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Look, gone are the days when the sex toy industry was heavily leaning towards…well, people with a vagina.
Ever since the industry took hold, women have been spoiled by toys of various categories – rabbit vibrators, wand vibrators, thrusting dildos, and even sex machines are just some of the examples of stuff that women can have fun with.
For males, the situation has traditionally been pretty dire.
Luckily, this has changed completely in the last 6 or 7 years or so. These days, us penis-owning folks are pretty much as spoiled as the women. We now have stuff like advanced male masturbators, VR sex toys, and high-tech penis rings.
Yes, we are almost as spoiled as the vagina-owning folk when it comes to the number of options available.
This does come with some downsides though – for one, choosing a first toy can be very difficult.
Fleshlights and sex dolls are some of the most popular male toys out there. And for good reason – they are simple-to-use and feel pretty damn awesome too.
Which one to choose though?
Well, this is where we come in.
In this article, we will do a side-by-side comparison of sex dolls and Fleshlights, take an in-depth look into the advantages and disadvantages of each category. And, we will also look at some great examples from both categories and examine just what you can expect when you get a Fleshlight toy and/or a sex doll.
So, strap in and let’s start.
In this article, find:
• A Glimpse At The Best Fleshlights
• A Glimpse At The Best Sex Doll Stores
• Conclusion – Should You Go For A Fleshlight Or A Sex Doll?
What Is A Fleshlight?
We will start by defining what actually IS a Fleshlight.
Answering this is not as straightforward as it may seem – you see, many new sex toy enthusiasts tend to use the term “Fleshlight” for virtually any male masturbation toy.
In reality, Fleshlight is a specific brand of male toys and one of the most popular ones at that.
Let’s examine further.
In essence, Fleshlights are compact Flashlight-shaped toys (hence the name!) that are designed to mimic the sensations offered by a vagina or an anus. This company has been around for a while and they have a seemingly infinite number of different types of toys available.
All of which offer a slightly different experience – whether you want something extra tight, ultra realistic, or even something molded to look and feel like the sweet holes of the most popular pornstars, Fleshlight will have something for you.
Keep in mind that Fleshlights are far from being simple rubber holes for you to stick your penis in. We will examine the pros of Fleshlights later on in this article in-dept, but for now, have a look at the three main features associated with all Fleshlights models:
- The trademarked Superskin material – The name sounds like good marketing, but it’s the real deal. As I have emphasized, this company has been around for a while now and they know how to create a skin that feels lifelike, ultra soft, slightly stretchy, and completely body-safe too. This material is pretty much the key to everything else good associated with FL toys.
- Easy cleaning process – You simply pop out the sleeve from the Flashlight-looking tube, give it a quick wash, and let it dry for a while. In all honesty, cleaning out the gunk from a toy after using it is never the most exciting part of the masturbation process. At least it is fast and simple here!
- The discretion – Fleshlights look pretty discreet all things considered. Keep them in the case and make sure that the vagina/anus is not facing any prying eyes and you are good to go. Also – they don’t make any noise and are easily transportable with how light they are.
So, did this introduction to Fleshlights manage to pique your interest? If so, allow me to introduce you to some of the best Fleshlight toys currently out there. This will give you a more concrete idea of what these toys look and feel like.
A Glimpse At The Best Fleshlights
I am too lazy to head over to the official Fleshlight site and count every model they currently have, but it is safe to say that there are a lot of sleeves out there. I may be off, but I figure the number is getting close to a hundred now.
So, how’s a poor man to choose?
In the following, I’ll spill some beans on some of my personal favorites. This will help you get started if you have already made up your mind on the fact that a Fleshlight will be a better fit for you instead of a sex doll:
The Fleshlight Girls Series
Find the best offers for all Fleshlight Girls here.
Not a single sleeve, but the entire series stands tall as the best thing this company ever did.
The concept here is quite simple. You have masturbation sleeves molded to look and feel like the vaginas and anuses of some of the most popular adult performers on the planet.
In fact, it has sort of become a milestone in pornography to get a Fleshlight molded from your orifices. Means that you have truly hit the mainstream.
All of the sleeves come with a slightly different masturbation experience so my suggestion is to start by looking at the specific reviews of a Fleshlight inspired by your favorite. If you want to read my own reviews then here is my tier list of pornstar Fleshlights.
The more recent Fleshlight Girls in particular have been very impressive with the Sky Bri sleeves and the Kazumi sleeves in particular being almost instant all-time favorites in the community.
Speaking of community, feel free to also head over to FleshAssist to get reviews and ratings of pretty much anything Fleshlight has released thus far. Sure, I have gone through a fair share of FL toys in my time, but my collection pales in comparison with some of the fine gentlemen of FleshAssist.
The Stamina Training Unit
Find the best current offers for the Stamina Training Unit here.
This time, we have a clear yet brilliant concept going on – to improve the sexual stamina of penis-owners while also giving them pleasure while doing so. The last I checked, the STU was the best-selling Fleshlight toy and I can see why – it is a fantastic starting point for those who don’t know where to start with FL.
Beautiful, practical, and feels damn great too.
The Quickshot Series
Find the best current offers for Fleshlight Quickshot series here.
You can also check out some of my picks for the best Quickshot Fleshlights here.
Another great starter option. These are the cheaper, more compact versions of Fleshlights. The “skin” of the Quickshots is not quite as lifelike, but other than that, they will still stimulate you better than your hand ever will. There are other cool perks as well such as the open-ended design and the see-through aspect. Again, a very good starting point to the fabulous world of Fleshlight toys.
In addition to the aforementioned picks, Fleshlight also offers loads of useful accessories for further enhancing the experience. Sleeve warmers, mounts, cleaning products, and even hangers for drying are some examples of what you can find there.
While this stuff is not mandatory, they can be pretty useful once you already know that you love using FL toys and want to take your game to the next level.
In the next part, let’s do quick round-ups of the advantages and disadvantages of Fleshlights.
Later on, this will help you make a direct comparison of Fleshlights vs. sex dolls and make an informed decision on which to get. If you do end up getting anything at all.
Pros Of Fleshlights
So, how about some of the main advantages associated with Fleshlight toys? Since this is a comparison article, I will mostly focus on the pros in relation to sex dolls, the type of toy category we will look at later on in this article.
Affordable
Even if you happen to be rolling in cash inherited from a mysterious Canadian oil tycoon uncle (good for you!) or are involved in some sort of insane crypto-deals, you still count your dough if you are smart. And, let’s just be honest here – good sex toys are pretty damn expensive.
When it comes to the monetary value of Fleshlights vs. sex dolls, the choice is relatively simple – Fleshlights are way cheaper and always will be. Sure, you can find a sex doll that offers great value-for-money, but not a single model will come in the price range of $40 like the Quickshot Fleshlights.
Easy to Clean and Maintain
Cleaning a Fleshlight is straightforward. Most models have removable inner sleeves that can be rinsed with warm water and mild soap, then left to air dry. Keep in mind that while the process is straightforward, you should always clean your Fleshlights. If you don’t do that, your sh’t may get moldy and turn disgusting.
Not ideal if you want your artificial vaginas and anuses to stay in shape for a long time.
Discreet and Portable
The compact size of Fleshlights makes them easy to store and carry discreetly. The name Fleshlight says it all really – most models do look like Flashlights for people who don’t know what they are dealing with.
Just avoid the younger male demographic (these folks usually know very well what a Fleshlight is) and you can even keep your toys in plain sight without anyone realizing what they are dealing with.
When it comes to discretion and portability of sex dolls, things are completely different – here, you will genuinely have to do some pre-planning on where and how to keep your model.
Variety of Models
As we already discussed, there is a nearly infinite number of Fleshlights out there. And new models are also released on the regular. This can keep things fun for a long time as all of the toys offer a slightly different experience. If you have a collector’s mindset though – better watch out! You can smoothly end up spending ungodly amounts of money on the stuff.
Cons Of Fleshlights
Nothing is perfect. Not even Fleshlights. Here are some downsides associated with these otherwise wonderful sex toys.
Less immersion
Although Fleshlights offer excellent stimulation, they lack the full-body realism that sex dolls provide. Unlike with sex dolls, users that will want to hold, touch, and spank things will have a bit of a hard time here.
Same goes for the immersion level – some sex doll owners treat their dolls as genuine companions. Things like cuddling and naming a Fleshlight will probably be out of the question for most people.
The sensations can become less interesting over time
With dolls, you have the possibility of hitting it from various angles, buying clothes for the model, and even switching between holes in a single session if you choose well. This is not the case with Fleshlights where you may tire of a single sleeve texture pretty fast if you use it a lot.
Sure, there are lots of Fleshlights to choose from, but let’s be honest – most of us will not be buying a full-blown harem of FL items.
Long story short – if you are one for variation then getting a single doll will probably get you further than an FL.
So, not that many considerable cons. Now, let’s take a dive into the world of dolls. As with FL’s, we will start by looking at what modern, high-end sex dolls are actually about.
What Is A Sex Doll?
In very blunt terms – a sex doll is a human-like doll made to replicate the sensation of having sex with another human being. They come with all the orifices you associate with a human body. Thus, they can also be used for various sexual purposes such as traditional PIV sex, anal sex, and even blowjobs if you choose something with a well-designed mouth.
You see, sex dolls have gone through a bit of a revolution during the last 10 years or so. We used to associate this world with weird blow-up dolls (and some of them are actually still solid!), but modern sex dolls are an entirely different breed.
The dolls we will focus on here come with various features that were nowhere to be found, for example, in the nineties. Here are the features you can and should expect when you are looking for a modern, high-quality sex doll:
- TPE material – A game-changer in the world of sex dolls. Not only is it completely body-safe, but it also offers a sensation that is very close to the feel of real skin. Just enough stretch, just enough softness, and also relatively durable. The only material that can compete with TPE is silicone. Anything other than that is usually a miss. At least when it comes to dolls.
- Detailed tunnel build – Modern sex dolls can easily go head-to-head with the best Fleshlights when it comes to hole design. The textures are intricate, realistic, and will give you that feeling of having sex with a real woman. This also directly leads to the next aspect you’ll want to see in your sex doll.
- Body-design – Whether you prefer a realistic sex doll with average proportions, a BBW sex doll, or a sporty type of doll, there will be something out there with the types of measurements you like. Again, this is where the benefits of materials like silicone and TPE fully come into the play. They allow the bodies to react to the human touch similarly to real skin. Feel free to let your fantasies roam and imagine getting a feel of exactly the type of body you enjoy in real life.
I think the 3 aforementioned “pillars” will give you a good idea on how I define a high-quality sex doll. Similarly to what we did with Fleshlights, let’s now move on and see some examples of what I am talking about. We’ll start with a somewhat of a controversial choice so let’s just get right into it.
A Glimpse At The Best Sex Doll Stores
With sex dolls, the market is admittedly quite weird. Particularly when you are new to this – you see, a lot of sex doll sites look simply awful. Why is this? Because many reputable sex toy vendors/creators are originally from China and they apparently have slightly different standards when it comes to web design.
To help our readers avoid getting scammed, I decided to put together a quick list of some of my vendors along with quick reviews of what kind of price ranges and dolls you can expect from the company.
Tantaly Sex Doll Torsos
Find our selection of best Tantaly sex dolls here
To me, Tantaly is a game-changer in the world of sex dolls. Sure, the concept of having sex with something that is missing a head and limbs may feel weird at first, but all of these woes are easily forgotten once you get your hands on these things.
Here, we have the exact build we associate with full-sized high-end dolls. Namely the TPE material, splendid orifice sensations, and realistic body build. But for much cheaper.
And there are other perks too – a torso is much more portable and easier-to-hide.
These days, there are dedicated online communities made for the Tantaly girls which only goes to show how well people have embraced the concept.
Good, good stuff and a great starting point to the world of sex dolls.
Joy Love Dolls
This one is big – Joy Love Dolls features toys of various body types, genres, and sizes. In addition, their selection of realistic, TPE sex dolls is one of the best when compared to other online resources. When it comes to price range, most of the dolls come at a higher pricing tier compared to something like Tantaly, but this is to be expected since we are dealing with full-sized dolls this time.
Keep in mind that you can still save on Joy Love Dolls if you are smart though – the site features a membership program, deals are available often, and various other reward programs pop up on the regular.
RealDoll
Look, I am going to be straight up with you here – I am currently not an owner of any RealDoll models. However, I have seen and touched a few in various adult expo’s. And, what can I say, this American company does live up to its name – this is as realistic as it gets when it comes to sex dolls.
Everything from the movements of the skeleton to how the skin feels is done to perfection with these dolls. Deservedly the current leaders when it comes to sheer innovation in sex dolls.
Now, what’s the downside? You guessed it – the price. Sex dolls in general are considerable investments, but with a RealDoll, the prices can easily shoot up to several thousands of dollars. You really need to know what you are doing when getting a RealDoll to really make the investment worth it.
And, despite being a doll enthusiast myself, I am yet to bring myself into going all in and getting one for my small storage room.
I just had to include RealDoll in here though – simply to show you fine folks just how far the sex doll rabbit hole can go.
Now, hopefully the sites and dolls above gave you an idea of what modern sex dolls look and feel like.
For now, let’s do a quick wrap-up of the main advantages and disadvantages of owning a sex doll. Just like we did with Fleshlights.
Pros Of Sex Dolls
In the following, find some of the main advantages of sex dolls.
Realistic Experience
We have already briefly covered the many advantages of TPE, but here we go again – this material does feel like human skin. And, if you add to that a vagina/anal tunnel that feels close to the real thing…then, well you have yourself something that comes pretty damn close to a real human companion. Except that you will never have to argue about your in-laws or money with a doll!
Full-Body Stimulation
Unlike single-entry toys like Fleshlights, sex dolls provide full-body stimulation. This means that the doll will be up for all sorts of shenanigans at your request – from anal sex to some seriously freaky positions. It is all there!
Customization
Most reputable, high-end toy sellers will offer the client the possibility of customizing their order. This means that you can do various tweaks in body-shape, hair color, eye color, and other similar details. A sort of build-your-own-girl sort of an experience that can be a gift from heaven for someone who has a very specific type and is also willing to spend some cash. Keep in mind that customization usually comes with additional charges as well, but hey…that’s just plain old capitalism for you!
Companionship Aspect
I know many sex doll owners that ordered their models for strictly sexual aspects. Only to find that the doll is great for emotional support as well. It is not unheard of for people to talk with their dolls and create genuine personalities for their dolls. Needless to say that they also take their toys to bed and carefully care for them.
Can a sex doll be a legitimate substitution for therapy? I don’t think so. Still, the levels of emotional support a sex doll can offer is considerable. And, this is something that a smaller toy like a Fleshlight can never bring to the table.
Cons Of Sex Dolls
Repeat after me, folks – One. Never. Orders. A. Sex. Doll. While. Horny.
Seriously though, even if you have cash to spare, a sex doll is never something you should get on a whim. Particularly when compared to something like a Fleshlight. In the following, find some main downsides that you should carefully consider before buying a sex doll:
Expensive
High-end sex dolls are usually handcrafted and feature details like delicate skeleton placements, carefully sculpted body parts, and intricate anal/vagina textures. They take time and money to produce. And yes, this is obviously reflected in the price for the customer as well. If you already checked out some of the retailers above then you already know that (with the slight exception of Tantaly), dolls can cost a considerable amount of money.
You should always, always, always consider buying the doll as a long-term investment instead of something you do while being drunk and having the worst case of blue balls.
High Maintenance
Talking about dolls as a long–term investment directly leads us to the next somewhat negative aspect of owning a doll – they require regular cleaning and proper storage to maintain their quality. And, since good dolls are usually quite heavy – the cleaning process will take a considerable chunk from your valued time. But again, this is something you’ll just have to consider if you plan on biting the bullet.
Storage and Discretion
High-end sex dolls are heavy and large. If you want to get one then better get your logistics in order – this is not a type of a sex toy that you can just hide among your other stuff. Here, you will probably have to figure out a specific storage space dedicated for the doll. I know several folks who rent out or own small warehouse spaces just for storing their dolls.
Not Portable
Traveling with sex dolls is not unheard of, but I have never gone through the hassle myself. Despite being a collector, I still have a bit of a stigma going on with showing my stuff in real life. And then there is the size issue – as we have emphasized, high-end dolla are heavy and large. Meanwhile, something like a Fleshlight is super simple to carry. However far you end up venturing.
Conclusion – Should You Go For A Fleshlight Or A Sex Doll?
I think I have covered pretty much all the bases when it comes to both of these wonderful toy categories. The final conclusion is up to you, but we can sum things up with something like this:
- Go for a sex doll if you want a more realistic, full-body experience and are willing to seriously invest in your pleasure. There is the upfront cost, sure, but when it comes to high-end sex dolls, this is only the tip of the iceberg. You will also have to be willing to invest in maintenance of your doll – both in terms of time and money. And this is not even covering the aspects of storage which will also have to be figured out.
- Opt for a Fleshlight if you want to experience intense stimulation, but don’t necessarily need something super immersive just yet. Sure, Fleshlights are also not necessarily cheap, but their price is nothing compared to what an elite sex doll will cost you. If you are lacking in free storage space, want to keep your business discreet, and don’t have loads of spare cash then the Fleshlight is an easy winner when it comes to Fleshlights vs. dolls.
With that, I will finish for today. Time to catch some sleep!
I hope that this article helped shed some light on the exact differences between sex dolls and Fleshlights. Whether you are going for a doll or a FL or decided to forego buying something entirely, I wish you the best of luck in your pleasure journeys!
Good night, ladies and gentlemen!
