The Best Breast Pumps in 2023 Reviews

We have taken into account loads of different factors when choosing the best pump and looking at the benefits.

Is it easy to use?

Does it have a hospital-grade pump?

What does it weigh?

Can it be used Hands-free?

All of our breast pump reviews have thought about these questions before making our list. We have listed a range of electric pumps and ones with a manual pump too.

Which is the best breast pump brand?

We found after our rigorous testing that the brand Elvie came out on top as our best brand breast pump. Although you will have to part with a little more cash to get this unit, you won’t be disappointed.

I personally used this one for my first child and have the single pump version. It was so easy to use with the app and would recommend it to anyone.

How do I choose a breast pump?

Choosing the best breast pump for you is important and how you choose that is by taking into account a few different things.

How heavy it is: If you are the sort of person who likes to move about or you are a social bee you might want to be pumping on the go. This makes the weight of the pump an important factor in choosing a pump.

Reviews: Before choosing one, you should search reviews before buying. We have checked all the reviews for all the products on our list but making sure whichever one you go for has great reviews is paramount.

Milk Supply: Make sure you choose one that simulates milk supply. It can be difficult to produce milk sometimes and you’ll need a little massage, which some of these pumps include.

What is the best breast pump UK 2021?

In 2021 you want to be getting great value for cost as well as getting everything you need from one purchase.

Our top choice is the Tommee Tippee electric pumps and comes with everything you could possibly need including a bottle/food warmer which will be handy until they are at least 1 years old.

What to look for in a breast pump

Weight – The weight of the unit plays a huge part in making sure that it’s suitable for everyday use. Too heavy and it can be difficult to use on the go and to light like the Medela might make it harder to use daily than an electric one.

Sound – You will need to express in the middle of the night more than once so making sure that the pump isn’t too loud is very important. You don’t want it to disturb your little one whilst they sleep.

If you find that the machine you have is disturbing them, invest in a white noise machine as it can help drown out the sound.

Hands-free – Can you use your breast pump without holding it? This can be an important feature when you also have a newborn to handle.

You can buy hands-free pumping maternity bras that can help with hands-free expression if your one doesn’t actually have it built-in.

Cost – You can spend upwards of £400 easily on a breast pump, and with breastfeeding being so important its easy to think that the more expensive ones can be better.

You can spend as little as £14 on some options so choosing one that’s right for you at the right price is important.

Strength of pump – Normally the strength of the electric pump is directly proportional to the weight. But finding one with the right strength is important.

Of course, the strength is only applicable if you want an electric pump as this will be controlled by the electric pump hub which, in most cases, has the ability to control the strength.

A higher strength can produce more milk in less time which is valuable in the middle of the night.

Suction – The suction around the breast shield is also a factor to think about. It needs to be just right for the size and shape otherwise you could end up in some pain or discomfort.

Using the correct size will ensure a solid seal but a pain-free experience leading to a happy customer.

Closed-system pump or open-system pump?

What is a closed or opened system pump? Well, it refers to a system and whether or not the system has a ‘barrier’ inside or not that determines which path the milk takes to get into the container.

Closed-system pump = milk barrier and open means no barrier.

Having a milk barrier ensures that no unwanted bacteria can travel into the milk from the pump although if it is an open system pump the chances of there gaining any harmful bacteria isn’t much higher than having a closed system.

single vs double

Should you go for a single or a double? This really depends on how you plan to feed your baby. If you want to breastfeed solely then you can look at a double for draining the breasts at the same time to promote more milk flow.

If you breastfeed and bottle feed a single should suffice and allow you to pump whilst feeding at the same time. This can be handy for building a supply of milk for times you aren’t able to breastfeed or would like to enjoy a glass of wine.

If you are hoping to just bottle feed then again. A double might be better for you. Being able to relieve the pressure build-up can be important to avoid discomfort.

Generally, you can find better value for money deals on double breast pumps and either way it will keep the baby happy with a constant supply of milk.

electric vs manual

In our experience, we found that manual was favoured by older mums and electric favoured by younger ones. Of course, in either option, it makes no difference to the baby.

Electric breast pumps can take all the stress out of pumping but in general, are larger and louder pumps.

You can also find there are less discreet in public as they make noise but on the flip side, once set up can be more discreet due to the fact you don’t need to touch them.

Manual pumps are much easier to carry around with you, generally taking up less space. You don’t need to charge them and they won’t run out of battery.

You can find that they are less ‘hands-free’ as of course, you need to pump them manually.

Both products have their positives and negatives so choose what pump is better for your lifestyle.

Do breast pumps hurt?

When you first start using a breast pump, it can be a weird sensation. You might find as you first start using one that it hurts a little bit as your nipple begins to stretch.

After that point, you might find that you feel a sort of pins and needles sensation, similar to when you have your feed eaten by the fishes at the spa!

If you are using an electric pump and you are experiencing pain, it’s likely caused by the pumps suction level being too high and you need to turn it down.

If you still feel discomfort after this point you should seek advice from your midwife or health visitor.

How to store breast milk

Once you have expressed your breast milk you might find that you have extra leftover surplus to current requirements.

Well, you can store your breast milk for later use which is very healthy if done correctly.

As explained brilliantly by the NHS storing breast milk for later on shouldn’t be difficult.

You might want to stockpile it but you are unsure of how to store it.

Using the milk storage bags that come included in some of today’s deals or you can buy them separately here. Simply pour the expressed milk into the storage bags and then you can do one of two things.

Storing in the fridge: If your fridge is set to be below 4°C you can store it for up to 8 days! If you are unsure about the temperature of your fridge us the milk within 3 days to be safe (as long as it is actually cold!) after the pump.

If your fridge has an ice compartment you can store your milk in there for up to two weeks after the pump.

Storing in the freezer: If you plan on breastfeeding for a whilst you might want to freeze your milk after you pump and build a backlog.

Assuming your freezing goes below -18°C you can freeze it for up to 6 months from the pump date.

Before storing it be sure to label and date it so you use the oldest first. You can also carry chilled milk in a cool bag with ice trays for up to 24 hours if traveling.