Our list includes portable electric pumps, wearable hands-free pumps, manual picks — plus a favorite hospital-grade pump.
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A breast pump can be a nursing mom's best friend, useful for maintaining or increasing milk supply. A pump also can offer a breastfeeding mom some instant relief from engorgement. Plus, once a baby is a few months old, many parents offer some combination of nursing sessions, expressed milk in a baby bottle and formula. Making combo feedings work requires a breast pump. If you know you’ll only serve formula, you may not need a breast pump. Otherwise, you'll want a dependable breast pump to get you through.
The sheer number of breast pumps on the market is enough to make anyone's head spin. From powerful hospital-grade electric breast pumps to relatively discreet wearable breast pumps and handheld manual pumps, there is no shortage of options and prices range from under $75 to over $500 (though you can likely get a breast pump through insurance either for free or largely subsidized).
"I ask pregnant women if they will be returning to work and will need to pump outside of the home, in addition to what their breastfeeding goal is," says Sheila Dukas-Janakos, a longtime International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and CEO of Healthy Horizons, a 30-year-old company that works directly with women and also with Fortune 500 companies that set up lactation spaces. "If you truly only think you'll pump every once in a while, almost any pump will do." But if you're going to pump on a consistent basis? Then you'll want a reliable double pump, Dukas-Janakos says. Whether you pick out a pump through your health insurance company (as explained at this USDA site) or add one to your baby registry, you won't know if a pump is exactly right until you're deep into using it. But you can worry about that later, if at all. For now, we've rounded up our Good Housekeeping Institute-tested favorites, all approved by Dukas-Janakos, with the aim of helping you nail your choice the first time. At the end of our list, we'll have more tips for picking out the best breast pump for your needs.
There's a lot to love about the Spectra S1 electric breast pump. The built-in rechargeable battery makes it a favorite for moms who don't always want to search the room for an outlet. "I definitely like not being tethered to an outlet as I've had to use this pump in the car several times," a new mom told us.
Our consumer testers, Lab parents, many Reddit users and Dukas-Janakos all confirm that this is comfortable and easy to use as either a single or double pump (to empty one breast, or both at the same time). The battery lasts for up to three hours, so you don't have to worry about it conking out on you during the day. Digital controls make it easy to find the right customizations for your own body's letdown process, which is what gets the milk flowing.
All in all, this electric pump packs a lot of power in its quiet, compact body — great for working moms who don't want the sound of their pump echoing into the hallways. Good Housekeeping Institute's Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman personally used this pump for all three of her children and loves how efficient it is.
Big bonus: This strong, adjustable pump is covered by most insurance providers. If there's any downside, it's that, at a little more than three pounds, this pump is on the heavier side, especially for moms who are looking for something they can tote on public transportation.
Unlike electric or battery-powered pumps, manual pumps are ones that you operate by hand. They are less expensive, lighter, smaller, quieter and easier to clean, and don’t require a power outlet or batteries to use. "I primarily used an electric pump but kept a manual pump around for backup," says one of our staffers who, between her kids, pumped for four years.
By squeezing the body of the Haakaa, the breast shield uses natural suction to help you express milk easily and silently. While it may not express milk as quickly as some electric options, the price point and ease of use can't be beat. And get this: You can use the pump's suction to hold, hands-free, to one breast while you nurse on the other — it will collect the extra milk that comes out. A tester with an oversupply of milk said it "changed her life" when she put it over whichever leaking breast her baby was not nursing from. No liquid gold wasted!
Good Housekeeping Institute's Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos, also a registered dietitian and new mom, calls this a "game changer" that was a "pain-free way to build up a freezer supply of breast milk." True, a manual pump can only be used on one breast at a time. And if you're using it to pump, not collect, be prepared for some hand fatigue, as is the case with most manual breast pumps. But given its nearly 73,000 five-star Amazon reviews, the fact that it weighs less than a pound and is priced cheaper than a large takeout pizza, you may as well have it as at least a backup. "It's become a parenting staple," Dukas-Janakos says.
This portable double electric pump, which weighs just over one pound in total, comes with a lovely tote you won't be embarrassed to carry around. Our experts love how easy it is to use, and note that it achieves great output compared to similar models. One of our testers called it "extra-strength." The MaxFlow uses two-phase expression technology to mimic your little one's natural breast feeding patterns. Just note, says Dukas-Janakos, that though it offers 10 levels of suction, you only have the choice of two speeds.
This is not a hands-free option on its own, but some reviewers say they make it work hands-free by wearing a pumping bra. Even without a pumping bra, you will eventually get good at reading emails and even ordering things online while you rest both bottles against one arm and scroll your phone with your other hand. (Ask us how we know.) "I really relied on my Pump in Style to get through a year of pumping while holding down a full-time job," a veteran mom told us. "I could pump and clean up in two half-hour breaks because the machine was so reliable."
Reviewers also love that there's a cooler bag included in the tote, and the breast pump has only a few parts to clean. If you'll be away from a wall outlet, you can make this pump work with eight AA batteries (not included). Note: This is another breast pump that is often covered by health insurance companies.
What the AirPods did for headphones, the Willow aims to do for breast pumps: Make the experience entirely hands-free and cordless (with no dangling bottles!). You pump directly into bags that fit inside the flange-pump combo. You can use the Willow without its app, but it works well with it (for iOS or Android). While many of our testers are fans, they noted that there's a steep learning curve when first acclimating to the pump. For example, you can't see the flange on your nipple, so alignment takes some practice. (Misalignment can lead to inefficiency, leaks and discomfort.) Once you familiarize yourself, though, production is impressive considering the compact nature of this pump.
This wearable breast pump is harder on the wallet than a regular portable electric pump. In addition to the high price, you must keep buying the Willow Breast Milk Bags, which are single-use, or invest in the Willow Reusable Breast Milk Containers, which you can wash and reuse. Both the bags and the containers can only hold up to four ounces of breast milk. For moms who routinely pump more than that, they'll need to stop, switch out the bag or empty the container, and restart.
If you master your Willow, you will be able to multitask while pumping. You can even pump while commuting to and from work, making use of that normally wasted time. As with other hands-free pumps, it is discreet to a point — you will look like you have something stuffed in your bra (because you do!). Amazon reviewers also say they feel that others might hear the noise that this pump makes. But that doesn't keep users from wearing the Willow at work, or, writes one reviewer, even while walking around Costco!
READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Willow Wearable Breast Pump
The Elvie Double Pump is a discreet, very quiet and hands-free electric option that works wirelessly from inside any standard nursing bra. You use an app (iOS or Android) to control its strength and monitor output, and even if someone walks in on you at work, it's doubtful that they'll know that you're pumping. (Although it does make your breasts look much larger and rounder than they normally are, plus there's a little green light that shines through light-colored clothing, so you don't want to, for instance, give a presentation while using the Elvie.) It's a winner of one of our Good Housekeeping 2023 Parenting Awards and, says Dukas-Janakos, works well for many of her clients.
Each cup can hold 5 ounces, so less than the 6- or 8-ounce containers many people use with a regular double electric pump, but a little more than some other wearable pumps. The Elvie flawlessly switches from stimulation to expression mode based on its own detection. The app includes helpful pumping tips and tracks your pumping sessions over time.
Tester moms said that what they liked most was not being tethered down — they could get up and walk around while pumping, and they appreciated the multitasking this allows. Moms who work in an office can often use an Elvie while working at their desk. And moms who have older kids they must tend to while they pump can do so with this model. There is a learning curve to nail the alignment of the Elvie to your breasts, but once you get a feel for it, you should have little trouble.
"Hospital grade" often refers to a double electric pump that can be used by more than one person (with separate accessories), thanks to additional hygienic precautions built into the design. The term is also used to indicate a powerful pump made less to be carried around and more to be used every day, multiple times a day. There is, however, no FDA-regulated definition for "hospital grade," so be sure to thoroughly check descriptions. Our experts agree that the Medela Symphony deserves the hospital-grade moniker. In fact, it's frequently the model that hospitals lend out to patients, and it's what Dukas-Janakos sets up in corporate lactation suites for parents to use. "Women can pump in half the time with this," she says.
When using this strong pump, our testers saw an outstanding increase in output. For those who may have trouble with milk supply, the Medela Symphony works to achieve faster letdown and milk flow, so you can express more milk at a quicker speed and hopefully increase your overall supply over time. And for machine so large and powerful, it's surprisingly quiet. So while one of its primary purposes might be for moms pumping for, say, a newborn in the NICU, its efficiency and quietness makes this pump great for regular early-morning or late-night sessions at home if you can afford to own or rent it.
At over 6 pounds, it's not very tote-friendly, so most users leave the Symphony at home or work. If the cost seems prohibitive, you can generally rent this pump from a local hospital or medical supply store, which makes it much more accessible.
For a fast pumping process — ideal for exclusive pumpers wiring up a half-dozen times or more per day — the Motif Medical Luna Double Electric Pump touts hospital-strength suction in a personal, portable electric pump. (And it gets a lot of love on Reddit!) Not only does it help you express more milk in less time, but it has an ultra-quiet motor that makes pumping peaceful and relaxing. The customizable settings mimic a baby's natural sucking patterns, and it includes both a massage and expression mode to help improve the comfort and effectiveness of each pumping session.
The compact design makes this easy to take room to room if you pump at home often. The battery on this model is not rechargeable, though; you will need to plug this pump in each time. The price — lower than that of some other double electric pumps — might make it worth having to be near an outlet. And if you do want a Luna with a rechargeable battery, that version is only about $25 more.
You can choose to use the Luna as a double or single pump, and take advantage of the built-in LED light for nighttime use. The only downside? Users say the flanges are a bit stiff and lack the comfortable padding some other models have.
Our parenting product experts would be remiss to not list this manual option. You operate it by squeezing a lever, not the pump body itself. Medela's Harmony is a virtually silent, cord-free option for pumping on-the-go — perfect if you don’t express that often (maybe primarily to relieve engorgement) or just need a pump for a short period of time. You can easily tuck this discreet pick away in your bag and pump wherever you are, whenever you need.
The single, oval-shaped breast shield features a soft, flexible rim that can be rotated 360 degrees to eliminate excess pressure on the breast. In our research, all testers noted that the Harmony pump was comfortable and easy to use. It's another great backup to your electric pump — keep one at work or in your car and if you get stuck in traffic or forget to bring your pump (it happens!), this can save you.
Our Lab experts who have breastfed also appreciate all the breastfeeding guidance on the Medela website. The brand also has a huge line of pump-maintenance products, such as steam sterilization bags and breast-pump wipes, which you can use with any brand of breast pump.
If you're looking for a double pump that won't break the bank, Bellababy's option is worth considering along with the bigger brands. It comes with three different breast shields in 21mm, 24mm and 27mm sizes, so if your breasts are large, you have some choices from the start. (They aren't especially padded, though.) It also comes with 10 milk-storage bags.
Four modes and nine levels of suction help you further customize your experience. Some users like the touchscreen control, which is large — clunky to some, welcome to others who don't want to be squinting at an app on their phone or playing around with buttons. It displays a timer as well as battery life.
This pump has a rechargeable battery that you power up via a USB cord, so you'll need to remember to charge it each day. The battery makes it easy to use away from an outlet, such as in your car, but Amazon reviewers are divided about whether the battery life is sufficient or insufficient — it will depend on your use. If you suspect you won't be pumping many times a day, want something with extended size options and prioritize an affordable price, this is a solid choice.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Parenting Lab tests everything new parents need for their infant including the best car seat stroller combos, best convertible cribs and best swaddles. To make our recommendations, we query new moms on our consumer testing panel about their experiences, do rigorous testing in our Lab and at home and spend hours reading through reviews online to help surface the best products you can buy. We looked at more than 20 pumps that are currently on the market for this story.
We also consulted Sheila Dukas-Janakos, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), who has spent decades directly helping nursing moms. She's the CEO of Healthy Horizons, which sets up and maintains lactation rooms for Fortune 500 companies nationwide, including Ford and tech companies such as PayPal. It's estimated that her work has touched some 2 million nursing women, and her insight on which pumps work best comes from hearing directly from women every day.
For each pump, we considered comfort, ease of use and additional benefits such as being able to use a pump without an outlet or being able to use one with an app that stores your pumping stats. From manual to electric, our parenting product experts have tested every pump on this list. In fact, our lead tester has personally pumped for over 1,000 hours among her three kids in the past seven years!
When looking for a breast pump, you'll want to consider where you plan to pump, how often you plan to pump and which pumps your health insurance will cover.
✔️ Purpose: Will you be pumping at work and looking to express both sides, efficiently and simultaneously, during breaks? Or are you planning to just have a pump at home in case you need to relieve engorgement? If you answered yes to the first question, you'll want a double pump that you plug in or that uses rechargeable batteries. If you answered yes to the second one, you might get away with having only a manual pump. There are many other possible scenarios too, such as realizing you'd like to pump during your commute with a wearable breast pump, or deciding you'll be pumping exclusively (not nursing), in which case renting or buying a hospital-grade pump can pay off. ✔️ Suction: Electric pumps can offer a variety of suction modes and strengths to help with letdown and increase milk expression. The more suction options you have, the more you can tailor your pump to work with your body. ✔️ Size: Most pumps come with a standard-size breast shield of 24mm. If you have large breasts, make sure you can size up and buy a larger breast shield before you invest in the entire system. Same if you are on the smaller size; Dukas-Janakos tells us that many women she sees do well with a 19mm breast shield. "The majority of people start off pumping with the wrong size," says Dukas-Janakos who notes that fit is the key to expressing painlessly. If you're unsure of what size you'll want (a legitimate concern, since your breasts will swell and change once your milk comes in), buy two breast shield sizes in advance of baby's arrival. And if you're still having trouble, Dukas-Janakos says you can ask a lactation consultant to measure you. ✔️ Ease of use: Consider how easy it is to assemble the pump, extract milk and clean it after each use. From start to finish, you'll want a pump that doesn't take too much energy to work effectively. It might be hard to tell just by looking at them, so read consumer comments. ✔️ Portability: While hospital-grade pumps have a lot to offer, portability is not one of their strong suits. Electric pumps that plug into outlets will limit where you're able to pump, while battery-powered pumps can be great for on-the-go but often need to be recharged. Manual pumps can be easily tucked away into your purse or diaper bag and are great for travel but only express one side at a time. In short: The more portable a pump is, the less efficient it is, so there's always a little trade-off.
There's no one type of pump that's best for everyone. They each have their place — and they each have pros and cons. Before shopping, familiarize yourself the different styles of pumps.
You already know that breast pumps can be manual or electric, and they can be either single or double expression (i.e., pumping one or both breasts at a time). But the distinguishing characteristics don't stop there. Breast pumps can also be closed or open system.
Our parenting product experts note that a closed system pump includes a small barrier that an open system lacks — which prevents any overflowing milk from leaking into the system so that it stays pristine. An open system breast pump, on the other hand, does not have this same barrier — and that means milk can enter tubing during a pumping session.
All of the picks on this list are closed system pumps for sanitary reasons. Even so, our experts discourage shoppers from buying breast pumps secondhand. Breast pumps are classified as single-user products. Open systems — and even closed systems — leave room for contamination. Unfortunately for shoppers, this means it is almost always impossible to return a breast pump that has been opened and used.
Before you shop, check your health insurance provider's website or give them a call. The Affordable Care Act has required most insurance plans to cover the cost of a breast pump, but each provider implements the coverage in its own way. Read our guide on how to get a breast pump through insurance.
For those who are interested in breastfeeding their little one (and the benefits of breastfeeding are many, for babies and for moms), a good breast pump can certainly come in handy. Breast pumps are especially great for keeping up your milk supply when baby isn't hungry, or helping to increase your supply, if necessary. Pumping also gives a nursing parent the chance to let another caregiver occasionally feed the baby a bottle, so it is not all on them. Though, of course, time pumping just replaces time nursing — but pumping while working or traveling definitely lets moms multi-task and families share the work and feeding load.
Some parents even rely on breast pumps for something called exclusive pumping — that is, pumping milk and then bottle-feeding rather than nursing directly from the breast. And then there are babies who must spend time in the NICU, and their parents pump to provide the NICU nurses with their baby's breastmilk. You probably can't know in advance if you'll face that kind of circumstance.
The only case when you should not bother with a breast pump is if you've decided to only feed your baby formula. But if you think you'll breastfeed, even for a few weeks, an inexpensive manual breast pump will help you out. And if you're committed to breastfeeding as long as possible, with a goal of providing breastmilk for 6 months to a year, we definitely recommend a good double electric breast pump.
There's no one right time. It depends on your lifestyle and what your doctor recommends. For most parents returning to work after 12 or 15 weeks, the best time to start pumping is around the six-week mark, to slowly build up a supply that the baby can drink. However, in special cases, you may be advised to start pumping directly after birth if your baby is not very hungry or if they have a low birthweight. You'll also want to pump anytime your breasts get too engorged or full, which could happen at any time. The opposite is true, too: You want to pump if you need to signal to your breasts to make more. (Breastfeeding is funny that way!)
Our best advice: Talk to a lactation consultant to determine what's right for you and your little one. The National Women's Health and Breastfeeding Helpline is 800-994-9662. You can also search the International Lactation Consultant Association database for a board-certified lactation consultant near you.
When it's time to clean your pump, make sure to do so thoroughly so that it does not grow bacteria. The FDA states that all parts of the pump that come into contact with breastmilk should be cleaned after every single use. Use room-temperature water to rinse each piece after pumping and then wash in warm water for 10 to 15 seconds and scrub with liquid dishwashing soap to thoroughly cleanse each piece.
In some cases, you can put parts in the top rack of the dishwasher — but be sure to check the pump's manual before doing so. Air-dry the separate pieces on a clean drying rack to avoid spreading bacteria with paper towels or cloth.
Also check the pump instructions for advice on occasionally sanitizing your breast-pump parts that come in direct contact with breastmilk, such as the breast shields and valves. The CDC recommends sanitizing daily while your baby is less than 2 months old, and also if they were born prematurely or have a weakened immune system due to illness. If your breast pump is a closed system, like all those on our list, you should not need to sanitize the tubing.
For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has been providing expert reviews and advice on everything a new parent needs, including breast pumps.
This article was most recently updated by contributing writer Jessica Hartshorn, a mom of two who combo-fed her children, pumping and nursing (with formula here and there) for two years with each of them. She has also tried her share of breast pumps.
Hartshorn worked closely with lead tester Rachel Rothman, the chief technologist and executive technical director at the GH Institute, to conduct the research for this article. For more than 15 years, Rothman has put her training in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics to work by researching, testing and writing about parenting products. Plus, as a mom to three kids ages 7 and under, she's personally tested many of the products we recommend.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.
Whitney Casares, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P., is a board-certified pediatrician, author, speaker and full-time working mom. She’s a boots-on-the-ground advocate for the success of women in the workplace and at home. Dr. Casares is a Stanford University-trained private practice pediatrician whose expertise spans the public health, direct patient care and media worlds. She holds a master of public health in maternal and child health from the University of California, Berkeley, and a journalism degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her work focuses on moving modern moms from feeling conflicted to centered. Dr. Casares practices pediatrics in Portland, Oregon.
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