Solo™ Hands Free Breast Pump

This is a more traditional pump in every sense - corded, single-sided, with a bottle collecting underneath - but that traditional approach pays off in expressing efficiency, where Medela's 2-Phase Expression technology (a faster stimulation phase followed by a stronger expression phase, mimicking a baby's natural feeding rhythm) delivers consistently strong, effective suction. The PersonalFit Flex shield is a genuine upgrade over older fixed-size flanges - it flexes slightly to accommodate breast shape and movement, which noticeably improves comfort over a long pumping session, and it comes in multiple sizes so you're not stuck guessing.

Against the Elvie, this is the less discreet, less mobile option - you're tied to wherever you can sit with the pump plugged in or on battery power, and the bottle-underneath design means you can't move around while expressing. What you get in return is stronger, more consistent suction that tends to empty the breast more efficiently, reflected in it outscoring Elvie on expressing efficiency in our comparison, and a significantly lower price.

A strong choice for parents expressing mainly at home, or exclusively pumping and prioritising output and efficiency over mobility. It's also the pump most commonly recommended by hospitals and lactation consultants, which counts for something if you want a well-trodden, well-understood option. Parents who need to pump on the go or discreetly around others are better served by Elvie's wearable design.

It is, by design, a sit-still product - you can't multitask or move around a room while using it the way you can with a wearable pump, which some parents find limiting once they're back at work or juggling other children. It also runs on mains power or an optional battery pack sold separately, so check you have that if you need full portability.