We Tried It: Evenflo Deluxe Advanced Double Electric Breast Pump

Let’s face it: If you’re a working mother, you will develop a highly intimate relationship with your breast pump.

And depending on how many hours you work and how often your baby eats, you could be sitting down with your pump three, four, even five times a day — even more for stay-at-home moms who pump exclusively. So finding the right piece of equipment is of the utmost importance.

We recently had the opportunity to try out the Evenflo Deluxe Advanced Double Electric ($130). Here’s a breakdown of what works well (and what doesn’t):

Courtesy Evenflo

Pros

Cost: As far as double electric pumps go, this one is quite reasonably priced at $130 … and the bells and whistles add to its value.

The settings: Speed and suction are independently controlled, allowing the user freedom and flexibility to discover the right combination for effective expression.

The flange inserts: Half the battle with pumping comfort is finding flanges that fit you well. The inserts that come included with this pump help you get comfy without having to special order new parts that cost extra money, time and sanity.

The bag and cooler: Hauling a pump to and from the office is infinitely easier with a discreet, carry-all tote like this one, and an insulated cooler bag and ice pack are a necessity if you’re working outside the home. With these accessories, your milk can stay cool all day, commute included, until you get it home to your fridge. Again, very nice to have this extra included in one easy package.

Cons

Suction: For me, this pump just didn’t have the oomph I’m looking for when away from my baby for 8 hours a day. It was a step above my insurance-provided pump, though, so that’s a plus.

Noise: Easily the loudest pump I’ve tried. Not a big deal when I pump at home, but in the office, I can’t help but feel a little self-conscious, wondering if people can hear it through the door. It’s that noisy.

Ease of use: While this pump does some things right, like including snug, handy openings for the bottles on the base, I found the valves and membranes problematic on one occasion, causing milk backup. This may very well have been user error, but as any new mom knows, things need to be easy when you’re sleep-deprived, and the valve/membrane on the Evenflo was subpar for me.

— Rennie Dyball