6 Best Breast Pump Reviews and Buying Guide (2024)
Low Breast Milk Supply want to increase milk supply or your baby can not comfort nursing? Also, If you have to occasionally separate from your baby for a few hours, I advise your use the breast pump.
Do you Confuse to choose the best breast pump? Yes, I found out the hard way that the breast pump that you choose can make or break you in your pumping journey. Fortunately for me, I have always been a full-time, stay-at-home mom. So, pumping wasn’t absolutely essential for me.
However, for many moms, pumping is extremely important, and I would hate for other moms out there to fail at pumping like I did with my first baby – just because the pump they chose. That’s exactly why we’ve created this guide to help you find the best breast pump!
I have still never had the experience of being a full-time pumper, but I have tried out a good few breast pumps now – including several . More importantly though, I’ve spent a lot of time talking to my full-time pumping friends – including one exclusive pumper – and doing lots of extensive research into pumping breastmilk and the many different breast pumps out on the market today. I sincerely hope that this list of the top six breast pumps and breast pump buying guide will help make your breastfeeding and pumping journey a little easier.
Our Picks for the Top 6 Breast Pumps - Compare & Reviews
There is a shockingly huge market for breast pumps out there today. Breast pumps come in all different shapes and sizes and types. There are two types of breast pumps that you will need to consider when choosing your own breast pump. There are manual breast pumps and there are electric breast pumps. In most cases, manual breast pumps are only made to pump one breast at a time and electric breast pumps are designed to be double breast pumps where you can pump from both breasts simultaneously.
Double electric breast pumps are generally the best type of breast pump for working moms because they tend to be more efficient and take less physical work on the part of the mom. Manual pumps can be a great option for less frequent pumping moms and for those occasions where you might not want to bring your entire double electric breast pump with you. To help you better understand your options and, of course, to narrow down the massive amount of choices out there, we have created this guide with our top six breast pumps choices on today’s market!
| Breast Pump | Double or Single | Electric or Manual | Included Carrying Bag | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medela Pump in Style Advanced | Double | Electric | Yes | Check Price |
| Spectra Baby USA – S2 Plus (Editor’s Choice) | Double” | Electric | No | Check Price |
| Madela Harmony | Single | Manual | No | Check Price |
| Ameda Purely Yours | Double | Electric | Yes | Check Price |
| NatureBond Silicone | Single | Manual | Yes | Check Price |
| Lansinoh Smartpump | Double | Electric | Yes | Check Price |
1Medela Pump in Style Advanced Double Electric Breast Pump – Best Overall Breast Pump
Medela Pump in Style Advanced Double Electric Breast Pump – Best Overall Breast Pump
- Double electric breast pump
- Included carrying bag
- Battery pack option
- 2-phase expression technology
- Removable cooler bag
- Contoured ice pack
- Included storage bottles
Check Pricing and Availability
Topping our list as the best overall breast pump is the incredibly popular choice from Madela – the Madela Pump in Style Advanced. This amazing double electric breast pump is an absolutely perfect choice of breast pump for a working mom!
The design of the bag that comes with this Madela breast pump is what really makes it a good breast pump for working moms. The pump itself actually secures into the bag in a way that allows you to open the bag and easily use the breast pump without having to pull it out of the bag at all. Everything else you need for your pump also fits within the simple yet stylish bag as well. You can even bring along the included cooler and ice pack to make milk storage on-the-go simple and easy.
After this period of time, it switches to a slightly slower pumping motion. This is to help get the most milk out of each suck from the breast pump. The best part is that there is even a special letdown button! This allows you to switch over to the slower sucking whenever your own letdown occurs rather than waiting for the pump to switch. Of course, the innovative design, special features, and many included accessories come at a price. This is actually the most expensive breast pump option that we reviewed. Most moms that give it a try, however, find it to be completely worth the cost. All in all, this won’t be the best choice for everyone because of the price. If you aren’t going to need to pump on a pretty regular basis, you won’t need a breast pump that is quite this advanced and expensive. However, if you do need to pump regularly – such as if you are going to be a working mom, this is an incredible breast pump choice from Madela. Check Pricing and Availability
Here is our pick for the best hospital grade breast pump! This is Spectra Baby USA’s S2 Plus Premier Electric Breast Pump! It is the perfect choice for an outstanding pump that stands up to the amazing breast pumps that they have available in the hospital. Many women find that a hospital grade pump allows them to more easily maximize their breastmilk output and often in a shorter period of time. You may think that since this is the best hospital grade breast pump that it is more expensive than all the other options. However, that is not the case at all. Actually, this is more affordable than the Madela Pump in Style breast pump that was previously mentioned. However, it would still be considered quite pricey by most and it does have a fair amount less accessories than the Madela Pump in Style. If you are after a high-quality breast pump that gets the job done exceptionally well while also remaining virtually silent, the best hospital grade breast pump is definitely for you. It is very powerful but also completely comfortable when used properly. It is a little more affordable than the Madela breast pump previously mentioned, but is still definitely on the pricey side. However, it can definitely be worth the purchase, especially if you are pressed for time when pumping and need a highly efficient option! Check Pricing and Availability
Electric breast pumps aren’t going to be the best option for everyone. We recognize that many mothers will simply need a quality manual breast pump. We have chosen the Madela Harmony Manual Breast Pump as the best manual breast pump. This incredible manual breast pump is one of a kind and easily earned its title of the best manual breast pump! The obvious downside to any manual pump is that it takes more work on your part and often can take longer per pumping session. This is especially true when you consider that you will need to pump each breast separately with the best manual breast pump. This extremely convenient and compact breast pump is, without a doubt, the best manual breast pump out there. It has an incredible list of features for a manual breast pump and can make a big difference in the convenience of your pumping sessions. It is the perfect choice if you are looking for a breast pump that is effective but you don’t need to use it on a super regular basis. Check Pricing and Availability
From another very popular brand of breastfeeding products comes our pick for the best double breast pump. This is the Purely Yours Double Electric Breast Pump from Ameda. It is a fantastic choice for moms that need to pump on a regular basis and easily won the title of best double breast pump. Something that most mothers are not thrilled about when it comes to the best double breast pump is the noise. It is a particularly noisy breast pump and is fairly loud as you pump. This may bother some women, while others may not care. Consider the noise factor when choosing if the best double breast pump is the right breast pump for you or not. If you are going to need to pump on a fairly regular basis, the best double breast pump from Ameda can be a wonderful option. It has lots of great convenience factors and special accessories to improve your overall pumping experience. It is even pretty affordable as far as double electric breast pumps go! Check Pricing and Availability
Our choice for the best cheap breast pump is the NatureBond Silicone Manual Breast Pump. This particular breast pump is actually quite a bit different than other breast pumps. Rather than being made for using while you are away from your baby, this is a pump designed to be used while you nurse your little one. It is a special breast pump that is designed to help catch the letdown that women typically experience during nursing. When your baby is nursing, you are likely to experience several letdowns. Your baby will get the letdown on the side you are nursing from, but the milk that lets down from the opposite side often ends up wasted as it leaks into your clothing or nursing pads. With the best cheap breast pump, you can save every drop and not waste any of that precious liquid gold! From there, your body’s natural letdown as well as the suction from the best cheap breast pump will have milk flowing into your NatureBond pump while you nurse your baby from the opposite side. This gives you an opportunity to save a ton of breastmilk that would have been otherwise wasted. You may be surprised at just how much breastmilk you are able to store when you catch your letdowns during your normal nursing sessions.
This is certainly not a good breast pump for a working mother to use exclusively. When you are not already experiencing a letdown, it is unlikely for you to be able to pump much with this breast pump. You can certainly use it when you are with your baby and then use a different breast pump for time away from baby, though. Obviously, this is not a good choice to use as a breast pump to express milk away from your baby. It is very different than the other breast pump options that we’ve talked about. However, it is still extremely useful and very worthwhile having. It is a great option for moms to start building up a breastmilk stash while they are with their baby still. The best part is that it is so affordable that nearly anyone can easily afford one! Check Pricing and Availability
Technology keeps advancing and there are “smart” versions of almost everything out there available these days. So, our top pick for the best electric breast pump is Lansinoh’s Smartpump Double Electric Breast Pump. This incredible breast pump is able to connect to a special app on your smart phone via Bluetooth. This is the best electric breast pump, not just because it automatically pumps your milk without you having to do so manually, but because the smart function and Bluetooth connectivity allow you to get so much more out of your breast pump! While the best electric breast pump is not quite as noisy as the Ameda breast pump option previously mentioned, it does tend to be louder than most options on our breast pump guide. Some may find the sound to be annoying – especially if they are pumping on a regular basis and listening to the sound several times a day during pumping sessions. The best electric breast pump is definitely deserving of its spot here on the best breast pump list. It is a fantastic and cleverly designed breast pump. The fact that it is a smart breast pump makes it that much cooler and more useful. The app that it connects to is very helpful and easy to use. What is really surprising and exciting about the best electric breast pump is that it is actually the most affordable double breast pump on our entire list! So, you know you are really getting an incredible value with this breast pump option. With so many breast pump choices on the market and so many different features and accessories, it can take time and research to truly find the best breast pump for you. Fortunately for you, we decided to do the hard work for you! We spent a lot of time and research in order to bring you the best breast pump guide with the top six breast pumps on it. When choosing your own best breast pump, keep in mind important factors like manual vs. electric and single vs. double. You will also want to look at the included accessories and extras that come with different breast pumps. Think about what is most important to you. Many breast pump options include special carrying bags. This allows you to easily transport the breast pump and all required parts for the breast pump. If transportation convenience is of the upmost importance to you, you will want a breast pump that includes this. There are lots of other extras, accessories, and special features that you will want to consider as well when choosing the best breast pump for you! While choosing your breast pump is super important, it is definitely not the only thing you’ll need to figure out. Knowing how to efficiently use your breast pump is just as, if not more, important! So, below, we have rounded up some of our favorite pumping tips to help you successfully pump breastmilk for your baby! Pumping breastmilk can be pretty simple and mostly easy, but you don’t want to go into it blindly. Learning the basics of pumping and getting some tips from those that have been there before you can make a world of difference in your overall experience and success. Here are some great tips to successfully pump breastmilk that we have put together just for you! One important thing that you will definitely want to remember when pumping breastmilk is that you want to maintain a schedule. It is important that you pump at least as often as your baby would naturally nurse. This is important because you want to stay consistent and avoid sending your body mixed signals. So, if you will be away from your baby for 6 hours and you usually nurse every 2 hours, you will need to pump twice. The reason you only need to pump twice in that time is because you can nurse your baby right before you leave, then pump 2 hours later, pump another 2 hours later, and then you will be back with your baby to nurse again after the final 2 hours is up. Basically, you will want to pump for each bottle that your baby receives in your absence. That should match up pretty well to the times that they would normally nurse if you were there with them. This will keep your milk supply regulated and ensure you continue to produce enough breastmilk for your baby. One great way to help get your milk flowing for the breast pump is through breast massage. This helps to stimulate the flow of milk and to help you relax and focus. You can try massaging your breasts for a couple of minutes before you start pumping and/or you can actually massage your breast while you pump your breastmilk. If you are double pumping, you may have some trouble with this, but fortunately, a good pumping bra can make it easy to massage your breasts while you pump as well as simplify pumping overall! Staying hydrated is important for breastfeeding whether you are pumping breastmilk or not. Breastmilk is made up of mostly water with lots of other important components and nutrients mixed in, of course – but getting enough water is of the upmost importance if you want to ensure that you have plenty of breastmilk for nursing and for pumping! When you are with your baby, their soft skin, sweet smell, and simply the love you feel for them helps to trigger your letdowns and gets your milk flowing for nursing. However, if you are pumping breastmilk, you are more than likely not with your little one and it may be more difficult to achieve letdowns and get as much milk with a pump as your baby gets from nursing. Closing your eyes, relaxing, and thinking of your baby while you pump can really help with this. You can even look at pictures or watch videos of your baby while you pump to help get better pumping results. Often times, moms think that the highest settings on a breast pump are the best settings to get the most breastmilk. That is not true at all, however, and every mom needs different breast pump settings to reach her maximum pumping potential. The reason that many breast pumps come with customizable settings for things like suction, pattern, and speed is to allow moms to experiment and find out what works best for them. More often than not, by attempting to best replicate the way your little one naturally nurses with your breast pump settings, you will be able to maximize your breastmilk output the best. Moms tend to have the most breastmilk in their breasts early in the morning. That means that it is a great time to get an extra pumping session in. This can help to increase your breastmilk supply a little if you need it and also gives you the opportunity to build a larger stash of breastmilk to be stored for when you and your baby need it. Remember that your breasts are never completely empty of milk when you are lactating. So, don’t be too worried about your baby wanting to nurse right after a pumping session. You can still nurse your baby, even if you have just pumped breastmilk. The nursing session just may take a little longer than usual. One extremely important thing to remember when you are pumping breastmilk is that you must store it properly. If you store your pumped breastmilk improperly, it can be dangerous for your baby to drink it. There are some basic rules to follow with breastmilk storage. You can leave breastmilk out at room temperature for around 4 hours safely. You can leave breastmilk in the fridge for about 4 days safely. When storing breastmilk in a freezer, you can safely use it for up to one year or 12 months. However, it is still best to use the frozen milk within 6 months to ensure a higher quality of breastmilk. For more complete breastmilk storage guidelines, read more here. Breast pump parts are often dishwasher safe. However, every breast pump is different and sometimes the instructions even for individual parts of the same breast pump can differ. For these reasons, it is always important to check the specific instructions from your breast pump manufacturer when it comes to cleaning your breast pump. Whether or not a breast pump is completely necessary depends on your specific situation. For those moms that are returning to work and still want to provide their babies with breastmilk while they are away, a breast pump is certainly in order. Even for those moms that won’t be returning to work though, having a good breast pump can be very helpful. It will allow them to easily express breastmilk when needed such as for a date or other occasion where they will need to leave their baby for a while. Breast pumps should not be painful. The most common cause of pain when pumping breastmilk would be the wrong size of breast flange. The flange is the part of the breast pump that actually goes over your breast. These come in different sizes to accommodate the many different sized breasts out there. Most breast pumps come with a standard size of breast flange that fits many women. However, you may need to look into getting larger or smaller breast flanges if yours aren’t fitting quite right and causing you discomfort or pain. You also want to make sure you have your settings on your breast pump adjusted to the most comfortable options for you. In general, breast pumps should not be shared. The vast majority of breast pumps are single-user items just like toothbrushes. It is not considered safe to share breast pumps even when they are washed in-between uses. For this reason, you should never consider purchasing a used breast pump. The amount of time that pumping breastmilk will take is going to vary per person and per pump. Generally, once you have the hang of pumping and have figured out the best settings for you on your breast pump, it should only take 15-20 minutes of pumping per session per breast. So, if you are double pumping you will only need 20-25 minutes of time overall to pump including setup time. If you are pumping each breast individually, you will need extra time, of course. Pumping breastmilk can certainly increase your breastmilk supply. The way breastmilk supply works is all about supply and demand. The more milk that you remove from your breasts, the more milk that your body is signaled to make. So, if you are pumping in addition to your baby’s regular nursing sessions, you are very likely to be able to increase your milk supply through pumping breastmilk. You may love to know about the Necessary Breastfeeding Supplies you are gonna need. Breast pumps are most important for those moms that go back to work while still nursing their baby. However, it can be a great idea for all breastfeeding moms to have a good way to express and save some breastmilk. That way they will always have some on hand for when they do need it. You may need it for a night out with your friends or partner or you may even need it for a more urgent situation. For example, if you become sick and need to be hospitalized or take a medication that isn’t breastfeeding-friendly. It can be difficult to know exactly which breast pump is right for you. Hopefully, with the help of our top six breast pumps list, you are able to easily find the very best breast pump to best meet your own personal pumping needs!
Spectra Baby USA – S2 Plus Premier Electric Breast Pump – Best Hospital Grade Breast Pump
Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump – Best Manual Breast Pump
Ameda Purely Yours Double Electric Breast Pump – Best Double Breast Pump
NatureBond Silicone Manual Breast Pump – Best Cheap Breast Pump
Lansinoh Smartpump Double Electric Breast Pump – Best Electric Breast Pump
Buying Guide to Choosing the Best Breast Pump
Breast Pump FAQ
Final Words
