When starting to buy a sex doll, one of the first things you will have to decide on is the material of the doll. There are basically only two good options available for sex dolls. The two most common materials being used in the industry today are Medical-Grade Silicone and TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer). From now on, I will refer to them just as “Silicone” and “TPE”, as these are the most well-known glossaries for the two.

However, when you start to go head-first into the research you will quickly realize that each of the two has plenty of advantages and disadvantages. There are tons of “Silicone vs TPE” type of articles out there, and each of them seems to have wildly different arguments to the question. And, not only that, but the final answer from all of them tends to be inconclusive.

In this article, I will give you some REAL recommendations, to save you some headache and help you get united with the doll of your dreams as soon as possible. First, though, let’s get a quick understanding of what exactly silicone and TPE are.

How Silicone and TPE are Made

I won’t go into the fine details of the technicality in this article, as I am sure you are more interested in their practicality when it comes to sex dolls. I will, however, give a quick comparison of the manufacturing processes of Silicone and TPE, in order to give you a general idea of what they look like.

Silicone

The manufacturing process for silicone sex dolls begins with liquid silicone. In the beginning it has no color, no shape, and it sits in a barrel. Not a particularly sexy beginning, but don’t worry… the sexiness is coming right up!

The liquid silicone is then pumped through special tubes into a static mixer and an injection unit. Afterward, coloring is added to give the liquid a realistic human skin type of tone and then pressed further into a mold.

The mold… the mold! That’s where the real magic happens. After just a few minutes, the liquid silicone turns cures into the realistic body of a sex doll.

TPE

Next up, let’s look at the manufacturing of TPE sex dolls.

While silicone dolls usually begin as a liquid, TPE dolls usually begin in a granulated form:

After the granules are fed through extruders and an injection unit, the material goes through a process cycle of extrusion, molding and calendering. By the end of it all, you have a TPE sex doll sitting in a mold, ready to be shipped to its owner. Not a thoroughly sexy process in itself, but what matters most is the end product, wouldn’t you agree?

Silicone Sex Dolls vs TPE Sex Dolls

TPE sex dolls are starting to become very popular, as they feel more realistic, flexible and soft. The asses on TPE sex dolls give nice feedback during sex and they bounce back nicely while you are pounding them. TPE sex dolls also tend to be cheaper to produce, so it is no wonder why the industry is starting to mainly shift towards TPE sex dolls.

One advantage of silicone sex dolls, however, is that they can handle heat better. If taking hot baths with your love doll is something that interests you, then a silicone sex doll might be a better suit for your needs. Silicone sex dolls are also easier to clean and some men feel that the vaginal and anal openings are more realistic on silicone sex dolls.

I know multiple people who prefer modern TPE sex dolls because of their silky smooth skin and bouncing asses. However, as for me personally, I have to say that I still prefer the good old material which is silicone. There is just no way around it – silicone feels as realistic as it gets, and I love full realism in my dolls.

We recommend you to try out both TPE sex dolls and silicone sex dolls eventually so that you can make your own verdict. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, as both materials have their advantages and disadvantages.