The Icicles No. 14 from Pipedream is an inspired toy made of solid and smooth Pyrex glass. It is heavy, has a pleasantly rounded head, and is big. It's not for the beginner but should be fine for those who have had experience with glass and who are intermediate to advanced in anal play. This glass plug is also great for hot and cold sensation play as the glass retains temperature well. Although it can be used by anyone, I enjoy using it as a prostate massager as well as a plug.

Composed of Pyrex, Icicles No. 14 is food-grade material, latex free, nonporous, phthalates free, and hypoallergenic. In other words, it's just about the safest material available. And it's durable. With proper care your Icicles No. 14 should last for many years. Its texture is very smooth, and it can be safely used with any kind of lubrication. Users need to remember that glass is extra firm—there is no give to the material at all.

The Icicles No. 14 has a nice, solid feel to it and weighs in at 7 ounces. It's 6 inches long, 4 of which are insertable. The tapered head is about 2.5 inches long with a maximum circumference of 5.5 inches. The head is connected to a short (1.5 inch long) neck that is slightly less than an inch (7/8) in diameter. The neck is connected to a rather large outer ring that is 2 inches long, which can be used to insert, thrust, and remove the plug. It's not lifelike in any way, but it's also not exactly discreet.

The Icicles No. 14 has a small tip at the tapered head, which can be used to great effect when applying pressure to the prostate. Also, the head gradually moves to its fullest diameter and extends a bit just before it tapers down. Because the change is gradual and not abrupt like some other types of plugs, both insertion and removal go very smoothly. The inch-and-a-half-long neck allows for some minimal thrusting when gripping the ringed handle. The size of the head will keep the plug firmly in place. At no time did I feel as though it was going to fall out.

Extra care should be taken with glass because it can develop cracks if dropped and connected roughly against other hard surfaces, such as a tile floor. Although tempered glass has greater thermal strength than regular glass, it's always a good idea to avoid sudden changes in temperature.

Cleaning instructions on the Icicles box suggests using Pipedream's own toy cleaner and warm water or simply putting it in the dishwasher. Any toy cleaner should suffice, but you can also clean it using warm to hot water with soap and an alcohol wipe, which is how I usually do it.

The Icicles No. 14 can be stored in its original box with the packing material provided. This is probably the best way to store since the packing material is specially molded to fit the plug. After putting it back in its box, I usually put it on a bookshelf—it's roughly the size of a tall, thick paperback book—although panels of the box have a decal of the plug on each side, which will reveal its contents to anyone who sees it.

The Icicles No. 14 arrives in its own box and is labeled as a "glass massager." There's no indication on the box that it is designed to be used as a sex toy, other than its unique shape. The box has a cardboard flap that opens to show the plug behind a clear plastic protector (this flap is held down with magnets hidden under the cardboard). Inside the box, the plug was found securely packed in molded-to-fit soft foam, which can also be used for storage.

The information written on the box reveals a lot of information, such as that it was handblown and made in China, that it can be microwaved or put in the freezer, and that it can be easily cleaned (see above). There is no printed material inside the box.

The feeling just before using a new toy for the first time is hard to describe, but I think we've all felt it. I remember feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness just before using the Moon Shine glass plug (reviewed here), and I wondered how I would handle the rigid glass material. It took some patience, but I did it and was soon looking for more glass toys to try. I found the Icicles No. 14, which was similar in size but had a longer neck and a nice handle for thrusting. Its size and shape looked perfect for prostate massage. I noticed it had a slightly larger circumference, one-half inch to be exact, but I really didn't think about it that much. I knew that if could handle the Moon Shine, I could handle something a little bigger. And I could not have been more wrong. The first time I used it, even after warming up with the Moon Shine plug, I could feel all of that extra half inch. And when I thought it was almost all the way in, it just kept going because of its gradually tapered head. As beads of sweat formed on my forehead, I sighed with relief as I felt it slip all the way in. Don't get me wrong—it was a great first-time experience, only it was a little more challenging than I thought it would be. It just goes to show that some toys may surprise you in ways you may not expect.

I found that using similar techniques as with an Aneros or similar type of prostate massager works very nicely with the Icicles No. 14. After insertion I try to relax as much as possible. Then, I slowly contract my anal sphincter muscles and try to hold it until I get an involuntary muscle spasm. I'll repeat this several times, and as I do, the large full head with its small tip at the end provides some intense prostate stimulation. Also, these contractions pull the plug further into my body until the ringed handle abuts my perineum for an added sensation. When I want to take a break from the muscle contractions, I can use the ringed handle to thrust and twist the plug, applying manual pressure to my prostate.

Despite my initial difficulty with its size, I am very happy with the Icicles No. 14. For now, it's my go-to prostate massager.