurpose it elsewhere on your body — if it works for you, it works for you; it’s as simple as that.

• Wand vibrators – these are among the most powerful adult toys on the market, perfect for singles’ or couples’ use and are also suitable for massaging the rest of your body if you just need to work on those pesky knots after a long day! Their unmatched strength and deep, rumbly vibes are what people love most about wands, which is true of both the plug-in vibrating wands and the cordless wands, which require recharging but are usually less bulky and easier to navigate around your body or a partner’s.
• Dildos — these toys are designed to be inserted into the vagina or anus (and in some instances, both for folks who like double penetration) for internal stimulation and are available in all kinds of designs, from realistic dildos that look like real penises to others that don’t resemble a human at all if you’re not a fan of the lifelike look. Dildos can vibrate, thrust, squirt, and rotate for all sorts of sensational fun! Many of them have suction cups underneath them so you can mount them to a firm, flat surface (or slip them into a strap-on harness) to enjoy yourself hands-free!
• Anal toys — these toys are designed to go inside the anus to stimulate you from within and include the likes of anal beads and butt plugs. While butt stuff can seem taboo or intimidating at first, the unique feeling of fullness can be quite addictive, and you may just surprise yourself with how much you enjoy it! Plenty of anal beads and plugs come in teeny-tiny sizes to suit backdoor beginners, so there’s no need to worry about having to take on more than you can handle. Just go at your own pace and remember to use plenty of anal lubricant for more comfortable play!
• Finger vibrators — these toys can be worn on the fingers or hands and are super-easy to use, making them perfect for adult toy beginners. Just slip them over your finger and point where you want to feel the pleasure, on yourself or a partner!
• Bullet vibrators — these petite pleasure powerhouses are the perfect size to slip into your pocket or bag for easy travelling. They won’t reach deep for internal stimulation, but that’s okay because that’s not what they’re for, and there are other types of sex toys on this list that are designed for deep probing. Bullet vibrators are designed for precisely stimulating external erogenous zones like the nipples or clitoris and often have pointed or tapered tips so you can get up nice and close to the spot you want with pinpoint precision.
• Egg vibrators — as the name suggests, these vibrators are egg-shaped and are designed to be inserted into the vagina for internal stimulation. They can be textured or smooth depending on your preferences for sensation, and always have some kind of retrieval tail or loop so you can easily pull them out once you’ve had your fill of fun.
• Strap-ons – these are a couples-specific sex toy and consist of a waist/thigh harness and a dildo so you can penetrate with a partner. They can come either as a set with the dildo built-in, or as a separate combo so you can switch out the attachments to your liking. They’re available in a variety of designs to suit the wearer’s body, from solid designs that are great for pegging or even double penetration to hollow strap-ons, which fit over a wearer’s penis to add extra length, girth, or firmness to help people living with erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculation. There are even strapless strap-ons that do away with the harness altogether and are held in place by the wearer’s kegel muscles so both people can enjoy the penetration!

How to clean and maintain sex toys

Most sex toys come with an instruction manual or user’s guide that will help you take care of your toy so it performs its best for ages to come and lasts through many sessions of fun, so it’s well worth reading the instruction manual for tips on how to properly use, care for, and store your toy. The manual will also include general information like whether your toy is waterproof or not so you know how careful you need to be when cleaning it with water, as well as whether you can enjoy yourself in the shower just as much as you can under the sheets! 

In general, we recommend cleaning sex toys with an anti-bacterial toy cleaner and warm running water if your toy is waterproof, or with a damp cloth and toy cleaner or a bit of mild soap if your toy is not waterproof. If your toy is completely free of motors or batteries and is made of 100% silicone, stainless steel, or borosilicate glass (like Pyrex), you may also be able to put it in the top rack of the dishwasher (without dish cleaning liquid) or boiling water to fully sanitise it (though again, we recommend consulting your instruction manual on this). Cleaning your sex toys not only improves the longevity of your toy, it’s also important for your hygiene and sexual health, including keeping vaginal pH balanced, and preventing STI transmission.

Now let’s talk about battery care. For battery-operated toys, simply swap out the batteries whenever you need a fresh set and ensure they’re lined up correctly, then enjoy as usual. For rechargeable toys, good battery care actually starts before you’ve even used the toy for the first time. Most rechargeable toys come half-charged straight out of the box, but manufacturers often recommend plugging in your toy’s charging cable and letting it power up to full capacity before you first try it out. This helps to calibrate and balance the internal lithium-ion battery’s cells so you can get the most out of the battery life from Day 1!