The best breast pumps to make expressing as comfortable as possible

Score: 96/100

This device uses Medela’s innovative two-phase technology, which replicates the baby’s natural feeding rhythm. It starts fast to stimulate the milk, then slows down to provide the optimal flow, which closely mimics the natural pattern. The result? An intuitive and comfortable pump.

It has nine different suction modes to make your way through. But, rest assured, even on the strongest setting, it was gentle to use and easy to break the suction once finished. When it comes to cleaning, the pumps can be dismantled easily. You can sterilise it by boiling the parts on the stove or by using the brand’s microwavable bags.

It’s a surprisingly lightweight model too, scoring full marks for its ease of use with our panel. "Easy to set up, use and clean," said one tester. Tick, tick, tick.

You can also convert this traditional pump to a hands-free design by adding the Medela Hands-Free Collection Cups (£84.99 RRP). The kit comes with two flange sizes, two 150ml collection chambers, plus the tubing to convert the pump unit.

The cups fit into most nursing bras, so you won’t have to hold them in place or use a specialist bra either. They're also transparent, which is great for monitoring how much milk you're expressing, plus it makes it easier to position the flange correctly on your nipple.

Score: 94/100

The Elvie Stride 2 is the latest breast pump in the Elvie collection. But how does it differ from the original model? Firstly, the brand has redesigned the silicone cups for better fit and comfort, and judging by our testers' feedback, it paid off. “The different sized nipple inserts made it extremely adaptable, and therefore comfortable to wear and use,” said one impressed tester. They also told us it did a more thorough job of draining the breast than the previous model they'd used.

This pump boasts hospital-grade power, which means it creates a strong 300 mmHg of suction strength. Despite this, it’s still extremely comfortable on the breast and it's quiet (so no need to worry about nap-time interruptions).

Everything can be controlled from the app, which testers found easy to use and helpful for tracking pumps. Once you’ve expressed, you’ll need to decant the milk into a bottle, which one tester found a little tricky as they experienced some leakage. That's a small niggle for an impressive pump, though.

Score: 94/100

A double pump is a great way to express from both breasts simultaneously, and this hands-free design from Medela works fast. “I could pump a few bottles' worth within 15-20 minutes,” said one tester.

Panellists also praised this pump's efficiency. It has two large collecting chambers to make sure every precious drop is saved, and it scored full marks for how easy it was to pour the milk into a bottle.

It’s easy to clean, but make sure you empty it fully first, as the flange can be quite stiff to pull off the collection cup. You can use either the stove-top sterilising method, or Medela’s Quick Clean Microwave Bags, which scored 87/100 in our best baby bottle sterilisers review.

Compared to the Medela Swing Maxi (above), this one has harder breast flanges, which some of our testers found slightly uncomfortable. But if it's speed you're after, this is reliable option.

Score: 93/100

As the name suggests, Momcozy is all about making mums as comfortable as possible, and this clever hands-free design is testament to that. The angled flange (which looks like a protruding lip) is designed to mimic a baby’s mouth, which means (hopefully!) painless pumping and an easier letdown. There are nine different strength levels to use, with an additional micro-vibration mode to encourage those very last drops.

With a sound level of under 50 decibels, it’s discreet for using on the go and there’s also a handy carry case, which further adds to the convenience. Take care when removing the pump and pouring milk out though, as you can't stand it up once it’s full. But it does have a nice pouring hole at the top of the unit, which makes it easy to decant into a bottle.

Score: 92/100

Described as “a godsend” by one panellist, this pump’s functionality certainly impressed on test. The range of settings closely follows the pattern of natural breastfeeding, with six different suction levels to choose from. Once the milk is flowing, switch it over to the expression phase, where there are nine suction strengths.

Bottles can be attached directly to the pump, so there’s no need to decant the milk and risk spilling valuable drops. You can also pump directly into a pre-sterilised storage bag.

Some points were knocked off as it’s a little on the heavy side, so be sure to take care when handling.

Score: 92/100

This well-designed breast pump from Fraupow is both easy to hold and comfortable to wear in your bra thanks to the added straps. Our at-home tester said she could do her housework while wearing it, or just watch TV, so it's great for busy mums. The soft silicone on the funnel means that it will suit most breast sizes too.

It only comes with one flange size, but there are seven others that can be purchased separately. It also comes with a plastic drawstring pouch to pour milk into, which our expert said they managed to do easily.

Unlike some others that can only be sterilised via the stove top, you can also pop this one in the microwave or electric steamer.

Score: 90/100

This hands-free pump is another one designed with busy mums in mind. It only has five suction modes; however, it includes some useful accessories, including a storage bag, four flange sizes, and an anti-colic bottle. There’s also a quiet mode that you can turn on for those midnight pumps (though we’re unsure why you’d ever have it on the standard mode!).

Our expert found the collection chamber a little tricky to remove at first, although it proved quick to master. And it can stand once removed too, making spillages less likely.

Score: 89/100

There are a variety of different strengths, expression and massage modes to explore with this pump. All can be controlled from the app, which is useful for tracking each pump. With the highest sound level registering 30 dB, it’s also the quietest wearable breast pump on our list.

“Comfortable, easy and straightforward to use and clean,” was how one of our parent testers described it. What more could you want from a pump?

The pack includes two flange sizes, but you can order others from the Tommee Tippee site if these aren’t quite right. Our testers did note that the unit was quite heavy, so be sure to wear a secure bra if you want a hands-free fit.

Score: 86/100

It’s unusual to find a manual pump that has both stimulation and expression modes, but this neat, lightweight design has both. You begin by using the shorter, upper end of the handle to mimic a baby’s first, shorter sucks, which helps start the let-down reflex.

Once you’re producing milk, you can switch to using the longer, lower end of the handle to get stronger suction. This is the beauty of a manual pump. “I didn’t feel any pain while squeezing it,” one tester told us.

When panellists were asked how easy it was to put together, they said the initial handle assembly was a little tricky. But as with most parenting products, once you've got the hang of it, it shouldn't be an issue.

Score: 81/100

This breast pump features a first-of-its-kind massaging feature, and we can’t believe It's not been done before. The pump uses gentle vibrations to massage sensitive breasts, clear clogged ducts, and ultimately, help you to empty faster. Our tester was a fan, saying it helped make expressing feel more pleasant, rather than being purely functional.

Another feature that has mum in mind is the warming pumping option, which carefully heats up the area to help boost circulation and milk flow. “I was able to express a good amount of milk compared with other wearable pumps I’ve used,” said our tester, confirming it’s a useful addition.

It isn’t the most intuitive to use at first, though. Our tester recommended reading the instructions carefully, and downloading the app before starting, rather than trying to figure it out yourself. Once she mastered it, however, she said it was seamless.

Score: 81/100

If you’re only expressing occasionally, this simple and affordable manual pump is a great option. “It’s great, as you can express on the go, directly into the bottle,” one tester said.

It’s quiet, lightweight and easy to travel with and it comes with six free breast pads, a bottle and a dummy. Unlike the manual pump above, it only has one mode for expressing milk, but the funnel is designed with raised bumps around it to stimulate the milk ducts. There’s also an adjustable valve to change the vacuum strength. It arrives mostly assembled for quick set-up, and our tester found it easy to dissemble for sterilising.

This budget pump did lose some points with one at-home tester for leakage, as they found the seal wasn’t tight enough. To avoid this, they had to lean forward, which will likely be uncomfortable if you’re planning on using it multiple times a day.