Lansinoh Compact review

Verdict in 10 seconds

• A good on-the-go breast pump – USB-adaptable and small in size

• Fewer bells and whistles than other electric pumps, but it still does its job well

Watch our one-minute video review

Pros

• Compact, as the name suggests

• Lightweight

• Simple to use

• Easy to clean

• Easily adjustable

• USB charger gives greater flexibility

• Use one bottle to pump, store and feed

Cons

• Only one bottle with teat provided

• One size breast shield only (larger size available online)

What are the key features?

• Five adjustable suction and rhythm levels

• ComfortFit breast cushion for comfort

• Micro USB power adaptor

• NaturalWeave® teat (with cap) helps to maintain established feeding patterns

• Pump, store and feed convenience – one bottle is used to do all three

• LED indicator

What are the specs?

• Closed system

• BPA- and BPS-free

• Large (30.5 mm) ComfortFit silicone breast cushion available directly from Lansinoh

• Can be used with Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage

• One year warranty

• RRP: £115

• Resale value of around £30

• Extras you can buy: HPA® Lanolin nipple cream (£10), breast pads (£5.50) and milk storage bags (£5.50)

What's in the box?

• 1 Lansinoh Compact single electric breast pump base unit

• 1 diaphragm cap

• 1 diaphragm

• 1 ComfortFit Breast Cushion (25 mm)

• 1 breast cushion body

• 2 white valves

• 1 160 ml bottle

• 1 sealing cap

• 1 silicone tube (800 mm)

• 1 pump connector

• 1 teat cover

• 1 NaturalWave® Slow Flow teat

• 1 teat collar

• 1 AC adapter

What's so special about the Lansinoh Compact?

The Lansinoh Compact has five adjustable suction and rhythm levels, mimicking the way a baby naturally feeds. This maximises milk production and also lets you tailor the suction strength to suit you.

Its lightweight design means that the Lansinoh is the ideal pump to take with you wherever you're going – the USB adapter makes on-the-go expressing even more convenient as you can use the pump with a power bank.

The bottle can be used for pumping, storage and feeding and the LED indicator means you’ll always know what setting you’re using, even if you’re pumping in the middle of the night.

Although you do need to use the compatible Lansinoh bottles with this product, these were our tester, Sam's, favourite bottles out of the many she used during the four-month testing process.

How easy is it to assemble?

The instructions included are clear and easy to follow and if you lose the paper copy, there are instructions online along with a video and handy FAQs.

It is easy to get replacement parts from Lansinoh's website, all of which are fairly affordable (it costs £13 for a two-pack of milk storage bottles, for example).

When it comes to customer service, the customer care team are easy to reach and tend to send products and replacement parts quickly.

When you open the box, it does look a bit intimidating to start with as there are quite a few different parts included. When it comes to the core components though, the pump is easy to put together, particularly once you’ve done it for the first time.

The hub attaches to a clear plastic pump that connects to a clear breast shield – all very simple with no confusing, unnecessary elements to get in the way.

Apart from sterilising the pump, you can plug it in and start using it straight away.

How does it look?

With a small, simple and lightweight hub that can, quite literally, fit into the palm of your hand, the Lansinoh is discreet and easy to transport.

The design itself is attractive, but minimal, and is a subtle blend of white and purple.

How does it work and what's it like to use day-to-day?

There are two settings on the Lansinoh – let-down and expression. The pump automatically starts in let-down mode for two minutes (faster pumping that stimulates your milk flow) before switching to expression phase, mimicking the deeper sucking of a feeding baby.

The five suction levels ensure maximum comfort, which you can test by utilising the plus and minus controls. The minimal amount of setting choices is actually a bonus as it keeps things nice and simple.

Overall, the pump is easy to use – it's especially handy to be able to charge the device with a USB power lead, even though it can also be plugged in at the mains, so that freedom of movement isn't limited.

When plugged into the mains, the lead measures 80 cm from bottle to hub, so Sam found that she had to be reasonably close to a plug socket when expressing. She typically expressed when sitting down though, so didn't find this problematic.

The small size is a real plus for every day usage – you can easily take the pump to work and or elsewhere and it's compact enough (who would have guessed?) to fit into a small bag or handbag. Our tester, Sam, preferred to keep the pump stored in its own separate carry bag to keep everything together.

Its size also means it’s simple to store when not in use.

Discretion and convenience

There should be no problem using this pump at work as it’s quiet and easy to use. While Sam typically expressed at home or in a private space when out and about, she didn't feel awkward at all when using the Lansinoh.

The simple, but effective, settings mean it would be straightforward to set up anywhere. You can even express in the car using the USB adapter.

How comfortable is it?

The 25 mm breast shields are comfortable and Sam reported no rubbing or irritation. Only one size of shied is provided with the pump though, but you can easily order the larger size online from Lansinoh. Sam felt that she would probably need the larger size long-term.

When it came to expressing, she found it easier and more comfortable to lean forward, but this wasn't essential. This also allowed her to make sure she collected as much milk as possible.

Is the Lansinoh stable and easy to clean?

Yes, in a nutshell.

The pump is durable and the bottles are hard-wearing and very difficult to break, which is important if you’re often on the move. Sam said that the bottles still looked great after frequent use.

When it comes to cleaning, the breast pump's closed system means that you don't have to worry about any tubing – the shields and bottles are the only focus points here and both are easy to clean.

The washable parts can be cleaned in a dishwasher, sterilising unit or microwave. Sam lives in a hard water area and typically used a cold water steriliser. Most components looked a little faded and watermarked over time, but didn't become discoloured.

What about value for money?

The flexibility and convenience that comes with this pump makes it great value for money.

While it does exceed the £100 mark, it is still cheaper than other single electric breast pumps on the market, such as the MAM 2-in-1.

Final verdict?

Quiet, compact and simple to control, the efficient Lansinoh Compact makes electric pumping easy and convenient.

While it may not have all the bells and whistles that the powerful Ardo Calypso Double Plus has (64 different settings, anyone?), it does the job well whether you're at home or elsewhere.

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All prices correct at time of publication