Elvie Vs Willow Breast Pump: Which Is the Best Wearable Pump?
You must be thinking that the Elvie vs Willow debate is irrelevant, much like the Elvie stride vs Elvie pump debate. Considering both are wireless, hands-free smart pumps that you can wear inside your bra, you might think both Willow and Elvie pumps are great.
But then there are several different features that come into play when you are shopping for a wearable pump.
If you are currently a pumping mother or if you are pregnant and planning on pumping soon, then you have probably heard of both Willow and Elvie. After all, these are the two most well-known pumps in the market right now – both promise pumping on the go to be a breezy affair. Moreover, they have a similar appearance and feel.
But then their high-tech features all come at a certain cost, and then both are significantly more expensive as compared to pumps. While Willow pumps cost somewhere between $329 to $500, elvie pumps cost between $270 to $549. The price is a little too expensive, but the fact that you can use these products without actually plugging them into the wall makes them popular with most women.
However, it is vital that you carefully weigh all the features before you make your purchase. And this is where we come in to help you out. Stay tuned for more!
The Elvie Vs Willow Breast Pump: Which Is The Best Wearable Pump?
Welcome to the Elvie vs Willow debate! Without wasting any time, let’s get started!
The Elvie Pump: How It Works?
Before we start talking about how the Elvie breast pump works, here’s an overview!
Price | $550 | $280 for a single piece. |
Buying Platform | Amazon | Walmart | Target |
Size | 2.56 x 3 inches | 0.46 pounds each |
Parts To Clean | 5 parts per pump |
Battery Life | Almost 2.5 hours |
Volume | Holds 150 milliliters/5 ounces per pump |
Warranty | 2 years |
Although Elvie as a brand has expanded its entire product line very recently. Our favorite products in the line include:
- Elvie Stride Opens and
- Elvie Pump Opens.
Both these products are great. Moreover, you can charge them with a micro-USB that has no external tubes or cords. Also, you can collect the milk in a 5-ounce “bottle” that comes with the pump. Once you complete your pumping schedule for the day, you can unclip the bottle from this pump and get rid of the spout and valve before pouring milk into another container.
The Elvie Pump: Pros And Cons
Of course, we cannot write a blog about the Elvie vs Willow debate and not talk about the pros and cons of both products!
So, without wasting time, let’s check out the pros of the Elvie pump!
Pros:
The pros of the Elvie pump are as follows:
- Design: Elvie has a simple, curved design that is not entirely invisible but relatively discreet.
- Quiet: The motor is gloriously quiet, enough to be used on video calls.
- Size: Elive is not just smaller; it’s also lighter than Willow.
- Warranty: Elvie does offer a longer warranty than Willow.
- Storage: Elvie comes with a bottle, which acts as a great storage, especially if you pump at work. Plus, the bottle is freezer- and fridge-safe.
- App: Elvie has an excellent application that will help you monitor long-term production and how much you are pumping per bottle in real time.
- Easy Setup: The pump seal and breast shield click easily into the pump’s back, and the bottle starts collecting the milk.
Cons:
The cons of the Elvie pump are as follows:
- Price: Elvie is one of the most expensive wearable pumps available in the market.
- Efficiency: Elvie does its job well, but it’s not as powerful or efficient as hospital-grade pumps and pumping sessions take relatively longer.
- Small Bottles: Elvie’s bottle contains about 5 ounces as compared to Willow’s bottles that can obtain upto 7 ounces.
- Small Parts: while small parts make Elvie products sleek, it is vital to remember that small parts are easy to lose, difficult to clean, and might get problematic to handle from time to time.
The Willow Pump: How It Works?
Before we start talking about how the Willow breast pump works, here’s an overview!
Price | $330 |
Buying Platform | Amazon | Aeroflow Breastpumps | Target |
Size | 5.3 x 4.7 inches | 0.84 pounds each |
Parts To Clean | 5 |
Battery Life | 3 sessions with a full charge |
Volume | Holds 150 milliliters/5 ounces per pump |
Warranty | 1 year |
Willow breast pump offers two wireless, hands-free pumps:
- The Willow 3.0, and
- The Willow Go.
Apart from the price (the Willow Go breast pump is 170 dollars cheaper than the 3.0 version), the largest difference between the original Willow product and the Go is how the milk is obtained.
In the 3.0 version, the milk drips into a well-attached storage container or bag, but the Go is a dome-shaped product that is sleek with no tubes or cords. Also, it promises solid hospital-strength suction.
Once you complete your pumping session, you can tip the pump over for pouring milk out right from the top.
The Willow Pump: Pros And Cons
Let’s check out the pros and cons of using the Willow Go wearable breast pump.
Pros:
The pros of the Willow pump are as follows:
- Easy Cleaning: Since Willow’s parts are relatively bigger than those of Elvie’s, it’s easier to clean, sanitize, and track these parts.
- Less Expensive: While Willow’s prices are also high, they are less expensive than Elvie’s breast pumps and are easily the more affordable ones in the market.
- Strong Suction: On Willow Go’s highest settings, the product’s suction did feel relatively more powerful than that of Elvie’s suction.
- Better Storage: If you experience leaks and overflow, then Willow Go is your best shot since it comes with a storage capacity of 7 ounces per breast at one time.
Cons:
The cons of the Willow pump are as follows:
- Size: The Willow Go pump is slightly heavier and larger than Elvie’s breast pump.
- Tricky Setup: With Elvie, the set-up was very easy, but it took us a long time to actually reassemble the Willow Go. After a few pumping sessions with the product, it became easy for us.
- Warranty: Willow Go offers a warranty period of only a year, whereas Elvie comes with a longer warranty period.
Elvie Vs Willow Breast Pump: Comparison
Now that you know all the individual pros, cons, and usage of the Elvie vs Willow breast pump, let us make the comparison even simpler for you.
Below is a detailed comparison of Elvie vs. Willow breast pumps so you can figure out the best one that suits your individual needs.
Effectiveness And Ease Of Use
Pumping is not the easiest job. Anytime you ask a nursing mother about her pumping experience, she will sure have a story to tell you about how she eventually got the hang of it, or maybe not still. Staying relaxed enough so that the milk can let down is a different story. But gathering the pump and getting it all ready to collect the breast milk is an adventure on its own.
As per user opinions, the Willow Breast Pump is more of a challenging option. It takes women quite a lot of time to set up and actually start sucking. While the motor starts to work, the pump does not actually start sucking. Users had to take it off and reassemble it all the way to make sure that it actually works. However, once you get it right, the experience is phenomenal. In fact, it kind of exceeds all expectations.
The Elvie pump, on the other hand, did not create so much trouble. It is pretty simple and easy to assemble and clean, as it does not have too many parts in it. As per users, it has great suction. Hence, it collects a lot of milk in a very short time span.
Smart Features
Both Elvie and Willow have a connection to apps that offer expert and step-by-step guidance on how to use the pumps effectively. You may keep track of your exact pumping time and what quantity of milk you actually produced. You also get to change the suction level so that it is pretty comforting for you and control all your pumping sessions remotely. There are articles and how-to videos available that can rightly guide you in case you face any issues at the time of pumping.
While the Elvie app might take a longer time to connect to your device, it comes with the easiest usage. It guides you through every step of measuring and how to use the pump. You can just use it right from your phone. This way, you get to have a record of how much you pump every day.
Style And Comfort
To say the least, both the pumps are extremely body hugging and adjust rightly with the comfort levels of your body. The pumps are seamless, so anyone can hardly tell that you are pumping.
Portability And Style
If you are on the lookout for the most lightweight and smallest pumping device out there, Elvie easily tops Willow, but not by much. While Willow is a little heavier, Elvie is a little bigger. However, bigger is not always a drawback. If your body produces too much milk and capacity is a concern for you, Willow is definitely a better bet.
The Elvie vs. Willow Breast Pump: Which Is The Best Wearable Pump?
For many mothers wondering whether to splurge or not on a Willow or an Elvie pump, the biggest selling aspect here is the ability to wear these inside your bar and just pump on the go.
But let’s be honest: while these wearable pumps are relatively more discrete as compared to standard pumps, they aren’t invisible. Once you start wearing these in public, it will become obvious that you are wearing one. Not that it matters, but we want to let you know from before.
Of course, both pumps are worth the high investment, particularly if you pump frequently on the go or if you pump exclusively. A hands-free pump can only make things better for you! You can wear these when you are commuting and the best part? These are super-portable!
They are ideal for traveling or when you are outside for huge amounts of time. It all boils down to which one suits you the best!
Feel free to share your thoughts and, most importantly, experiences on this modern debate of motherhood: the Elvie vs Willow breast pump debate. We look forward to your opinions – till then, toodles!
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