Manual Breast Pumps

A cheaper, less complicated alternative to automated breast pumps

For moms who only need to pump occasionally, a manual breast pump is an inexpensive option. Experts say manual pumps do an adequate job of expressing the occasional bottle of milk or relieving engorgement. Manual pumps are small, light, portable and have no electric parts to break down, but some parents report they can be tiring and frustrating to use, especially over time. Since you need one hand to control the pump, manual pumps only express milk from one breast at a time.

The Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump (*Est. $50) is the top-rated manual pump in professional reviews. It is also a favorite of Stephanie Brown, About.com's guide to babies and toddlers, as well as editors at Breastfeeding Magazine. Parent reviews on Amazon.com and other sites are mixed for this model, however. Most say they find it easy to use, and a few say it rivals the more expensive heavy-duty pumps for speed and convenience. On the downside, some moms say expressing milk with the Isis Manual is slow, inefficient and the plastic cracks easily. Another consideration is that you need to use Avent bottles (using non-Avent bottles is possible but requires the purchase of adapters). The Isis comes with two bottles.

The Medela Harmony (*Est. $35) is a better choice, according to reviews. Stephanie Brown, About.com's babies and toddlers guide, recommends it for moms who will be using standard bottles rather than the proprietary Avent bottle system, since most standard bottles will fit the Medela. Other reviewers also say it's a good alternative to the Avent Isis. Parents on Amazon.com rate the Medela Harmony slightly higher than the Isis, reporting that it works well and is easier to assemble. Durability doesn't seem to be an issue, although a few users do note problems with poor suction (a complaint found to some extent for most breast pumps). Like the Avent Isis, the Medela Harmony comes with two bottles. The Medela Harmony is generally a bit less expensive, however, so we've included it in our ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section over the Avent Isis.