My first dildo was plastic. My second dildo was plastic. Eventually, I splurged on silicone because I knew silicone had a fair few advantages. They don’t contain phthalates, are easy to wash, and are flexible. They’re tough and durable. On paper, they seem ideal. However, I don’t love the feel of silicone.
Early on in my sex toy adventures, I’d spied the glass dildos in the fancy display cases. They were gorgeous investments that seemed so fragile to me at the time. I mean, I drop everything. I’m very clumsy and I was certain I would break a glass sex toy. I could imagine them shattering inside my body and couldn’t bring myself to buy one.
That idea kept me from diving into the world of glass dildos for SO LONG!
I am happy to report that these fears were completely unfounded and I am 100% converted. Glass sex toys are made of borosilicate glass (don’t get toys that aren’t borosilicate glass) and the good ones are also annealed. Even the cheap ones are unlikely to break inside you (though there are definitely some horror stories out there about cheap products with handles snapping off, so be careful).
Glass is Gorgeous
First of all, it needs to be acknowledged how aesthetically pleasing glass toys are. Every one of them is a work of art. Hand-blown and at least a little translucent if not entirely see-through, they deserve to be displayed. Personally, I adore good art so the idea of getting fucked by a sculpture is extremely appealing.
Second, it’s always a little cool to the touch. I mean, you can certainly heat it up or cool it down and it will retain whatever temperature you want, but the default temperature is a little cool. I found this quality especially fun. It definitely is enough to give you that little gasp at the first touch without turning you off.
And last, but certainly not least, glass toys are HEAVY. This may not seem like a plus at first glance, but trust me — it is! I found the extra weight helped make it feel like someone else was touching me. If I just let the natural weight of it work its magic and simply direct movement with little fingertip taps and flicks of the wrist, I could enjoy my fantasies that little bit more.
Lube
One of the wonderful things about glass is that you can use ANY lube you want! Water-based, silicone, oil, whatever, it’s all good. Glass is non-porous and unaffected by lube quality (though your body may not be).
Because of its non-porosity, glass is the smoothest material I’ve felt on my clit next to a full flesh penis. Definitely preferable to fingers and noticeably smoother than silicone. Add a little lube, and there is nothing getting in the way of your every delicate (or not so delicate) motion. Zero resistance. This allows you to experience maximum pleasure for minimal effort.
It also means that cleaning and sterilizing it is easy.
Crystal Delights
Crystal Twist
I think this is the one that I was most curious about. I had never seen a toy with a screw shape, and though I immediately thought of the puns and double entendres, I really couldn’t imagine how it was meant to feel.
Aesthetically, it’s absolutely stunning. The twisty part is mesmerizing and the crystal on the end adds some glamorous drama. There are several colors of crystals available, so if you have multiple partners who all want that twist, you can keep them color-coded for each partner! Or, ya know, you can choose the color you like best for yourself. You choose.
Externally, the twist is just perfect for teasing your clit. Even over thin clothing, you can slide that twist up and down for some incredibly satisfying foreplay. When you’re good and ready to get screwed, I’ve found it’s best to let the twist do all the work. I was actually so surprised to learn that if you just lightly push it in with a flat hand/fingertips on the crystal, this toy will twist ALL ON ITS OWN.
I found that this toy is a dream to play with because I don’t have to grip anything or worry about directionality and can instead focus on my fantasy and sensations.
CONS: There are a lot of ridges so it takes a little extra attention when cleaning it. I also found it a bit precarious when standing it up while not in use. A pretty minor con, especially since most of these toys don’t stand up at all.
WHERE TO BUY
Enter code TABOOLESS at checkout for 15% off!
Rainbow Bubble Dildo
This may be my favorite of the bunch. First off, my gratitude to the 2SLGBTQIA community for embracing all of me before I even knew how to do that for myself makes me LOVE rainbows!
Second, because of the relative sizes of each bubble and their colors, when you stare into the largest, clear, sparkly bubble you can see a galaxy in the inky darkness of space. I don’t know about you, but to me, that’s hot.
The progressively larger bubbles with pronounced divisions make it easy to find the right size that feels amazing. If the first bubble is too small, try the next, and the next, and so on until you find the one that hits you in just the right way. For me, I find that as I get closer to climaxing, I prefer very small movements. Because of the different sizes of the bubbles, when you find the right placement, it tends to only move the amount that I want and no more.
Playing with this toy has made me really eager to play with a partner. It seems like it would be a great double-ended dildo for some excellent vulva on vulva action. There’s a larger end that serves as an anchor and a smaller end for easy penetration.
CONS: The shape doesn’t lend itself to thrusting, but that’s ok. This isn’t Home Depot — we don’t need every tool to do 10 different things.
WHERE TO BUY
Enter code TABOOLESS at checkout for 15% off!
Pipedream’s Icicles
Icicles No. 61
This toy is elegant. By far the most realistic of the selection I received, this phallus is beautiful. I would display it on a mantlepiece with other glass sculptures. It stands up on its sturdy base of large, elliptical balls. I have to say I was excited to sit on it and enjoy a hands-free experience that only a sturdy base can provide.
It wasn’t quite as strongly rooted to the ground as I had hoped, and by ground I mean mattress, but it still gave me that hands-free experience I was hoping for! I think the biggest part of enjoying this dildo was in feeling sexy as hell sliding up and down on it.
Thrusting also worked pretty well but the curve, though slight, was a bit much to go straight in and out. The ridges along the shaft look amazing and feel great on my clit, but it didn’t really translate to a better feeling for me internally. If anything, it made the experience less enjoyable. Overall, this dildo was like a lot of my relationships with penis-having dudes; visually enticing and fun but disappointing in a few key ways.
CONS: Personally, I didn’t find the head was big enough to get much effect with G-spot stimulation. With such a pronounced ridge between the head and shaft, I thought I would feel more.
And speaking of ridges; with all these ridges and grooves, this toy is near IMPOSSIBLE to clean. I will scrub, let it dry, see more uh…remnants, and then scrub some more. It really should come with a scrub brush designed to get in all those crevices. So maybe, if you want to give this one a go, make sure you have a retired toothbrush at the ready!
WHERE TO BUY
Icicles No. 8
The Sapphire Spiral Glass Dildo is a scepter. It looks like a scepter, it feels like a scepter and I’m gonna say it fucks like a scepter. Curvy but not curved, this toy is great for thrusting! It has a nice, big, round end to hold onto that can double as a bigger head to level up to as you relax, and the other end is small and narrows towards a curvy yet slim shaft.
The core running along the length is a mystical, blue spiral that looks like sexy smoke captured in glass. The whole dildo has an iridescent sheen to it like an oil spill. I don’t know how they achieved that effect, but it really is stunning.
In terms of sensations, I found this toy was a great general, all-purpose option. It certainly feels sophisticated and elegant. The curves are subtle and translate to a very gentle insertion. Because this toy is so thin, you can really play around with rocking and twisting and winding for fun sensations.
It’s easy to clean, looks great, and feels nice.
CONS: I may reach out to Pipedream for a replacement because there are some small markings at the stress point between the handle and the shaft. I didn’t notice any signs of cracking until I boiled it. Even now, I’m not sure if what I’m seeing and feeling is a crack. The iridescent finish might have something to do with it. Sometimes this effect is created with a thin coat of paint. I hope that’s not the case, but it might be.
In the past, Pipedream products have used unsafe materials and paint coatings that could chip off. Since the Icicles line is the cheapest of the glass toys before settling into the land of bargain-basement danger toys, I’d be wary of this line. I’m not sure if that’s what’s going on here, but I’m suspicious.
Their uncolored toys are just fine though. So if you’re looking for a safe bargain, just stay away from their tinted toys.
WHERE TO BUY
Gläs
Curved Beaded Dildo
Ok, this one was ADORABLE! It was by far the smallest of the bunch and for that reason, I would say it’s the best candidate for anal play if you’re just getting into that, or if you’re on the tighter end of the spectrum. But be careful! There’s no stopper on this toy so try to leave at least 2 beads outside your body just so it doesn’t get sucked in. Butts like to do that for some reason!
I like to start out with this one. It’s sort of a “Hello, nice to meet you” kind of vibe. Friendly and not at all intimidating. I have been able to enjoy riding this guy all the way to orgasm, but I do prefer to move on to a larger toy at some point.
This does have a larger anchor bead so I think it could be used for partner play. It’s not very long, but if the main event is mashing bits, this should do the trick just fine.
CON: It’s quite small, which is often a plus, but sometimes you just need to feel that fullness and you probably won’t with this one.
WHERE TO BUY
Mr. Swirly
This one was the least appealing to me aesthetically, but it definitely surprised me. The head is a bit bigger than I’d want ideally, but it’s pretty close and the tapered tip makes it easier to glide in.
Maybe it’s the red accents or the flame-shaped tip, but something about this toy says ‘adolescence’ to me. It’s almost cartoonish in appearance and much longer than any of the other toys. However, it’s pretty solid.
The ratio between the head and the shaft is a bit exaggerated but satisfying, and the curve and length make it pretty easy to work with. Plus, it stands up on a base like the Icicles G-Spot Dildo so you can have fun sliding up and down hands-free. However, if you’re trying this out, you’ll probably also be in for a butt and thigh workout since it’s too long to comfortably sit all the way down. You’ll need to master the hover.
CONS : The biggest con for me is its appearance. The length also is a bit extra so, for myself, I didn’t get to get it in all the way. I’m not sure why, but it’s really satisfying to take something into the fullest extent possible. So for me, the length was a con but I’m sure there are plenty of folks out there who would be salivating over that length!
WHERE TO BUY
NS Novelties’ Firefly
G-spot Glow Wand
I LOVE the glow-in-the-dark aspect of this toy! It’s worth the price just for that. If you’re light-sensitive and enjoy the darkness but still need to see something, this toy is for you. If you want to feel like you’re being penetrated by some magical force, this toy is for you. If you want to feel like you have a radioactive, superhero dick, this toy is for you.
The swirly glowing particles are gorgeous in the light of day and entrancing in the dark.
The round head is perfectly sized and shaped for instant clit magic and there’s enough difference between the head and the shaft that it has a satisfying ‘pop’ sensation.
It’s smooth and round all over and both ends are fun to play with so I imagine it could be fun to try with partner play. *sigh* stares wistfully out the window imagining all the people I’d be sleeping with if there wasn’t a pandemic
Cleanup is quick and easy, with no ridges or grooves for dried sex juices to hide in.
CONS: The complete lack of ridges anywhere made it a little less exciting and just a good way of feeling that fullness while going for a clitoral orgasm.
WHERE TO BUY
Things to Consider
If you’ve only ever used silicone dildos, brace yourself. Moving from one position to another with one of these inside you can hurt, so be careful. If you’re using glass toys with a partner, you have to be extra cautious and observe their reactions. Don’t just ram any of these in there right off the bat. Work up to it. Be gentle, because these glass dicks are hard. Rock hard.
Not only are they hard, but as I mentioned earlier, they’re HEAVY. You don’t want to accidentally drop one on your toe, or hit yourself or your partner anywhere unintentionally. These could legit be a weapon.
No, none of these were in danger of breaking inside me. Still, try to avoid dropping them, especially on hard surfaces like tile. If you do drop them, make sure you inspect them! I know they look like they’re made of magic, but they aren’t.
The Top Glass Makers Ranked
#1: Crystal Delights
All of these toys are great to play with, but if you try one of the cheaper products and enjoy the overall glass experience, I would encourage you to invest in one of Crystal Delights’ toys. They were the clear winners of this bunch and they also make dilators. I don’t require the use of a dilator, but I’m happy to support a company that supports the trans community & women’s health.
#2: Firefly & Gläs
After the Crystal Delights toys, I would place the Glow In The Dark dildo next. It’s a great value, does the trick, and is super fun! The Gläs toys follow close behind as solidly good budget options. NS novelties other non-firefly glass toys also fall into this category.
#3: Icicles
The Icicles products were beautiful works of art but were less up to the task of actually being used. Having said that though, I did genuinely enjoy the magic scepter and wish it wasn’t of dubious quality. Again, if you need to keep it cheap, to stay safe, just stay away from their tinted toys!
Don’t forget: the Rainbow Bubble, Gläs Beaded, Firefly Glow and Icicles Sapphire/No. 8 are all double-ended, so their sensation potential is doubled! This is great for extended play sessions where you might want to move from one style of play to another.
Crystal Clear Quality
Overall, glass toys are far superior to any other dildos I’ve tried. Not only do you feel sexy using them, but the sensation of cool glass is incomparable.
I had never enjoyed running silicone dildos over the rest of my body, but glass is a totally different thing. I enjoy the feeling of cool glass rolling up my thighs, my arms, and really all over my body.
I have to say that not only do the Crystal Delights dildos feel amazing and look gorgeous, they also do a great job with annealing their glass. This means that their glass is going to last longer and have a much lower chance of breaking over time. To learn more about this, check out this fantastic beast of an article by the legendary Dangerous Lilly.
With this review, I also tried my hand at making an unboxing video at home. If you want to see my reactions to unboxing these beauties for the first time, check out the video below!
We would like to thank Shevibe for providing us some of the best sellers from NS Novelties, Pipedream’s Icicles, & Gläs. And a million thanks to Crystal Delights as well for sending us some of their flagship toys!
This roundup wouldn’t’ve been possible without their help!
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