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16 best butt plugs to try no matter your anal experience, for prostate, perineum, and anal G-spot stimulation
Interested in some booty action? We gotchu

Thinking about adding more butt stuff to your sex life? An anal plug is the place to start. Butt plugs are the best sex toys for getting acquainted with all the pleasure your backside has to offer, whether you're ready to try anal sex for the first time or make foreplay a little more backdoor play.
And no, you don't need a prostate to reap these benefits. As certified sex therapist Shadeen Francis tells Cosmo, “Anal plugs stimulate the sensitive nerve endings inside the anus and can lead to powerful orgasms.” Um, hi, sounds good to us!
While there’s certainly a place for butt plugs in partnered play, they can also be a great way to test the waters with backdoor stuff on your own before diving into anal sex with a partner. In fact, anal surgeon Dr. Evan Goldstein recommends that beginners experiment with butt plugs solo first before trying 'em out with anyone else.
And because all bodies and desires are different, you best believe there’s a wide range of anal plug options out there... though ofc, we tested and reviewed to find the very best for you.
Our top picks for the best butt plugs of 2025:
From vibrating butt plugs to doctor-approved anal training sets to slim, beginner-friendly options for newbies, we've got something for everyone. So, let's get to it and find the perfect plug for you, shall we?
Why should you use a butt plug?
According to Dr. Donna Oriowo, owner and lead therapist at AnnodRight, anyone can benefit from giving butt stuff a try — including those with vulvas. “With the pudendal nerve, direct stimulation to the anus can also stimulate the vagina,” she tells Cosmo.
“Plus, we know that with all those nerve endings in the anus, only 20 percent of them are in active use to keep things working. The other 80 percent is all about sensation.” And there's only one way to unlock that 80 percent: with experimentation and touch. Francis agrees, pointing out that different plugs can provide totally different experiences as well.
“Some plugs feel good for the pressure of fullness, some arc towards the prostate in people who have them (or the A-spot for people with vulvas), and some even pulse or vibrate,” she explains. What's not to like??
Ofc, you'll want to start small and work your way up, especially if you're a newbie. As Francis points out, the tissues of the anus are delicate and sensitive, so be gentle with yourself.
“If after exploring stimulation of the sensitive opening from the outside you'd like to try penetration, start small,” she says. “Always start smaller than you think: a little finger perhaps, or a narrow toy (with a flared base, of course).”
What to consider when choosing a butt plug
Not sure where to get started? Here are some tips on finding the butt plug of your dreams:
Stick with body-safe materials
As with all sex toys, the material of your anal plug matters, 'cause you def don't want to irritate your most intimate areas with a poorly-made toy. It's best to steer clear of toys made with PVC, as those tend to be more porous and pretty much impossible to fully sanitise (not to mention they may contain potentially toxic chemicals called phthalates).
Instead, sex therapist Shadeen Francis suggests looking for toys made from non-porous, body-safe materials. “You have many options, such as silicone, glass, porcelain, and metal,” she says, and it all depends on the sensation you wanna experience.
Look for a flared base
You'll notice that many of the best butt plugs include a wide handle at the base, and this isn't just an aesthetic choice. According to Francis, beginners should look for butt plugs “with a flared base to prevent the risk of the toy getting pulled into your anal canal and lodged inside,” and tbh, it's not a bad idea for users of ALL experience levels to stick to plugs with a flared base.
Consider the size
Not to state the obvious, but beginners should start with smaller, narrower butt plugs and work their way up, rather than taking the plunge with a jumbo-sized plug. “You can always go up in size as smaller toys become more comfortable,” Francis explains. “Even if over time you fancy yourself a bit of a size-slut, look for toys that start narrow and gradually increase in size to make insertion more comfortable.”
How we tested the best butt plugs
Chaise Sanders is a NYC-based writer with a knack for all things lifestyle, beauty, entertainment, and style. Her work has graced the pages of Cosmopolitan, Country Living, InStyle, and more. When she's not busy crafting words, you can find her on Instagram roaming the streets of New York City, hunting down the best food spots, hidden gems, and deals.
Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé.
Honey is the Senior Sex and Relationships E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health and Men’s Health. She covers shopping guides and reviews of the best sex toys; deals events — including Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday; and sex, dating, and LGBTQ+ trends.
Her journalism career started in 2020 when she started Sextras, a podcast and digital magazine about sex and relationships. Find Sextras on Spotify or Substack, where she writes and chats about everything from positive masculinity and how to practise sex magic, to why the latest kink or porn category is blowing up.
She has an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and previously reported for HR magazine. Her features also appear in Glamour, Refinery29, The Independent, and more.
When she's not asking everyone she meets invasive questions about their sex and dating lives, you'll find Honey singing around her flat, teaching herself a new craft, or working her way through a new '90s/'00s box set with her flatmate.

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