9 Best BDSM Handcuffs 2024, Reviewed by a BDSM Educator!

After testing a dozen of the most popular BDSM handcuffs, we recommend Stockroom’s Double Lock Cuffs to all our readers. Meticulously designed to maximize pleasure while reducing the possibility of injury, they are formed from super high-grade nickel steel and boast not two but a pair of locks, guaranteeing that when attached, they won’t unexpectedly loosen or get uncomfortably tight. Trust us when we say no other pair came close to The Stockroom’s Double Locks in versatility, professional manufacturing, and overall safety.

Why You Should Trust Us

Hi, my name is M.Christian. With over thirty-five years of experience in practically all things kink-related, I respectfully challenge you to find someone more qualified to lead my carefully selected team of toy testers, clinical sexologists, and BDSM experts than myself.

Between us all, we’ve done more than most people and, in my case, written articles as well as erotic stories about them. Put all this together, and you have the perfect set of kinky-minded people to give you this year’s seven best BDSM-related handcuffs.

To submit a question to M.Christian, call them at +1 307-372-3895 or send an email to [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name and your phone number or email address.

How We Picked The Products

When it comes to choosing the best of anything, particularly sexual handcuffs, most of us have learned that using some sort of system to help categorize or at least limit the possible selection is a good place to start. It’s why my testers, experts, and I have developed a pretty effective way of picking not just the top-scoring, highest-ranked kinky sex toys but also was extremely useful when considering the dozens if not hundreds of well-made and extremely enjoyable restraints on the market today.

The bonus to our process is you, too, can use it when you’re ready to shop for your very own wrist cuffs or restraints. But more on that a little bit later because for now, let’s go over our system and why it played such a crucial role in putting together this list. The test criteria that we could measure on a scale from 0 to 100 included:

• Manufacture: More than anything else, we limited our potential candidates to only companies that are known and highly regarded by the kink community, like The Stockroom, SheVibe, Lovehoney, or Extreme Restraints. By doing so, we were able to ensure that each of our nine recommended wrist cuffs was built by toy-making experts known for going the extra mile, practically guaranteeing every restraint they make will be of the highest quality.
• Material: Another excellent reason to consider products made by manufacturers like The Stockroom, SheVibe, Lovehoney, or Extreme Restraints is they are also highly regarded for choosing the right materials for whatever they are making. For example, rather than going with sub-par metal, they’re praised for their use of premium quality steel and other fine materials.
• Design: Along with being celebrated for producing ideally-suited wrist cuffs and other restraints, The Stockroom, SheVibe, Lovehoney, and Extreme Restraints are similarly praised for designing many of the world’s finest sex toys and BDSM equipment. No less so than with their handcuffs, which often manage to be comfortable, effective, and, as I’ll soon address, extremely safe to use.
• Safety: I cannot emphasize strongly enough why we went with just BDSM community celebrated companies such as The Stockroom, SheVibe, Lovehoney, or Extreme Restraints as each of them is known and respected far and wide for understanding the most crucial thing about any BDSM toy or piece of equipment is that is must be as safe as possible.
• Versatility: Last but not least, my testers, experts, and I also took into account whether a set was designed and manufactured for a variety of different uses. However, it’s worth noting that nine of his discounted any that were specifically made for a single purpose.

I began my search for this year’s nine top BDSM cuffs with the twenty-five most popular ones. Using my selection process, I reduced that number to fifteen, which was then knocked down to ten after my kinky sex toy testers and my team of sex and BDSM experts reviewed them.

During testing, we rated each of the toys based on the criteria listed above starting from 0% (Worst) to 100% (Best). Each score was calculated using different weighted metrics depending on what we deemed most important. The majority of the total rating comes from Manufacture (30%) and Material (30%). After that comes Design (15%), Safety (15%), and Versatility (10%). My final came after looking at how well, or not, the last contenders were reviewed online—a process that gave me this list of the nine best handcuffs.

Everything We Tested

In this chapter, you can see a comparison table with all the products we tested. As you can see, each row has the test criteria our team used during the testing. To make our testing process even more transparent, we also included the raw test data so you can see how the products performed with each test criteria.

Name	Double Lock	Sex And Mischief	Black Furry	Professional Thumbcuffs
Category	Best Overall	Value	Beginner	Thumbcuff
Average Rating	97%	93%	92%	91%
Design	96%	92%	93%	90%
Manufacture	95%	95%	91%	90%
Safety	95%	94%	90%	91%
Versatility	97%	93%	92%	88%
Price & Value	90%	95%	93%	92%
Price Tag	$24	$11.99	$12.99	$14
Material	Nickle Steel	Nickle-Less Metal	Metal & Latex-Free Faux Fur	Nickle-Plated Metal
Colors	Silver & Black	Silver	Red & Black	Silver

1. Stockroom’s Double Lock: Our Overall Test Winner!

Why I Love Stockroom’s Double Lock Handcuffs:

If you know anything about BDSM equipment, then you’re likely well aware that no other company dares to come close to The Stockroom when it comes to delivering the top-scoring, highest-ranking equipment. With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise their Double Lock more than earned their number one spot on our list of the best BDSM handcuffs. Made from premium-quality nickel steel, their Double Lock model has everything you or anyone else might need in a pair without ever sacrificing quality, durability, and, most of all, safety.

Why double locks? No, it doesn’t have anything to do with showing off or doing something just because it’s cool—which, in my opinion, it most assuredly is—but rather having two locks makes The Stockroom’s Double Lock far more secure than single lock models. Once placed around you or your partner’s wrists or ankles, all it takes is a gentle push from the pin located on the opposite side of either of their provided keys, and these metal cuffs won’t tighten—and to keep them from getting tighter, just do the same with the other lock. My team and I can’t emphasize enough why having metal cuffs with double locks is so important, especially for novices, as they ensure the wearer is far safer and more comfortable than metal models with just one lock.

Have you used double lock cuffs? If so, we’d very much like to hear what you or your partner thought of them. Drop us a line at [email protected] and share your experiences—for better or for worse.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

It is not so much a criticism of The Stockroom’s Double Lock as it is vital for everyone and anyone interested in using metal cuffs during BDSM play. I’m referring to the undeniable fact that sex handcuffs are some of the most potentially dangerous things to use.

No, I’m not exaggerating, as poorly designed or shoddily made metal cuffs have been known to result in sometimes extremely serious injuries. To avoid this, only purchase them from well-known and BDSM community-approved companies like those on our list.

If you’re looking for a more forgiving restraint for your wrists, maybe give ropes a try. Here are some of the best BDSM ropes you can buy.

Why The Stockroom’s Double Lock is our test winner:

Every single one of my sex toy testers, my handpicked group of sex educators, BDSM experts, and clinical sexologists universally voted The Stockroom’s Double Lock as the most effective handcuffs on this list. Beating all their competition, we unanimously agree if you’re going to use any metal cuffs for BDSM play scenes, The Stockroom’s Double Lock should be your end-all-be-all when it comes to quality, comfort, versatility, and safety.

Have you used a pair of The Stockroom’s Double Lock? If you have, we’d love to hear your thoughts about them, pros as well as cons, by writing to us at [email protected].

But there are far more reasons why we so enthusiastically awarded The Stockroom’s Double Lock our highest honor:

• Manufacture: No other sex toy or equipment manufacturer can match The Stockroom’s famous dedication to going the extra mile when it comes to manufacturing exceptionally high-quality products. Even when they aren’t making but retailing things like their Double Lock, you know The Stockroom wouldn’t ever—as in never, ever—sell subpar anything, especially not something as potentially risky as bondage.
• Material: Just as The Stockroom knows how to make—or sell—nothing but the highest-scoring, top-ranking sex toys and bondage gear, they equally understand the importance of using the right materials. Case in point, their Double Lock Handcuffs are constructed from the highest quality nickel steel, guaranteeing they’ll be as tough as they are safe and comfortable to use.
• Design: The Stockroom’s Double Lock doesn’t just look sexy as all get out, but their form is only matched by their brilliant design and engineering. My testers and experts were all taken aback by how efficiently they functioned. From their satisfyingly smooth ratchets to each of their double locks, we know you’ll be as impressed as we were by them—so much so that it’s more like they’re works of mechanical art and fewer pieces of bondage equipment.
• Safety: As The Stockroom understands the importance of making sex toys and bondage gear that don’t just look or feel top-tier but can be used without risk of injury, their Double Lock can be used by experienced bondage enthusiasts and those new to the pleasures of these sex toys —though my team and I strongly suggest you learn as much as you can about using cuffs, even top scoring ones like The Stockroom’s Double Lock before trying them on yourself or another person.
• Versatility: Another fine point in The Stockroom’s Double Lock favor is that while created and built to be used on a person’s wrists, through the use of locks and other preventative measures, these sex toys can also make excellent ankle restraints.

Features:

• Material: Nickle Steel
• Measurements: The Smallest These Wrist Cuffs Can Go Is Five And A Half Inches, With Their Maximum Being At Around Eight Inches.
• Colors: Silver, Black

Pros:

• They are made from the finest quality nickel steel
• Stockroom’s Double Locks are equipped with double locks, making them exceptionally safe and secure.
• They come in black or silver.
• Stockroom’s Double Lock works with most keys.

Cons:

• Double-lock wrist models sometimes require a surprising amount of time to unlock, so they may not be a good choice for bondage beginners.
• They only come with two sets of keys, so to be used safely, we recommend purchasing at least four other pairs to ensure one will always be at the ready.

View On Stockroom

2. Sportsheets Sex And Mischief: Our Budget Pick!

Why I Love Sportsheets Sex And Mischief Handcuffs:

While my testers, experts, and I universally agree that when it comes to handcuffs, it’s always best to go with as high a quality as you can afford, sometimes kinksters simply cannot afford the cost of some of our more A-list models. Enter Sportsheets’ Sex And Mischief Handcuffs, which are somehow affordable as well and offer a surprisingly high-quality restraint experience for novices and bondage enthusiasts alike.

Crafted from nickel-free metal and clocking in at around eight grams, making these sex toys surprisingly light when measured against more durable devices, they come with a set of two quite stylish keys—but, as I’ve mentioned before, I think it’s always a good idea to pick up several additional pairs for the sake of safety.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

The most common complaint my sex toy testing team, my panel of sex and BDSM experts, as well as myself found with Sportsheets’ Sex And Mischief, is they simply are not as professionally well made as, for instance, our number one pick, The Stockroom’s Double Lock.

That’s not to say they aren’t picking up, just that they may require more careful attention to prevent them from unexpectedly tightening or uncomfortably cutting into the wearer’s wrists.

Why Sportsheets Sex And Mischief are our budget pick:

Say what you will about these low-cost handcuffs, but you sure can’t beat their meager cost of eleven dollars and ninety-nine cents. For that price, you get a set of satisfactorily manufactured, adequately constructed metal cuffs most restraint fans can enjoy.

Though there’s more to like and admire about Sportsheets Sex And Mischief and why there could be no other bondage model for our number two spot on this year’s list:

• Manufacture: Sportsheets is yet one more kink community recommended, highest scoring, top ranking sex toy and BDSM equipment manufacturer a lot of people swear by. Of particular note, they are also favored for their often lower costs than those of their competition—while at the same time never compromising their quality. Of these, their Sex And Mischief stands out as hitting all the right, top-scoring marks regarding professional quality manufacturing. These cuffs are perfect for any bondage experience and beat other restraints giving you or your partner a fifty-shade experience by being the perfect accessory for upping your sex life.
• Material: While a large percentage are constructed out of nickel-plated sleet, this models take a different approach by leaving nickel out of their construction process—a move that means very good news for anyone who might have allergies or find nickel-plated wrist cuffs irritating.
• Safety: As with every BDSM cuff, safety should be of paramount concern, something users of Sportsheets Sex And Mischief can somewhat relax about as it performed well in our safety testing. However, that doesn’t excuse users of Sex And Mischief from taking extra care when playing with them to reduce the possibility of injuring the person wearing them.

Features:

• Material: Nickle-Less Metal
• Measurements: The sex handcuffs Weight Only Eighty-Five Grams
• Colors: Silver

Pros:

• They are very affordable at just eleven dollars and ninety-nine cents.
• Sportsheets Sex And Mischief come with a set of two keys
• They are formed from metal that has not been treated with nickel.

Cons:

• Sportsheets Sex And Mischief aren’t as high quality as others on our list.
• They only come with a single pair of keys.

View On Shevibe.com

3. Lovehoney Black Furry: Beginner-Friendly

Why I Love Lovehoney Black Furry:

We all have to start somewhere, which makes Lovehoney Black Furry Handcuffs just the ticket for kinksters new to using restraints as part of their kinky activities. Lined inside and out with either red or black faux fur, these bright silver sexy they are outstandingly comfortable while still acting as firm and stylish wrist restraints. Slip a pair of these fuzzy beauties on your or your partner’s wrists, and be prepared to live out your bondage fantasies without needing to worry—at least not too much—about chafing.

Plus, under their furry exterior, these Lovehoney Black Furry are still as durable and effective as other models on our list. They are sold by kink-community-recognized manufacturers like Lovehoney. All of my sex toy testers, not forgetting my panel of BDSM, sex ed, and clinical sexologists, noted that Lovehoney Black Furry was a great introductory choice for folx thinking of delving into the pleasures and pleasurable pain of handcuff bondage.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

All of us also asked some fellow users what they thought about them and learned that though they were not as cold or firm as non-furry cuffs, some reported the faux fur itself could occasionally result in a rash or skin irritation. To avoid this, we all recommend sampling other toys that use faux fur just to make sure you or your partner won’t have a reaction.

Why Lovehoney Black Furry Is Our Beginner Pick:

Designed and made to appeal to people who like their bondage scenes a little bit more on the warm and not to mention “fuzzy” side, novices can’t go wrong by picking up a pair of Lovehoney Black Soft Furry. A mix of a friendly, non-threatening appearance with the superior comfort provided by their inner and out faux fur, Lovehoney Black Furry Soft has all the power of other wrist cuffs without being intimidating.

Though there are lots of equally excellent reasons why we chose Lovehoney Black Furry Soft as our beginner pick:

• Material: If you or your partner for whom synthetic fur is a pleasant addition to your BDSM play bag, then these are the perfect wrist restraints for any sort of restraint-play scene imaginable. Icing on the cake, the fur can be easily removed for cleaning, or if either of you want to use a pair of Lovehoney Black Furry soft to give a distinctive edge to your kinky activities.
• Design: All of my experts and sex toy testers, in addition to myself, agreed that their comfort extends not only to their black or red fur covering but to their mechanism as well—with the minor caveat that no one should play with them until they’ve gotten their hands on at least three or four addition sets of keys.

Features:

• Material: Metal, Latex-Free Faux Fur
• Measurements: The sexy handcuffs Have A Total Length Of Eleven Inches.
• Colors: Red, Black

Pros:

• Lovehoney Black Furry Soft is an effective way to enjoy BDSM play while being exceptionally comfortable.
• They come in two colors: red and black.
• The faux run lining can be removed for cleaning.

Cons:

• Some people may find the faux fur to be irritating
• They aren’t as well made as most of the models on our list.

View On Lovehoney

4. Stockroom’s Professional Thumbcuffs: Highest-Rated Thumbcuff!

Why I Love The Stockroom’s Professional Thumbcuffs:

When you really—and I mean really, really—want an edge-play experience, then run, do not walk to The Stockroom and get your hands, or better to say ‘thumbs’ on a pair of their Professional Thumbcuffs.

Suffice it to say, The Stockroom’s Professional Thumbcuffs aren’t designed or manufactured for amateurs. But if you have enough experience, then these wildly intense metal ones are a must-own, especially if you’re way into keeping yourself or your partner from going anywhere.

Making a great pair of thumb cuffs even greater, they retail for a little less than fifteen dollars—a shockingly low price considering they are from one of the top-scoring, highest-ranking BDSM toy and equipment manufacturers in the world.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

Not so much something my testers, experts, and I didn’t enjoy about The Stockroom’s Professional Thumbcuffs but instead a caution about using any of these types of wrist and ankle restraints is the person to whom they are fitted must not, under any circumstances, try to get out of them as doing so can be extremely dangerous—including the potential for permanently injuring the wearer’s tendons, nerves or even fracturing bones.

Why we recommend The Stockroom’s Professional Thumbcuffs:

With all the wrist cuffs made and sold today, picking the most effective wasn’t going to be a simple task. That is, it would be if my sex toy testers, experts, and I didn’t already hold The Stockroom in such high regard—so when we looked at thumbcuffs, we had to select this model over every other on the market today.

That’s only the beginning of why we awarded The Stockroom’s Professional Thumbcuffs our highest-rated in this category:

• Manufacture: The Stockroom proves one more time why they are so respected by the BDSM community by creating an exceptionally high-quality set of thumbcuffs that are as comfortable, safe, and exciting to use as they can make them.
• Design: Every single element The Stockroom put into creating their Professional Thumbcuffs demonstrates their phenomenal skill at manufacturing but also designing them. In my opinion, all other models cannot measure up to how superbly these are made.

Features:

• Material: Nickle-Plated Metal
• Colors: Silver

Pros:

• They are truly professional-grade and expertly designed.
• They come with a black vinyl storage pouch.

Cons:

• The Thumbcuffs should only be used by those familiar with how they work and how risky they can be.

View On Stockroom

Other Alternatives

Bondage Boutique Over the Door Restraints for when you or your partner want to suspend your bondage scenes—and I mean really suspend as these Bondage Boutique Over the Door Restraints are made to fit over a bedroom door and keep the person restrained by it upright and sexually available. Though we only ask you to take the necessary precautions, like not keeping someone standing for more than a few minutes at a stretch, if you do, we guarantee these door restraints will show you and your partner a very good time—and be your favorite bondage gear.

Doc Johnson’s In A Bag Vegan Leather doesn’t get any better than this set of padded, lockable restraints crafted from non-animal products. We’re positive you’ll agree that no other wrist cuffs before or since feel or look like the “real” thing other than this great product from SheVibe. Slip a pair of these no-made-from-puppies onto your or your partner’s wrists or ankles and enjoy a guilt-free BDSM play session you’ll be talking about until the cows come home. Get these quickie cuffs, and they’ll be your favorite bondage gear in no time.

Professional Police Hinged Metal Handcuffs is our premium pick. Actual, authentic, police-issued sexual handcuffs, Extreme Restraints Professional Police Hinged don’t just look like the real thing but actually are—and as such the most luxurious pick we could find, which says a lot. It’s also no wonder why, when it comes to top-of-the-line, no other wrist cuffs can match them regarding strength, durability, and effectiveness.

Bondage Boutique Extreme is the one, the only choice for those who want the restraining power of wrist cuffs with the easy accessibility of spreader bars. Fitted with four lockable cuffs, Bondage Boutique Extreme’s Spreader Bar can handle a nearly limitless range of bondage scenarios, not least of which are spread eagle, bobbling, and a whole lot more. Upping the ante, Bondage Boutique’s Extreme Spreader Bar easily disassembles so you can take your advanced bondage play on the road or put it where people won’t know what you’re up to. As far as spreader bars go, this is ideal for restraint play. Do yourself a favor and get these spreader bars and up your bondage game. Its quickie cuffs are made from soft leather and have d rings, a quick release clip, and beat other restraints when it comes to bondage play possibilities. If the Bondage Boutique Extreme didn’t really pique your interest, maybe the other spreader bars we tested could. Here are all the spreader bars we ranked and tested.

Bondage Boutique Soft Ankle Cuffs for when you want to make extra sure your bondage buddy isn’t going anywhere. Use a pair of Bondage Boutique and put them into a hogtie position, and they’ll be in bondage play hog heaven—all without putting undue strain on their wrists or ankles. In addition, a set of Bondage Boutique is equally perfect for all sorts of play possibilities—making them a BDSM playbox anyone can enjoy for nearly everything to do with wrist and ankle restraints. If you like restraint play, these will soon be your favorite bondage gear for a wide variety of sex positions. They are perfect for any sex game you can imagine, including many sex positions.

What Are Metal Handcuffs?

Wrist cuffs are either specifically created for kink-related sexual activities or are repurposed/rebranded from official police restraints. BDSM cuffs can be very dangerous when used incorrectly, so they should only be included in a power exchange scene if everyone involved has been extensively trained in their safe use.

But Why Should I Use Them?

Several of the most common reasons why you or your partner might be interested in using wrist cuffs as part of a BDSM restaurant scene include psychological—meaning they can feel and look very intense—or can be an excellent prop in a role-playing scene. Others find wrist cuffs great for adding a little bit extra drama to their kink-related activities, as few things are more intimidating than the sound of wrist restraints being clicked in place.

One more effective reason for playing with wrist cuffs is that once double-locked in place; they will stay firmly in place until unlocked—though this is also why anyone interested should fully educate themselves in using them properly [3].

How To Use Metal Handcuffs?

You and anyone you intend to play with must accept that of the many different types of BDSM restraints available, wrist cuffs and bondage rope are perhaps the riskiest. The reason for this is that most sold today are not made for BDSM play but are real, police-issue models—and, as such, were built not for pleasure but to restrain, frequently painfully, someone.

It’s why when you use them, you should always be prepared—and at a moment’s notice—to take them off [1]. With this in mind, I strongly suggest you purchase as many keys as you can- to the tune of a dozen or more- so at least one or as many as two or three- will be at the ready. Similarly, I recommend practicing with your keys until you or your partner can unlock them in less than a few seconds [2].

I also think it’s a very good idea to never play with them alone or without letting more than one or more people know what you are doing, so if you don’t regularly check in with them, they’ll know to call emergency services.

Lastly, never ratchet them on too tightly or pull on them in any way, as doing so greatly increases the possibility the wearer will be seriously injured—up to and including irreparable nerve damage, broken bones, or torn tendons.

If you’re looking for ideas on how to use handcuffs during sex, check out these handcuff sex positions we recommend.

How To Clean Handcuffs?

Never attempt to clean any wrist cuffs without first consulting with their manufacturer or the store/site you purchased them from. Failure to do so is likely to result in skin irritation—or worse—from the use of inappropriate cleaning solutions.

Only if you cannot locate recommended cleaning instructions should you make every attempt to do the job itself—and even so, follow the universal law that a little goes a very long way when cleaning sex toys. By that, I mean only use body-safe cleaners like mild, antibacterial soap or an appropriate sex toy cleaner, followed by a thorough rinse and dry. The latter is important to avoid water remaining in the cuffs, which can lead to rust or similar dangerous contaminations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Handcuffs Safe?

When used properly and with an eye towards safety, then, yes, wrist cuffs can be used for BDSM scenes. That said, these sex toys are intrinsically dangerous, but that doesn’t mean they can or should be used recklessly, as this is practically a guarantee someone will be seriously injured. As I like to say, never use them in any way where they cannot be removed in less than ten or fewer seconds.

How To Make Handcuffs?

Do not ever try to make or build your handcuffs, as the risks are far too high, including the possibility of permanent nerve damage, lifelong injury, loss of mobility, and other painful or debilitating injuries. It Is better to buy wrist cuffs from BDSM community respected companies like The Stockroom, SheVibe, Lovehoney, or Extreme Restraints than risk the life of yourself or anyone you intend to play with.

How Long Can I Wear Them?

While many BDSM players say a person can be in wrist cuffs for an extended period, I prefer people err instead on the side of caution and only keep someone restrained for no longer than a few minutes at a stretch—and then in positions that do not apply any pressure to their joints or cause distress or numbness.

Primary Sources

1. Masterclass. How to Safely Use Handcuffs During Sex in 5 Steps (June 2021)

2. Cosmopolitan. How To Use Handcuffs During Sex In The Best (And Safest) Way (March 2018)

3. She knows. Try These Kinky Handcuff Sex Positions—Because Losing Control Is Sexy (January 2023)

M.Christian

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M.Christian

M.Christian loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology. They regularly appear on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Killing Kittens, Sex for Every Body, Future of Sex, and dozens more on topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, as well as reviewing numerous sextech products and adult entertainment sites.
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