The Hopper 1 is a little intimidating for someone just starting out in anal play. It's bigger than the anal toys I have seen for beginners. I had a problem with the suction cup on the bottom of the toy, it is just too short to use comfortably and there isn't a large number of places I could find to even try it out. Made of silicone, the toy has no odor, is easy to clean up and can be boiled or put on the top rack of the dishwasher. I would definitely say that this toy is not for a beginner.