Comparison: Which Kegel Exerciser is Best in 2024?
Why Are Postpartum Pelvic Floor Exercises Important?
Pelvic floor exercises can aid in postpartum recovery and reduce leaks.
What Kegel Exercisers Are
You know you should do Kegel exercises. You might even have learned how to do Kegel exercises correctly, since research shows that 1 in 4 women do Kegel exercises incorrectly. Who can blame them when you can’t see your progress? Even when you learn the correct form, it’s difficult to perform multiple sessions every day. What next? There is good news! What Kegel exercise devices, aka Kegel machines, can do is help you do those exercises. They work by either teaching you how to perform them correctly by giving you feedback, or do the work for you to strengthen and tone those pelvic floor muscles.
The Benefits of Using a Kegel Exerciser
Keeping your pelvic floor healthy and toned is an important part of overall health and well-being. Kegel exercise devices help to strengthen and control your pelvic floor muscles, which can improve urinary and fecal incontinence, joint pain, backaches, and childbirth recovery. They may even increase sexual pleasure with more intense orgasms by strengthening the vaginal walls. For those who lack the motivation or time to exercise on their own, a Kegel exercise device can increase the efficiency of the exercise. Now there is one device that externally exercises your pelvic muscles while you are busy doing everyday tasks. Not only that, but it is also easy to use and discreet enough for you to exercise wherever you go. All of these benefits make it easy to see why a Kegel exerciser is worth considering for those who want to improve their overall well-being.
How do Kegel exercisers work?
Your pelvic floor consists of a network of layered muscles, kind of like a hammock, that supports your bladder, uterus, vagina, and rectum. Just as with the rest of your body, these muscles need exercise to stay toned and function correctly. Kegel exercisers target these pelvic floor muscles, teaching your body to contract and release the muscles to tighten and improve strength. Some Kegel exercise devices use internal, vaginal probes to either train you how to do Kegels or actually do them for you. External Kegel devices are not invasive and stimulate your muscles to do Kegels longer and stronger than you could on your own.
We’ve rolled up our sleeves and conducted our own consumer research (yes, we’ve tried the devices). Because there are so many types of Kegel exercisers, it’s sometimes confusing to know which one is best for you. We’ve evaluated cost, pros and cons, and how each device works, plus reviews for each type of exerciser.
CLICK EACH IMAGE BELOW TO LEARN MORE, OR CLICK HERE FOR A SIDE-BY-SIDE VIEW.
Kegel Weights
Brands: Kegel balls, Kegel cones, Yoni or jade egg, Ben Wa ball, and more
How it Works: Series of increasing weights inserted vaginally. Identifies and builds up Kegel muscles.
What you do: Squeeze to keep weights from falling
Pros: Inexpensive, Helps identify Kegel muscles
Cons: Requires dedicated time, Stay stationary, Requires privacy, Risk of infection
FDA cleared?: No
Price: $50-$100
Review: “Easy to use to isolate pelvic floor muscles. Once you identify your muscles, it’s easier to do Kegels anywhere on your own.”
Kegel Trainers
Brands: KegelSmart, kGoal, Elvie, PeriCoach
How it Works: Probe inserted vaginally. Measures strength of Kegels using biofeedback.
What you do: Squeeze with mobile app guide
Pros: Relatively inexpensive, Gives feedback on Kegel strength
Cons: Requires dedicated time, Stay stationary, Requires privacy, Risk of infection
FDA cleared?: Not for incontinence
Price: $100-$300
Review: “Fit can be uncomfortable. The games are fun at first. Once you identify pelvic floor muscles, it’s easier to do Kegels on your own.”
Magnetic Chairs
Brands: BTL Emsella
How it Works: Sit on a chair while magnetic field is passed through your pelvic floor
What you do: Sit on a special chair in the doctor’s office.
Pros: Easy to use, Use while fully clothed
Cons: Six treatment for $2000, Repeat visits to the doctor’s office, Questionable efficacy
FDA cleared?: Yes, prescription required
Price: $2000 for six treatments
User Review: “Nothing is inserted vaginally and clothes can be left on during treatment. Quite expensive for 6 visits and no guarantee that it will work.”
Vaginal Stimulation
Brands: Apex, Attain, Liberty, Yarlap, Kegel8, Leva
How it Works: Probe inserted vaginally. Does Kegels for you via electrical stimulation.
What you do: Let probe contract muscles for you.
Pros: Does Kegels for you
Cons: Requires dedicated time, Stay stationary lying down, Requires privacy, Risk of infection
FDA cleared?: Yes, but may require prescription
Price: $300-$1200, with some insurance coverage
User Review: “Clinically proven to work, and some are quite strong. Contracts the correct muscles for you, but the vaginal activation leaves you feeling somewhat “violated.” It’s hard to commit to consistent private sessions.”
(NEW!) External Stimulation
Brands: ELITONE
How it Works: GelPad worn externally. Does Kegels for you via electrical stimulation.
What you do: Let device contract muscles for you.
Pros: Does Kegels for you, No internal insertion, Worn under clothing, Can move around during treatment
Cons: Possibility of skin irritation
FDA cleared?: Yes, and no prescription required
Price: $399, with some insurance coverage
Kegel Weights
Squeeze to keep a series of increasing weights from falling out of the vagina to identify and build up muscles. These balls, cones, or egg-shapes are as simple as they come, dating back thousands of years. Kegel weights are inexpensive and easy to understand. However, they do require privacy and dedicated time. Anything vaginally inserted will have a higher risk of infection. Review: Easy to use to isolate pelvic floor muscles. Once you identify your muscles, it’s easier to do Kegels anywhere on your own.
Kegel Trainers
Biofeedback measures the strength of Kegel contractions as you squeeze around the device. Most of these vaginally inserted probes are connected to mobile apps so you can see your progress, and some offer fun games to play as you squeeze. Kegel trainers still have a risk of infection and require dedicated time and privacy during use. Most are not FDA-approved for incontinence. Review: Fit can be uncomfortable. The games are fun at first, but it’s hard to find the time to keep using them.
Magnetic Chairs
The patient sits on a specialized chair while a high intensity electromagnetic field is focused on the pelvic floor, causing the muscles to contract. This external therapy is administered in a doctor’s office over six sessions typically. A meta-data review by the Department of Health (AHRQ) shows this therapy to be less effective than electrical stimulation. Review: Quite easy to show up and sit fully clothed. As a kegel exerciser, it is quite expensive for 6 visits and maintenance costs are extra.
Vaginal Stimulation
Electrical stimulation (e-stim) contracts the pelvic floor muscles, doing your Kegels for you. Don’t let the term “electrical stimulation” scare you. Electrical currents are how your brain talks to your muscles and tell them to move, and these devices have been around for 40 years. Originally only found in doctors‘ and physical therapy offices, vaginal kegel exercisers are now approved for home use, but require dedicated time on your back and privacy, plus there’s a risk of infection. Clinically proven to work, and some are quite strong. Contracts the correct muscles for you, but the vaginal activation leaves you feeling somewhat “violated” which makes it hard to want to make time for sessions.
External Stimulation
Electrical stimulation (e-stim) contracts the pelvic floor muscles through skin, doing the Kegel for you. The FDA created a new category to treat incontinence, so these external Kegel exercisers are new on the market. Although similar to the vaginal e-stim, these devices are applied externally, allowing for comfort and safety. Elitone disposable GelPads are worn like a thin sanitary pad, so you can get dressed and do other things during sessions. There is another wearable that uses similar technology and better than vaginal devices, but requires sizing, being stationary, and is not discrete. Review for Elitone: Easy to use and discreet while going about normal daily tasks. Easy is the key so that you will continue with the treatments.
Are there other stress urinary incontinence treatments?
There are other options besides Kegel exercisers that may stop bladder leaks, but most require office visits. These other treatments fall into two categories:
- Methods of physically blocking the urethra passageway to reduce leaks, such as filler injections around the urethra, pessaries, or even creating scar tissue via lasers.
- Pelvic floor physical therapists who manually help identify pelvic floor muscles and work with you to strengthen them.
Surgery: A Last Resort
Because there are no medications for stress urinary incontinence, patients might think surgery is the only option. But the FDA recently warned about problems with surgical mesh implants. Surgery should be a last resort!
The more you know about pelvic floor health, the better equipped you’ll be to choose the treatment that’s right for you. Whatever you choose, it’s important to get treated. Waiting will cost you more and may not be effective as your incontinence progresses. If you still need help after you’ve tried Kegel exercises on your own, check out Elitone—the first external treatment available without a prescription. PLUS it’s worn under your clothes so you can get on with your life! It doesn’t get any easier to treat!
“I did Kegels 3x a week for 5 years —Not much progress. This device worked so well for me. It’s amazing that those leaks are gone. In fact, I just sent my MD an email asking him to review the device. All of the reviews I’ve read on your website are true….. ALL OF THEM. Thanks for such a life changing product.” — Connie, CA 63y
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