ABS plastic: what it is and how to care for it

ABS plastic is a rigid, non-porous thermoplastic used in some anal toys — particularly plugs and prostate massagers where you want firmness without the weight of metal or glass. It holds its shape, cleans easily with soap and water, and costs less than silicone while still being body-safe. You will find it in budget-friendly ranges and in toys where a hard surface is part of the design.

Non-porous materials matter in anal play because they can be cleaned properly between uses. ABS sits in that category — wash it with warm soapy water and it is genuinely clean, no guesswork required. It will not harbour bacteria the way porous materials do, and it will not degrade or become sticky over time.

The rigidity is the other reason it appears in anal toys. Where a plug needs to hold a specific shape — a tapered tip, a defined neck, a flared base — ABS delivers that without flexing. It is not as forgiving as silicone, so sizing matters more, but for users who want something firm and precise, that lack of give is the point.

It is also compatible with any lubricant, which silicone is not. Use water-based, silicone-based or hybrid — ABS does not react to any of them.

Silicone is the other non-porous material you will see often in anal toys, softer and more forgiving than ABS but typically more expensive. Glass and stainless steel are also non-porous and rigid, heavier than plastic and often chosen for temperature play. TPE and TPR are porous and cannot be sterilised — if a product lists either, plan to use a fresh condom each time or keep it to one person.

The Snug Report is published by the team behind Coy, a New Zealand retailer that stocks many of the products reviewed here. We say so on every page. Our scores come from aggregated public reviews, not from us — the method is on the methodology page and the evidence count is on every review.