TPE vs. silicone sex dolls. Which is the best?

What are the best materials for sex dolls?

Sex dolls have come a long way since they were first attempted. Bouncy castles are so fake and uncomfortable that you wouldn't believe people used to settle for these guys. With the advancement of technology and materials, sex dolls have improved dramatically. So much so that materials are beginning to mimic real skin and flesh. Gone are the days of really uncomfortable and skin-cutting plastic.

When you buy a sex doll, the material determines 90 percent of the feel and sensation. For this reason, it is important to give enough thought to which material you would choose, TPE or silicone. To figure out which material to go for, let's go through the pros and cons of each material.

If you are new to sex dolls, you may not know the difference between TPE sex dolls and silicone sex dolls. You may have heard the term silicone sex dolls and TPE sex dolls before.

Now let's know TPE sex dolln vs silicone sex dolln

Let me start by saying that TPE and silicone are both hypoallergenic and safe for contact with skin.

TPE sex dolls vs silicone sex dolls

TPE

TPE stands for Thermoplastic Elastomer, also known as Thermoplastic Rubbers, sometimes also known as Thermoplastic Rubbers. In the case of sex dolls, plastic and rubber, it consists of mixed polymers composed of materials with both thermoplastic (plastic) and elastomeric (rubber) properties.

TPE is a type of plastic that has become extremely popular for sex dolls in recent years. Before the advent of TPE, silicone reigned supreme in the world of sex dolls, but since TPE sex dolls hit the market, their popularity quickly exploded, leaving silicone in the dust. Both materials have their pros and cons and after watching our comparison you will better understand which material to choose and why silicone sex dolls are the most popular material for sex dolls at the moment.

In addition, it can be stretched up to 5.5 times the length. These properties contribute to its suppleness and softness. As a result, TPE is a fairly popular material that is also used in everyday objects as it can be used to create items with rubber-like properties, but still leverages the efficiency of current injection molding techniques as it can conform to irregular shapes when heated. This makes it more economical to shape and reshape.

We now go into the specific advantages and disadvantages of TPE.

BENEFITS OF TPE

• TPE sex dolls are cheaper. Two ingredients are mixed in the manufacture of TPE sex dolls, a thermoplastic and an elastomer. Because these materials respond well to injection molding, mass production is efficient and maximized. Because of this efficiency, cost reduction has allowed for a cheaper doll. A doll can cost anywhere from $800 to $2,000.
• Because TPE is a blend of a thermoplastic and an elastomer, the properties of these materials can be altered to create an ideal texture. The manufacturers have created a soft and resilient blend that offers a very lifelike feel. This makes it more realistic.
• Breasts and buttocks will wiggle and behave naturally when the doll is moved due to the unique properties of TPE.
• In terms of the extent of sex positions, TPE is more elastic, making the dolls more flexible. This contributes to a wider variety of sex positions that the doll can handle.
• As TPE is not silicone based, dolls made from this material are compatible with both silicone based and water based lubes.

DISADVANTAGES OF TPE

• TPE is a porous material. Because of this, the stains from clothing seep into the porosities, making it susceptible to staining from clothing.
• Another disadvantage of porosity is its ability to retain water in the form of moisture. This makes the doll prone to mold growth, which is very unsanitary. To avoid this, the doll must be thoroughly dried after cleaning.
• Because TPE is partially composed of a thermoplastic, the same properties that allow for easy injection make it vulnerable to heat. In the worst case, TPE can start to lose its consistency or enter the glass transition phase when it reaches 40 °C (104 °F).

Silicone

In contrast to TPE, silicone is not a mixture of a thermoplastic and an elastomer. It is classified as a thermoset. Unlike TPE, its shape and properties are fixed after curing. It is heat resistant and rubbery. Because of these properties, it is used in a wide variety of applications that maximize its quality. Such application examples are lubricants, medicines, adhesives, cooking utensils, etc.

Silicone is a polymer. It is generally heat resistant and rubber has a wide range of uses, e.g. It can come in many forms, but the one we see in silicone dolls is silicone rubber.

Silicone rubber can be very soft or very firm depending on its composition and retains its original shape very well even under extreme pressure. It is also very heat resistant so can be boiled to sterilize it and is very inert as it does not react with most chemicals (explain why it is used in medical implants).

One of the great properties of silicone is its ability to hold its shape under extreme pressure. Also, it is highly heat resistant, making it able to withstand boiling for sterilization. In addition, it is very inert as it does not react with most chemicals, making it medically safe to use as an implant.

BENEFITS OF SILICONE

• Unlike TPE silicone, silicone is non-porous and therefore resistant to clothing stains. Therefore it is easier to clean.
• Another benefit of its non-porous nature is that unlike TPE, it does not retain moisture. This allows it to be sterilized with boiling water, similar to sterilizing utensils and medical devices.
• Being a thermoset, its initial hardening phase does not depend on cooling. It's catalyst-based, making it significantly less susceptible to heat-induced deformation when exposed to heat. This means these dolls can be enjoyed while bathing in warm to hot water.

DISADVANTAGES OF SILICONE

• Silicone as a thermoset means that once it has cured it is solid and cannot be altered. Because of this lower error rate, it becomes more expensive, reaching $2,000 to under $5,000.
• Silicone is not as soft as TPE. It feels denser and stiffer compared to TPE. It's more rubbery than lifelike.
• When it comes to the buttocks and breasts, due to the more rubbery consistency, these features don't wobble when the doll is rocked back and forth like TPE would be
• Due to the lubricants, it may be exposed to silicone. Silicone is not the most durable polymer.

Silicone is not only solid, it can also feel sticky. As suggested by others, baby powder can reduce this and make him feel better.

In summary, silicone is an excellent material of choice if you are looking for a very realistic sex doll. It feels very realistic and is flexible to accommodate multiple sex positions. But with these great features, the user doesn't have to worry about the extra care required for maintenance. On the other hand, silicone is perfect if you don't have time to store the sex doll and you are not that sensitive to the feel and touch.

Finally, if you want to customize your own sex dolls, please refer to the article: Sex Doll Customization Options Guide.