Best Breast Pumps of 2026
We asked 40 breastfeeding parents to help us evaluate electric, portable, and wearable models from popular brands, including Medela, Momcozy, Motif, and Spectra
Whether you’re breastfeeding, combination feeding, or exclusively pumping, your breast pump can be a helpful (though perhaps 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, like breastfeeding itself, breast pumps often come with a steep learning curve—and some are easier to use (and clean!) than others.
How We Evaluated Breast Pumps
We enlisted 40 lactating parents to learn about their personal experiences with several popular traditional double electric breast pumps from Motif Medical and Spectra, plus wired portable pumps from Medela and Zomee, as well as wearable pumps from Elvie, Lansinoh, Momcozy, Willow, and others. We recruited a mix of first-time and experienced pump 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? Is it comfortable?
- Is the sound of the pump bothersome?
- Did the pump’s different use modes and motor speed levels meet your needs?
- How easy is it to clean the pump?
Best Traditional Breast Pumps
Traditional breast pumps typically have a powerful motor that offers a wide variety of suction levels, speeds, and expression modes. These pumps usually run on a wall adapter, though some are now available with a battery pack. They tend to be reliable and dependable, though they are not designed for use on-the-go like a portable pump or wearable pump.
