I see Elvie pumps in all places. My fellow mothers rave about it on Instagram. I discover it on retailer cabinets often. It sounded just like the newer, cooler model of the Willow pumps, which I’ve recognized about since launch.
But once I lastly tried the Elvie, I discovered myself unimpressed with what the $550 pump might do. It’s not the one wearable pump with such a excessive price ticket, however its competitors can do methods that the Elvie simply cannot.
Mystery Size
When the Elvie got here within the mail, I had a right away query: What measurement is it?
It comes with plastic shields that sit on the breast, in two completely different sizes. But in contrast to different breast pumps, these shields aren’t labeled with the variety of millimeters to test your measurement. (Check out our guide to shopping for a breast pump to see why it is essential to get the correct measurement.) I checked the field itself, and the directions, and got here up clean. The web site says that the field contains 21 millimeters, 24 millimeters, and 28 millimeters, however my field got here with solely two sizes as an alternative of the promised three.
It wasn’t till I powered up the app and adopted the constructing directions that I realized there is a form on the protect that designates its measurement—a circle means 21 millimeters, a triangle means 24, and a sq. means 28. The app then guided me by way of checking my measurement. If I wanted a distinct measurement than those included, I would want to buy one among Elvie’s cushions to create a smaller measurement.
If you purchase Elvie on its web site, beneath the preliminary product banner it encourages you to test your measurement. But it is easy to simply click on “Add To Cart” above that banner and miss the reason on sizing completely. Third-party retailers do not point out it in any respect.
These sizes are the typical greatest measurement for most folk, however not everybody. I do not use an average-size flange and the distinction is clear once I put on my right measurement. Sure, I can nonetheless pump with a 24-mm flange, however once I change to a 21- or 19-mm measurement, the outcomes are clearly higher. It’s irritating that Elvie does not make it doable to purchase the right-size flange proper from the beginning, particularly contemplating the excessive price ticket.
Semi-Smart
Photograph: Elvie
Similar to the Willow 3.0 (7/10, WIRED Review), the Elvie will observe within the app how a lot milk you’ve got pumped throughout a session. But in contrast to the Willow, I discovered the readings to be wildly fallacious practically each time.
