Glass and steel are the two rigid materials worth owning, and people usually buy one without understanding what the other does differently. They share the properties that matter most, and differ on two that decide which suits you.
What they share
- Nonporous. Genuinely sterilisable. Soap and water, boiling, or the dishwasher all work.
- Rigid. Neither absorbs pressure, so everything you apply transfers. This is why both outperform silicone for g-spot and prostate work.
- Temperature capable. Both hold warm and cold far longer than silicone, which equalises to body heat within seconds.
- Any lube. Neither reacts with silicone lube, so you can use the long lasting stuff. Our toy lube guide covers why that matters.
- Effectively permanent. Both outlast every motorised toy you will ever own.
Where they differ
Weight. This is the big one. Steel is heavy, typically one to two pounds, and that mass does work for you: once positioned, gravity provides pressure your wrist would otherwise generate. Glass is light, which makes it easier to manoeuvre and considerably less tiring, but you supply all the force.
Temperature transfer rate. Steel transfers faster and more intensely. A chilled steel toy is startling in a way chilled glass is not. That is a feature or a problem depending on what you want, and it is why wrist-testing steel matters more.
Price. Glass starts around sixty five dollars, steel around a hundred and forty. For finding out whether rigid toys suit you at all, glass is the cheaper experiment.
The picks
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Glass and Steel: Free Discreet Shipping
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Icicles No. 87 and No. 88 are curved glass with suction cup bases, which is rare in glass and our best value here. No. 86 is the realistic sculpt, No. 89 the longer reach. njoy Pure Wand is two pounds of steel and the most recommended g-spot toy in the world. Le Wand Arch is lighter steel, double ended, and the gentler introduction to the material.
Full detail in our glass guide and steel guide.
Which to buy first
Glass, for most people. Cheaper, lighter, same temperature capability, and it answers the question of whether rigidity works for you at half the cost.
Steel, if you already know you like firm pressure and want the weight to do the work, or if you want a single object that will outlive everything else in the drawer.
Safety, both
Borosilicate glass handles far more force than a body produces. Inspect for chips occasionally and retire it if you find one. Steel is effectively indestructible. Both need a flared base or handle for any anal use, and both need wrist-testing after warming or chilling. Our temperature guide has the safe ranges: fridge yes, freezer no, warm water yes, microwave never.
FAQ
Can glass break during use? Borosilicate is lab glassware. Inspect occasionally and this is a non-issue.
Is steel too heavy? Heavy is the feature, and it is also why some people prefer glass. Both are correct.
Which cleans easier? Identical. Both are the easiest materials in the drawer.
Do either work with harnesses? Only with a properly flared base. Most of these are not harness pieces.
Browse all glass and sculptural toys.
More Glass and Steel
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