Congratulations Mom. Your new bundle of joy is finally here.
A little birdie told us you’re on the lookout for the best Hands-free pump that can serve you during your breastfeeding journey. You might have heard about the two popular brands; Elvie and Willow breast pumps.
As two of the most popular brands around, you are probably in a dilemma of choosing the right option. Well, we know how you are feeling because we’ve been there too.
Yeah, they are both wireless, hands-free, technologically sound and double electric breast pumps. So, which is the best?
Our research of both products revealed some important information every mother should know about, before deciding on getting either of them.
So, if you’re down for some enlightening information, let’s get started.
A Quick Overview of Elvie vs Willow (TL;DR)
| Name | Elvie Wearable Double Electric Breast Pump | Willow Hands-Free Wearable Double Electric Breast Pump |
| Price | $XXX | $XXX |
| Storage | 5 OZ/ 150 Millilitre | 4 OZ/ 120 Millilitre |
| Size | 21mm, 24mm, and 28mm | 21mm, 24mm, and 27mm |
| Option of Spill-proof | No | Yes |
| Cleaning Option | Dishwasher | Dishwasher |
| Charging/ Battery life | USB power source/ 2 hours charging time that can last 3 pumping session on a single charge | Battery/ 2 hours charging time that can last 5 pumping sessions on a single charge |
| Smart-app support | Yes | Yes |
| Sound | Quietest (21,000 Oscillations per second) | Silent |
| Product Warranty | Two years from the day purchase was made | A year from when purchase was made |
Elvie Vs Willow: An In-depth look at both Products
Key Features
- Design: Hands-free In-bra design
- Spill-proof Mobility: No
- Pump Type: Two-way pump type
- Suction Level: Piezo Suction (7 levels)
- Smart App Support: Yes
- Washable Parts: 5 parts
- Powered by: Batteries
- Toxicity: BPA-free
This is undoubtedly one of the quietest Hands-free Breast Pump you can ever lay your hands on.
Elvie Hands-free breast pump offers you a discreet pumping session without anyone having a clue of what’s going on.
Many new mothers swear by its mouth-watering features such as its in-built bra design, advanced suction levels and breast shields. What’s more, it comes in a sleek design and is extremely lightweight to carry around as you engage in your daily activities.
Moreover, you don’t have to constantly monitor the storage containers to determine when it gets filled or not. Thanks to its smart app support, you can control and monitor milk volume without lifting as much as a finger.
It comes in a user-friendly design which makes it a great option to set up in no time. The extraordinary and mind-blowing feature for us would be its super smooth piezo suction latch, designed to imitate the suckling movement of your baby’s mouth.
Believe us when we say, Elvie makes the business of breast pumping super-easy for you. Its automated stimulation and expression mode comes in handy while you pump. The breast milk collected has been designed to be transferred to a spill-proof bottle under the pump.
| Pros | Cons |
| Slim and sleek design which enfolds your breast like a second skin. | Very Expensive |
| Extremely lightweight | 2. An average performance given its price |
| Incredibly quiet & Discreet | 3. Takes time to clean |
| Auto-detect sensors | |
| Two-way pumping | |
| Smart-App support |
Key Features
- Design: Hands-free In-bra design
- Spill-proof Mobility: 360-degree Spill-proof latch
- Pump Type: Two-way pump type
- Suction Level: Hospital Grade suction (7-level)
- Smart App Support: Yes
- Washable Parts: 5
- Powered by: Batteries
- Certification: FDA-approved
- Toxicity: BPA-free
The willow hand-free breast pump is by all means worth every hype it receives.
Thanks to its spill-free technology, nursing mothers are now down for a neat, quick and seamlessly smooth pumping experience. With this breast -pump, you can practically multi-task while you pump.
The willow breast pump package comes with incredible features such as two breast pumps for your left and right breasts, two flex tubes, two flanges, a battery charging cord, two flossing brushes and two storage bags.
Here is the good news, the willow breast pump offers you a discrete pumping experience that no one has to know about.
Besides, it features a stimulation and expression mode that reduces mess. And what do we mean by this? You see, the expression mode automatically becomes activated once about 5 ounces of milk have been collected. This helps to reduce spillage.
The crowning feature of this breast pump has to be technologically innovative steps taken by Willow’s manufacturers. With your smartphone, you can connect to the pump mechanism via an app that let you keep track of how much milk has been collected and stored.
The two breast pumps are lightweight and made to fit your breast as perfectly as they were meant to be. So, you really don’t have to fidget about them falling off while you get engaged with your daily activities.
What if you’re finding it difficult to set up the gadget? Don’t worry, the customer support team is ready to take you on a step-by-step tutorial on how to assemble the product.
| Pros | Cons |
| Advanced suction levels (seven) | 1. Manufacturers could increase storage capacity beyond 5 ounces |
| Longer-lasting battery life of more than 5 sessions | 2. Spill-proof bags are sold separately from products incurring extra cost. |
| Light-weight | 3. Advanced setting-up process |
| Smartphone apps that notify you when the storage bag is full | 4. Bulky Size |
Elvie Vs Willow: Similarities to Watch out For!
Like we mentioned earlier, Elvis and Willow Hands-free breast pumps are the major in-demand brands in the market, the reason for this is really not too far-fetched.
They are both Hands-free and wireless breast pumps that allow you to multitask as much as you want. You don’t have to worry about you about your pumps falling out during engaging activities, they both feature in-built bra designs. In other words, you insert them into your bra like you would do to your removable nursing bra foams.
Another key similarity worth mentioning between Elvie and Willow’s Hands-free breast pumps is their soundless functions. No one has to ever know you’re pumping. These two products offer the most discrete performance you’d ever wish for. So, no more hiding and definitely no more embarrassing moments with these two.
Finally, Willow and Elvie come in two automated modes-Simulation and Expression. To clearly put it, both Breast pumps immediately stop pumping once the milk container becomes filled up.
Elvie Vs Willow: Differences to Watch Out For!
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
- Spill-Proof Milk Storage
Elvie comes with a spill-proof container that can hold 5oz of milk. On the other hand, Willow allows you to store about 4OZ of milk in a spill-proof storage bag as well as a collecting container. The milk container can also hold about 4oz of milk.
Overall Winner: Willow
2. Price
This is one important factor most breastfeeding mothers look forward to.
As at the time of writing this post, Elvie Hands-free Double Breast Pump costs as much as $508 on amazon while Willow costs lesser, about $499 on Amazon.
Aside from its cheaper rates, With Willow, you also offers you the benefit of a reusable milk container.
Overall Winner: Willow Breast Pump
3. Mobility Level
In terms of mobility and high performance, Willow has a winning edge over Elvie. Thankfully, Willow supports 360 mobility, so, whether you’re standing or sitting, you are good to go pumping
Overall winner: Willow Breast Pump
4. Weight/ Shape
Willow comes in at a rather heavy size, weighing about 12.8 ounces. Elvie is rather lighter, weighing about 7.9 ounces . Undoubtedly, Elvie is shaped to fit snugly on your breast like a second skin.
Overall Winner: Elvie Breast Pump
5. Flanges Size
Elvie features 21mm, 24mm and 28mm. On the flip side, Willow features 21mm, 24mm and 27mm flanges sizes
Overall Winner: Willow
6. Suction Power
Willow falls within a wide suction range of 35-245 mmHg. It feels so gentle on the nipple and offers you a comfortable pumping experience.
Elvie works similarly to the Willow, though not as much suction power, it has a suction strength of 220mmHg.
Overall Winner: Willow
7. Washable Parts
With fewer separate parts, Willow is incredibly easy to clean. Its additional flossing brush helps you reach parts your hands can’t.
On the other hand, Elvie comes with a lot of separate parts including the Pumping Valve, the Flange, and the milk-collecting cups.
Overall Winner: Willow
8. Battery Life
The battery life of Willow is rather not too impressive. It takes about 2 hours to charge to the fullest, however, you are guaranteed at least five pumping sessions on a single charge. Besides, there is a light indicator to let you know when the storage bag becomes filled up.
Elvie also takes about 2 hours to fully charge. Although, the downside is the absence of a light indicator to let you know when the cup gets filled. You need to constantly keep checking to avoid spillage. You get at most five sessions on a single charge.
Overall Winner: None
Easy DIY Guide
Step 1: Wash your hands thoroughly with gentle soap under running water
Step 2: Have your user’s manual at hand. Set up the pump’s part in line with the instructions given in the manual
Step 3: Put on the appropriate nursing bra. You might want to consider taking the right measurement of your breast before purchase.
Step 4: Insert the flange of the pump inside your bra, and be careful about latching the flange to your nipple. If done roughly could cause some soreness.
Step 5: Click on the ‘START’ button of the pump. Mind you, the pump should be properly fitted with no spillage of milk.
Step 6: Go about with your daily activities just like you normally do.
Step 7: After the pumping session is over, pour out the milk collected and carefully rinse the pump with warm water. This should be done after every usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I refrigerate my Hands-free pump?
A. Do not refrigerate assembled pumps for a long period.
Q. Can I wear my Hands-free pump to sleep?
A. While the Willow allows for 360 mobility, it is advisable not to use your breast pump while sleeping
Q. How often should I wash my Breast Pump?
A. After the pumping session is over, pour out the milk collected and carefully rinse the pump with warm water. This should be done after every usage to prevent bacteria build-up
Q. How long does Willow Simulation last?
A. The newly released Willow 3.0 allows a stimulation mode of a little below 2 minutes, with older generations (2.0 and 1.0).
Our Verdict!
Willow Hands-Free Double Electric Breast Pump is the best option to select in 2022.
Although it may seem to be on the pricey side compared to Elvie, be rest assured you are getting every value from the money paid.
You can also go for the option of Elvie if you don’t mind the little differences that exist between the two.
Related Post: Freemie vs Willow Breast Pump: Choosing the Best Choice in 2023
