If you’re often on the go and don’t want to slow down to pump milk for your baby, you may prefer a wearable breast pump. These hands-free pumps are generally smaller and quieter than standard electric breast pumps, require little setup, don’t have dangling tubes, and are designed to be discreetly worn inside a regular bra.
Wearables generally cost more and may not extract as much milk as standard electric pumps (which we cover in a separate guide). They also tend to be more polarizing, with some people strongly disliking pumps that other people love. Still, more and more people have found that wearables free them to pump at times and in places it wouldn’t be possible to otherwise—and that the convenience outweighs the downsides.
After testing four top portable and wearable breast pumps alongside standard double electric models, we’ve concluded that if a wearable pump is what you want, the Elvie Pump is the single best option. We also like the Willow Go, a more budget-friendly alternative.
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Similar controls
Like standard electric breast pumps, wearable pumps offer adjustable suction strength and speed to pull milk out of the breast.
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More portable
Most wearables are lightweight and rely on rechargeable batteries.
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More discreet
Wearables don’t have dangling tubes or bottles and can be worn inside a regular bra.
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Less effective
Many people find that wearables don’t extract as much milk as standard electric pumps do.
Our pick
Elvie Pump
Lightweight, effective, and easy to use, the Elvie Pump is the wearable model that people are most likely to love.
Elvie Pump (Single)
If you don’t mind pumping on just one breast at a time, you can save money by buying just a single Elvie Pump.
The Elvie Pump allows you to pump from anywhere—quietly, discreetly, and without changing out of your normal bra. It offers seven levels of intensity, it has only five small parts to assemble, disassemble, and clean, and its app gives you a sense of how much you’re pumping. You have the option of buying two Elvie Pumps at once or just a single pump—buying one nearly halves your cost but doubles your pumping time.
Budget pick
Willow Go
This powerful pump is an affordable alternative to our top pick, but it’s also bulkier and less convenient to use.
The Willow Go offers nine levels of suction—the most options of the wearables we tested—and fits almost as discreetly inside a regular bra as the Elvie Pump does. The trade-off: Its app is almost unusable, it’s slightly louder, and it’s more complicated to assemble and clean.
