The Best Condoms for Safer, More Enjoyable Sex
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Condoms are great. They’re a relatively inexpensive method of birth control and can greatly lower the risk of sexually transmitted infections. And there’s never been a better selection of materials and quality. If you hate condoms, there’s a decent chance you’re using subpar ones, not using them right, or possibly both. Fortunately, we have tested to find the best condoms and have recommendations for everyone.
There’s a wide world of tools and toys to improve the quality of your sex life, so be sure to check out our other sex-positive buying guides, including Best Lubes, Best Sex Toys, Best Clitoral Suction Toys, Best Vibrators, and Best Sex Machines.
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How to Pick (and Use) the Right Condom
The best condom is the one you’re going to use regularly and properly. The most well-designed condom isn’t effective if it doesn’t fit you or if you don’t know how to put it on. Likewise, the worst condom you can buy still does more to prevent unplanned pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections when used properly than not using one at all. With that in mind, there are a few things you should consider when buying a condom, even beyond our recommendations here:
- What size you need. Condoms generally come in size variations, with average fit condoms targeting the vast majority of penises, but there are often large or “slim” options. A condom that’s too big can slip off, and one that’s too small can increase the risk of breakage. Take some time to try different sizes to make sure you get the right one for your needs. Also keep in mind that length and girth aren’t always correlated. If you have a longer but more slender penis, then how far a condom can stretch can be an important deciding factor.
- What allergies you (or your partner) have. Latex allergies affect between 1 and 6 percent of the population, and if you have one, then using a latex condom can cause some serious negative reactions. Alternative materials like lambskin, polyisoprene, and polyurethane can avoid allergy issues while still providing protection.
- What you’ll need condoms for. If you want to reduce the risk of transmitting infections like herpes or HIV or of conception of a human life during sex, there’s no simpler method than a condom. However, there are other scenarios to consider. Some people will use condoms during oral sex (partly why we consider odor and taste in our assessment), and it’s also a good idea to use condoms with any sex toys you plan to share with your partner or partners.
How We Evaluate Condoms
When we consider condoms for this guide, we look at a variety of factors including durability, comfort, and ease of use. Some of these factors will vary by person, so you should still try out any condoms you get for yourself to see what works best for you. With that in mind, here are some of the factors we evaluate:
- Size variations. Most condom manufacturers offer a few size variations. Where possible, we prefer to feature condoms that provide consistent quality across several size options so you can get a condom that fits you well.
- Material. Latex condoms are the most common, but as mentioned above, there are many non-latex options that are better for people with allergies. Some materials like polyurethane can be looser or break more easily, while newer condoms are (finally) starting to incorporate graphene to improve heat conduction and strengthen them against breaking. We note the strengths and weaknesses of different materials while testing.
- Do you need lube? Most condoms come lubricated. We took that into account and considered how often we needed to use lube after putting a condom on.
- Price. No one wants to think about the per-condom cost when you’re having sex, but if you’re very active, it can start to add up. That said, a cheap condom that breaks is always more expensive than a pricier condom that works, so we look for the best balance.
- Taste and odor. Nothing can kill the mood faster than a condom with a weird smell, especially if you plan to use condoms during oral sex. While it’s always going to be a subjective experience, we factor in the whole sensory experience when testing condoms.
Best Condom Overall
You might recognize Lelo because the company has repeatedly shown up in our Best Sex Toys and Best Suction Toys guides. Well, it also makes some pretty great condoms, and of all the ones I’ve tested, the Lelo Hex is my top pick. It has a unique hexagon pattern (350 hexagons, to be exact!), which the company claims improves durability but also looks nice. Aesthetics might not be a huge factor in something you won't see much while using, but it’s a nice touch. Frankly, the Lelo Hex is one of the most comfortable condoms I’ve tried. The hexagonal pattern isn’t designed to provide extra stimulation, but it does make the condom extra grippy, so it doesn’t slide around or get bunched up.
This condom comes in a Regular size, but if you need a larger one, Lelo has the Respect XL line that is 2.28 inches wide and 10 percent longer. It is the same condom, just with different branding.
Condom Specs: Material: Natural latex | Bundle Size: 3, 12, or 36 | Sizes: Regular and Extra Large Best Graphene Condom
Despite research dating back well over a decade, graphene condoms are relatively new. The One Flex condoms are the first—and seemingly only (so far)—graphene condoms on the market, though that’s a slight misnomer. Technically, they use latex bonded with graphene to improve durability, flexibility, and heat conduction. In practice, these condoms lived up to those claims surprisingly well. Rather than being the usual condom beige, they’re a dark gray and feel extremely durable. For every condom I tested, I tried to manually break it, and while I could rip the One Flex condom apart, I had to work harder at it than the others.
It also felt impossibly thin and was easy to put on. They come in a Pringles-style canister and circular packets with a handy notch to tear open. Of all the condoms I tested, few were as convenient to use as this one. Subjectively, it also felt like the condoms got warmer quicker, alleviating that briefly uncomfortable moment of putting cold latex on your body. If there were more graphene condoms around and more scientific research into how effective they are broadly, I might be tempted to make this my top condom recommendation overall. They feel great, are comfortable, and are super easy to put on.
The downside is these condoms only come in one regular size. However, One has a custom fit system that lets you input your measurements to narrow down your size (from 52 sizes!), but this level of customization doesn't apply to the graphene condoms just yet.
Condom Specs: Material: Natural latex bonded with graphene | Bundle Size: 3, 10, or 36 | Sizes: Regular
Best Ultrathin Condom
No, the Okamoto 004 condoms aren’t named after international spies. The moniker refers to the 0.04-millimeter-thin walls that make it feel like it’s barely there, thanks to the company's proprietary Sheerlon latex material. Of all the condoms I’ve tested, this and the One Flex were the two thinnest. Despite how thin these condoms are, they’re durable and long even in the standard size. They transfer feeling exceptionally well and have an extremely snug fit, providing a satisfying experience. They don’t have any noticeable odor, and the base is thin and stretchy, making it easy to put on.
Most condoms come lubricated, and the silicone lube coating on the 004 helps with longer sessions, as it lasts a little longer than water-based lubricant. With some of the condoms I tested, I occasionally needed to apply extra lube, but not with these.
Condom Specs: Material: Sheerlon latex | Bundle Size: 24 | Sizes: Regular Best Non-Latex Condom (and Widely Available)
The best condom is one you’ll use, but you can’t use a condom you don’t have. Many of our above picks are only available online, but if you find yourself making last-minute plans and can’t wait for shipping, there are plenty of condoms available at most pharmacies and big box stores.
If you have to grab something in such a situation, the Durex Real Feel condoms are the best of the bunch. You shouldn't have trouble finding these alongside other major condom brands like Trojan and Skyn, but Durex’s Real Feel is the most comfortable of all of these. Its condoms transfer sensations better than most of the other pharmacy-available condoms I tested, and they’re stretchy and long enough to cover most penises.
Better yet, they’re polyisoprene condoms, so these double as our favorite non-latex condoms for anyone with a latex allergy. They’re relatively cheap if you buy them in reasonable quantities. A three-pack can be pretty expensive (at my store they’re about $2 per condom), so you should probably only get one of these if you’re unsure they’ll fit you. because they only come in one size.
Condom Specs: Material: Polyisoprene | Bundle Size: 10, 24, 36 | Sizes: Regular
Other Condoms to Consider
Photograph: AmazonHonorable Mentions
I want to reiterate yet again that any condom is better than no condom at all. With that in mind, these are some condoms that are good enough if you don’t have better options but didn't quite make our top picks.
Skyn: Skyn condoms are one of the most common condom brands you’ll see in pharmacies. While some people swear by them, some members of our staff don’t like them at all, so your mileage may vary. Many Skyn condoms have added fragrances, which can irritate some bodies. That said, Skyn condoms are non-latex, so if you’re going to try these, I recommend picking up a variety pack to test a few and see which works for you.
Trojan: If ever there was a condom that felt like wearing a plastic bag, this is it. Trojan has many types of condoms and most of the ones I tested were typically thicker than most other condom brands. They bunch up more often, making it more difficult to keep them on. That said, Trojan has several variations of the “ribbed for her pleasure” textures. In my experience with my partners, these didn’t add much sensation, but your experience might differ. If you’re going to go with this brand (or it's the only one available at your local shop), the Trojan Bareskin condoms were the best I tried. They’re relatively thin and don’t feel quite as uncomfortable to wear.
