What is a butt plug?
Also sold as an anal plug, a butt plug is a toy you ease into the anus and leave there, held by a flared base or another part that stays outside. Most have a tapered tip, a narrower neck your muscles close around, and the base. It gives fullness and steady pressure. Some vibrate; a few are shaped to press toward the prostate.
Why the base matters
First rule: nothing goes in your butt unless part of it stays outside your body, or it can slip all the way in. Here, that outside part is a flared or wide base on most plugs, a T-shaped base on the VeDO Twist, a handle on the Snug Plug 4 and 7, a finger ring on the Blow Pop, a suction-cup base on one inflatable, a funnel base on the hollow plug, or a tail. More flared base butt plugs.
Types of butt plugs
Beginner plugs and training sets
The b-Vibe Rookie is a finger-shaped silicone plug, 3.5 inches insertable and 1 inch wide, with a grip handle on its flared base. The Simply Sweet 3-piece set goes from 0.9 inches wide to 1.5. The Luxe Bling training kit sets a heart-shaped faux gem in each flared base. In metal, the Playboy 3 Ways and Gender X Gold Digger sets can be warmed or chilled in water, never hot or frozen. More anal training kits.
Vibrating butt plugs
The Lovense Hush 2 is sold in four sizes, from 1 inch wide to 2.25, runs from the Lovense app and is IPX7. The We-Vibe Ditto+ has a flexible base, and its app lets a partner in the same room or across the country take over. The Playboy Plug & Play runs from a remote with a 30-foot range. Inside the Thunderplugs sliding-ring plug, a ring travels the shaft as it vibrates. More vibrating butt plugs.
Weighted butt plugs
Extra heft makes the fullness easy to notice whenever you move. The B-Vibe Snug Plug 4 weighs 256 grams, with 5.2 inches insertable at a 1.7-inch diameter. The Snug Plug 7 reaches 620 grams (about 1.4 pounds) and 6.75 inches insertable. Both are designed for extended wear. The Vibrating Snug Plug 1 adds 6 vibration patterns to weighted balls. More B-Vibe.
Glass and stainless steel butt plugs
The Gender X Blow Pop is made of borosilicate glass: 3 inches insertable at a 1.29-inch diameter, with a flared base and finger ring. It's submersible and can be warmed or cooled in water, never hot or frozen; inspect it before each use. The Njoy Pure Plug 2.0 XL is 316-grade stainless steel with an oversized handle, 3.5 inches insertable and 2 across; its steel may contain some nickel. More Njoy.
Tail plugs and light-up plugs
Tail plugs suit pet play or dress-up. The Tailz Waggerz bunny tail plug swishes its faux-fur tail at two speeds as the plug vibrates, by remote (up to 32 feet). The Crystal Delights Minx puts a faux-fur tail on a glass plug; the Deluxe Pup Arsenal set has a silicone one. The Booty Sparks Laser Plug projects a red laser message that pulses with its vibration; the Oxballs Glowhole is a hollow plug lit by a tiny LED. More BDSM toys.
Inflatable and prostate plugs
An inflatable butt plug goes in small, then grows. The Colt XXXL Pumper fills from a hand bulb, holds its size once the hose is off and deflates with a release button; add air a little at a time. For the prostate, the Blue Line Pointer aims a pointed tip at it while its ridged base vibrates against the perineum; the Satisfyer Plug-ilicious 2's conical tip is designed for the P-spot, and the Hot Octopuss PleX's base bends up to 90 degrees. More P-spot toys.
How to choose a butt plug
- Base. Flared, T-shaped, a handle, a finger ring or a tail. A handle or ring is easiest to grip.
- Size. Width decides the stretch. Start small.
- Material. Silicone, glass and steel are non-porous; the hollow plug's TPR blend is porous.
- Weight. The Snug Plug 4 and 7 add a heavy fullness.
- Control. Buttons, a remote or an app.
- Shape. A tapered tip, a slim neck, or a pointed tip for the prostate.
- Lube. Water-based on silicone plugs. Shop lube.
How to use a butt plug
- Wash it; charge it if it vibrates.
- Use the bathroom; lie on your side, knees up.
- Lube the plug and yourself generously, water-based (silicone lube only on glass or steel).
- Exhale and let the tip in slowly. Never force it.
- Past the widest part, the base settles flat outside.
- Start any vibration on low. Partner on the remote or app? Agree on limits and a stop word; the wearer sets them, and play stops at once when asked.
- Relax and draw it out slowly by the base. Sharp pain means stop.
Cleaning, care and safety
- After every use, wash it with mild soap and warm water, or toy cleaner; dry fully.
- Water. The Hush 2, Plug-ilicious 2 and Blow Pop are submersible; the Thunderplugs (IPX5) is shower only. No rating on a powered plug? Keep the motor dry.
- Anus to vagina? Wash it first, or put a fresh condom on it.
- Glass. Retire a chipped plug.
- Sharp pain, bleeding or numbness? Take it out at once; if any of it lingers, talk to your doctor.
- Rings. On the plug-and-ring Snug & Tug and Extra Mile, take the ring off after about 20 to 30 minutes, or right away if you feel pain, numbness or coldness.
Butt plug FAQ
What is a butt plug for?
Pleasure, mostly: fullness during solo play or sex, easing into anal play gradually with a training set, or pet play with a tail. Some people wear one as a warm-up before anal sex, and remote plugs let a partner join in.
What does a butt plug do?
A butt plug gives steady fullness and pressure that stays put while you do other things, which is the point of one. Some vibrate too, and P-spot plugs like the Plug-ilicious 2 press toward the prostate. Wear it solo, during sex or with another toy.
How do you insert a butt plug?
Gently, with a generous coat of water-based lube on both the plug and you. Relax, exhale and push the tip in a little at a time, pausing when you need to, until the base rests outside. Never force it.
How long can I wear a butt plug?
There's no set time: start with a few minutes and build up. The Snug Plug 4 and 7, the Vibrating Snug Plug 1 and the Luxe Bling kit are made for extended wear, but remove any plug at discomfort, numbness or pain.
Can you keep a butt plug in overnight?
No: take it out before you sleep. Asleep, you can't notice discomfort, numbness or pain building, so nothing tells you to stop. Keep longer wear for waking hours, when you can pay attention to how it feels.
What size butt plug should a beginner start with?
A small butt plug: a starter plug or a set's smallest. The b-Vibe Rookie is 1 inch wide, the small Simply Sweet plug 0.9 inches, the Hush 2 X-Small 1 inch. Size up when your current plug feels easy.
What is the best material for a butt plug?
Silicone, glass or stainless steel: all three are non-porous. Silicone is softer and takes water-based lube only; glass and steel are firm and take water-based or silicone lube. A porous TPR blend needs thorough washing and a condom to share.
Do vibrating butt plugs need a remote?
No: the VeDO Twist runs from a button on the plug, the Plug & Play and the Pointer use a remote, and the Hush 2 and Ditto+ use an app. The Plug-ilicious 2 works with its app or without it.
Want our top picks?
Read our 10 best butt plugs guide, then the 8 best prostate massagers guide. Every order ships discreetly from the US, free over $75.
