It's been a long time since mine were puppies but we have always used the plastic crates for puppies. As I recall there was always some crying the first night but I found that if I put the crate up on a table (level with the bed) and faced the opening toward us, I didn't have such a problem.
With my son's dog we had a bit more problems. My mom suggested we also put a ticking clock near the crate. She said that helps them feel like they're near other puppies or mom. Reminds them of hearts beating. It helped.
I haven't tried the wire crates with puppies so I couldn't say if it's better or not.
