5 Best Manual Breast Pumps, Hand-Tested by Moms

In a nutshell:
Based on independent product testing by parents, advice from two lactation consultants and in-depth market research, we chose Dr. Brown’s Manual Breast Pump with its SoftShape Silicone Shield as the overall best manual pump. It ranked the highest among all other options due to its effectiveness, multiple pump speed options for quick letdowns and its comfortable flange shields that are made entirely of silicone.

If you’re a breastfeeding mom, one thing’s for sure: Having a manual pump on hand is a necessity. If you’re like most parents who choose to breastfeed baby, you may occasionally find yourself in a situation where you need to pump. After all, it’s nearly impossible to be with baby for every single feeding, especially as they get older. Then, there are those times when you’re feeling a bit full and need a quick way to express milk. For those times when you don’t want to set up your electric pump (or don’t have access to it), a manual breast pump can come in handy.

“A manual pump is great for occasional or emergency use,” explains Chrisie Rosenthal, IBCLC, a lactation consultant with The Lactation Network. “It’s the perfect pump to keep in your bag for ‘pumping on-the-go’ situations where electricity may not be available, or when a full pumping session isn’t needed.”

To help you find the right option for your needs, my colleague Christine Carpenter and I have hand-tested the best manual pumps on the market. As breastfeeding moms with years of experience with pumping, we know what to look for. We tested everything from tried-and-true classics to newcomers to the space, and working with The Bump editors, we’ve determined which are the best of the best.

This article includes recommendations for manual breast pumps. If you’re looking for a wearable or standard electric option, check out our dedicated articles where we’ve tested the best wearable and hands-free breast pumps and best electric breast pumps.

How We Chose the Best Manual Breast Pumps

The Bump editors conducted extensive research to identify 14 top-rated manual breast pumps on the market. Carefully reviewing product features, specs and parent feedback to identify which pumps were particularly good for specific uses, we then created a shortlist of 10 to test. From there:

• I personally tested several manual breast pumps during my day-to-day routine to compare each one. My milk supply is fairly consistent in the afternoon, so I made sure to compare all of my pumping sessions around 1 p.m. daily. Then, I reviewed and scored each pump based on its ease of use, effectiveness, comfort, noise, quality, style and design and value for money.
• My colleague Christine also tested several of the pumps in this roundup. She also used these pumps on a daily basis while testing and evaluating each based on the criteria above.
• We interviewed four lactation consultants for advice on the pros and cons of every type of breast pump, as well as features to look for and best practices in manual breast pumps.
• When choosing which pumps to feature in this roundup, we considered several factors, such as dimensions, milk collection capacity and number of parts, to name a few.
  Because no two moms are the same, we scoured forums, social media channels, message boards and user reviews to see how these pumps performed for a wide range of parents nationwide.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read more about how The Bump develops our product reviews.

Best Manual Breast Pumps

Why Choose a Manual Breast Pump?

Allison Tolman, IBCLC, owner and lead breast pump expert and coach at New Little Life, stresses that when choosing a breast pump, a personalized approach is key. “It really matters to me what the mom’s goals are and what those barriers are, and that’s how you find the right pump for her,” Tolman adds. Each mom’s circumstances—from work schedule to feeding plan—can greatly impact the best choice of pump. The key is identifying your goals and choosing a pump that best supports them. A manual breast pump has several pros and cons that are worth considering before making your choice.

A manual breast pump is a type of breast pump that requires the user to physically operate it by squeezing a handle or lever to create suction and express milk. Unlike motor-powered pumps, which do the work automatically, manual pumps require continuous effort from the user throughout the pumping session. “Most people actually can pump just as well with a manual pump as they can with an electric pump,” explains Jessica Anderson, IBCLC, virtual lactation consultant and owner of Genuine Lactation. “The difference is the amount of work they have to put into it.”

Manual pumps are often recommended as a backup option, especially during the early days of breastfeeding, as they can be useful for quick, short pumping sessions. “Manual pumps can be really nice for the early days, trying to get a quick session in. I always recommend one as a backup,” says Tolman. Many mothers find manual pumps to be intuitive and easy to use, allowing them to pump faster. It also offers a hands-on approach that helps moms familiarize themselves with their breasts and milk production.

Pros:

• Affordable. Manual breast pumps are typically more affordable than electric or wearable ones, making them a cost-effective option for mothers who need a simple, basic pump. An electric pump might cost you a couple hundred bucks or more, but you can snag a high-quality manual pump for less than $30.
• Portable and compact. They are lightweight, small, and easy to transport, making them ideal for moms who need a portable option or are traveling. In fact, I’ve taken my manual pump on long road trips for when I wanted an easy pump session that didn’t take up too much room in the car (or for when I didn’t have access to electricity).
• Doesn’t require power. Manual pumps don’t require electricity or batteries, so they can be used anywhere, making them great for on-the-go use or when power is unavailable.
• Offers better control. When you’re providing the suction power instead of an electric motor, you decide on the speed and power.
• Intuitive to use. Many mothers find manual pumps to be easier to operate. “A lot of times, moms can pump faster because it’s intuitive to use,” says Anderson, making them a good option for those who want a quick, hands-on experience.
• Helps mothers learn about their bodies. Using a manual pump allows mothers to become more familiar with their breasts and milk flow, making it “a really good way for a mom to know her breasts,” according to Tolman.

Cons:

• Requires more effort. Unlike electric pumps, manual pumps require the user to continuously squeeze the handle or lever, which can be tiring and time-consuming, especially during longer sessions. “The entire time you’re using a manual pump, you have to be doing the work,” says Anderson.
• Single pump operation. While moms can typically empty their breasts in 5-10 minutes with a manual pump, they can only pump one breast at a time.
• Limited features. Manual pumps tend to have fewer features and adjustable settings than electric pumps, which may limit their flexibility or efficiency.
• Difficult to be discreet. Using a manual pump can be challenging when it comes to discretion. Since the user needs to squeeze the handle or lever to create suction, it can be difficult to pump discreetly in public or during situations where mom needs privacy.

Types of Manual Breast Pumps

When talking about traditional manual breast pumps, there used to only be one kind: The standard hand pump that needs to be squeezed to express milk. However, over the years, more types of manual pumps have popped up on the market. Here’s a quick breakdown of the three different manual breast pumps you’ll find today:

• Handle pumps. This classic style is operated by manually squeezing a handle or lever to create suction, which pulls and releases your nipples and draws out milk using negative pressure, just as baby naturally does. Out of all three manual pump types, it’s the one pump that will express the most milk compared to the others because it actively creates suction, over and over again.
• Natural suction pumps. These soft silicone pumps also use suction to remove milk, Rosenthal explains, but they don’t call for continuous hand-pumping. Once you establish suction with an initial squeeze, the pump relies on vacuum suction to allow some milk to be drained. Another name for this is passive suction with negative pressure, says Francie Webb, IBCLC, a certified lactation consultant and doula. “[This] means you create a vacuum against an environment that has holes. The vacuum sucks air and then sucks the liquid out of the holes,” she explains. These unique pumps are often used to collect milk from one breast while baby nurses from the other. Webb adds that passive pumps are “going to work well for someone with high production, with overproduction or oversupply, [but] it’s going to work less well for someone with low production.”
• Milk catchers. This type of pump doesn’t require any pumping at all—rather, it collects milk that otherwise would leak into your bra or nursing pad. “Milk catchers fit inside the bra, up against the breast and are entirely passive, collecting milk that drips or leaks from the breast between breastfeeds or pump sessions,” says Rosenthal. When testing milk catchers, I only collected a few drops. That said, if I had used them when I was newly postpartum or if I was a huge milk producer, then I imagine I would’ve had a higher output.

How to Use a Manual Breast Pump

Manual pumps can be more straightforward than electric options, but they still can come with a learning curve. To save you the headache of figuring it out, check out these step-by-step guides below for an easy walkthrough:

Handle pump

• Align the flange so your nipple is directly in the center of the tunnel.
• With the bottle attached, gently press down on the handle repeatedly until milk begins to flow.
• For a two-phase expression pump, press down on the handle and hold for one to two seconds, then release to get the most milk during the letdown phase.

Silicone pump

• Squeeze the pump to release air inside it.
• Still squeezing the pump, attach it to your breast.
• Release your grip on the bottle, which allows it to suction to your breast.

Milk catcher

• Align the opening with your nipple.
• Place inside your bra (for most models).
• Allow the milk catcher to collect the milk that leaks from your breast.

Manual Breast Pump Tips from The Bump Community

For more manual pump guidance, here are some tips fellow moms and I found helpful when using a manual breast pump:

• Christine recommends that your hands and all pump parts should be clean and dry before handling your manual breast pump. I personally find that using a dedicated drying rack specifically for your pump parts is especially helpful to ward off any germs from shared dish racks.
• Before you begin, make sure the pump’s flange is centered over your nipple and only suctions in your nipple with each pull—not the surrounding areola. If your areola is getting pulled in with each pump, you should opt for a smaller flange size.
• Try gently massaging your breast to help with letdown. Alternatively, you can pump with baby nearby or look at a photo of them. “When I’ve had to pump while being away from my son, I find it helpful to think about his cute little face or pull up a picture of him on my phone,” Christine says. You’d be surprised how well this technique works to help release oxytocin and give a faster letdown.
• Mimic baby’s feeding with the speed at which you pump. While breastfeeding, babies begin with quick sucking motions and then transition to more even, slower sucking once milk is flowing. It can be helpful (if you’re using a handle pump) to imitate this with the speed of your pumps.

About the writer:
Dani Wolfe is a senior marketer, women’s health writer and mom of two. She’s breastfed and pumped for a total of two-and-a-half years and counting and knows what makes a great pump. After first becoming a mom in 2021, she craved advocacy in this space and strives to help other women feel supported through her work. She has a bachelor’s degree in science and a certification in holistic nutrition. Dani lives on Lake Michigan with her husband, 3-year-old daughter and 5-month-old baby boy.

The Bump thanks Christine Carpenter for invaluable contributions to this article. Christine is a New York-based journalist and a devoted mom of two young boys. With firsthand experience testing and using a wide range of breast pumps, she understands the challenges that moms face in finding the right pump for their unique needs. Drawing on her expertise in product development, Christine offers insightful, well-informed advice to help moms make the best choices for their breastfeeding journey.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.