Pregnant and planning to buy a breast pump? Not sure whether you should get a Spectra, Medela, or a different brand? Here is a complete overview of seven of the best breast pump brands, so you can decide what kind of pump you want to get.
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What breast pump brand is best?
Picking a breast pump can be overwhelming. There are so many different types and brands of pump – and you don’t have the ability to try any of them out before committing.
You might have heard a friend say that she loves her Spectra and decide you want to get a Spectra, too.
Or maybe you’re wondering what the “best” brand is – the one that makes pumping easy, painless, and produces the most milk.
One thing to keep in mind is that most brands have multiple pumps that they sell, and there are huge differences between them.
For example, a friend telling you that she loves her Spectra pump might be referring to the Spectra SG Synergy Liquid Gold. But Spectra sells 6 different pumps that have distinct features and functionality.
Still, brand can make a difference in a few ways – including the types of pumps offered, the overall quality of the pumps, customer service, and availability of replacement pumps.
Types of breast pump offered
Broadly speaking, there are six different types of breast pump:
- Manual – A pump that you power with your hand
- Single Electric – Powered by a motor; you can pump one side at a time
- Double Electric – Powered by a motor; you can pump both sides at once
- Portable – A double electric pump that is small and has a rechargeable battery
- Wearable/Wireless – The entire breast pump can go in your bra
- Hospital-grade – Can be used by multiple users, may be more powerful
Overall quality of the breast pumps manufactured
Basically – do their pumps work well? Are they easy to use? Do they have useful features like a timer, battery, etc.?
Customer service support
Each brand has their own system for responding to customer issues – some primarily use email, others phone, and others chat.
Breast pump brands also may have different warranty (how long the breast pump is guaranteed) policies.
Availability of replacement pump parts
If your dog uses your breast shield as a chew toy, or if you lose a valve down the garbage disposal, you’ll need to get replacements quickly.
With some breast pump brands, it’s fairly easy to find replacement parts both in brick and mortar stores like Target.
With other brands, you may need to buy them online, which can mean it will take a few days in an emergency to get a replacement.
Let’s go through some of the best breast pump brands – Medela, Spectra, Elvie, and more – to give you an idea of what they offer, and how they are different.
Medela breast pumps
Medela offers all types of breast pump besides wearables:
- Manual – Medela Harmony
- Single Electric – Medela Swing
- Double Electric – Medela Pump in Style with Max Flow, Medela Swing Double, Medela Sonata
- Portable – Medela Freestyle Flex, Medela Swing Maxi
- Wearable – Medela Freestyle Hands-Free
- Hospital-grade – Medela Symphony
Quality
I did an unscientific poll on instagram, asking how happy people who had Medela pumps were with their pump.

72% Medela users were happy, while 28% were not. (Note that the poll doesn’t distinguish between the different pumps that Medela sells.)
Customer service/warranty
I also asked about people’s experiences with Medela customer service:

Medela’s warranties generally cover the breast pump motor for one year. If you decide to buy a Medela pump, please double check this as these policies can change.
Availability of replacement parts
Medela’s parts are fairly easy to find in stores such Target or buybuy BABY. You can also buy them on amazon.com or on Medela’s website.
Spectra breast pumps
Spectra offers the following types of breast pump:
- Manual – Spectra Manual breast pump
- Double Electric – S1 Plus, S2 Plus, SG Synergy Liquid Gold
- Portable – S9 Plus
- Hospital-grade – S3 Pro
Quality
Below are the results of the unscientific poll I did on instagram regarding Spectra user’s overall satisfaction.

92% of the respondents were happy with their Spectra breast pump.
Customer service/warranty
I also asked about people’s experiences with Spectra customer service:

Spectra’s warranties generally cover the breast pump motor for two years. Again, please confirm the current policy before buying your pump.
Availability of replacement parts
Spectra replacement parts are available at Target, buybuy BABY, amazon.com, and their website.
Spectra breast pump parts are probably the most widely available along with Medela.
Motif breast pumps
Motif offers the following types of breast pump:
Quality
Below are the results of the unscientific poll I did on instagram regarding Motif breast pump user’s overall satisfaction.

73% of the respondents were happy with their Motif breast pump.
Customer service/warranty
Here’s what people had to say about Motif’s customer service:

Motif Medical breast pumps come with a one year warranty. However, be sure to double check the current policy before selecting a pump.
Availability of replacement parts
It may be difficult to find replacement Motif breast pump parts at a physical store like Target. Amazon.com does carry some replacement parts, or you can get them on the Motif Medical website.
(I should also note that Motif pump parts are very similar to Spectra pump parts, and in a pinch, you could probably attach Spectra parts to your Motif tubing.)
Elvie breast pumps
Elvie manufactures the below types of breast pump:
Quality
Below is an unscientific poll I did on instagram regarding Elvie user satisfaction.

51% of the respondents were happy with their Elvie breast pump.
Customer service/warranty
Below are the results of my poll about Elvie’s customer service:

Availability of replacement parts
Elvie replacement parts can be found at Target and buybuy BABY, as well as amazon.com and the Elvie website.
Lansinoh breast pumps
Lansinoh sells two types of breast pump:
- Manual – Lansinoh Manual breast pump
- Double Electric – Signature Pro, Smartpump 2.0
Quality
Here are the results of the unscientific poll I did on instagram about Lansinoh breast pump user’s overall satisfaction.

65% of the respondents were happy with their Lansinoh breast pump.
Customer service/warranty
Below are the results of my poll about Lansinoh’s customer service:

Availability of replacement parts
As with Motif pump parts, it may be difficult to find Lansinoh pump parts in a physical store.
However, they are available on amazon.com and on the Lansinoh website.
Ameda breast pumps
Ameda offers the below types of breast pumps:
- Manual – Ameda Manual Breast Pump
- Double Electric – Purely Yours, Finesse, Mya Pro
- Portable – Mya Joy Portable
- Hospital-grade – Platinum, Elite
Quality
Below is what Ameda users thought about their pump (from my unscientific Instagram poll):

48% of the respondents were happy with their Ameda breast pump.
Customer service/warranty
Here’s what people thought about Ameda’s customer service:

Ameda’s warranty term depends on the product. For example, the Finesse has a two year warranty, while the Purely Yours runs one year.
Availability of replacement parts
Ameda breast pump replacement parts are available on amazon.com and Ameda’s website.
Willow breast pumps
Willow only sells a wearable pump:
- Wearable – Willow
Quality
Here’s what Willow users thought in the unscientific poll I did:

38% of the respondents were happy with their Elvie breast pump.
Customer service/warranty
Below are the results of my poll about Willow’s customer service:

Availability of replacement parts
Willow replacement parts can be found at Target and buybuy BABY, as well as amazon.com and the Willow website.
What to think about when choosing a breast pump
The three major factors that I would consider when deciding which breast pump to get include:
1. What your insurance covers
If you have insurance coverage in the United States, you should be eligible for a breast pump at no cost through the Affordable Care Act.
What type of pump you’re eligible for depends on your coverage – some policies cover a rental pump, others a new double electric pump, others a manual pump.
You can see what you qualify for here.
2. What type of pump you think you need
This depends quite a bit on how you plan to use your pump.
If you’re planning on primarily nursing and won’t be separated due to work outside the home, a manual or single electric pump might be fine.
However, if you’re planning on exclusively pumping or pumping at work, either a double electric or a portable pump would be ideal.
More on the different types of pumps here.
3. Your budget
If you have additional money to spend on a breast pump besides what your insurance offers, you could look at upgrading your covered pump (where you pay the difference between what is covered and what the pump you want costs).
For example, if your policy covers a Medela Pump in Style with Max Flow, you may be able to upgrade to a Freestyle Flex by paying the difference.
Ask your medical device company if this is an option.
Hopefully that answers any questions you have about the best breast pump brands and what to consider when choosing a breast pump! Feel free to leave any questions in the comments.
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