In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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The Philips Avent Comfort Double Electric breast pump is a portable, easy to use, quiet pump that gets the job done. We appreciated its simplicity, however we did find it lacking a bit in both efficiency and comfort. It has a rubber inlay that goes inside of the breast flange that is supposed to increase comfort, however we found that this might not be comfortable for everyone.
REASONS TO BUY
Portable
Hygienic
Quiet
Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID
Uncomfortable
Inefficient
New Version Update — Oct 2015
The Philips Avent Confort Double Electric breast pump has been replaced by a newer 2015 version. The two products are very similar in all visible aspects and seem to operate with the same level of quality as well. The 2014 version is still available from some retailers, but we will be linking to the 2015 version in this review.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Philips is a highly-regarded manufacturer of baby products that are generally sophisticated in the design and performance. While researching this product, we found a blend of positive and negative comments regarding this pump. With all the mixed reviews, we were excited to get our hands on it and come up with some solid conclusions. Read on to find what we discovered.
Performance Comparison
Components of the Avent.
Credit: Micah James
Efficiency
We scored this pump at a 6/10 for efficiency. It landed middle of the road for a couple factors. First, the pump was mostly efficient in rendering milk, but it wasn't quite as strong as some of the other pumps we tested. We feel the efficiency would increase if it weren't for the rubber inlays you place inside the breast flanges. We found that when pumping, the inserts were very bulky and made it difficult to line your breast and nipple up correctly. Often we found that the nipple would be pulled and tugged and almost get stuck to the rubber insert. It is an option to remove the rubber inserts and for our testers this made the pump more efficient and comfortable.
Comfort
This pump scored pretty low on the comfort scale. As stated before, the rubber inlays are supposed to make for a more comfortable pumping experience, but we did not find this to be true. Some reviewers mentioned that it was comfortable while others complained about it. One of our testers even said it felt like a "tittie twister" when she wasn't lined up correctly in the breast flange! It seems that the rubber inlays were a great concept in theory, but in practice, we found them to be more problematic than helpful during our pumping experience.
Ease of use
This pump scored a 8/10 for ease of use. It is very easy to set up and use. The tubing simply connects to the pump and then to the adapters for the bottle. It's a different set up than we were used to for the adapters as you have to kind of "pop" them into place. There is a round, concave feature that you place a plastic inset into which creates the "suction" for the pump. Although easy to do, it's not the most intuitive (or hygienic) set up. Luckily, the operating buttons are easy to use and pretty self explanatory, sitting right on the top of the pump.
Portability
A view inside the tote bag. It is a sturdy bag but it has tight quarters.
Credit: Micah James
We scored this pump an 8/10 on portability. It scored just below the Medela Pump In Style Advanced and the Spectra S1 (our Editors' Choice). The pump unit itself is very small. This makes it very easy to fit into the tote bag they provide. Still, the tote bag is on the smaller side which makes it difficult to then add the bottles and tubing very easily. This pump also does not come with an insulated bag so you would need to have your own insulated bag or refrigerator available.
Hygiene
We like the extra storage bag to keep some of the smaller components separate and clean.
Credit: Micah James
This pump scored relatively well on hygiene. While the parts are easy to dismantle and clean, they can be a little stubborn to actually pull apart from the adapter due to the tight fit. Still, it is recommended to clean these parts, and once they are clean the pump is very hygienic. We never experienced any issues with condensation build up in the pump adapter or the tubing which we had experienced with the Medela Pump In Style Advanced.
Acoustics
This pump received a 7/10 on acoustics. It really wasn't very loud compared to some of the other electric pumps. It scored just behind the manual pumps (which make hardly any sound) and the Spectra S1. It's not something people could hear down the hallway, but if you are planning on pumping next to a sleeping baby or a sleeping partner, it may wake them up.
Best Applications
This pump is best for working moms or exclusive pumpers who plan on using the pump often. It's an electric pump that renders a good amount of milk in a short amount of time. It is an investment so we would not recommend this to moms only pumping on occasion.
Value
This pump comes in around $200. It's only slightly cheaper than our higher performing pumps such as the Medela Pump In Style Advanced and the Spectra S1. We would say this is a good pump for the value, but a better pump in the same price range would be the Pump In Style Advanced, which actually received our Best Value Award.
Conclusion
This pump is a good pump that will get the job done. It procures milk in an efficient manner and is easy to tote around. The parts are a little tough to clean, but still remains an overall hygienic pump. It doesn't come with a insulated bag to store your milk so don't forget to add that on to your purchase.
