Are Glass Dildos Safe? A Need-to-Know Guide

By Rachel Worthington / July 27, 2022

Have you had your eye on one of those shiny, sparkling sex toys, but aren’t sure if glass dildos are safe?

Glass sex toys can look so unique and inviting, but so many people are afraid to try them for fear of them breaking. That’s why we’re here today to dispel some myths!

We’ll go over what’s real and what’s fake in the world of glass dildo lore, as well as why you should totally give them a chance! Plus, we’ll give you some expert advice on how to buy and take care of your glass dildo, so it lasts you many years to come (pun intended).

Why Glass Dildos Feel So Good

You might have seen all kinds of sex toy folks raving about glass dildos (and other glass sex toys)! But why exactly are they so popular in the first place?

Glass dildos, and, by proxy, any dildo made from a hard material, provide super firm stimulation. There’s no give or squish with glass, so you can really apply some pressure when you use it.

Why is that important? Well, both the vagina and the inner part of the anal canal respond really well to pressure, but not touch. Think about if you have a finger (yours or someone else’s) up there — you can’t feel the touch itself, but you do notice when you press harder or apply more pressure to an area.

Firm massage with a glass dildo is a fantastic way to get some incredible g-spot stimulation, as well as a-spot and prostate stimulation. In fact, if you’ve tried a g-spot vibrator or anal vibrator and found that it didn’t really do it for you, then you may well prefer a glass dildo. Something about the firm manual massage of glass just can’t be beaten!

As an extra bonus, glass dildos can also be warmed or cooled to vary the sensations they bring. Plus, they’re compatible with all kinds of lube! While silicone dildos have to be used with water-based lube to avoid damaging the material, glass dildos can be used with whichever lube you like.

Here are some of our favorite glass dildos…

Are Glass Dildos Safe to Use?

The biggest hurdle for people when it comes to glass dildos is their safety — and that’s understandable!

We spend a lot of time here at Bedbible warning people not to use unsafe things as sex toys, including food and sharp household objects. So, why are we totally okay with putting a big piece of glass up there? The truth is that, when made correctly, glass dildos are 100% safe to use.

Types of Glass

Most glass dildos are made from borosilicate glass. You may know it as the kind of glass that Pyrex used to be made from. It’s very sturdy, scratch-proof and resistant to extreme temperatures. It can actually withstand temperatures of around 300ºF before it starts to fracture!

You might have also heard of some glass dildos made from soda lime glass. This is another very common type of glass, used in windows, glass containers and more. It’s very strong too, though not quite as much as borosilicate glass, and is not quite as resistant to temperature shock. However, it can still really take a beating, and is perfectly safe to use in sex toys.

When glass dildos are made, they also go through a process called annealing (or cooling). This relieves stress in the glass and makes it more resistant to breaking. Almost all glass sex toys go through this process, so the likelihood of them breaking inside of you is infinitesimally small.

Glass Dildo Hygiene

Glass is one of the best materials to make sex toys out of when it comes to hygiene. It’s non-porous, which means that it doesn’t have any holes or pores on its surface that can trap germs and dirt (which is the issue with porous materials like jelly, PVC and TPE). This means glass dildos are 100% body-safe dildos, and you don’t have to worry about infections or pH imbalances when you use them.

Cleaning glass dildos is easy. All you need is some warm water and a mild, unscented soap. Lather it up, getting into all the crevices and textures, and then rinse it off and let it dry. That’s all you need to make sure it’s ready and clean for the next time you use it!

If you want to go a step further and sterilize it, which can be a good idea if you’re sharing it or if you use it anally, then you can boil it in a pot of water for 1-3 minutes. Place a cloth in the pot first, or place your sex toy in a mesh laundry bag to avoid damaging either the toy or the pot as it bounces around.

If your glass dildo does get scratched or cracked, however, then it’s no longer safe to use. Those scratches and cracks can harbor bacteria and other nasty stuff that shouldn’t go anywhere near your genitals. Plus, they weaken the glass and make it much more likely to break further.

To prevent damaging your glass sex toys while you’re not using them, store them in a pouch or box. Some glass dildos come with storage pouches, but otherwise they can be cheaply found on stores like Lovehoney.

How Do You Know if Your Glass Dildo is Legit?

Not all glass dildos are created equally. We’ve gone over above how glass dildos are safe to use, but it’s important to note that not all of them meet the same standards.

The easiest way to make sure that your glass sex toys are made from the legit stuff is to buy from a reputable and trustworthy sex toy store. We’ve made a list of our favorite online sex toy stores, but there are plenty of brick-and-mortar ones, too.

The store should be clear about the brand of the dildo you’re looking at. That way, you can check for yourself if the brand seems legit and is made from the right stuff. Some of the glass sex toy brands we recommend are Icicles, Gläs, Crystal Delights, Crystalino, and Lovehoney’s own Sensual Glass toys. Whichever brand you go for, remember that you also get what you pay for, and a cheap glass dildo is never going to meet the same standards as a more expensive one.

Whatever you do, avoid shopping for sex toys at stores like Amazon, Wish and Aliexpress. They source their stock from anywhere and everywhere, and you have no way of knowing where or how that dildo was made. That also means you can’t trust any claims made about it.

Whenever you buy a glass dildo, you should check if its safe to use by looking for scratches or cracks before you use it. If you’re really worried, it is also possible to examine the glass for invisible weaknesses. Read all about how it’s done in this post by Dangerous Lilly.

Glass Dildo Alternatives

If, after all this, you’re still not sold on glass sex toys, then don’t despair. While glass is can provide amazingly firm stimulation, it’s not the only body-safe hard material out there! Here are some alternatives you’re sure to enjoy…

Steel

Stainless steel dildos have all the same great benefits as glass dildos — they’re super firm, sturdy, scratch-resistant and temperature-responsive. While there are many out there, you can’t get better than the steel toy masters njoy. Their Pure Wand has been called ‘the squirting wand’ by many who are amazed by its g-spot massage prowess!

Our Pick: njoy Pure Wand

Porcelain/Ceramic

This is not your grandma’s china! Porcelain might seem like an odd choice for a dildo, but it’s actually a perfect fit. It’s non-porous, super strong and temperature-responsive, and is hard whilst retaining a soft feel on the surface. Plus, it’s naturally at room temperature, so you won’t get the same cold shock as with glass or steel. This luxurious porcelain dildo from Désirables is handmade (!) and looks absolutely gorgeous.

Our Pick: Désirables Dalia

Wood

Okay, so not all wood is safe to stick up there. But, when made correctly, wood can be a totally safe and sensual dildo material! Wood dildos need to be carefully sanded and finished with a body-safe sealant to ensure a non-porous, splinter-free and waterproof surface. We love Doo Dee Doo’s hand-finished wood dildos, which are less dildos and more beautiful pleasure sculptures!

Our Pick: Dee Lee Doo Habu