Silicone Dildos

Silicone is the material most toys should be made of, and a silicone dildo is the safest, longest lasting and easiest to clean toy you can buy. Within that, there is still a lot to choose: firmness, density, shape, base and finish. This guide explains what the label means and how to tell good silicone from the rest.

Why silicone

Platinum cured silicone is non porous, so nothing lives in the surface and it can be sterilised by boiling. It has no smell, no taste, does not sweat oil, and does not break down over the years the way softer blends do. It warms to body temperature in a minute and holds that warmth. It is also the only common material that comes in a real range of firmness, from very soft to nearly rigid.

Reading the firmness

Makers describe silicone on the Shore scale. Shore 00 covers soft toys: 00-20 to 00-30 is squishy and forgiving, 00-40 to 00-50 is the everyday middle, 00-60 and above holds a curve and pushes back. Shore A numbers are firmer still and are used for slim toys and for cores. If a page says soft, medium or firm without a number, treat medium as 00-50.

Dual density toys combine a firm core with a soft outer layer, which is what a realistic toy needs to feel right. Single density toys are the same all the way through and are cheaper, lighter and easier to make in bold shapes.

Telling good silicone from bad

Real silicone has no chemical smell, does not feel greasy, and does not go tacky. A flame test on the base, if you are the type, leaves white ash and no melting; do not try it on a toy you want to keep. Prices give a clue too: a large dual density toy for the price of a coffee is not platinum silicone, whatever the listing says. Buying from a shop that names its materials, as this one does, is the simpler answer.

Shape and size

Read insertable length and girth as with any dildo, and buy smaller than you think for a first one. A gentle curve suits G spot and prostate use; a straight shaft suits harness use; a bulbous head adds pressure at the entrance. Silicone lets makers cast fine detail, and detail that looks good in a photo can feel scratchy in use, so choose smoother finishes if you are sensitive.

The base

A flared base is essential for anal use and useful for everything else: it stands the toy up, fits a harness and gives the hand something to hold. Suction cups cast into silicone are strong on smooth surfaces. A base with a Vac-U-Lock hole fits that harness system; a flat wide base fits any O ring harness.

Lubricant and care

Water based lubricant only. Silicone lubricant slowly degrades a silicone surface and leaves it sticky. Wash with warm water and unscented soap; boil for three minutes or run through a dishwasher without detergent to sterilise. Dry fully and store toys apart, in a bag; silicone touching silicone in a drawer can react and turn tacky. Silicone can be kept for a decade or more with no more care than that.

Frequently asked questions