Materials Information
TPE - Thermoplastic Elastomer
What is TPE? Why is it used? Is it safe? These are all great questions, that will be answered here!
This material has a few unique properties, that affect how you maintain and store your toys. TPE is a rubber like material (elastomer), that melts when heated, and hardens when cooled. So it is processed like a plastic under heat (thermoplastic). Combined with other oils and chemicals, the end result is a product that has great elasticity, retains it's overall shape, jiggles, and has a huge range of firmness options.
The main advantage to using TPE over silicone, is price. TPE is cheaper to manufacture, and this cost saving process is passed onto the customer. TPE toys will almost always be less expensive than silicone.
You can also DIY repair TPE! There are a number of kits and glue you can buy online, that allow you to fix tears on your toy, which greatly extends the life of your items!
So what are the downsides?
TPE toys are non-toxic, but they are porous. Which means they can harbor mould or bacteria when not properly taken care of. This is important to remember, because TPE toys should never be shared, as they cannot be sterilized. It is a safe precaution to assume that whatever gets ON TPE, eventually gets IN TPE.
It is also recommended to avoid TPE toys for internal use, as the porous nature of TPE
presents a potential health risk that just isn't needed to be taken.
TPE is vulnerable to heat, and shearing as well. So you must take extra care when washing and drying TPE toys, as the added friction from rubbing/drying can flake bits of TPE off, or create micro tears that are especially difficult to keep clean.
Conclusions
Pros
- cheap
- jiggly
- non-toxic (unless toxic chemicals are added to the mixture, in order to further reduce the price of manufacturing)
- variety of firmness options
- repairable
- retains it's shape fairly well
- stretchy
Cons
- vulnerable to heat
- vulnerable to shearing
- porous
- leak oils
- smelly (though higher quality TPE toys reduce this greatly)
- less detailed designs
Overall Rating
Price: 3/5
Safety: 4/5
Longevity: 3/5
Detail: 3/5
Realism: 4/5
Silicone
There are a lot of benefits to using silicone as a sex toy. It is a tried and tested material, non-toxic and body safe, extremely durable, can be sanitized, can be molded with highly detailed designs with a huge amount of colours. For those concerned about internal use safety, silicone is the best choice there is for malleable materials that include the maximum amount of design and colour options.
Silicone is fundamentally manufactured differently than TPE. TPE is formed into pellets or balls, which is then melted and molded into the desired shape. This means that TPE melts under heat. Silicone however, does not. Silicone comes as a liquid, is poured into a mold, then set to rest where it will harden into it's final shape.
You may see the term "Platinum Cured Silicone" on some toys. This means the silicone has gone through a process (before being molded), that increases the lifespan of the rubber. Platinum's also exhibit much lower shrinkage and deformation compared to other materials. This type of silicone is generally more suitable for food grade items, and medical use.
With all of these great features, what's the down side?
Price. Silicone is not just a more expensive raw material, but it's more labor intensive to work with. As a result, you end up with a higher quality product overall which the price reflects.
Silicone is not porous. This means that silicone toys can be completely sterilized, as they are also extremely heat resistant!
Conclusions
Pros
- extremely durable
- non porous
- non-toxic
- variety of firmness options
- can be sterilized
- retains it's shape
- highly detailed designs and molds
- many different colour and pattern options
- odorless or neutral scent
Cons
- expensive
- cannot be repaired
- allergic reactions in some people
Overall Rating
Price: 2/5
Safety: 5/5
Longevity: 5/5
Detail: 5/5
Realism: 4/5
Closing Statements on TPE vs Silicone
It is extremely important to remember that one is not necessarily better that the other. There are manufacturers that use low grade TPE and fillers, to make a cheap and unsafe product. There are also cheaper forms of silicone that are not necessarily body safe either. The sex toy market is unregulated! So it is up to you to acquire a bit of knowledge, to make an informed purchase.
Which one feels better though?
This is a subjective answer. Some people prefer how soft TPE can be, and others prefer a more firm silicone. There are toys made from TPE that are quite firm on the inside, and also silicone toys that very soft. This all depends on the designers of the toys, and what effect they are trying to achieve. Your best bet, is to try different options!
Metals
Minimalist in it's designs, smooth and effective, metal sex toys score high points on safety, and they have a few unique features that you can't get with other toys!
You will find that most metal adult toys are made from a small selection of materials. Stainless steel, aluminum, and titanium. All of which are very well tolerated by the body! All three however, open up the possibility of temperature play. Something which any other material cannot provide.
Metals heat up and cool down very well when handled, which makes them perfect for this kind of activity. Some toys that have titanium in them, change colour based on temperature!
While their overall designs are more simplistic, the smoothness of metal toys are unmatched. The way they glide in and out, often times is preferred over something with texture. The smoothness makes them easy to lube, and easy to use.
They are also very easy to clean!
Pros
- extremely durable
- non porous
- non-toxic
- temperature play
- very smooth
Cons
- very expensive
- cannot be repaired
- limited design options
Overall Rating
Price: 1/5
Safety: 5/5
Longevity: 5/5
Detail: 3/5
Realism: 2/5