Good points made. Maybe butt plugs are like shoes. Sure, you can get by with the inexpensive, imitation leather stuff, but if you save up for quality (and watch for sales), you can get something classic that's much nicer looking, a better fit, fully comfortable, and lasts for literal years if you take care of it.
So maybe I'm looking at the wrong kind of stuff. My preferences and uses come into play, then, for me to spend substantially more and get something that will be a joy for a long time to come rather than "meh" or "ouch!" (What, "joy" isn't how you feel with a good plug up there? Poor you!)
I'm strictly recreational, no long-time wear. A few hours at the most, usually less.
I enjoy the sensation of being held open, so I like a thick neck. Lots of poor designs in those, though, including one now discarded that didn't have a big enough base and liked to slide inside. Uh-oh, now what?
The full feeling of a sizeable plug in there is not very important.
I'm solo, so it has to be insertable without another person. If it's super-squishy soft and doesn't have a harder core, it tends to bend at the neck rather than go where I'm aiming. I have one like that I should throw away.
I've had a rigid jelly plug that was slightly over two inches. I consider that size my max, and only if the plug is not rock hard but some level of soft.
No jelly. That plug not only got sticky and weird, but it did a (chemical?) number on the other plugs it touched as it broke down, leaving indentations in every kind of material, even silicone. I threw out most of the collection, which is why I'm shopping. (Lots of the purchases I made since then were terrible. I really could use guidance, obviously.)
No glass. No vibrating. No suction base required, although if a great plug has one, I won't rule it out.
Appearance matters very little, now that I think about it, although something unlikely to stain would be desirable.
I'm open to suggestions! Come on, you know you love shopping for this kind of thing and making recommendations.