A side by side comparison between the Willow generation 3 and the Elvie breast pump. Willow Pump - purchase here amzn.to/36HDtjz Use link below for $25 off the Willow Pump www.talkable.com/x/PMkOYJ
This made my decision so much easier. I've watched other videos, but this is good. Thank you soooo much! Please do a video on how to do the flip thingy on willow.
This is one of the best comparison videos I've watched. I am leaning towards the Willow even more now bc I get amazing output with my Spectra. Thank you for posting this!
I’m going to be a FTM come October and going back to work after four weeks and my job has very little down time and private areas so I think the willow gen 3 will be perfect for keeping up my supply and avoiding compromising my work time! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Great review! Super honest and straight forward. I purchased the willow gen 3 and have been questioning if i chose the correct pump for me! Now i'm excited to use it:)
Thank you for this review!! I feel like some youtubers are pushing the elvie cause they are being paid by elvie, or at least have a coupon with them. I love how this is unbiased and you're a real person giving a true review. I'm definitely getting the Willow!!!
Thank you!!! I have also noticed a LOT of influencers pushing the Elvie and while I’m not going to tell someone which one is right for them, I’ll do my best to explain them both 🤗 I’m so glad it was helpful!
I'm not a youtuber. I got the Willow 2.0 and it DESTROYED my nipples. I was told 3.0 would be gentler, so I got that. ALSO not good. Just got an elvie today. Wish I'd started there. (And for those families with Willow - I was sized by Crystal, I used all the inserts, I used creams, etc. - those things all helped, but ot enough.Willow nearly destroyed breastfeeding for me. I'm hoping Elvie can save it. So far, so good. You Tube videos sold me on Willow in the first place and I was just thinking today they must have been paid to talk ppl into this nipple destroying machine.
Rebecca Hamilton I’m so sorry that’s the experience you had! I can assure you that I was in NO way paid by Willow or gifted anything. I spent my FSA/HSA dollars on both. Different pumps definitely work for different people. Breastfeeding is hard enough without having to go through all the ups and downs of trying to find the right pump. I hope the Elvie works for you!
Thanks for the review I've been having such a learning curve with the willow gen 3 & was wondering if i should have gone with the elvie & this reassured me of my purchase 🤞🏽
Very useful info, thanks! I used the Medela pump in style for my first baby; it worked ok but I hated being tethered to an outlet. My baby always wanted held, and I couldn't exactly hold him (or do anything else) and pump at the same time. So I'm definitely getting a wireless for baby #2, leaning towards the willow!
Thanks so much for this detailed review! Do you think the Willow Gen 3 would be a good primary pump to use? I have a Medela and hate how bulky it is. I also hate that I have to be hooked up to the wall, it doesn’t make sense when you already have a toddler running around
I love the detail you put in this video! It has made my decision much more clearer for me. Thank you so much! I do have one more question and you may or may not know: I have read a ton of reviews of the willow customer service specifically and it has terrible ratings in that department. Have you had any experience with willows customer service? Thanks a bunch
Alicia Brady I’m so glad it was helpful! And that surprises me so much! I had an issue with one of my hubs not turning off, I called customer service on a Saturday afternoon and they answered after a couple rings. The support person was able to help me troubleshoot right away and I was on and off the phone within 15 minutes. I also had an issue with my FSA, their customer support helped provide me with additional documentation, they were responsive and timely. Every interaction I’ve had has been great.
Hey, thank you for this video! I am from the UK and I can't get the willow :( do you think the elvie will be enough for a first time mum to have as a main pump ?
@@SimplyKimble hey Victoria! I got my Willow and love it. But sometimes I run into this one issue. I stay in stimulation mode for 35 mins or so! Has that ever happened to you?
Saima H Malik You should not be in stimulation mode that long. Contact customer support and get a coaching session scheduled ASAP! It takes about a week to get in, I’ve learned the hard way. Megan was my coach and she was amazing, so patient and they can even set up FaceTime to see if you are aligning correctly.
Thank you for the thorough review. Can you also pump in any position while wearing the willows reusable storage containers? I know they advertise pumping in any position while using their bags but can't find a clear answer if the reusable containers work the same way or if they're prone to leaking.
Thank you so much for your review! Honestly I was having major anxiety over which to get (Elvie or Willow) and honestly I was leaning more towards willow but wasn’t ready to bite the bullet given it’s enormous price tag. However, upon watching your review I must say that I am completely sold on the willow and this is because, of all the people reviewing willow/elvie your review came across as the most genuine and honest one. That being said, with using your willow do you still need to use your medela/spectra along with it? Should I buy both or would just the willow be enough?
I’m so glad it was helpful!! I personally needed a “traditional” pump as well and loved both my spectra and the medela sonata (SUPER easy to clean.) I had an oversupply with both of my kiddos, so having both was a must. With that said, I do know people who just have the Willow and are happy.
Thank you so much it's makes me feel more confidence to buy Willow. I bought Elvie before and it wasn't work out for me then I sell it. Just bend down to pick my baby from crib the Elvie stop working and leak since I did not produce that much I am feel so sad to lose that milk. I never got more than 1 oz. per side on Elvie but I use my Motif pump even after use elvie it still come out more. So I think I will try the willow gen 3.
I use Medela pump in style and I set it about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the way up (kind of a low setting) do you think the Willow would be too strong? My old pump (same brand) from 4 years ago I had it set on a much higher setting but when I got my new medela pump in I had to put it on a lower setting. Just want to make sure I get a pump that is going to work especially since it’s on the pricy side. Great video by the way. Lots of great info.
Thank you for posting a video comparing these pumps! I am trying to decide between these pumps and I was wondering if you could store the parts in the fridge for either one of these pumps between pumping? I am heading back to work in January and won’t have time to wash every part between uses and this information would be great to know. Thank you!
I’m so glad it was helpful! You absolutely can but I did have issues of them getting too cold so the milk kind of dried and would affect the suction. I ended up just getting a second set of parts so I could pump twice at work or I would just make sure that your parts are inside a lunch box or something in the fridge or the best place I found was the fruit/veggie drawers.
Definitely helpful. I breastfed with a Spectra and with the Baby Buddha last baby. I was sold on Elvie from their website until seeing this. Since I have previously nursed the points you mentioned with the willow are definitely what I am looking for in the wireless pump. When you mentioned the willow being reviewed as aggressive, that’s how the baby Buddha was, but it was effective in emptying in half the time.
I agree with this. I used the spectra S2 at home and took the baby Buddha to work and when traveling/out and about. I found it to be much stronger than the spectra/better at emptying. It became my primary pump.
Do you think the willow containers are easy to clean? Some of the reviews I’ve read say they are difficult to clean. So, I’m hesitant to purchase them separately.
I think they are super easy to clean, especially with the brushes the Willow comes with. I can imagine that if someone left milk in there for awhile or refrigerated them with milk it might be a little harder to clean but a quick soak in hot water would clean them right up. I love the containers.
I love the idea of the elvie. Much better concept. But I've also tried both and willow never gave me clogged ducts and almost lost my milk supply. The suction is strong almost too strong on willow but again never made me lose supply. The elvie, wow I just spent days trying to get my supply back up. Had to return it. When I say the elvie is better concept I mean it is like a regular pump with the parts and works with gravity. With the willow the pump is working against gravity and collecting around your breast? If the elvie had better suction i think it might be better
How do I know if I should get the 24 mm flange on the willow or the 27 mm? I think I have elastic nipples. I’ve always used both 24 mm and 27 mm flanges with my medela symphony but my nipples swell a ton when I pump. I’m afraid to drop the money on the willow and get the wrong size flange, since the thing I’ve seen a lot of people say with it is that flange size is super important.
Hi! I would recommend getting some “cushions” and using them in the bigger flange. There is a brand called Beaugen that I personally use. It’s the only thing that has helped with elastic nipples for me. www.beaugen.com?aff=simplykimble
I think the Elvie’s motor is quieter but sound of the milk dropping into the bottle is surprisingly loud. Over all I wore both at family gatherings and even grocery shopping and I couldn’t hear them.
Hi, your video was super helpful. I am a first time mom, to a 3 month old, who is now sleeping through the night! So, I have been researching a wearable pump for my evening pump, to help with my engorgement, save time, multi-task around the house while pumping, etc. But, I have been very torn with which pump to buy for the past 3 weeks. This week I finally decided to purchase the Elvie from Target since I can return it. I have been using it for about 3 days. But, I am thinking of returning it and trying Willow mainly due to the fact that it’s not leak-proof & has way too many parts (which defeats the purpose of saving time because I spend about 5-10 minutes cleaning them) But I am scared of Willow’s suction, that even on lowest setting maybe it will be painful and not useable...😟 So, I have a few questions for you, I am so curious to know. It’s a lot, so bare with me! 1. What suction did you use on the Elvie versus the Willow? I’m currently using the Elvie on a 5 and getting same output (6-10 ounces a session) as my Medela Pump In Style, in about 20 minutes. I set Medela to about halfway suction. 2. Can you possibly describe the suction of the Willow and how it feels compared to Elvie? As far as the rythym? Is it like: Suck-suck-suck, pause...that pattern, for a couple minutes, then goes to expression mode? I was confused because a Willow representative said it feels like a constant pull on your nipple?? She made it sound like the suction never lets go and literally is vacuuming your nipple the whole time. This concerned me because I can’t see how that would properly stimulate a let down/express (since baby is more of a quick suck-suck-suck. Pause....suck-suck-suck. Pause....not a constant vacuum.) 3. Also, you mentioned with Elvie that you can’t peek and see how much milk is inside the pump, so are you saying that with the Willow you CAN peek and see how much milk is inside, when you look down? Can you elaborate on this? I thought that with the Willow, you couldn’t see the milk either, and with either pump you have to look at the app to know when to finish pumping? Am I wrong? 4. How many ounces (at the most), can you fill in Willow’s container before it says it’s full? And was it the same when you used bags or did you feel like you could fill up the container more, before the pump would say it’s full? The reason I ask this is because RU-vidrs complained about the bags filling with air, so if I’m buying the Willow for the bag feature, but then it’s only letting me fill it up to like 3 ounces, then that’s also going to be time wasted changing bags more often. 5. Does the Willow get hot? Elvie sometimes leaves my breasts with like red spots/circles which concerns me for my skin. Overtime I imagine that it could cause me issues. 6. Were you the same flange size in Elvie and Willow? And does the Willow have black lines to help align the nipple like the Elvie? 7. How bad was the learning curve for the Willow? Like how many days/weeks did it take you to learn the Willow? The Elvie took me one pump session to learn. 8. Any recommendations on which nursing bra to use with Willow? I was tempted to buy the Simply Sublime from Kindred Bravely from Willow site. Thanks so much for all the information. I am leaning towards the Willow, but the only thing holding me back is that SUCTION! And so true, I can’t know until I know, but just before I pull the trigger, any of your insight (since you’ve experienced both!) would be helpful, because once I buy the Willow, I have to return the Elvie and can’t afford to keep both!
Hi Jamie! 1. With the Elvie I had it on the highest possible suction, I played around with different levels but in order to get anything needed to use it all the way up. With the Willow I normally keep it on the 3rd level. As another reference, I use my Medela Sonata at level 6 and 7. 2. The suction of the Willow feels exactly like my Medela pumps. I’ve used both the PISA and the Sonata and the suction type feels the same to me. The stimulation is a slow suck..suck…suck and the expression is a faster suck…suck…suck, again very similar in my opinion to Medela’s. It’s definitely not a constant vacuum. 3. With the Elvie the bottle is under neath and I can’t see unless I pull my bra down and look in a mirror. With the Willow the milk container is pressed against your breast so you can see just by looking down your shirt how much milk has been collected. With Elvie it was always a “surprise” since the app was never right and I couldn’t see the bottles fill. 4. I have fit a little over 5 ounces in the willow reusable containers as well as the bags. I have an oversupply and have had to empty the container and then continue pumping. I personally never had air in the bags but honestly I rarely use them, I prefer the containers. 5. And NOOO thank goodness, I hate how hot the Elvie hubs get, its concerning to me and customer service says its normal. The Willow never changes temp, also the hub doesn’t actually come in contact with your skin. 6. Yes, I’m a 21mm or 24mm with cushions. The willow doesn’t have lines but you don’t need them, you place the flange just like your Medela. 7. It took me a day of pumping to get the full hang of it, way easier than the Elvie in my opinion. 8. You need something supportive for Willow since its heavier than the Elvie, the kindred bravely one works great! I was so scared of the suction but I’m glad I finally just tried it, I love it.
Victoria Kimble Wow! Thank you thank you thank you!!! These answers were so helpful. You’ve cleared up my doubts about the suction of the Willow. I am going to buy it this weekend! I do believe I will also love it, I’ve researched so much and the experience with Elvie, I feel like Willow will be a better pump for me and a timesaver! The hardest part to get over was that Willow is pricier with no return policy, but it seems like it’s for a reason, more thoughtful design for breastfeeding mothers, and I like that I have the option to choose container or bags. Your RU-vid video came to me at just the right time, you do a great job! (A lot of people just sit infront of the camera & complain about price!) Instead, you gave a very straightforward and honest review! Thank you!!!
tiff2589 I have! I also use a Spectra S2. I think the suction is different. Spectra has that kind of fluttering suction and the Willow is much more of a traditional suck and pull if that makes sense lol
@@SimplyKimble awesome! this video was very helpful. I am having #2 and still have my spectra and love it, however want this for work with me being on the road so often. I feel that based on your review willow will be a better fit. I am smaller at the top so I am praying it grasps in place and I won't have issues on that front
do the willow collection containers leak at all?? I am a nurse and want to use these at work, but that is what deterred me from the elvie was the leaking.
Hi! I would love to help but I don’t actually own a microwave 🤦🏼♀️ you can’t microwave sterilize the Elvie parts but I do believe you can use the medela microwave bags for the willow containers and flanges but I find it easier to just boil for 5 minutes.
The pump is on when you do the flip to finish but paused. When you are done you push the play/pause button, break the suction and then do the flip to finish. If it’s helpful I can post a video of how to do it.
Hi! I pour into them. With the reusable containers it’s pretty easy, with the bags I cut off the top and stick the whole neck into the kiinde bag and then turn it over so I don’t spill everywhere lol
flipj17 from what I have been told by customer service no you can not. I was told no heat sterilization as it would crack the plastic. Some people have said that their website now says differently. I would not advise using it.
For initial sterilization from the manufacturer yes, however multiple customer support representatives and their official Facebook support group said not to boil for daily cleaning or even weekly as it would warp them overtime.
I have the Elvie and I’m sick and tired of losing suction every time I take it apart to clean the parts. I waste 30min to 3 hrs troubleshooting it just to get my suction back.
I think they have very different sounds, I would say the Elvie is overall quieter but you can hear the milk plop into the bottle and that is actually really loud. When I wear either one no one can really hear them unless the room is completely silent.
Thank you for replying. If I had known this before purchasing the Elvie, i would have gone with the willow, it is so inconvenient to not be able to put the parts in a steam sterilizer because my steam sterilizer can dry too and that makes it easier to uae since I dont have to wait for the part to dry. If I dont do steam sterilizer I would have to wait a long time or purchase extra parts :(
Evelyn Nguyen this isn’t something I knew until after purchasing the Elvie as well. I also don’t like all the chemicals used in cold sterilization. We all have enough to clean as it is without adding in one more entirely unique process lol
@@SimplyKimble exactly! I purchased my elvie through target. Thinking about returning it and pull the trigger on the willow. Not sure about target returning policy for this stuff need to check it out.
Evelyn Nguyen target actually has a great return policy for the Elvie. I’ve heard from others including target employees that you don’t need to provide a reason. Just bring it back with your receipt.
Hillary DeJarnett Hi! I just went with the same flange size I use with my Medela pumps because I was told they were similar and that was definitely the case for me. I also use beagen cushions which makes a huge difference in comfort and fit. I am normally a 21mm but size up to the 24mm and use the cushions.
Hi! I don’t use anything special just whatever nursing bra I am already wearing. If I’m really moving around I will wear a tank top with a built in bra over my bra and pump.
