Silicone vs glass vs steel: how to pick your first dildo

Three materials, three personalities. None of them are wrong; one of them is right for you. I’ve owned all three and my expectations going in were off in a different way for each.

Silicone: forgiving, warm, normal-feeling

I expected silicone to feel cheap because it’s the most common and affordable. It doesn’t — it’s body-safe, warms to your temperature fast, and is the most forgiving thing to actually learn on. The Tantus Pop is my "first dildo" pick precisely because nothing about it is intimidating. If you’re unsure, this is the no-regret choice.

Tantus Pop

PinkCherry · $45 · 4.5/5

Slim silicone dildo, gentle curve. Great first dildo at a reasonable price.

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Steel: heavy, sleek, lifetime toy

I expected steel to be a novelty — cold, clinical, a gimmick you’d use once. The first time I used the NJoy Pure Wand it reset the bar so completely that I get why people are weird about it. The weight does something silicone can’t, it warms with a little effort, and it will outlive every other toy you own. This is the one I didn’t expect to become a reference point and did.

One of the best toys ever made. I came in skeptical and left evangelical.

NJoy Pure Wand

PinkCherry · $130 · 4.9/5

Stainless steel double-ended wand. Genuinely one of the best toys ever made.

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Dual-density silicone: realistic, premium

The Vixen Mustang VixSkin has a soft outer over a firmer core — the closest "feels real" you can buy in silicone. I expected the dual-density thing to be a spec-sheet line. It’s noticeable in the first few seconds and it’s the reason this one costs what it does.

Vixen Mustang VixSkin

PinkCherry · $140 · 4.9/5

Dual-density silicone dildo with realistic feel. Strap-on harness compatible.

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If you want one sentence: start with the silicone, and know that the steel is the one you’ll end up thinking about.