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Nov 08, 2023

11 best butt plugs of 2023: Sex toys to unlock the backdoor

By Kate Sloan When you realise you’re into anal play—or at least that you’re curious about it—you really should own some butt plugs. These versatile sex toys can be used on their own or combined with

By Kate Sloan

When you realise you’re into anal play—or at least that you’re curious about it—you really should own some butt plugs. These versatile sex toys can be used on their own or combined with masturbation, oral sex, or other toys. They can serve as foreplay for anal sex, but using them can be a deeply pleasurable experience even without that goal in mind.

There are a few key qualities to look for in a butt plug. It should have a flared base (i.e. a base that is wider than the widest part of the plug) so that it doesn’t get stuck inside you—because no one wants to explain that at the emergency room. Plugs should also have a tapered tip, to make the insertion process as comfortable and easy as possible. You should also think about the material—silicone is often best for beginners because it’s soft and squishy, but many people like the firmer pressure provided by plugs made of glass or metal.

And of course, don’t forget the lube! Some kind of lubrication is non-negotiable for anal play, both for safety reasons and comfort reasons. Silicone-based lubes last the longest, but can stain your sheets and shouldn’t be used with silicone toys; water-based lubes, on the other hand, may need to be reapplied more often but can be used with any toy material.

Ready to try your first butt plug (or fifth, or fifteenth)? Here are some of our faves to incorporate into your sex life. Then, you can give anal beads a try.

Materials: Silicone

This silicone toy has pretty much every quality feature a beginner-friendly plug should have: it’s slim (about as wide as a finger), has a tapered tip for easier insertion, and has a comfortable base that won’t dig into your cheeks. It’s affordable, too, so if you discover you’re not that into anal play, you won’t have wasted a ton of cash.

Pros: Good size and shape for beginners; comfortably curved base; easy to clean; affordableCons: Can’t be used with silicone-based lubes; not particularly curved to hit the prostate

Materials: Silicone

This simple anal plug has broad appeal because of its easy insertion: It’s tapered and slim enough to work for many beginners (provided you go slow and maybe warm up with a finger or two beforehand), but still big enough to satisfy more experienced users. The curved base is comfy as hell, and so is the super-smooth silicone surface of the plug itself. If you’re not sure what plug to get, this is an excellent pick for just about anyone.

Pros: Tapered tip for easier insertion; comfortably curved base; easy to clean; affordableCons: Can’t be used with silicone-based lubes; may be too large for some users; not particularly curved to hit the prostate

Materials: SiliconeBattery Life: About 1 hour

Butt plug makers B-Vibe have put together an impressively well-rounded butt plug kit for anal newbies, containing three differently sized silicone butt plugs (one of which vibrates), to get your backdoor ready for various girths. Plus, this set includes a lube applicator, an enema bulb for cleaning yourself out beforehand, a guide to anal play 101, and a travel bag to stash it all in. You couldn’t ask for a better introduction to the world of butt stuff for the first time.

Pros: Comes with three different-sized butt plugs ranging from 1 inch to 1.6 inches in diameter; different sensation options: vibrating, weighted, and regular; includes enema, lube applicator, storage bag, and instructional book on anal play; comfortable, flexible basesCons: Can’t be used with silicone-based lubes; doesn’t come with its own lube; not particularly curved to hit the prostate

Materials: SiliconeBattery Life: Up to 2 hours

With its simple shape and modest size, this would be a great beginner-to-intermediate plug even if it didn’t vibrate … but it does. You can cycle through its deep, rumbly vibration modes with the Lovense app, create your own patterns, and even synch them to music. This rechargeable silicone plug also comes in a few other sizes, so if you enjoy the motor, shape, and app functionality but want to size up at some point, you can do that.

Pros: Powerful, rumbly vibrations; multiple size options available; can be controlled via app, long-distance or close-range; comfortable shape and size for beginners; waterproof; quietCons: Can’t be used with silicone-based lubes; not particularly curved to hit the prostate

Materials: Stainless steel

It’s unusual to find a butt plug that could be described as gorgeous and classy, but this one undeniably is. Being made of gleaming stainless steel, it has an exciting weightiness to it in use, and naturally heats up to your body temperature as you use it. The high-quality metal butt plug comes in three different sizes, but the middle one is, as a grown-up Goldilocks might say, just right.

Pros: Curved to hit the prostate (or the G-spot, indirectly, through the vaginal wall); can be used with any kind of lube; flat looped base is comfortable and makes removal easier; comes in three sizes; great for temperature playCons: May be too firm for some users; naturally cold to the touch unless you pre-warm it

Materials: Silicone

Many people enjoy the feeling of fullness that a butt plug can provide, and that sensation is even more pronounced when there are little weights inside the plug like this one has. The weights not only make the plug feel heftier and more filling but also shift around slightly whenever you move.

Pros: Weighted for a feeling of pressure and fullness; comfortable size for beginners; multiple size options available; flexible neck for comfortCons: Tip may be too blunt for beginners to easily insert; can’t be used with silicone-based lubes; no curve for prostate stimulation

Materials: SiliconeBattery Life: Up to 1 hour

By Lucy Ford

By Zak Maoui

By Lucy Ford

Know how you naturally feel more relaxed in a hot bath than in a cold one? The same principle applies to your butt, which is why this self-heating butt plug is genius for temperature play. It warms to 104 degrees Fahrenheit making insertion easier and boosting overall pleasure and comfort, whether you want stimulation to the clitoris or perineum. Its two anatomically targeted motors are wonderful, too.

Pros: Warming function; good curve for prostate stimulation; two independently controlled motors, to stimulate both internally and externally; waterproofCons: May be too large for some users; can’t be used with silicone-based lubes

Materials: SiliconeBattery Life: Up to 2 hours

If you’re in a long-distance relationship, or you like having phone sex when you or your partner are travelling, this plug is a must-have. It connects to the Lovense app so anyone with internet access can control it from anywhere in the world. With its two motors and adjustable curve, it’s also one of the most prostate-focused toys on this list. Users can customize the vibrations, which ultimately leads to over 100,000 unique vibration patterns that are like a special gift to the wearer.

Pros: Great curve for prostate stimulation, which can be adjusted to suit users’ preferences and anatomy; two motors, to stimulate both internally and externally; controllable remotely (close-range or long-distance) via app; waterproof; quietCons: Can’t be used with silicone-based lubes

Materials: SiliconeBattery Life: Up to 90 minutes

Analingus (or, you know, eating ass) is a popular activity these days, and for good reason: the anal opening is extremely sensitive, regardless of gender or anatomy. This toy attempts to replicate that feeling, with little beads that rotate around the neck of the plug while the tip vibrates inside you. It’s overwhelming, to say the least, but in the best way possible.

Pros: Unique rotating sensation is similar to getting rimmed; 7 rotation settings and six vibration patterns; comes with a remote control that can change the toy’s settings from up to 30 feet awayCons: May be too large for some users; can’t be used with silicone-based lubes; no curve for prostate stimulation

Materials: ABS plastic

This innovative plug is designed to stroke against your prostate each time you squeeze your butt muscles around it, so it provides a surprising amount of hands-free pleasure whether you're using it solo or with a partner. Its base stimulates a pressure point on your perineum, too, for a full-bodied sensation sure to intensify any orgasm.

Pros: Unique design allows for hands-free prostate stimulation; base stimulates perineum; can be used with any kind of lube; good size for beginnersCons: Head may be too blunt for some beginners to insert easily

Materials: SiliconeBattery Life: About 1 hour

Half-butt plug and half-cock ring, this toy stimulates a lot of different areas at once, and can even help you maintain a stronger boner for longer. It's got 10 vibration functions, too, making it a mind-blowing multitasker.

Pros: 6 vibration patterns and four intensity levels; attached cock ring promotes stronger erections; plug is weighted to create a sensation of pressure and fullnessCons: Ring and plug can’t easily be used separately; no curve for prostate stimulation; can’t be used with silicone-based lube; can be difficult to put on and take off; plug tip may be too blunt for some users to insert comfortably