You asked:
I've experimented with household items (banana & cucumber) but never a dildo. What would you recommend for a total beginner, and can one dildo be used for both vaginal and anal play, or should I buy different ones?
Grace:
For your first dildo, I highly recommend choosing one made of silicone—it's the most affordable body-safe material, making it ideal for beginners. Avoid purchasing from general marketplaces like Amazon where you might encounter counterfeit materials, and instead, buy from a trusted retailer like The Sex Shed to ensure authenticity.
For vaginal use one of the simple, small dildos from brands like DilDolls.
If you're also considering anal play, you might want to opt for something smaller and smoother, like the Tantus Silk S, which is less textured and easier to manage.
You can certainly use the same dildo for both vaginal and anal play, but not simultaneously.
Make sure to sterilize the toy between uses to maintain hygiene and safety.
Silicone is particularly advantageous for this reason.
About the author
Grace Selena (she/they) is a queer, non-binary writer from Melbourne, Australia. She has been talking about sex toys online for almost a decade, with a collection now nearing the thousands.
Her popular blog, Princess Previews, has been ranked by Kinkly and Molly's Daily Kiss as one of the best places on the internet to find reviews of adult products, and they have also contributed their thoughts to publications such as BedBible, Sexual Health Magazine and O.School.
In her spare time she helps run the Alliance of Independent Sex Toy Testers, and can often be found in her garden with her cat, Crumpet, or tweeting at @PrincessPreview.