Kegel ball sets tend to look the same in product photos: a few smooth balls, a strap, a pouch. The differences that matter sit in the details, and most of them are easy to check once you know what to look for. If you're new to pelvic floor exercises themselves, our guide to the benefits of Kegel exercises covers the exercise; this article is about the set you'd use with it.
We sell a set of our own, Tone, so we'll say plainly what it includes and where it sits on each point. The checklist works for any set, and there's a table near the end that puts it all on one page.
In this article
- The material: non-porous silicone
- A strap you can hold
- The weight range and the number of levels
- Ball size and strap length
- Cleaning, lube and storage
- What to avoid
- The price, and what it buys
- The checklist in one table
- Before you buy any set
- Frequently asked questions
The material: non-porous silicone
This is the point that matters most, because a kegel ball spends its time inside the body and has to come out clean every time. Look for medical-grade silicone, which is smooth and non-porous and washes clean with water and a gentle cleaner.
The material to be careful with is natural stone. Stone eggs are sold for the same purpose, and they look sturdy. Cleveland Clinic explains that stones like jade and onyx are actually semi-porous, which leaves room for bacteria to grow, and that semi-porous materials are difficult to fully clean. The same page notes that gemstones can chip or crack, leaving rough spots that can do damage.
Whatever the material, the listing should name it. A set that only calls itself body-safe or premium leaves you guessing. Tone is medical-grade silicone over a stainless steel core.
Check the surface when it arrives
Run a finger over each ball before the first use. You're looking for a smooth, even finish with no rough spots, sharp edges or loose parts. If anything feels rough or the surface is damaged, don't use it.
A strap you can hold
A ball needs something to hold on to when it's time to take it out. Cleveland Clinic points out that, because of their size, shape and slippery material, stone eggs can be difficult to retrieve. A set with a strap or cord attached to the balls solves that.
Check that the strap is part of the design rather than an add-on, and that it's made of a material you can wash as easily as the balls. Tone comes with two straps: a 110 mm one for a single ball and a 160 mm one for two.
The weight range and the number of levels
A good set lets you start light and move up in small steps. That matters more than the heaviest weight in the box, because most people should begin at the bottom and stay there a while. Our article on which kegel ball weight to start with goes through the progression in detail.
When you compare sets, look at three numbers together: the lightest weight, the heaviest weight, and how many steps there are in between. A set that jumps from light to heavy in one move leaves you nowhere to go when the first weight becomes easy and the next feels like too much.
Tone's four balls weigh 30 g (the two white ones), 40 g (orange) and 50 g (red). Used alone or in pairs, they give seven load levels: 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 g, each 10 g apart.
A moving weight inside
Some balls are solid; others have a weight inside that moves freely as you do. Each Tone ball holds a free-moving inner weight that shifts as you move. It's worth knowing which kind you're buying, because the listing doesn't always say.
Ball size and strap length
The diameter of the ball is the other measurement to look for, and a set that lists it lets you know what you're getting before it arrives. Each Tone ball is 31 mm across, about 1.2 inches.
Strap length tells you how the set is meant to be used. A short strap holds one ball, and a longer one holds two. Moving to two balls adds size as well as weight, so a set that offers both gives you a gentler way to build up. With Tone, the short 110 mm strap takes one ball and the 160 mm strap takes two.
Cleaning, lube and storage
Cleaning. Non-porous silicone can be washed before and after each use. Our guide on how to clean sex toys covers the method, and it applies to kegel balls too. Let everything dry completely before you put it away.
Lube. Silicone toys need a water-based lubricant, because silicone lubricant isn't meant for silicone toys. Tone is to be used with water-based lubricant only. If you use our Honey lubricant, the aloe version is the water-based one.
Storage. A pouch keeps the balls clean and away from dust and lint between uses. Tone comes with a storage pouch and a bilingual manual.
What to avoid
Stone and other porous materials for anything you'll put inside your body, for the reasons above.
A listing that doesn't name the material. If the seller can't say what it's made of, you can't judge whether it can be cleaned properly.
No way to remove it. A ball with no strap or cord is harder to take out.
One heavy weight and nothing lighter. Starting heavy teaches you to clench instead of lift, and Cleveland Clinic warns that clenching continually to keep an object in place can lead to painful pelvic floor muscle spasms.
Big promises. Research on vaginal weights is limited. A Cochrane review of weighted vaginal cones found that all 23 trials it included were small, and its authors called their conclusions tentative. A set that promises a medical result is promising more than the evidence supports. Tone's own page says it's not for medical use.
The price, and what it buys
Kegel ball sets cover a wide range of prices, and the price on its own tells you less than what's in the box. A fairer way to compare is to count what you get: how many balls, how many load levels, which straps, and whether the material is named.
Tone is $54 CAD ($41 USD). That buys four balls, two straps, seven load levels from 30 to 90 g, a storage pouch and a bilingual manual. Worked out per ball, it's $13.50 CAD each. Because the balls combine on the long strap, you aren't paying for seven separate weights to get seven levels.
A set with one or two balls can cost less, and it may be all you need if you only ever plan to use a light weight. If you expect to progress over time, more levels in small steps tend to be worth more than a lower price.
The checklist in one table
| What to check | Why it matters | What Tone has |
|---|---|---|
| Material named on the listing | You can't judge cleaning without it | Medical-grade silicone over a stainless steel core |
| Non-porous surface | Porous stone is hard to fully clean | Silicone, non-porous |
| A strap or cord | Smooth balls can be hard to remove | Two straps, 110 mm and 160 mm |
| A light starting weight | Starting heavy teaches clenching | 30 g |
| Small steps between levels | Room to build up gradually | Seven levels, 10 g apart |
| Ball diameter listed | You know what you're getting | 31 mm |
| Lube guidance | Silicone toys need water-based lube | Water-based only |
| Storage | Keeps it clean between uses | Pouch included |
| Price per what's in the box | A fairer comparison than the sticker | $54 CAD, four balls, seven levels |
Before you buy any set
A kegel ball set suits someone who can find their pelvic floor and wants a way to add a little resistance. It isn't the right first step in every case.
Skip it during pregnancy, and check with a healthcare professional before using it after childbirth or surgery; the Tone page says both. Pain during or after sex, or pelvic pain, can mean the muscles are too tight rather than too weak. Cleveland Clinic's page on a hypertonic pelvic floor describes muscles that can't let go of a spasm or contraction, and it points to physical therapy as a highly effective option. A pelvic floor physiotherapist is the right person to see first in that case.
If you're unsure whether you're using the right muscles, Cleveland Clinic's guide explains how to find your pelvic floor muscles and what doing the exercise wrong feels like. A physiotherapist can also check your technique.
Tone has no customer reviews yet, so we can't share what buyers think of it. Everything above comes from its page. The full details are on the Tone product page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best material for kegel balls?
Medical-grade silicone is the material to look for. It's smooth and non-porous, so it can be washed clean before and after each use. Natural stone is semi-porous, according to Cleveland Clinic, which makes it hard to fully clean, and it can chip. Whatever you choose, the listing should name the material.
Are jade or stone eggs safe to use?
Cleveland Clinic advises caution. It explains that stones like jade and onyx are semi-porous, which leaves room for bacteria and makes them hard to clean, that gemstones can chip or crack, and that smooth eggs can be hard to retrieve. A non-porous silicone ball with a strap avoids those problems.
How many weights should a kegel ball set have?
Enough to start light and move up in small steps. Look at the lightest weight, the heaviest, and the number of levels in between. Tone's four balls combine into seven levels from 30 to 90 g, each 10 g apart, so each step up is a small one.
Do kegel balls need a string or strap?
A strap or cord makes them much easier to take out. Smooth balls can be slippery, and Cleveland Clinic notes that stone eggs without one can be difficult to retrieve. Tone comes with two straps: 110 mm for one ball and 160 mm for two.
How much does a good kegel ball set cost?
Prices vary a lot, so compare what's in the box rather than the price alone: the number of balls, the number of load levels, the straps and the named material. Tone is $54 CAD ($41 USD) for four balls, two straps, seven levels, a pouch and a bilingual manual.
Which lube should I use with kegel balls?
A water-based lubricant, in a small amount. Silicone lubricant isn't meant for silicone toys, and Tone is to be used with water-based lube only. If you use Honey, choose the aloe version, which is water-based and compatible with all toy materials, silicone included.
Sources
- Semi-porous stone, cleaning, chipping, retrieval and clenching: Cleveland Clinic, Are yoni eggs safe
- Research on weighted vaginal cones is small: Herbison and Dean, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013, PubMed 23836411
- Muscles that stay tight, and physical therapy: Cleveland Clinic, Hypertonic pelvic floor
- Finding the pelvic floor muscles and doing Kegels correctly: Cleveland Clinic, Kegel exercises
About this article
Written by the Peach & Cream team, based in Montréal. Published October 15, 2026. Last updated October 15, 2026. Product facts and prices come from the Tone product page; Tone has no customer reviews yet, so none are quoted. This article is general information, not medical advice. Tone is not for medical use and does not treat or prevent any condition.