I see Elvie pumps all over the place. My fellow mothers rave about it on Instagram. I discover it on retailer cabinets ceaselessly. It sounded just like the newer, cooler model of the Willow pumps, which I’ve identified about since launch.
However after I lastly tried the Elvie, I discovered myself unimpressed with what the $550 pump might do. It isn’t the one wearable pump with such a excessive price ticket, however its competitors can do methods that the Elvie simply cannot.
Thriller Measurement
When the Elvie got here within the mail, I had an instantaneous query: What dimension is it?
It comes with plastic shields that sit on the breast, in two totally different sizes. However in contrast to different breast pumps, these shields aren’t labeled with the variety of millimeters to examine your dimension. (Try our guide to shopping for a breast pump to see why it is vital to get the fitting dimension.) 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 a substitute of the promised three.
It wasn’t till I powered up the app and adopted the constructing directions that I discovered there is a form on the defend that designates its dimension—a circle means 21 millimeters, a triangle means 24, and a sq. means 28. The app then guided me by way of checking my dimension. If I wanted a unique dimension than those included, I would want to buy one in every of Elvie’s cushions to create a smaller dimension.
In case you purchase Elvie on its web site, beneath the preliminary product banner it encourages you to examine your dimension. Nevertheless it’s simple to only click on “Add To Cart” above that banner and miss the reason on sizing fully. Third-party retailers do not point out it in any respect.
These sizes are the common greatest dimension for most people, however not everybody. I do not use an average-size flange and the distinction is clear after I put on my right dimension. Certain, I can nonetheless pump with a 24-mm flange, however after I change to a 21- or 19-mm dimension, the outcomes are clearly higher. It is 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-Good
{Photograph}: Elvie
Much like the Willow 3.0 (7/10, WIRED Review), the Elvie will monitor within the app how a lot milk you have pumped throughout a session. However in contrast to the Willow, I discovered the readings to be wildly incorrect practically each time.
