Web site: Ameda.com

Price: Purely Yours, $121; Purely Yours Ultra, $159

Type: Professional.

Comments:

Here’s a pump we’ve fallen out of love with. Yes, we did recommend this pump in a previous edition of our book . . . and on paper it is winner. It’s smaller! It’s lighter! And its less expensive—the Ameda has a legion of fans for its professional grade pump, which comes in two versions: Purely Yours and Purely Yours Ultra.

Both pumps come with suction and speed controls so the pump can be set to the right comfort level. Because it is a closed system, the Ameda pumps keep out bacteria and mold plus the milk won’t back up into the tubes (a cleaning nightmare!). The basic Purely Yours comes in a microfiber tote with four collection bottles, a cooler and an AC adapter for $121. The main difference with the Ultra pump ($159) is you get more options for speed and suction than with the basic (up to 32 customizable options).

The Purely Yours is easy to maintain (it’s a closed system, so milk can’t get into the tubes, which means less cleaning than Medela). The downside? Medela is sold in many more retail outlets than Ameda meaning you can get spare parts and supplies easier (although to its credit, Ameda has great customer service).

So why the low rating? In the past few years, the reader feedback on this pump has turned sharply negative. Most complaints center around problems with suction. Moms tell us they have to constantly adjust the machine (stopping and restarting) to keep the suction at an appropriate level.

We discussed the recent feedback with Ameda and they pointed out that the pump motor is actually the same in both their insurance and retail pumps (the difference is in accessories). Fairly or unfairly, Ameda said much of the negative feedback comes from folks who get the pump for free from their insurance company. These moms often don’t receive any support or instruction on how to use it, so pumping novices are frustrated. Ameda’s does offer a help line for inexperienced moms.

So rating this pump is difficult—in past years, we gave the Ameda Purely Yours a top rating. Yet we can’t ignore the increasingly negative reviews for pump that retails for $200 (for some versions).

Rating: C+