Typically I use "it's good for beginners" when the toy is a) Quiet, b) unintimidating, and/or c) a bit on the weaker side.
To put it simply, when I was a beginner, I did not want something that sounded like a jackhammer. I did not want something that immediately looked like a penis and I especially did not want something that vibrated my vagina off. I do notice people saying its good for beginners a lot.. but I know my personal usage of it is an observation and this is how I usually see it used in my experience. then again I do not spend a huge amount of time reading reviews either. I have come across a lot of toys that I love that are considered 'beginner' toys. There are also a number that I consider intimidating, even for me. At the same time- I may say "The vibrations here are too weak for me, but it may be good for more sensitive girls or beginners" if a toy is slightly too weak but seems to have potential. I guess I am a bit of a power queen so typically a foreplay-strength toy for me is plenty strong enough for others to orgasm from if they are new to vibrations. When I was new to toys I was VERY sensitive to vibrations (I had, for ages, a problem with clitoral hypersensitivity until I forced myself to just endure through it) so I know from experience typically a weaker toy is just fine for beginner toy buyers. I've also gradually learned a bit that what I like typically doesnt fit in with what others like- for example I can tolerate hard plastic toys, but most women seem to hate them and claim they hurt, no matter the size.

So.. I've rambled a lot. but, personally I think though the phrase may be entirely overused I do have logic behind stating it and I hope that I have adequately explained it when I do use that descriptor for a toy.

I haven't been using toys all that long myself, so I have definitely noticed the term 'beginner' in reviews, and have found it out of place in some. What I think comprises an actual good beginner item is something that has enough versatility to help the user to determine what they like in a toy, is an economical purchase since it is likely to be replaced relatively soon, and isn't wildly intimidating or complicated. Something easy to hide would score well with me, too.

So far, I've only reviewed one toy that I thought of as junk, and I definitely didn't apply the phrase there, although I did state that it might be acceptable as a single-use toy if one happened to come into possession of it.

To me, "good for beginners" relates to ease of use. It's true that beginners may have lower expectations for sex toys, but that doesn't mean that an inferior product is appropriate for them to use. First impressions remain long after the product has hit the bottom of the wastebasket. I wouldn't recommend an inferior product to a beginner because they wouldn't experience the pleasure associated with a product of its type that performs well.

This was a great thread, I am glad to see it re-visited!

I never really understood the phrase "good for beginners", so I use it rarely and when I do, it's with a very specific reason. I finally started to grasp the concept when I started shopping for a toy to give to my best friend as a gift. It was her first toy and I new she was shy about it and a little uncomfortable, so finding something non-intimidating and easy to use was absolutely key. I always think very carefully about that before using that particular qualification.

I've used it because the two things I said that are great for beginners truly are because these items were the first kind that I'd purchased, and that I was quite pleased with them. For me, if something is great to use, and it's my first time using this type of product, I want to make sure people who may be debating on buying the type of toy feel like they can handle it. I certainly don't use it to refer to inferior quality toys. I've always been the type to tell it like it is. If it's a shoddy item, then I'll say so. I don't sugarcoat things, and I certainly wouldn't want a review to get me prepared to use something only to find out that it's not the best quality.

To be honest, I have used this term, on my first review no less.

But i gave that product a 4 out of 5 and I still feel like it is very good for beginners

Devons Private pleasures

I understand what you mean though

Its something I will have to be wary of when I am writing, I am sure I wont do that though