Where to Start With HOPSTAR If You Have Never Used One

By GETAUVE Editorial Team · Published October 17, 2026

Where to Start With HOPSTAR If You Have Never Used One

You spent ten minutes getting comfortable, then pressed down hard at the last second and lost the seal.

If you've never used a suction device, the first ten minutes matter most. Here's the sequence that gets you through them without a wasted evening.

The Short Answer

Start on level 2, keep the nozzle barely touching, and give it two full minutes before you change anything. The most common first-timer mistake isn't picking the wrong level, it's pressing the opening flat against the body, which closes the air path and makes every level feel like nothing. Lie down, bend your knees, and let the device rest rather than hold it. If it isn't working after 10 minutes, stop and try again tomorrow, because session two is usually better than session one.

Before You Turn It On

Picture this: the box is open on the bed at 10 p.m., and you're already second-guessing. Charge it first. A full charge takes about 90 minutes and covers roughly 2 hours of use, which is around 8 sessions. Charging it while you're getting ready for bed is the easiest way to make sure it's ready when you are.

Then set the room up so you don't have to move. Water within reach. A towel down. The device on the bed next to you, not in a drawer across the room. Every one of these is small, and together they're the difference between a relaxed first session and a series of interruptions.

One more thing: use a little water-based lubricant on the rim. Not a lot. Suction devices work better with a small amount of slip at the contact point, and a dry rim can drag in a way that feels sharp rather than soft.

The First Two Minutes

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat. This position tilts the pelvis and gives you a better angle without needing to hold anything up.

Turn it on at level 1. Rest the nozzle against the external area with the weight of your hand and nothing more. Count to sixty. Then move to level 2.

Those two minutes feel like nothing is happening. That's normal, and it's the point. The body needs a moment to register a new kind of sensation, and if you jump to level 6 in the first thirty seconds, you'll register it as "too much" and stop.

Finding the Seal

Here's the trick that changes everything. Rest the rim on the skin and then lift it about 2 mm. You'll feel the suction change immediately, because now there's air moving through the gap.

If you've ever pressed too hard and felt the sensation vanish, that's the seal breaking. Press it flat and the device goes quiet and dull. Lift it slightly and it comes alive. The difference is bigger than the difference between level 3 and level 7, and most people never find it because they're holding the device like it might escape.

Hold it like you're balancing a small bird. That's the pressure. Your wrist should be relaxed, and your fingers should be doing almost nothing.

If you're on your side instead, the same rule applies. Bend the top knee forward, rest your arm on the mattress, and let the device sit at an angle rather than pressing in.

The Level You Should Actually Use

Most first sessions land between level 2 and level 4. That's not a compromise. It's where the sensation is richest, because the low levels give you the pulse without the numbness that comes with higher settings.

Ten levels sounds like a range you should explore. In practice, the top 3 are a diagnostic tool, not a destination. Try level 8 once, for about 30 seconds, so you know what it does. Then go back down.

If level 2 feels like nothing at all after three minutes, go to 3. If level 3 feels sharp, go back to 2 and change the angle first. Angle before intensity, every time.

The Second Session Matters More

The first session is a rehearsal. You're learning where to put your hand, how much pressure to use, and what the pulse feels like. Almost nobody gets a great first session, and that's fine.

The second one is where the learning shows up. You'll remember the angle without thinking about it, and you'll spend less time in your head. Give it 3 sessions before you form an opinion, and give each one about 15 minutes.

By the time you finish the second session, you'll stop thinking about the settings. By session three, most people have a default: a position, a level, and a duration. Once you have that, the device stops being a puzzle and starts being a habit.

Who This Isn't For

Skip HOPSTAR if you already know you don't like suction. A wider nozzle doesn't change the mechanism, and no amount of technique turns a sensation you dislike into one you like. That's the honest limitation, and it's worth knowing before you order.

Skip it too if you want something you can use without thinking. The catch is that the first three sessions require attention. If that sounds like work, a simpler vibration toy is the better first purchase. And if you need silence, 42 dB is quiet but not silent, so plan around a closed door.

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic — general educational material on intimate health and first-time device use.
• Kinsey Institute — general guidance on arousal and learning a new kind of stimulation.
• Journal of Sex Research — peer-reviewed work on pressure, placement and reported sensation.

This article is general education, not medical advice. Go slowly, stop if anything hurts, and check with a clinician about any persistent concern.