The most important thing that you need for pumping is a breast pump! (Obviously.) The best breast pumps on the market allow you to be mobile, have excellent suction, and hold up well with constant use. Here are some of my favorites.
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First, a quick note on getting your pump:
If you’re in the United States, you may have heard that you can get a free breast pump through insurance.
When I was pregnant, I thought that getting a pump through insurance would be a giant hassle and require a lot of calls back and forth with my insurance company. But it’s actually really easy!
I recommend going through Aeroflow Breastpumps. You just fill out this form, and then they talk to your insurance company for you and help you pick out a pump that you qualify for. No red tape and it’s super fast.
Best Breast Pumps
Here are my favorite breast pumps from the different brands.
Spectra S1/S2 | ✅ Excellent pump at an affordable price | ||
Baby Buddha | ✅ Small, lightweight, and easy to move around | Check Price | |
Momcozy | ✅ Affordable wireless breast pump option | ||
Motif Luna | ✅ Effective, powerful pump | ||
Medela Freestyle Flex | ✅ Rechargable battery | ||
Willow | ✅ Wireless, so no tubing. The whole pump goes in your bra | Check Price | |
Medela Symphony | ✅ Hospital-grade pump that may be more powerful than personal pumps | In most cases, you will want to rent from a local hospital or Medela rather than buy | |
Medela Pump in Style with Max Flow | ✅ Effective pump at a lower price point |
1. Spectra S1 Plus and Spectra S2 Plus
The Spectra S1 and Spectra S2 are double electric pumps that are great choices for exclusive pumpers. The two models are largely the same, except that the S1 has a rechargeable battery and weighs slightly more as a result.
Pros:
- It’s quieter than many pumps (it’s 45 decibels and is described on the website as “hush of a library” level).
- It has a timer, which I have always found really useful for knowing when I should stop pumping.
- A lot of people like the “massage mode” suction on the Spectra pumps and find that it’s gentler on their nipples.
- It has a backlight, so you can see the settings and the timer in the dark.
- You’re able to change the cycle speed (how frequently the pump pulls) in addition to the vacuum speed (how strongly the pump pulls).
- It has a handle on top and is easy to move around with if needed.
Cons:
- It can sometimes be difficult to find replacement parts in stores (though they are easy to find online).
- It’s on the larger side.
If you’re deciding between the S1 and S2 and can afford the $40-ish price difference, I would definitely suggest getting the S1 for the rechargeable battery. Not needing an outlet is a huge quality of life improvement, especially if you are exclusively pumping.
(Another option is to get a battery pack for your S2. More on using Spectra pumps here.)
2. Baby Buddha
The Baby Buddha is a great mobility pump. Many people in our Facebook group get it as a second, portable pump if their “main” pump is a larger pump like the Spectra S1/S2 or Medela Pump in Style. However, Baby Buddha is strong enough to be used as a primary pump on its own.
Baby Buddha gave us a special discount referral code for you guys – you can get 10% off with the code EPUMP!
Pros:
- Mobility! The pump comes with a lanyard, and you can hang it around your neck. It’s super small, lightweight, and easy to move around the house.
- Has a rechargeable battery.
- The suction is very strong and some people find that they can pump faster. It can be used as a primary pump.
Cons:
- It’s not the quietest pump if noise is a concern.
3. Momcozy
The Momcozy is a hands-free breast pump.
- It’s a very affordable wireless breast pump option.
- Breast shields are silicone and may be more comfortable.
Cons:
- Suction may not be as strong as some people need.
- Because the motor makes it hard to see the nipple, it can be difficult to position the pump or see how much you’ve pumped.
- The battery needs to be charged frequently.
4. Motif Luna
The Motif Luna is very similar to the Spectra S2, both in terms of functionality and price point.
Pros:
- The Luna is a very effective, powerful pump. Many people that have used it in our Facebook group find that it removes milk more quickly that other pumps they have used.
- There is an option to buy a version with a rechargeable battery. (It’s slightly more expensive.)
- It has LED and a backlight; some users find that by using these at night instead of turning on an overnight light, they can go back to sleep more quickly.
- You’re able to change the cycle speed (how frequently the pump pulls) in addition to the vacuum speed (how strongly the pump pulls).
Cons:
- Because it’s a less popular pump, replacement parts are difficult to find in stores.
- Breast shields only come in 24mm and 28mm (though you can hack it to use Spectra or Medela pump parts)
5. Medela Freestyle Flex
The Medela Freestyle Flex is one of Medela’s higher-end personal breast pumps. It’s small, comfortable, and effective.
Pros:
- It has a rechargeable battery that lasts about 3 hours when fully charged.
- It’s a small pump and very portable.
- It has a timer on it that tells you how long you’ve been pumping. It is easy to overestimate how long you’ve been pumping while you’re doing it, and I find that I am better about pumping for the length of time that I’m supposed to when I have a timer.
Cons:
- It is sold at a higher price point than other pumps.
More on the Freestyle Flex here.
6. Willow Pump
The Willow breast pump is a completely different kind of pump from all of the others. Most breast pumps connect to a set of pump parts and bottles through tubing.
The Willow pump is literally a wireless breast pump that goes in your bra (so it’s really two separate breast pumps). The milk that you pump goes into a small container or spill-proof bag.
Pros:
- Mobility! This is huge. You can do almost anything while pumping because everything is in your bra and you don’t have bottles hanging off of your chest.
- It’s quieter than most pumps, almost completely silent.
- It’s integrated with an app (which tracks how long you’ve pumped and can tell you how much milk you’ve pumped), so you don’t have to track that stuff yourself.
Cons:
- Price. It’s expensive (though you may be able to get it partially covered through Aeroflow).
- The pump has three flange sizes – 21mm, 24mm, and 27mm. If you need a larger size, the pump may not work for you.
(Note: The Elvie is a similar wireless breast pump. More on the Elvie here, or you can read a comparison between the two pumps here.)
7. Medela Symphony
Many women who are exclusively pumping rent a hospital grade pump to increase supply. I did not do this, but I used the Symphony several times when my son was born and then when he was hospitalized for a few days at 5 weeks and again at 4 months. (He was fine – just a virus both times.)
Pros:
- Some people find that they have greater output when pumping with a hospital-grade pump like the Symphony.
- It’s quieter than the other Medela pumps.
- It’s a closed system, so it can be used by multiple women.
Cons:
- Portability can be a challenge – this isn’t really a pump you can throw in a bag and haul with you wherever you go. It’s large and is also a $2,000 piece of medical equipment, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable dragging it with me and using it in, say, a Starbucks the way I might with a Freestyle.
8. Medela Pump in Style with Max Flow
The Medela Pump in Style is a good quality double electric pump that will work just fine for exclusive pumping. I used one along with my Freestyle, and while I preferred the flexibility of the Freestyle, the Pump in Style worked well, too.
Pros:
- It is an effective, very high-quality pump at a lower price point than many other pumps.
- Pump parts are easy to clean.
Cons:
- It is intended to be used with an outlet most of the time.
More on the Pump in Style here, and the differences between the Advanced and Max Flow here.
Here’s a quick story showing how it’s put together and works:
Final thought – a lot of women who are getting a breast pump through insurance have the choice of a Spectra S2 or a Medela Pump in Style. I wrote up a comparison of the two and my thoughts on this choice here.
Did I miss a pump that you think should be included in the best breast pumps for exclusively pumping list? Let us know in the comments!
References- Medela. https://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/category/breast-pumps
- Spectra Baby USA. https://www.spectrababyusa.com/
- Willow. https://www.willowpump.com/
Comments & Chitchat
Gwenn says
Just a heads up, tried the EPUMP code on Baby Buddha, and it didn’t work.
I would recommend to anyone exclusively pumping to just go ahead and buy that second pump. I’m 10.5 months into my journey with a goal of starting to wean at 12 months. The compressor on my Spectra S1 I recieved through insurance is starting to crap out after 10 months of EP, so now I’m forced to shell out money for something I’m only going to use for a couple months. I’d be less annoyed paying out of pocket for the second pump if I just did it earlier and got more use out of it.
Learn from my mistakes Mommas!!
Amanda Glenn, CLC says
Hi Gwenn! So sorry for the confusion – it should be EPM10! 🙂
Amanda says
The lansinoh smart pump 2.0 is awesome, affordable, and compact. I use the momcozy hands free cups (bought from their website for $60) when driving or out and about and it’s awesome! Usually covered by insurance, but is an affordable and powerful pump. Has a great app if you’re into that sort of thing, too. Parts are easily found on Amazon. Also has the ability to run on 6 AA batteries, too!
Jorden says
When exclusively pumping, do you need more than 1 breast pump? Could any of these serve as your sole pump?
Amanda Glenn, CLC says
Hi Jorden! Yes, having more than one pump can make things easier, but any double electric pump will work as your only pump. 🙂
Mamaof4 says
You should try the BelleMa Euphoria Pro!!! The collection kit is an amazing design and the ability to work each breast at its own suction level is a game changer!!!!
Elina says
What are the differences between hospital grade pump and normal ones?
I used to have Spectra S1 for my firstborn 4 years ago. And now I’m using the new Medela Freestyle Flex. I’m a low producer and thinking whether I should go back to S1 (since it’s hospital grade right?).
Amanda Glenn, CLC says
Hi Elina! Hospital grade is more a marketing term than a technical one. Most pumps that are marketed as hospital grade are closed system (multi-user) and may have a stronger motor. You could try the S1 and see if you have better results?
Rachel says
Do you have a review for the Spectra 9plus? I have the S1, and I use 19mm Maymom flanges and pink pumpkin pals so I was thinking it might just be easier to get the 9plus (mainly thinking to use for travel over the holidays) since I already have functional flanges. Is the Baby Buddha significantly better by comparison? Would it be worth the flange drama lol TIA!!
Amanda Glenn says
I need to add one for the S9! I would say if you need stronger suction, go BB, if you need gentler, go S9. I think you can hack the BB to use Spectra pump parts but I’m not 100% sure – I saw a post in the FB group about how someone hacked their BB to use Medela flanges and I know you can use closed system freemies with it. Hope this helps!
Katie says
How does Medela Sonata compare?
Amanda Glenn says
I think it’s a great, very powerful pump. It is a little on the bigger side and a bit on the expensive side, but I think it’s a good fit if you need a powerful pump and mobility isn’t a big concern.