Stainless steel sex toys: why men switch to steel

The weight is the whole point

Pick up a steel plug and you understand it at once. The Steel Prostate Plug is 10.3 cm long and only 2.4 cm wide, yet it weighs 135 g, so it settles against the prostate and stays there instead of drifting. The Steel Jewelled Butt Plug Large goes much further at 496 g: made to be worn for longer, with a heavy, full feeling that tells you it is there with every step.

The same goes for rings. Weight pulls gently downwards, which many men enjoy as a constant reminder under their jeans. It is also why steel is not the right first ring for everyone: a heavy ring on a loose fit tugs and slides, so size matters more than with any soft material.

Steel is the only material you feel every second you wear it.

Temperature play without extra gear

Stainless steel takes on the temperature around it and holds it. Leave a toy in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and it becomes a warm, slick tool for a slow session. Put it in the fridge for a while and the first touch is a sharp, cold shock that wakes up every nerve.

Keep it simple and safe:

• warm it in water from the tap, never in a microwave or on a heater
• cool it in the fridge, not the freezer, so it cannot stick to skin
• test it on your inner wrist before it goes anywhere sensitive
• dry the toy before use so your grip stays firm

The Steel Ribbed P-Spot Stimulator is a favourite for this. Its rigid, ribbed head keeps pressure exactly where you place it, and a cool head against the prostate feels completely different from a warm one.

Tip: Alternate between a warm and a cool toy in the same session. The contrast does more than either temperature on its own.

Hygiene: the cleanest material you can buy

Steel is non-porous. There is nothing for bacteria or lube to soak into, so a wash with warm water and soap or a spray of Touché Toy Cleaner gets it truly clean. Solid steel toys without stones or glued parts can also be boiled for a few minutes once they are off the body. That makes steel the obvious choice if you share toys with a partner or wear something for hours.

A polished surface also shows when something is wrong. Scratches, rough spots or a dull patch are easy to see, and a good steel toy rarely gets any of them.

Cock rings and glans rings in steel

A steel cock ring is solid, so it cannot stretch. That gives a firm, even hold that soft rings cannot match, but it means you must know your size. The Steel Donut C-Ring 45 mm is the sensible middle of its range, with a bevelled edge that sits comfortably against the skin. For more texture, the Steel Cool and Knurl C-Ring has a knurled outer surface and eleven vent holes, and weighs 119 g.

Unsure about a closed ring? The XR Brands Mega Magnetize closes with a magnet, so it goes on and comes off in seconds. It is nickel-free, with an inner diameter of 4.4 cm.

Glans rings work the same way but sit just behind the head of the cock instead of at the base. They are small, intense and best saved for when you already know how steel feels on you. Browse all steel cock rings, and read our cock ring guide to measure your size before you order.

A steel ring cannot stretch, so the right size is everything.

Plugs and anal toys

A steel butt plug can be slimmer than the silicone plug you are used to, because the weight does part of the work that width does in a soft toy. Start with a slim, heavy plug before you go wider. Experienced players move on to expanding and lockable steel plugs that open up once they are in place.

For long, smooth strokes, the Steel Eleven Elegant Dildo is 27 cm in total, double-ended, with grooves along one side and a smoother shaft on the other. All of these and more are in our steel butt plugs section.

Chastity and ball stretching in steel

Steel is the material men graduate to in chastity. It is hygienic for long wear, hard to tamper with and quiet under clothes once fitted. The XR Brands Forged Captor is nickel-free, comes with rings of 40, 45 and 55 mm, has an open tip with drainage holes and locks with a padlock and three keys. The XR Brands Rikers 24-7 hides its lock inside the hinge, so nothing hangs at the front. See every model under steel chastity cages, and read our chastity cage guide before your first lock-up.

For the balls, the Steel Ball Stretcher 3.0 cm is mirror-polished and the larger of its two sizes, for men who already enjoy some stretch. More options are under ball stretchers and weights, and our guide to humblers, ball crushers and ball weights covers the heavier side.

In chastity, steel is where most men end up.

Which lube works with steel

Every type. Water-based, silicone, hybrid and oil-based lubes are all safe on stainless steel, because there is no surface for them to damage. For plugs and long sessions, a silicone lube such as Pjur Basic Silicone stays slick for longest and works well with warm toys. Water-based lube rinses off fastest and is the safer pick if you also use the steel toy together with silicone toys. Use oil only without latex condoms.

Tip: Put lube on the steel and on your skin. Steel does not warm a lube the way skin does, so a thin layer on both makes the first contact smoother.

Care and safety

Dry steel toys fully after washing and store them separately so they do not scratch each other or softer toys. Check rings and cages for sharp edges before each use.

Put rings and cages on while soft, with lube, and start with short sessions. Take any ring off at once if you feel numbness, tingling, cold or pain, or see the skin turn dark. A steel ring cannot be cut off at home, so if one ever gets stuck, get medical help straight away rather than forcing it. Find the full range in our steel toys department.