Best Breast Pumps of 2025
We asked 34 moms to help us evaluate electric models from popular brands Medela, Motif, and Spectra
Whether you’re exclusively breastfeeding, combination feeding, or exclusively pumping, your breast pump can be a helpful (if not exactly beloved) tool. With a breast pump, you’ll be able to ensure you have milk available when you’re not able to breastfeed, like when you’re running errands, heading back to work, or traveling. But breast pumps, like breastfeeding itself, often come with a steep learning curve—and some are easier to use (and clean!) than others.
- CR’s Breast Pump Evaluations: Motif Medical Luna Spectra S2 Plus Medela Pump in Style Spectra S1 Plus
- How to Choose a Breast Pump
- How We Evaluated Breast Pumps
How We Evaluated Breast Pumps
We enlisted 34 lactating moms and learned about their personal experiences with one of four popular double electric breast pumps: the Medela Pump in Style, the Motif Medical Luna Double (without the battery), the Spectra S1 Plus, and the Spectra S2 Plus. We recruited a mix of first-time pump users and experienced users. All participants obtained their pumps within a year of the study and used them frequently—typically several times a day.
We asked our participants to score their breast pumps according to a number of factors that affect ease of use and comfort. Questions our participants considered include:
- How easy is the initial and current setup of the pump?
- How easy is the pump to use? For example, is it consistent in its performance? Is it comfortable? Is the sound of the pump bothersome?
- Did the suction levels meet your needs?
- How easy is it to clean the pump?
How Each Breast Pump Did in Our Evaluations
Price Paid: $144
Shop: Amazon, Motif Medical
This pump tied with the Spectra S2 Plus (below) for our highest score. It comes with two milk containers; it does not come with a carrying case, though the company sells a breast pump backpack separately. The pump has a visible timer as well as a readout of the suction and speed settings. To operate the device, it must be plugged into a wall outlet, though the company also offers a battery version for $20 more.
Owners found it to be quick and simple to use. They also appreciated that it was amenable to nighttime pumping. “The LED light helps [me] see the buttons at night without having to turn on a bright light and disturb my family,” one participant said. “Also, it is very quiet.” Another parent, who said that the breast pump didn’t wake her daughter, said the noise was “more of a soothing, buzzing sound.”
Motif instructs users not to place parts that come into contact with the breast milk in the dishwasher, but nevertheless, participants found the pump fine to clean, with one parent calling the cleaning process “about equal in regard to difficulty” to other pumps.
Price Paid: $173
The Spectra S2 Plus tied with the Motif Luna for our highest score and was noted as simple to set up and use. It comes with a nightlight and visible timer. The pump remembers your last suction and speed settings so that you don’t have to reconfigure it with each use. To operate the machine, it must be plugged into a wall outlet. Unlike the Motif Luna, parts that come in contact with breast milk are dishwasher-safe, though several participants found the pump “tedious” and “time-consuming” to clean. “There are a lot of parts to clean. I wish there were less to make it easier,” said one user.
Users of this breast pump liked being able to see and set the speed and suction settings separately. “If my breasts are sore, then I can slow down the cycle and vacuum, and if they aren’t, then I can do it harder. I change the settings to my comfort,” said one participant. Some participants also found that the pump worked quickly and that it was quiet and comfortable, and had good suction. Though one participant and frequent pumper said her pump’s valves became less effective with time, she was able to order replacements on Amazon.
While participants overall liked this pump, they had critiques. Some found it too large to transport around (the pump weighs 2.5 pounds). One parent found the tubing difficult to attach to the pump and reported that she had to use tweezers to connect various pieces together.
This pump doesn’t come with its own case unless you choose the pump as part of a bundle, which comes with a case and a cooler. A tote can also be purchased separately.
Price Paid: $350
Shop: Amazon
The Medela Pump in Style, noted for its simplicity (it has only four buttons), is the only pump of those we tested that comes with an app. This model also automatically comes with a carrying case and a cooler bag with an ice pack and four bottles instead of two. It is the lightest of all the pumps we evaluated, and for those who don’t want to plug it into a wall outlet, it comes with a battery pack that requires the user to supply eight batteries. However, one participant said that she didn’t find it particularly easy to tote around. “It’s awkward to carry and the tubing is hard to manage, so being portable is a stretch,” she said. None of the participants used or even knew about the app.
A few participants complained about the noise with this pump. “I always feel like I have to remove myself from the room because of how loud it can be,” said one parent, while another said she had better success with the pump once she found a better room to pump in.
On the plus side, the parts that come in contact with the breast milk are dishwasher-safe, though Medela warns about possible discoloration. This pump doesn’t come with a nightlight, visible timer, or readout of the suction settings. Speed is also not adjustable, and the pump does not remember settings for the next session.
Price Paid: $217
This dishwasher-safe pump is the only one we looked at that comes with a rechargeable battery. Some participants found it easy to use on the go, but others considered it to be too heavy and bulky to use away from home. “I would say the portability is probably the best part to me, especially living in an RV and traveling a lot,” said one parent, though another found the 3-pound pump to be “on the heavier side.”
One of the most frequent complaints about the Spectra pumps was having and using incorrectly sized flanges, which could happen with any of the pumps. For Spectra, users have to go to the manufacturer’s website to learn how to measure for flange size; this information is not included in the instruction manual. Two moms relied on Instagram and YouTube to figure out how to use the pump.
As with the Spectra S2 Plus, users surveyed said the Spectra S1 Plus was easy to use, had good suction, and recalled their settings for next time. They also appreciated the built-in nightlight. “It’s a small feature, but I use it daily,” said one parent. The pump also comes with a visible timer and a readout of the speed and suction settings.
Baby Bottles With No Detected BPA, Lead, or Phthalates
See the results of CR’s exclusive tests on baby bottles.
How to Choose a Breast Pump
Here are a few important features to consider before you buy a breast pump.
Setup: To help with the setup learning curve, our survey participants used a combination of the products’ instruction manuals, lactation consultants, plus Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other websites, which proved to be invaluable sources of information for the moms who were using these pumps. When buying a pump, you may find that YouTube pump reviews and instructional videos can provide additional value as you familiarize yourself with the device.
Suction level: Our participants had minimal issues with the suction levels offered by their pumps. All the pumps, with the exception of the Medela Pump in Style, have LCD screens that show the suction and speed levels, allow the user to adjust the suction and speed levels, and remember the last setting used. For Medela, there are no visible displays, and the user cannot adjust the speed.
Comfort: Though pumping is generally not the most pleasant of activities, most of our participants found their breast pumps to be relatively comfortable to use. Some comfort issues were generally attributed not to the pump itself but to the flange size/fit or material, which can be switched out. Flanges, aka breast shields, fit over the areola to ensure a snug seal. Before pumping, be sure to measure for the correct flange size and fit. This can be done by consulting with a medical professional or a lactation expert, or via online resources.
Noise: Consider your pumping environment to determine how noise will factor in: Will you be pumping in private or around others? Although no participants professed irritation with their pumps’ sound levels at first, several said at the end of their surveys that they wished the pumps were quieter.
Cleaning: Many of the parents surveyed considered cleaning these pumps to be a hassle. Each pump has many parts—and a lot of them are quite small—with corners and crevices that are difficult to get clean. Some participants purchased extra parts so that they wouldn’t have to clean all parts of their pump as often.
Cost: Your medical insurance should cover some or all of the cost of a breast pump each time you give birth, and this may be a determining factor in selecting a pump. You may also be able to purchase a pump via your flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) plan. If a pump you’ve got your eye on isn’t covered by medical insurance, shop around for the best price because prices may vary between retailers.
Additional features: Some pumps come with a nightlight, a visible timer, or a readout to see your pump’s settings while pumping and after turning the pump back on again. Depending on your needs, you also may want to add some accessories, such as a carrying bag, extra parts so that you don’t have to clean as often, a cooler bag, and a car charger so that you can be more mobile while using the pump. Note that it’s smart to check with your insurance to see if they cover the cost of some accessories, especially extra parts like flanges or milk storage supplies.
@consumerreports Remember: Make sure to disassemble your breast pump completely before cleaning. Consumer Reports and @Dr. Dianna | Pumping Expert teamed up to help make picking a breast pump easier. Learn more through the link in our bio. #babytok #breastfeeding #parentsoftiktok #firsttimeparents
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