10 Best Breast Pumps — and How to Choose One

While some nursing moms find they don't need a breast pump, others discover that a good breast pump is essential to helping maintain or increase milk supply as needed, and can offer flexibility and instant relief when away from baby. From powerful hospital-grade electric pumps to manual breast pumps to wearable models, when looking for the perfect pump for your needs, you'll want to consider a few key factors: where you plan on pumping, what pumps your health insurance covers, what type of pump is most comfortable for you and which pump helps produce the most milk in the shortest amount of time.

Our top picks:

So, how do you choose? Breast pumps can be manual or electric, and they can be either single or double expression (i.e., pumping one or both breasts at a time). They can also be closed or open system, but all of the picks on this list are closed system pumps, since our parenting product experts note that a closed system pump includes a small barrier that an open system lacks — which prevents any overflowing milk from leaking into the system and makes it easier to clean. This is also why our experts discourage buying breast pumps secondhand, since open systems — and even closed systems — leave room for contamination. Read on for more about our top breast pump picks tested by real moms and nursing experts, as well as additional information on how to choose (and use) the right pump for your needs.

Before you shop, check with your insurance provider. The Affordable Care Act has required most insurance plans to cover the cost of a breast pump, but each provider implements the coverage in its own way. Check out our guide on how to get a breast pump through insurance.