What You Actually Gain From More Settings
The manual has a page of terms. You need three of them, and one is a number you'll set once.
A plain read of the settings page: which three specs change your experience, which are noise, and how to test a device in a single 15-minute session.
The Short Answer
Three things matter: how low the lowest setting goes, how far apart the steps sit, and whether the device holds a steady output or drifts. Everything else on that page is either a convenience or a marketing line. If you're comparing two devices, ignore the total count and compare their bottom ends. A device with 6 settings that starts gently is more useful than one with 18 that starts where the other one ends.
The Three Specs That Matter
Start with the floor. The lowest setting is the one you'll use when you're unsure, and a floor that's too high removes the most useful part of the range.
Then look at spacing. Settings that jump from "barely there" to "too much" in one press are worse than a shorter list with even steps. You can't judge this from a number. You can judge it from the manual's wording, or from a return policy.
Then look at consistency. A steady output is easier to build on; a pattern is easier to notice. If a device offers 10 patterns and no steady mode, that's a design choice that will annoy half the people who buy it.
The Ones That Don't
Pattern count is the biggest offender. Ten patterns usually means two you like, one you'll use, and seven you'll skip past every time. The count goes on the box because it's easy to print.
App control is the second. It's genuinely useful for long-distance partners and genuinely annoying for anyone whose phone is charging in the other room. Ask whether you'd rather reach for a button or unlock a screen at 11 p.m.
Heating is a real feature, not a gimmick, but it's a separate question from settings. So is waterproofing, which matters more than either and rarely gets top billing.
None of these are bad. They're just not what "more settings" promises, and the promise is usually about intensity range.
Reading a Range Instead of a Count
Here's a comparison that shows the problem. Two devices, one with 18 settings and one with 6. If the 18-setting device spans the same output in smaller increments, you gain precision. If it spans a wider output, you gain range. Those are different purchases.
Precision helps when you're close to the right level and keep overshooting. Range helps when you don't know where your level is yet.
Most beginners need range and think they need precision. Most experienced buyers need precision and get sold range. Knowing which one you are shortens the search considerably.
A rough rule: if you've owned a device for more than 6 months and still use only the middle settings, you need precision. If you've never owned one, you need range.
A 15-Minute Test You Can Run
You can evaluate any device in one session if you go in with a sequence instead of a mood. Do it on a Sunday afternoon, when nothing is rushed and you're not already tired.
The first time you try this, keep the room dim and your phone face down. Minutes 1 to 5: lowest setting only, no adjustment. Notice whether it registers at all. Minutes 5 to 10: step up one level every 90 seconds and stop at the first level that feels like too much. Minutes 10 to 15: return to the level before that and stay there.
What you learn is where your ceiling sits and how many steps it took to get there. If the answer is "two steps," the device has more settings than you can use. If it's "eight," you're in the range where the count earns its place.
Where a Set Fits Into This
A set is a way to buy range without buying a single device with 18 settings. Instead of one motor covering everything, you get separate pieces with separate jobs.
The Self-Love Ritual set works that way: HOPSTAR is the external piece with 10 settings and a low end that starts gently, GODLIKE covers internal angles with an ergonomic handle, and Velvet Touch handles friction. Tried one per session, the set tells you which job mattered, which is information a single device can't give you.
It's not the efficient choice for someone who already knows. It's the efficient choice for someone who doesn't, because it converts one guess into three data points.
Who Should Ignore All of This
Skip the comparison if you already have a device that works and you're reading spec sheets out of restlessness. That's a hobby, not a purchase decision, and it's fine to admit it.
Skip the set if storage is tight or if you know you'll only ever use one shape. Three pieces are a liability in a small shared apartment.
The honest downside of optimizing settings is that it delays the part where you learn your own preferences. A mediocre device used ten times teaches more than a well-chosen one used twice.
Three Jobs Instead of Eighteen Buttons
Range doesn't have to arrive as one crowded dial.
- Self-Love Ritual (3-Piece Bundle): HOPSTAR, GODLIKE, and Velvet Touch in one order. HOPSTAR's 10 settings start low enough to test the floor, GODLIKE's handle makes internal angles easier to hold, and Velvet Touch is the water-based lubricant that changes friction without changing the device. Use one piece per session so each test stays clean. Best for anyone still mapping their own range.
- Browse the Customer Favorites collection for the rest of the lineup.
- Related reading: how many settings you actually need, and signs you've outgrown your first one.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic — general sexual wellness education and device safety basics.
- Planned Parenthood — body-safe silicone and lubricant information.
- Emily Nagoski — research writing on arousal thresholds and variability.
Written by the GETAUVE Editorial Team. This article is general education and not medical advice. If a device causes pain or numbness, stop and speak with a qualified clinician.
