Glass vs. Silicone: Which Is The Best Sex Toy Material?

If you’re anything like me, shopping for something new to play with in the bedroom can be intimidating.

With pleasure products all too often being non-refundable or unable to be returned, the decision to pick the right toy on the first try can be crucial, and I for one, definitely feel the pressure.

In the sea of sex toys that is the internet, you can inadvertently find yourself blindly scrolling through various websites looking through all kinds of different shapes, sizes, materials, colours, vibrations, mechanics, remote controls and more recently, suctions??? Basically, if you’re not 100% sure what you’re looking for, it can be a totally overwhelming experience. Which ultimately can leave you feeling defeated and time after time again reluctantly returning to your old, dissatisfying but familiar, toys.

So I’m going to do the work for you. Starting with unpacking the basics; Which material is best?

More specifically, I’m going to put a magnifying glass on The Natural Love Company’s two favourite materials – glass and silicone. Do you already know which one you think you’d prefer? I wonder if this will change your mind.

Silicone Sex Toys

Beginning with silicone, arguably the more widely known and popular of the two. Here’s why:

• Non-toxic, non-porous and hypoallergenic
• Sanitary and easy to clean
• Smooth and velvety to the touch
• Can be firm and/or soft
• Medical grade safety
• Resistant to bacterial build up
• A classic option for vibrators
• Can come in a variety of different colours
• Lightweight

Silicone toys are an undeniably great choice for any sex toy. It’s an easy go-to choice for a comfortable and clean experience. I’m at the point now where I feel something ~anything~ made of silicone and I get a little turned on and half expect it to vibrate. It’s the faithful and reliable material for all of your orgasmic dreams to come true.

Cassia is a silicone sex toy by The Natural Love Company.

The only thing I’d argue against silicone toys is that they’re often incompatible with silicone lube, which just so happens to be a favourite of mine and the kind of lube used to package most condoms. Silicone toys can usually still be partnered with water and oil-based lubricants, but steer clear of silicone-based if you want your toy to stay in tact and not degrade. This means if your lube of choice is silicone-based or you’re using a condom, you’ll need a toy made of a different material like glass.

Glass Sex Toys

In my experience, you don’t really hear too much about glass sex toys – but who doesn’t love an underdog?

Let’s get one thing out of the way. I know some of you reading this are thinking it.

A glass toy is NOT going to break inside of you and/or create the horror movie scene you might be picturing in your head. I promise. Glass toys are made of a special kind of glass. Should you check for chips every now and then? Of course. Should you worry about a massacre occurring mid-orgasm? Absolutely not (unless you’re into that).

My personal favourite thing about glass sex toys, is that they are fancy schmaaaancy. This could be my underprivileged upbringing showing, but it kind of reminds me of when people used to talk about “posh wanks” in the school playground. It doesn’t have the same meaning, but masturbation with a glass toy definitely feels more luxurious than the actual definition of a “posh wank”. I’ll just stop talking about posh wanks, shall I?

More to the point, they’re so gorgeous. So beautiful that you could pop one in your Grandma’s glass cabinet and she probably wouldn’t notice. (I’m not suggesting you should do that, but you could.)

Tansy G-Curve is a glass sex toy by The Natural Love Company.

Here are some of the best qualities glass has to offer:

• Non-toxic, non-porous and hypoallergenic
• Sanitary and easy to clean
• Durable and long-lasting (known to out-live husbands)
• Visually appealing (can daylight as an ornament)
• Excellent for temperature responsiveness and play
• Environmentally friendly
• Recyclable (!!!!!)
• Luxury and weighty feel

The clear stand-out feature glass flaunts is its ability to respond to temperature. If you’ve ever used a toy straight out of the drawer – you’ll know that it can sometimes take a bit of time to warm up to match your body, which isn’t always pleasant. It’s one of the few things that separates toys from real human touch. Glass toys however can actually be ran under warm, hot, or even icy cold water and they’ll withhold the temperature, which is a game changer in terms of sensation.

One disadvantage of glass as a material (which could potentially be quite an important one depending on what you’re looking for) is that glass doesn’t make for a very good vibrator. It’s very uncommon to find a vibrating glass toy. So maybe stick to silicone in that area of things.

So… Which Is The Best Sex Toy Material?

Here’s the thing. I can make my decision on which I prefer, sure… but it’s not going to determine your preference. Everybody and every body is different, thus responds differently to each material. I can’t give you an answer for which material is better – just like you can’t tell me what my favourite food is.

I can tell you that glass is astounding for experimenting with temperature play, and that silicone’s speciality is vibration. I can inform you that glass is the best choice for the environment, but that silicone is lightweight, soft and buttery to the touch. I can, and have given you all the information I know about the two materials. The rest, quite simply, is up to you.

My favourite silicone toy is Cassia. My favourite glass toy is Tansy G Curve.