Best hands-free and wearable breast pumps: tested by mums

This breast pump was awarded Gold for Best Breast Pump at the Mother&Baby Awards 2020. 

The Elvie Pump was not only the world's first silent breast pump (yes, really!), but it was also the first wireless, wearable breast pump. Our very own Group Editor for Mother & Baby, Maria Martin, can attest that the pump is indeed truly silent, as recommended by a friend who claimed it would change her life – it really did! She describes it as a revelation and raves about how the fit was so snug under her bra that she never used the bra adjusters. She does comment that her chest was left looking slightly more inflated than usual due to the breast shield fitting into the hub situated at the back, but thinks this is a small price to pay.

Aside from being silent and wireless, the free app provides ultimate functionality, convenience and stealth. Using your smartphone as a remote means you have control at your fingertips. Maria, in her review, admits that this is a Godsend when friends and family are around. As well as offering remote control for discretion, the app also monitors milk volume and your pumping history.

Our mum tester, Helen, thinks that no wires make such a difference, saying it's fantastic to use whilst travelling and to pump at work; "I was able to pump in the car on a long drive to Cornwall, which was brilliant. As a mum of three, I no longer feel tied to my pump when the older two need me for something."

Read the full Elvie pump review.

The Elvie Stride was awarded Silver for Best Breast Pump at the Mother&Baby Awards 2023 and Bronze in 2024.

Sharing the same app connectivity and ultra-quiet, lightweight in-bra qualities as the Elvie Pump, this Stride provides even more power without restrictive charging wires. Our Senior Digital Writer, Samantha Ball who tested and reviewed the Stride, loved the freedom after previously using manual breast pumps. She says that she'd catch herself forgetting that she was expressing milk, relying on the handy default timer! Samantha says it's easy to download the app and connect the pump as it talks you through step-by-step. She found the setup a bit fiddly the first time as settings need adjusting according to your suction and expression preferences, plus, you have to find which shield fits comfortably. After this though, it's easy to fit and press 'go', she says.

The breast pump provides hospital-grade strength thanks to the clip-on power pack with the choice of 10 intensity settings. Samantha found the hub quite noisy unless she stood up, otherwise it was quiet. She agrees the device is discreet, being lightweight with tubes easily hidden and the hub clipped securely onto her trousers – but only when wearing a baggy jumper or coat. The external battery packs also make the Stride less discreet when compared to the original Elvie Pump. Samantha says, "I found that I could completely trust the Elvie Stride when I was expressing and freely move around as I know the milk was being stored securely and the seals prevented leaks. Despite it being more expensive than other electric breast pumps on the market, I would definitely pay more knowing that it's reliable, handy and comfortable to use."

Read the full Elvie Stride review.

The wearable Tommee Tippee Made for Me™ breast pump delivers the performance you need from within your bra. Available as a single or double, this lightweight cord and tube-free pump is all about comfort. Our mum tester Claudine agrees and says it feels soft against the skin with the ergonomic handle, making one-handed or on-the-go use about the house, at work or in the cafe easy. Reviewers admit it's a little bulky but still fits in the bra, and while you may not want to look crazy walking down the street lop-sided, it works well sitting down allowing you to pump at your desk instead of only during breaks.

The device has smart ConstantComfort technology to mimic your baby's natural suckle and holds the pump gently in place. The nipple alignment guide uses light to help to get the most comfortable position - super helpful if you're having to pump in low-light conditions. However, mum Sara who had high hopes for this pump, struggled to achieve enough suction, finding it awkward and uncomfortable to keep it pressed firmly for long enough to express any milk. She wonders if the machine was simply incompatible with her body and would still recommend it to other mums due to its positive features. Mum Tash, on the other hand, found it to be a big improvement on electric pumps, managing to double the amount of milk expressed. She says it is really well made and suggests ensuring that you use the right size in order to get the best suction.

Although this pump has fewer settings than others on the list, you can easily adjust the settings, record your sessions via the app and feed directly from the 150ml pump milk collector bottle. It's also pretty quiet, with one reviewer noting that the radio covers the sound easily so it's not a distraction for others. Overall, mums love this pump for multitasking and comfort, and as a happy bonus, it comes with a super cute pouch to pop into your handbag.

Read the full Tommee Tippee Made for Me Wearable Breast Pump review.

The Pippeta Compact LED was awarded Silver for Best Breast Pump at the Mother&Baby Awards 2024.

The Pippeta Compact LED breast pump is an affordable, hands-free breast pump which allows busy mums to express themselves on the go. The LED displays four different types of pump modes; Massage, Lactation, Expression and Auto and each mode has 12 levels of suction power. Our tester and mum-of-two Raman agrees that its compact lightweight design with a range of suction modes makes it comfortable to pump while carrying on with your everyday tasks.

While the pump has no battery level sign it does have a good battery life. Our tester used the pump a few times a week from one full charge and was able to get 5-6 pump sessions. She says it's relatively quiet, but as it stuck out a bit under her clothes, she only felt comfortable using it at home. The pump also lacks a timer to show how long you have pumped, but our tester noted that it does come with an automatic switch-off after 20 minutes.

She describes how the silicone material makes it easy to clean and assemble, with the option of using a steam steriliser or a dishwasher. She does point out that the smaller transparent pieces are easy to misplace – but don't worry, it comes with extras in the box, including bra adjustment buckles allowing you to adjust the position of the pump for a comfortable fit.

Read our full Pippeta Compact LED review.

The Momcozy Wearable Breast Pump is a great, affordable, hands-free option for any mum on a budget. You won't have to compromise on style either – choose from gorgeous grey, pink and green! We think it also looks much smarter than some of the other alternatives, and the best bit is that it's super quiet, too, at 50dB - perfect for snoozing babies. Battery-powered, just pop it in your bra and go, so you can carry on with your day whilst you're pumping milk. It has high-frequency micro-shock movements that'll help massage out any blockages too.

Our mum tester, Gethyn Taylor, struggled to pump once a day, if she was lucky, before trying out the Momcozy breast pump, and now she can easily go four or five times a day, no problem! She says, "I can get on with everyday tasks or sit and relax knowing that I’m pumping without the effort." She was able to express a good amount of milk and found it easy to clean too. "I would often have difficulty positioning my wired electric pump to be able to get a continuous flow of milk," she says, "but the suction on this ensures a strong and regular pump." And as a bonus she said it came pre-assembled with spare parts in the box – what more could you ask for?

Our tester and first-time mum, Jess Parkin, was brand new to breastfeeding and pumping. She said that 90 per cent of the time, it’s great, but sometimes it does lose suction, and she has to hold it again. She says, "This is only if I move too much and dislodge it. Overall it’s a brilliant pump." She uses it at night when her partner is sleeping, describing the experience as comfortable and "nice and quiet". She adds that it charges quite quickly and holds its charge for a good amount of time – although she only pumps for extra bottle feeds as she mostly breastfeeds, so you may need to charge yours more, and Jess advises investing in two rather than one.

Read the full Momcozy Wearable Breast Pump review

if you're a new mum or new to breast pumping, the Medela Solo Hands-Free Breast Pump is so easy to use you'll love pumping for your little one! Our mum tester, Hannah Mellin, says that throughout her pregnancy, she was overwhelmed by a lot of things, the main one being the world of breast pumps, but with only three parts, this pump wasn't too daunting.

Hannah started her pumping journey with a manual pump. At first, she was intimidated, but thanks to the scannable QR code on the front of the box, she was able to download the free app and said, "Things got a whole lot clearer." The app is great for keeping track of feeds and how much you’re expressing, and the family app provides you with real-time tracking as well as pumping tips and handy guides.

Hannah loved that all parts are dishwasher-safe for stress-free cleaning too. She says "All in all, it is pretty small and neat, but I would say the cup itself is bigger than some on the market which is good if you want to pump a lot of milk in one go, but not so good if you want to easily slot it in your bra and have larger breasts." Hannah says, "I was pleased to find how gentle the first setting was. She liked the transparent design too, meaning it was easy to place her nipple correctly and see how much milk she had expressed.

Read the full Medela Solo Hands-Free Breast Pump review

With no wires, plugs, or hassle, you can pop this Fraupow wearable breast pump into your bra to express with ease on the move. Lightweight and durable, it's discreet enough to wear under your clothes with an anti-leak hands-free design. In reviews it has been described as a Godsend due to the freedom of pumping on the move. The motor unit is a bit bulky, affecting the discreet factor, but this reviewer still loves it for moving about the house, especially when pumping at night, enabling this to be done in bed.

It has powerful suction, 230 to 300 mmHg, that uses Fraupow's advanced air-pressure pulse technology to express milk without irritation. One reviewer says that they're able to fill the pump in just 20 minutes when pumping at their peak times. In fact, they loved it so much that just one week in they just had to get another so they could double up! However another tester says that compared to other electric breast pumps, the suction doesn't feel as strong, although it still manages to express effectively and more so than when using a manual pump. The pump also has a strong battery life of 90 minutes and is USB rechargeable, an ergonomic shape for comfort and a variety of settings including 12 intensity levels and three modes.

Read our full Fraupow Wearable Breast Pump review.

The Lola and Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump was awarded Gold for Best Breast Pump at the Mother&Baby Awards 2023 and 2024.

While not completely hands-free, since it's an award favourite with our Mother&Baby Awards testers, we thought the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric breast pump was worth a mention as you could combine it with a pumping bra. Our testers particularly favoured the streamlined design, calling it sleek and modern, and commenting on the lovely soft grey colour of the unit and stand. The unit is lightweight, but some mums have experienced fatigue while holding it, especially those not able to make use of the table stand due to their breast size. One of our testers got around this by propping it on a cushion to be hands-free while feeding their baby from the other breast, explaining that it's easy to do so as the device isn't too bulky.

The ultra-soft silicone breast shield helps massage the breast to promote let-down and optimise milk flow, with several stimulation settings and express modes. Great for pumping on the go, our testers are delighted with the wireless design that provides complete freedom to move around, commenting that the battery lasts for several days. The product actually states that it has a two-hour battery life, but is easy to charge via USB. Our testers also approve that the functions are positioned on top of the bottle/pump for easy viewing, and love the touchscreen technology that's handy for operating, tracking, and recording your pumping sessions.

Our mum tester, Brogan, said, "This makes my life easier as a mum as this is one powerful breast pump! This is very powerful compared to others I've tried. I had given up with pumps as they never seemed effective at all, even with an oversupply of milk! I love how all of the functions are on top of the bottle/pump. Makes life so much easier as there are no complicated buttons to fiddle with!"

Read the full Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump review.