Gear

Pumping Sucks. The Best Breast Pumps Make It Easier

Whether you go electric or manual, these are the best ones.

by Lexi Dwyer
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Various breast pumps set against a multicolored background

Babies eat. A lot. For mothers who are able to nurse, the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that infants be fed breast milk exclusively for the first six months after birth. The best breast pumps enable nursing mothers to pump milk without being tethered to wires, tubes and bottles, and wearable breast pumps free them up to feed tiny humans while also doing other stuff. Finding the best breast pump for working moms is pretty crucial, because it enables them to actually multi-task while also producing more milk in less time.

Electric breast pumps are the most common choice among nursing mothers because they have a motor that does the work for them. Moms can opt for a battery-operated pump, or one that plugs into the wall, or both. To get the most milk in the least amount of time, women can get a double pump, which draws milk from both breasts simultaneously. Many of today’s fanciest pumps have something called a closed system: It means that milk doesn’t circulate through tubing or the motor of the pump, thus keeping things simpler and more hygienic.

If mom is primarily breastfeeding but needs a pump to use on occasion, a manual one is a good option. For moms who prefer to operate in hands-free mode while at work or while playing with the kid, they can choose a pump like the Willow that is spill-proof and fits directly into the bra, without any dangling wires.

The Best Breast Pumps

Spectra Premier Electric Breast Pump
$199.99
Motif Luna Double Electric Breast Pump
$189
Medela Pump in Style Breast Pump with MaxFlow

Medela's newest breast pump has a motor that generates micro-vibrations for to increase milk production. It has 10 adjustable vacuum levels and a closed system. You can use it with either the battery pack, or by plugging it into a socket.

$200
Dr. Brown’s Customflow Double Electric Breast Pump

Many, many parents swear by Dr. Brown's bottles, and this is the pump to get if you're one of them. It has a built-in timer and pause button so you can stop and start pumping on your schedule. And it has built-in memory settings to replicate milk production sessions; you pump directly into the brand's bottles. The touchscreen is backlit, with a handy LCD display.

$160
Medela Freestyle Flex Breast Pump
$324.99
Philips Avent Electric Double Breast Pump

The new Avent breast pump provides both suction and nipple stimulation, to mimic what happens when she's breastfeeding the baby. It's hands-free, comes with a pumping belt, and a rechargeable battery. Moms choose from eight stimulation and 16 expression levels, and there's a built-in a timer to track each pumping session.

$270
Willow Generation 3 Wearable Double Hands-Free Electric Breast Pump
$499.99
Elvie Double Silent Wearable Breast Pump
$549
Elvie Curve Manual Breast Pump
$49.98
Ameda Mya Portable Hospital Strength Breast Pump
$130.99
Haakaa Manual Breast Pump
$12.94

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