Best Hands Free Breast Pump Cups (2022)

Want to pump without bottles and pump parts hanging off of your chest? Collection cups that go in your bra are one great option. Here are the best hands free breast pump cups.

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What are hands free breast pump cups?

Breast pump collection cups are an alternative to pumping using the pump parts that came with your pump (breast shield, connector, backflow protector, and valve) and pumping into a bottle.

Instead, all of the pump parts fit into a collection cup that goes in your bra. You can see the difference in the below photo:

Why use collection cups?

Hands free breast pump cups can be helpful in a few different situations:

• Older babies love to grab tubing and play with it, which can make caring for your baby and pumping at the same time challenging. Since most of the tubing is under your shirt when you’re using collection cups, this can make things easier.
• Pumping in public can be more discreet with collection cups.
• If your pump doesn’t need to be plugged into an outlet, collection cups can make it easier to move around and get things done while you pump.

Best hands free breast pump cups

Below is a quick overview of the three most common choices:

Here are a few more details on each of these options.

Legendairy Milk Silicone Collection Cups

Legendairy Milk Silicone Collection Cups are a great option that are compatible with many different breast pumps.

Want to check these out? Legendairy Milk reached out and gave me a discount code – take 15% off with the code 15EPUMP!

Pros:

• The breast shields are made of silicone, which some people find more comfortable than hard plastic and are better for those with elastic nipples.
• It comes with its own tubing, as well as adapters that allow you to use it with most breast pumps.
• Most affordable option.

Cons:

• If you need a size above 28mm, these cups will not work for you. (24mm and 28mm come with the cups, and inserts for smaller sizes are also available.)

Compatible with the below breast pumps: (full list here)

• Most Medela breast pumps, including the both models of the Pump in Style, Freestyle Flex, and Sonata. (The Medela Symphony is not compatible.)
• Spectra S1, S2, S9, and Synergy Gold
• Motif Duo and Luna
• Baby Buddha
• Ameda Purely Yours, Mya, Finesse

You can see a little more of these cups in the below stories or read a complete review here.

Spectra Cara Cups

Spectra also makes its own set of hands free collection cups called Cara Cups that are designed to be used with its breast pumps.

Pros:

• If you have a Spectra, you might prefer an option made by the same company and intended to be used with your pump.

Cons:

• There are two breast shield sizes – 24mm and 28mm, and if you happen to buy the wrong size, there’s no way to buy just the breast shield or any replacement parts.

You can read more on Cara Cups here.

Compatible with the below breast pumps: 

• All Spectra breast pumps, excluding manual pumps

Freemie Cups

Freemie offers three different types of types – a standard cup that is similar to the Legendairy Milk cups and Cara Cups, and smaller SlimFit cups that are meant to look more natural under a shirt.

Pros:

• Freemie gives you the option to buy their traditional size, that holds 8oz, and two “slim fit” options that are more discreet and hold less milk (5 or 6oz, depending on the model).
• Ability to buy FitMe inserts for any size from 15mm to 30mm for the slim fit Freemie cups and 15mm to 28mm for the regular cups. 30mm is the largest flange size option for any collection cups.

Cons:

• The SlimFit cups are only compatible with Freemie and Spectra pumps.

Compatible with the below breast pumps: (full list here)

• Freemie Independence, Liberty and Rose
• Spectra S1, S2, S9, and M1
• Motif Duo and Luna (standard cups only)
• Baby Buddha (standard cups only)
• BellaBaby Duo (standard cups only)
• Ameda Finesse and Purely Yours (standard cups only)

How to choose the breast pump cups

Below are the main things that I would consider before deciding on which hands free breast pump cups to get.

Is your breast pump compatible?

Obviously, this is the most important question – you need a set of collection cups that work with the breast pump you plan to use them with.

I’ve listed above the common pumps that each manufacturer identifies as compatible, and linked to the full list.

In some cases, you may be able to “hack” the cups to work with pumps that aren’t listed as officially compatible by using an adapter (here’s an example). Note that it may be difficult to get support from the company if you have problems.

How important is discretion?

If you plan to pump in public or on the go, and you don’t want it to be obvious that you’re pumping, Freemie’s SlimFit cups might be a good option (as long as your pump is compatible).

(Here’s what the Legendairy Milk cups look like on me, as a reference):

Can you get the right breast shield size?

Pumping with the correct flange size is essential, as using the wrong size can lead to pain, damage to your nipples, and inefficient pumping.

If you’re already using traditional flanges, you should have a good idea of your size and can buy a model that will work with you.

Remember that if you’re between sizes, inserts can help, even if your collection cup manufacturer doesn’t sell them.

For example, BeauGen cushions reduce the size of breast shields by 2mm, so if you need a 26mm flange for Cara Cups, you could use BeauGen inserts with the 28mm cups to get the right size.

Have you used any of these cups? Let us know your best hands free breast pump cups review in the comments below!