Our top 10 favourite breast pumps – for all boobs and budgets
Genevieve Mellberg
Genevieve Mellberg
If you’re a pregnant person nearing the finish line, you may be starting to wonder about breast pumps. Will I need one? What’s the best one? What’s the typical price range? We’re going to answer these questions and more!
If you haven’t had your baby yet, it’s hard to say whether you’ll need to use a breast pump. Some have no need to consider it, as they plan to exclusively formula feed, and that’s totally fine! Breastfeeding is a personal choice. However, if you do plan to breastfeed, here are some things to consider when you’re thinking about breast pumps.
Usually, if your baby is born prematurely or spends time in the NICU, healthcare professionals will recommend utilising a breast pump. Additionally, those who spend frequent time away from their baby, such as for a job, might find a breast pump helpful to fill in those gaps. Finally, if you find that you have low milk supply or want to build up stores, breast pumps can be really helpful. If none of those sound like you, you might not need to use a breast pump at all if you don’t want to.
However, if you do fall into one of those categories, we’ve got you covered! Before we get into our favourite picks though, let’s so over some quick vocab so you understand the differences between various pumps.
- Electric: A pump which runs on battery or a power cord, and requires no manual effort once turned on.
- Manual: A pump which only works when being manually handled.
- Hospital-grade: A pump with a maximum of 320-350 millimeters of mercury (mmHg), or vacuum strength. Some are available on the market, but are usually more expensive.
- Single: A pump that only works with one breast at a time.
- Double: A pump that can work with both breasts at the same time.
- Wearable: A wireless pump that can be worn in your bra.
Pumps range dramatically in price. If you want, there’s no need to spend over $100 on a breast pump. Although, those tend to be manual and have much lower vacuum strengths than others, so it isn’t ideal if you produce a lot of milk. On the other hand, wearable, electric, hospital-grade pumps can cost over $1000. In general though, there’s no need to spend any more than $200-$550, which is where most of our recs fall.
Haakaa Generation 1 100ml Silicone Breast Pump
$19.90
As one of the cheapest breast pumps on the market, the Haakaa Generation 1 is the perfect pick for those on a strict budget, or parents who aren’t yet sure if they want to delve deep into the world of breast pumping. It’s not electric, so it’s silent and extremely easy to clean.
Haakaa Generation 1 100ml Silicone Breast Pump
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Minbie New Hospital Grade Breast Pump
$350
This electric, hospital-grade double breast pump is USB charged, handbag-sized, and features 3 different silicone cup sizes for maximum comfort. In addition, each side can be controlled independently in case you need stronger suction on one side than the other.
Minbie New Hospital Grade Breast Pump
Medela Freestyle Hands-Free Double Electric Wearable Breast Pump
$519
Though it’s on the pricier side, it would be difficult to find a better breast pump than those by Medela. Their suction power is unmatched, and this one is made to be as lightweight and portable as possible. It fits right into your bra and is dishwasher safe!
Medela Freestyle Hands-Free Double Electric Wearable Breast Pump
Swing Maxi Double Electric Breast Pump
$349
Another favourite of ours from Medela is the Swing Maxi. Though it’s a bit less portable than the Freestyle, it’s got incredibly strong suction and can be used up to 6 pumping sessions per charge. It also pumps both breasts at the same time which is a huge time saver.
Swing Maxi™ – Double Electric Breast Pump
Spectra Dual S Breast Pump
$439
This hospital-grade double pump is packed with cool features. First of all, it’s remarkably quiet and even has a mute button for late night sessions. It also has a modern design complete with a touch screen.
Spectra Dual S Breast Pump
Elvie Double Electric Breast Pump
$549.99
The smartest breast pump on the market now comes in wearable form. It’s discreet, quiet, lightweight, and aesthetically pleasing. It comes with an app so you can control it easily while multitasking. If you’re on a budget but love the idea, it also comes as a single pump for half the price. As Elvie says, pump smarter not harder!
Elvie Double Electric Breast Pump
Elvie Stride Double Breast Pump
$269.99
Can you tell we’re Elvie fans? In particular, the Stride is a portable, wearable, hands-free hospital-grade breast pump. Again, you can connect to the Elvie app to adjust the pump easily, as well as check out your pumping history. If you love to track your progress, Elvie is perfect for you.
Elvie Stride Double Breast Pump
Spectra 9 Plus Portable Double Electric Breast Pump
$249.99
With a built-in rechargeable battery, the Spectra 9 Plus was built to fit easily into a handbag and be used on the go. It’s not quite as silent as other models, but it’s on the lower end of the price range and has an impressive maximum suction of 300mmHg.
Spectra 9 Plus Portable Double Electric Breast Pump
Lansinoh Compact Single Electric Breast Pump
$169.95
For those looking for a cheaper single breast pump, the Lansinoh is the perfect way to go. It was thoughtfully designed with 5 suction levels and 2 rhythm settings, and is USB chargeable. It’s also BPA and BPS free, and was made as simply as possible so even the newest breastfeeding parents can figure it out.
Lansinoh® Compact Single Electric Breast Pump
Babyation The Pump
$499
Known as the most comfortable pump on the market, we promise you’ll be blown away by The Pump by Babyation. It’s made with buttery-soft, ultra-flexible silicone and mimics the suction pattern of a baby as closely as possible. It also comes with a built-in ice pack, is battery-operated, and is completely silent.
Babyation The Pump
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Genevieve Mellberg
Follow +Vee is a former American college student working in Australia this summer. Though they don’t have any kids of their own, they’ve enjoyed teaching at preschools and kids’ dance schools these past few years. You can usually find them making music, painting, or hanging around any nearby animals.