Stainless steel is naturally heavier than other body-safe sex toy materials like glass, silicone, and ABS plastic, says Lisa Finn, a sex educator with sex-toy emporium Babeland. This heft allows stainless steel sex toys to provide more pressure with less work, compared to lighter toys and other body parts. “The weight of the toy is also going to contribute to a greater feeling of fullness when used internally than toys and body parts of a similar length and girth of a lighter material,” she adds. Thank you, physics!
"The heft of stainless steel sex toys allows them to provide more pressure with less work, compared to lighter toys and other body parts." —Lisa Finn, sex educator
Furthermore, since stainless steel conducts both heat and cold well, it's an ideal material for temperature and sensation play. Whether you run the toy under cold water or hot water, the contrast of the toy against your room-temperature erogenous zones can ignite your nerve endings. And if you go the heated route, you stand to enjoy the added benefit of relieving menstrual cramps, relaxing your pelvic floor muscles, and even increasing arousal because heat increases blood flow. (Just be sure to test the toy's temperature on the inside of your forearm before bringing it to erogenous zones so there are no sensation surprises.)
Another perk of stainless steel sex toys is that they can be used with all types lubricant, says Finn, making them an especially great option for people who prefer silicone-based lube, which is incompatible with silicone sex toys. And, last but certainly not least, stainless steel sex toys make for an easy-cleanup: “Just wipe the toy down with a soap washcloth or very diluted alcohol solution,” she adds.
Intrigued? Keep reading for 6 stainless steel sex toys to buy and consenually try.
Yep, this gynecological tool can stunt-double as a pleasure product. “It’s for people who are interested in diving into the world of medical play, as well as those interested in anal or vaginal spreading,” says Finn. Spreading, also known as gaping, is basically just the act of opening a hole, and keeping it open for an extended period of time. The point? Pleasure. Some find the visual of a spread hole aesthetically arousing, and others use it to reinforce existing power dynamics. “If you use it deep inside the vaginal hole, not just at the entrance, the legs can apply feel-good pressure to your G-zone and A-spot,” she adds. As a reminder, consent is mandatory, and can be revoked at any time during sex play—and a safe word is also helpful for keeping dynamics safe, comfortable, and pleasurable.
Officially known as a Wartenberg wheel, this prickly device was originally used by neurologists to test nerve reactivity and reflexes. Doctors would roll the device’s spikes over the skin and look for a specific reaction, says Finn. “But then, of course, someone kinky looked at it and thought, ‘that looks fun’ and they were right.”
The sensation can skew intense, but Finn says that unless you are actively trying to puncture skin, it’s unlikely that the pen-sized toy will do that.
Half-stainless steel, half-silicone, the Le Wand Point is a palm-shaped best-of-both-worlds vibrator. It combines the heft and temperature-play capabilities of stainless steel with the vibrator-transmitting glory of silicone. No bigger than a computer mouse, this toy fits well between bodies, in a strap-on harness, or between your body and mattress during a solo sesh. It also crucially offers a whopping 15 different vibration intensities, starting at the subtle end of the spectrum and growing all the way to super-intense.
Made firmer than silicone, stainless steel is the best material for first-time anal. “The Pure Plug is perfect for people who know they enjoy a sensation of fullness in their anal canal,” says Finn. The Pure Plug also features an easy-to-grab handle—which is what makes the toy anal safe BTW, because it stops the toy from getting sucked in fully—that you and your partner can use to rock the plug for additional stimulation.
Le Wand is known luxurifying sex-toy classics. (Le Wand is the company that zhuzhed up the Magic Wand, $140 with the release of the Le Wand, $180 back in 2015). Well, in its stainless steel collection, Le Wand took what folks love about the stainless steel nJoy products—essentially, the fact that they’re made of stainless steel—and added accoutrements that are *chefs kiss.*
Featuring bulbous balls at each end of its curved eight-inch figure, the Le Wand Bow is slightly shorter than the 8-inch nJoy Pure Wand, but similar. However, with a snaking twist of detailing the wand’s shaft, the Bow has the added benefit of providing texture to your internal walls, stimulating additional nerve endings with every thrust.
“Hands down, this is one of the most iconic sex toys on the market,” says Finn. “The weight and curve of the toy make it perfect for stimulating the G-zone and prostate,” she says. Simply slide it into your or your partner’s body with a squirt of lube then rock it back against the internal hot-spot and let the moans come.
Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cult-fave wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.
Loading More Posts...
