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August 15, 2026/Jordan Ellis

Sex Toys for Couples: A Beginner's Guide

The hard part is rarely picking something. It's bringing it up without sounding like a complaint about how things already are.

The short answer

Bringing toys into a relationship goes better when you frame it as adding something rather than fixing something, and when you choose together instead of surprising your partner. Start simple rather than elaborate. The conversation matters more than the product does.

  • The worry underneath the hesitation is usually "does this mean I'm not enough", on both sides. Saying it out loud once clears more space than careful wording around it.
  • Raise it at a calm, unrelated moment, not right before or after sex, where it lands as a review of what just happened.
  • Ask rather than announce. Bringing a purchase home before the conversation reads as pressure even when you didn't mean it that way.
  • Treat the first attempt as information, not a performance. Clumsy first tries are normal and tell you what to adjust.
A couple laughing together on a bed in warm lamplight

Most couples who have never tried toys together aren't stuck on logistics. They're stuck on the conversation.

Why the conversation feels harder than it should

The worry is almost always the same on both sides: does this mean I'm not enough? That question rarely gets said out loud, which is exactly why it causes so much hesitation. Naming it directly, even once, clears more space than any amount of careful phrasing around the topic.

A simple reframe helps. Toys are an addition, not a replacement, the same way trying a new restaurant doesn't mean you disliked every meal before it.

How to bring it up

Pick a calm, unrelated moment. Not right before or after intimacy, when it can land as a comment on what just happened. A relaxed conversation, even a lighthearted one, works better.

Frame it as curiosity. "I've been curious about trying something together" lands very differently from "I think we need to spice things up."

Ask, don't announce. Bringing an actual purchase home before talking about it can feel like pressure, even when that wasn't the intention. A conversation first gives both people real room to say yes, no, or let's look together.

See what you and your partner both want, privately

How to choose together

Start simple. A beginner-friendly option that's easy to use teaches you both more about what you like than something complicated on the first try. You can always go further once you know what works.

Shop together if that feels comfortable, or research a few options separately and compare notes. Neither approach is more correct. What matters is that the choice feels mutual rather than one partner directing the other.

Treat the first try as information gathering. It's completely normal for a first attempt to feel clumsy, or for something to not work the way you expected. That's part of figuring it out.

A few things that make it go smoother

Talk during, not just before. A quick "that feels good" or "let's try it differently" in the moment matters more than any planning beforehand.

Basic care matters too. Read whatever instructions came with it, especially around cleaning and materials, and don't feel like you need to have everything figured out on the first attempt.

Frequently asked questions

Does wanting to try toys mean something's missing in our relationship?

No. Plenty of couples with satisfying relationships enjoy this as one more thing they're into together, not because anything was lacking.

What if my partner isn't into the idea?

That's a real answer worth respecting rather than a problem to solve. It's worth gently understanding why, but "not for me" is a complete response on its own.

Do we need to buy something expensive to start?

No. Starting simple usually teaches you more than starting elaborate, and you can build from there once you know what you actually like.

How do we figure out what we're both curious about without an awkward conversation?

Answering privately first lowers the stakes. Are You Into has a Sensation and Toys category built for this: you each answer on your own, and only see where you both said yes or maybe.

Jordan Ellis

Editor, Intimacy and Communication Guides

Jordan writes Are You Into's guides on intimacy and communication, working with licensed therapists and sex educators to fact-check every piece. Believes honesty doesn't require drama.

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