Are you in the market for a new pump for pumping on the go? Here are six of the best portable breast pumps, so you can pick the right one for you!
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Features of portable breast pumps
Lots of moms decide to buy a portable pump for pumping on the go, especially if their current pump needs to be plugged in to an outlet.
What features should you look for in a portable pump?
- Size and weight – Most portable pumps are relatively small and lightweight (compared to, say, the Spectra S2 or Medela Pump in Style)
- Rechargeable battery – Not needing to be tied to an outlet is so freeing!
- Wearability – Ability to fit in a pocket, clip to your pants, wear around your neck, or wear in your nursing bra.
(More on the different types of breast pumps here.)
Best portable breast pumps
Below are some of the portable breast pumps most used and loved by people in our Facebook group, along with the pros and cons of each.
Baby Buddha |  | ✅ Small, lightweight, and easy to move around | Check Price |
Momcozy |  | ✅ Very affordable wireless pump option | |
BellaBaby |  | ✅ Strong suction | |
Willow |  | ✅ Wireless, so no tubing. The whole pump goes in your bra | Check Price |
Elvie |  | ✅ Wireless/no tubing | |
Spectra S9 |  | ✅ Gentler pump than many other portable options |
Here is more detail on these pumps.
1. Baby Buddha
Price: $$
Type: Small with Rechargeable Battery
The Baby Buddha is a great mobility pump.
Pros:
- The pump comes with a lanyard, and you can hang it around your neck. It’s super small, lightweight, and easy to move around the house.
- You can hack the Baby Buddha to use Freemie cups (use the closed system cups) or, if you have another breast pump, those pump parts.
- Because the suction is very strong, some people find they get more milk with it. You can use it as a primary pump.
Cons:
- It’s a little loud, if noise is a concern.
Baby Buddha gave us a special discount referral code for you guys – you can get 10% off with the code EPUMP!
More on the Baby Buddha breast pump here.
2. Momcozy
Type: Wireless
The Momcozy is a wireless pump, which can make pumping on the go easier.
- It’s a very affordable wireless breast pump option.
- Breast shields are made of silicone, which some people find more comfortable (with 5 different available size options using inserts – 17mm, 19mm, 21mm, 24mm, and 27mm).
Cons:
- Suction may not be as strong as some people need.
- It can be difficult to position the pump because you can’t see the nipple, and it’s hard to see how much you’ve pumped until you’re finished.
- Some people said that the battery did not last long, and it needed to be charged frequently.
3. Bellababy Breast Pump
Price: $
Type: Small with Rechargeable Battery
The Bellababy is the lowest priced double electric breast pump that I’ve ever seen, and it’s a portable one!
Pros:
- Many Bellababy users like the strong suction.
- You can hack it to use Freemie cups (use the closed system cups) or, if you have another breast pump, those pump parts.
- The Bellababy is one of the most cost effective breast pump options.
Cons:
- As with the Baby Buddha, the suction might be too strong for some people.
- It’s not the most quiet pump.
4. Willow Pump
Price: $$$$
Type: Wireless
The Willow breast pump is another wireless breast pump that’s similar to the Elvie, with the major difference being what you pump into.
Pros:
- It’s wireless, so no tubing, and everything is in your bra!
- You have the option to pump into either spill-proof bags (meaning you can lie down while you pump) or a reusable container.
- It’s quiet and you can control it with a smartphone app (though the app is not required).
Cons:
- It is at a higher price point than most breast pumps (though you may be able to get it partially covered through Aeroflow or your FSA).
- Like the Elvie, the Willow is a bit limited in flange sizes – 21mm, 24mm, and 27mm are available. (These will work for most but not all people.)
- The bags and the reusable container are an extra expense.
5. Elvie Pump
Price: $$$$
Type: Wireless
The Elvie pump is a wireless breast pump that goes in your bra cup.
When you buy an Elvie, you can buy one pump (for one side at a time) or two pumps (for double pumping). The milk that you pump goes into a small collection bottle inside the pump.
Pros:
- Everything is in your bra and you don’t have bottles hanging off of your chest.
- The Elvie is very quiet, almost completely silent.
- It’s integrated with an app (which tracks your pumping sessions and the amount of milk you pump).
Cons:
- It is at a higher price point than most breast pumps (though you may be able to get it partially covered through Aeroflow or your FSA).
- The Elvie is a bit limited in flange sizes – 21mm, 24mm, and 28mm are available. (These will work for most but not all women.)
6. Spectra S9
Price: $$
Type: Small with Rechargeable Battery
Spectra Baby USA sells the S9 on their website, which is their portable pump offering. (Their primary pump offerings, the S1 and S2, are on the larger side.)
Pros:
- If your main pump is a Spectra S1 or S2, the parts will all work with both pumps.
- Gentler than some of the other portable options
Cons:
- May not be as powerful as some of the other options
How should you decide which pump to get?
Here’s what I would think about:
Budget
The Elvie and Willow wireless pumps are amazing if you are able to spend about $500.
If you need a mid- or low-priced option, one of the other options may be a better fit.
Suction strength
If you take a while to empty and prefer stronger suction, you might like the Baby Buddha or the Bellababy. However, if you need a gentler pump, I would go with the Spectra S9.
I would note that the wireless pumps may not be strong enough for some people.
Breast compressions
If you currently rely on breast compressions to pump much milk, you might struggle with a pump that collects milk in your bra, such as the Momcozy, Elvie, or Willow.
Pump parts
Many people buy a portable pump as a second pump purchase, and already have a first pump/set of pump parts.
Do you want to use the same pump parts for both pumps? Or do you want to use Freemie cups with your portable pump?
You may be able to hack the Baby Buddha, Bellababy, and Spectra S9 to use either your current pump parts or closed-system Freemie cups.
I hope this helps you figure out the best portable breast pump for you! Let us know in the comments if you have any questions or thoughts on any of these pumps!
Comments & Chitchat
Hi my name is Sabina, I was wondering if you have tried the pumpables genie advanced?
Hi Sabina! I haven’t!
At the recommendation of my lactation RN, I got the Unimom Minuet with the Legendairy silicon cups. It seems to be comfortable and empties me almost as well as my Medela Symphony. I attached a lanyard to the Minuet to make it more portable. I have read that the suction may not be strong enough for some people but this has not been an issue for me. The Legendairy cups are great but not very discrete as they hold 8oz. That being said, my breast size is now a 28H so nothing is very discrete on my chest.
I use the elvie to drive from work and college as I have a 1.5 hour commute and it’s alright but not worth that much money! I have the medela pump in style but it wasn’t great it hurt my nipples and my milk production wasn’t great. I bought a lansinoh as a back up pump and it’s my to go daily pump but will be buying a babybella for work
I have the BellaBaby and it is good but has several issues i wish i had know before buying:
-The flange has a ridge and it will -cut into elastic nipples making them quite sore.
-milk drops easily escape and go between your boob and the round part of the flange, decreasing suction.
– milk drops gets drawn into the various parts of the pump, which is really odd because it shouldn’t be able too.
I have had the Willow 3.0 for a week. The continuous “latch” made my nipples a little sore at first, as another user mentioned, but this masters version has 7 levels of suction, so I just turned it down and still get the same if not slightly more milk than I would with my Medela. I love being able to bend over and pick up my daughter, so the dishes, or pump in the car and simply throw the full bags off to the side until I get home. They are heavier than I expected, but they latch to your body and my bra seems to hold them up fine. I am cautiously optimistic but so far it seems pretty amazing? It was a major expense that my husband and I discussed at length before pulling the trigger. But I think the freedom and reduced disruptions to my life that the Willow brings will he’ll get me to a year of exclusive pumping.
Any thoughts on the Motif Duo pump? I never see anyone saying they use that one and I’m wondering if I made the right choice.
Hi Katie! I haven’t used it but folks in the FB group seem to like it.
The baby Buddha is what allowed me to get to 12mpp EPing. With freemie cups, it was a game changer. I wish I liked my Elvie as much as the Buddha.
Next kid, I want to try the willow, and also the newer double Medela portable pump.
I have the Elvie (one for each breast) and while it is awesome in many ways, it’s certainly not a perfect solution. It is quiet but you can definitely still hear it. It has to be perfectly positioned and your bra has to be really tight to hold them in place or else they don’t really work and you still have to hold them in place. A lot of times I have to take them completely apart and put back together again a handful of times to get them to work which I see is a common problem from reading other reviews on other websites.
You can’t bend down, lay down or anything like that so while you can walk around the house, you are still pretty limited on what you can do.
I wouldn’t not recommend the Elvie because it is good but for how expensive it is, I just expected them to be better. We rented a Medela from the hospital so I use both interchangeably. I definitely would not want the Elvie to be my only pump for exclusive pumping. I get a lot more milk a lot faster with Medela so I use that during night pumps and elvies during the day.
I have the Willow 3.0 and my body doesn’t respond to it very well, unfortunately. It doesn’t empty me most of the time and I end up having to pump shortly after with my Medela. It is quite heavy when you wear it and the continuous suction can leave your nipples feeling a bit sore. It is also quite large so going out in public while pumping would make me self conscious. On the other hand, having a true wireless experience was great! If I can sell my Willow, I may try the Elvie as I hear it’s gentler and smaller!
This is very helpful! I personally use the ameda mya pump and really like it. It works with my spectra parts (huge pro) and is affordable!