Electric Breast Pumps

More expensive, but also more efficient for frequent pumpers

Small electric pumps are recommended for occasional use or to replace one or two daily breast feedings. Slightly larger and heavier than manual pumps, they use batteries or electrical adapters to power an automatic suction-and-release cycle. We found the best reviews overall for the Medela Swing single pump (*Est. $120), which receives the best reviews from parents posting at Amazon.com and BabiesRUs.com. A few parents say they prefer the Medela Swing over bulkier heavy-duty breast pumps because it is easier to carry and just as efficient to use. One common complaint about the Medela Swing breast pump is that the lack of a double-pumping option means each side has to be pumped separately. That might not be a problem for the occasional pumping session, but it makes the Medela Swing a less convenient option for frequent or workplace pumping.

Although the Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Single (*Est. $45) is inexpensive compared to the Medela Swing breast pump (*Est. $120), reviews of its very similar predecessor indicate that this breast pump may not be the best value. Moms posting to Amazon.com complain of nipple pain with the earlier Evenflo Comfort Select, along with pumps that break down within the first few weeks of use.

Lactation experts recommend that mothers who want to improve a low milk supply, or those whose babies have trouble latching on, need a full-size heavy-duty breast pump. The same applies to moms who need to pump several times a day, especially if they're at work or school. Full-size electric pumps typically allow users to collect milk from both breasts simultaneously. Besides making milk expression more efficient -- often an important consideration in the workplace -- double pumping can be helpful in stimulating the let-down reflex. These pumps plug into an electrical outlet, but most can also run on batteries. Heavy-duty breast pumps are larger and heavier than manual and small electric versions, but most come with discreet carrying bags or backpacks.

The Medela Pump In Style line is by far the most recommended by both parents and lactation experts. The now-discontinued Medela Pump In Style Original (*Est. $220) is a long-standing favorite, while the Medela Pump In Style Advanced (*Est. $280) is favored in newer reviews. The Medela Pump In Style Original breast pump is still available from a number of retailers, and comes with a black shoulder bag that folds down to make a flat surface for bottles and other pumping accessories. It includes a double pump with adjustable speed and suction control, a battery pack for pumping away from a power outlet, collection containers with lids and a cooler pouch for storing expressed milk.

The Medela Pump In Style Advanced is similar to the Medela Pump In Style Original breast pump with the addition Medela's two-phase expression pumping, which simulates a baby's natural nursing pattern. In the first phase, called let-down mode, the pump mimics a baby's initial rapid suckling pattern to stimulate milk flow. After two minutes, the pump switches to the second phase, called expression mode. This slower, stronger setting is supposed to promote more efficient milk collection. Parent reviews of the Medela Pump In Style Advanced have been very positive, with dozens of mothers saying the two-phase feature speeds up pumping time by several minutes. On the other hand, some mothers with multiple or delayed let-downs say they prefer the customizable settings of the Medela Pump In Style Original breast pump.

The Medela Pump In Style Advanced is available in several versions, all of which are essentially the same (apart from different carrying cases). Besides the basic black shoulder bag (*Est. $280), you can opt for the Medela in a backpack (*Est. $250) or the reversible Metro Bag (*Est. $275). Several mothers posting to Amazon.com and Epinions.com say the backpack is too small to fit all of the pumping accessories and too heavy to carry comfortably. Of small number of reviews for the Medela Pump In Style Metro Bag, many say the bag isn't anything special.

Medela has also expanded its product line to include a hands-free electric breast pump, the Medela Freestyle (*Est. $325). The Medela Freestyle is a lightweight double breast pump that features the same two-phase pumping system as the Medela Pump In Style Advanced. Most user reviews for this pump are favorable, noting that it's particularly useful for working moms, but a few complain that the motor is loud and that the Medela Freestyle is difficult to clean. There are also isolated reports of milk leaking or failing to flow into the collection bottles. Overall, most owners seem satisfied with the Medela Freestyle's performance, and it's essentially the only hands-free option on the current market. The convenience comes at a price, however -- outside of hospital-grade breast pumps, the Medela Freestyle is one of the most expensive pumps available.

The Ameda Purely Yours (*Est. $150, pump only) is another highly rated, heavy-duty double breast pump. A newer version, the Ameda Purely Yours Ultra (*Est. $300), adds more suction and speed settings for increased customization, as well as a custom shoulder bag and insulated tote for easy transportation, but it's more expensive and receives fewer reviews. One advantage of the Ameda Purely Yours is that it can be purchased without the carrier, making it a good value for a heavy-duty pump. Consumers who want a carrier for the pump have a couple choices: a carry-all bag and insulated tote (*Est. $200) or backpack with tote (*Est. $230).

There are fewer parent reviews for the Ameda Purely Yours than for the Medela Pump In Style, but ratings are overwhelmingly positive, thus earning the nod in our ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section as the top budget double pump. The Purely Yours electric breast pump gets good reviews from mothers posting to Amazon.com and Epinions.com. It's not without its detractors, however. Several parents posting to Epinions.com and Amazon.com complain that the Purely Yours breast pump is noisy and too heavy; the motor alone weighs 2 pounds. Others mention the difficulty in finding replacement parts, which are less commonly available than Medela's accessories. Meanwhile, two consumers posting to Amazon.com complain that the Purely Yours Ultra causes sore nipples, but most say it's comfortable and efficient. To be fair, individual comfort can vary with any breast pump.

One feature that sets the Ameda Purely Yours breast pump apart is its contamination-free collection system. Other personal-use electric breast pumps, including the Medela Pump In Style, have open collection systems, meaning a small amount of milk can get inside the pumping mechanism itself. Normally, that's not a problem, but there is a small possibility that disease-causing organisms like bacteria or fungi could grow inside the mechanism itself. Since the pump, unlike the tubing and other removable parts, can't be sterilized, these organisms could possibly contaminate later batches of breast milk.

The Food and Drug Administration cautions women never to buy a used breast pump because of this potential risk, but contamination isn't usually considered a problem for a single user. There is a theoretical risk of self-contamination, however, and mothers who feel strongly about eliminating that possibility might want to consider the Purely Yours breast pump. The other advantage of Ameda's closed collection system -- basically a silicone diaphragm that acts as a barrier between the pump tubing and the breast flange -- is that the tubing never needs to be cleaned.