Best Budget-Friendly Pump: Haakaa Manual Breast Pump

Manual breast pumps are great for relieving engorgement or an occasional (very occasional) bottle. Electric breast pumps, by contrast, are designed for every day pumping.

When we surveyed our readers for the best manual breast pumps, we looked for pumps that were the most comfortable, easy to use and could fit a wide variety of breast sizes.

Our top pick for best budget-friendly manual breast pump is the incredibly simple Haakaa Manual Breast Pump from New Zealand. In our testing, the Haakaa beat out other more pricey pumps for ease of use and overall quality.

What We Liked

• No moving parts. You merely center the flange on the nipple then squeeze a couple times to get the milk started. Beyond the first couple pumps, you don’t have to do anything else. It does all the work for you.

• Fits every breast size—no need to purchase special flanges, like some competitors.

• Easy to sterilize. If you have a steam sterilizer or just a pot of boiling water, the entire unit can be sterilized.

• Affordable. Other manual pumps can run twice as much.

What Needs Work

• Not fast. With other manual pumps, you can speed up the expression by squeezing the handle faster. Haakaa just has one speed.

• Trial and error. Our readers noted that when trying to center Haakaa’s flange on the breast, you may miss the “sweet spot” and have to break the seal to reposition.

• Suction loss over time. A few of our mom readers were frustrated to find that the Haakaa pump can lose suction over time. On the plus side, there are videos that offer advice.

• Spills! Thanks to a narrow base, Haakaa’s collection bottle falls over easily when left on a table top. Consider buying the version with a silicone cap or a flower stopper to keep that precious breast milk in the bottle.

Fastest Manual Breast Pump: Medela Harmony Breast Pump

The Harmony, Medela’s excellent manual pump, has a big advantage over other brands: it is faster, in our opinion. That’s based on our interviews with lactation consultants, as well as our parent readers.

Medela is a well-known brand in the breast pump space, and we have recommended their pumps for many years. That’s because their quality is very good . . . even if the price is sometimes at a premium.

What We Liked

• Easy to use.

• Easy to clean.

• Comfortable.

• Portable. This pump is great for road trips.

• Medela spare parts (flanges, bottles) are widely available, in case you need a quick replacement.

What Needs Work

• Only one size flange included. If you need a different size, that’s an extra purchase.

• Pricey compared to other manual pumps.

Best Lightweight Manual Pump: Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump

If you need a super lightweight manual breast pump, you can’t go wrong with this model: Lansinoh’s Manual Breast Pump. Easy to use and well designed, this pump weighs just 4.8 ounces. Compare that to competitors like the Philips Avent model that weighs in at 12.7 ounces.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Easy to use.

• Dual mode pumping is an option.

• 2 flange sizes are included. Note the Medela pump reviewed above has just one flange.

• Comfortable, soft, flexible rims.

• Lightweight!

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Not as fun to clean. That’s because there are seven parts to this pump. 

• Not everyone is a fan of the duckbill valves—some folks think they provide less suction. We didn’t see that in our tests and our reader feedback, but we see reports of this issue among other users.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!