Manual versus electric breast pumps

Manual versus electric breast pumps

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March 4, 2021

Do you really need an electric pump, or will a manual pump do?

This is a difficult comparison as the quality of electric pumps differ vastly.  A good manual pump is definitely worth more than a bad electric one. But it has some limitations.

Below some advantages and disadvantages of both

Manual Pump advantages:

  • They are cheaper
  • They are smaller and lighter, and more easily fits into a bag
  • Some moms feel that they have more control over the speed and suction level with a manual pump
  • They are quiet (although some of them develop a ‘squeak’ when moisture gets into their parts, which are even more annoying than an electric pump’s hum!)
  • They are not dependant on a power source
  • There is no pump motor that can break (in fact, if you use an electric pump, having a back-up manual pump is not a bad idea)

Manual Pump disadvantages

  • The design of the pump will determine which vacuum level it can reach (or how hard it can suck), but generally a hand pump is not able to create the same suction level as an electric pump with a strong motor. Suction levels also fall a lot faster than with an electric pump. This can make pumping slow and frustrating
  • They are mostly only available with the one flange size that you bought it with
  • There are usually no replacement parts available (as these would cost almost as much as the pump)
  • It is more tiring as you need to keep pumping the handle to create a vacuum
  • A manual pump may take longer to express the same amount of milk
  • A manual pump can only be used on one breast at a time

Electric Pump advantages

(Note: if it is a good quality pump; these are not true with poor quality electric pumps)

  • They are faster and easier to use
  • They may yield more milk overall
  • You can purchase it as double pump
  • Most good quality pumps offer different flange size options

Electric Pump disadvantages

  • They are generally bigger with more parts, so more difficult to travel with
  • They create some noise
  • They are dependant on a power source (see our section on how pumps are powered)
  • They are more expensive
  • They have more parts that can break or malfunction

Our conclusion

A manual pump will do if:

  • You want to express occasionally
  • You will not be separated from baby for long periods
  • Your nipples fit into their standard (usually smaller) flange size
  • You find the suction level sufficient (not all moms want/need the strongest suction)
  • You need a back-up for your electric pump

You will benefit from a good electric pump if:

  • You are going to be away from baby for prolonged periods and need to maintain your supply
  • You are going to express very often
  • You will need to express in shorter time slots (like a lunch break)
  • You need to express to boost your milk supply
  • You generally struggle to maintain a milk supply
  • You need a different flange size than what most manual pumps are issued with (usually around 21-24mm).
Christine Klynhans

Christine is a Registered Nurse and a SA Certified Lactation Consultant with more than 16 years' experience in working with mothers and babies. She is passionate about gentle parenting, and has a special interest in helping mothers with expressing breast milk and with feeding when they are away from their babies.