Breast Pump Review: Spectra S1
Read Time |
So, you're looking for information to help you decide which pump is for you.
You may have heard all the fantastic feedback given by parents who swear by this pump, and maybe you're looking to see if it lives up to the hype.
Or maybe you've heard your friend say that they hate it or they didn't respond well to it, and you have concerns about if the S1 is going to meet your needs.
In either case, you've come to the right place! Though there are no shortages of Spectra breast pump reviews, I thought I’d give my take on this super popular pump.
Now that I’ve recently gotten my hands on the Spectra S1, I am ready to share with you all the things I LOVE about the S1 and the things I don't like as much.
Before we begin, a quick disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my cookie eating habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in cookies. It’s a win for everyone, really.
The things I LOVE:
It's a closed system pump.
Being a closed system pump means that there's virtually no possibility of breast milk getting into the motor. The tubing connects to the breast shield behind the backflow protector, which provides a physical barrier that prevents milk from entering the tubes. With open system pumps such as the Medela Pump in Style Advance or the Medela Freestyle, the chance of milk reaching the motor is higher because there is no physical barrier between the tubing and motor.
Now it's true that being a closed system device doesn't completely reduce the risk of milk contamination to 0 %. Poor hygiene practices pose a higher risk of issues than whether or not a pump is an open or closed system.
But being a closed system device does mean that...
It's a multi-user pump.
Spectra was truly a trendsetter in making a "hospital grade" pump that was affordable and accessible to its users.
(I'll save the hospital grade pump debate for a different day)
Though Spectra USA was founded in 2012, I was just starting to hear the rumblings about the pump when I delivered my daughter at 33 weeks gestation in 2015. During our NICU stay and the months immediately after, I used the Ameda Elite and the Medela Symphony respectively. To put Spectra's price point into perspective, the Elite and Symphony both retail for well over $1k whereas the S1 can be purchased for less than $400.
Don't miss this deal: Get the Spectra S1 for $199 ** vs. the usual $345. That's a $145 savings! ** Affiliate links
Now it's not lost on me that 400 dollars is still a lot of money and that though insurances typically cover Spectra's S1 and S2 models, not everyone has insurance coverage.
Being that it's a closed system, multiple user pump allows for the same pump to be safely used by different families on their human milk feeding journey.
In fact, the S1 I am using on my relactation journey was gifted to me after a decent amount of use.
The motor is amazing.
What is the most crucial part of an electric breast pump, you ask?
Without a doubt, it's the motor.
The Spectra S1's motor is powerful enough to not only maintain a milk supply but allows for the frequent daily pumping needed to initiate and build a milk supply as well.
A powerful, reliable motor means that it's great for
Exclusively Pumping
Building a supply
Relactation or inducing lactation
Frequent daily pumping
The motor also affects how the pump feels. Like other pumps, it has a "suck then release" sucking pattern but the spectra S1 has a vibrating sensation that's not like other pumps I've personally used.
This is most notable during the "letdown" or massage phase of expression, where there is a pronounced fluttering sensation.
Some people may dislike this feeling, or it may take some getting used to, but as someone who has breastfed for over three years and has used a lot of pumps, it's a unique feeling that I enjoy.
It has "convenience features."
I put convenience features in quotes not to be sarcastic but because that's the best phrase I could come up with as an umbrella term to describe all of the non-essential pump parts that make for a better pumping experience.
The pump comes with a 2 level night light which makes for convenient night pumping. The buttons are embossed so that you can quickly feel which button you're touching, but the button layout for the S1 also allows you to aim for the night light in the dark.
Side note: Because the same button toggles two brightness levels, there may be a learning curve in the early days to get down how many presses to get to your desired light amount.
The LED display is easy to read and clearly shows which mode you're on (Letdown/massage or Expression), your current cycle speed, suction level, and time pumping.
The S1 has an automatic timer that shuts off after 30 minutes. For those who like to keep their pump sessions 30 minutes or less, this feature is very convenient. Especially for those middle of the night pumps where dosing off is sure to happen.
The battery is rechargeable and allows for 3 hours of pumping time. I find that I can get a little more than 6 30 minute pump sessions without having to worry about if the pump battery is going to give out on me.
The pump is quiet! It's not the quietest pump on the market anymore ( I believe the Ardo Calypso beats it out), but it's a decently quiet pump especially when compared to the Lanisnoh smart pump and Medela pump in style advance. When you compare motor size, however, there is no pump of a comparable size that is as quiet as the S1.
It's easy to be quieter when your motor is 1/2 to 1/4 the size of the S1!
If you’re curious why I didn’t mention that it has a single pump and double pump options, it’s because that’ no longer a convenience perk- it’s the norm in most double electric breast pumps sold these days.
It's highly adjustable which allows for greater customization during pumping sessions.
Many people may be turned off by the fact that they have control over BOTH the cycle speed and the suction level. Compared to other pumps, it may seem a lot more complicated than it's worth.
Please do not let that turn you off!
Need a pump primer? Check out this blog post which covers all of the pumps features and explains everything you need to know about how using the S1 for max comfort and output.
I've covered how to use your S1 to maximize pump output and comfortability more in-depth in a different post, but for today's review just remember this:
Cycle speed is how many times the pump "sucks" per minute
Suction level is how strong the sucks are
With other pumps, the cycle speed automatically decreases as you increase the suction level. With the S1 it has both adjustable suction and adjustable cycle speed so you can reduce the number of "sucks" per minute while keeping the same suction level.
This flexibility allows you to find the suction level and cycle speed combinations that work best for you and easily adjust them along the way.
In my case, I like to start off on level 3 in massage mode then switch to 42 sucks per minute at a level 8 or 9 suction. As I progress further into my pumping session, I decrease the sucks per minute to 38 and increase the suction level. By the end of the pump session, I am often near level 7/8 suction wise.
Though some people like really high suction (10+) for you a level suction strength that high may be too intense. That's perfectly okay. You don't have to sacrifice cycle speed with suction strength, which is probably the most powerful feature of the S1.
Things I don't like as much:
Its size is a bit inconvenient.
The same thing that makes the S1 so fantastic (the motor) is the same thing that makes the pump cumbersome and bulky.
When I was exclusive pumping years ago, I paid no mind to pump size. Both the Ameda Elite and Medela Symphony are much larger than S1. But now that I have a screaming, unruly terrorist of a three-year-old, the size of the S1 is a consideration.
I often find myself pleading to the powers that be to manage my household during my pumping sessions. If my dogs need to be let out or my kid needs a snack, I am faced with the decision of quitting my pump session or trying to pack everything up into an awkward arm hold.
The S1 has an ergonomic handle that makes for easy carrying, but it doesn't take away that the 3 lb pump must be toted with you in hand as you wrangle up the tubing and try to keep the flanges to your breast all the while trying to navigate your trip around the house.
With newer “pocket sized” pumps hitting the US market like the Unimom Minuet, the size of S1 may become a more significant downside than it is at the moment.
It begins in Expression mode and on your last used settings.
One thing about the S1 that really baffles me is that when you turn on the pump, it starts in expression mode. Most pumps begin in letdown/massage mode, which generally tends to be a quicker cycle speed and lower suction pressure.
Not only does it not start in massage mode, but the S1 picks right back up where you left off!
If you recall from above, I like to end my pump sessions at a low cycle speed but very high suction level. And, if you remember, it takes a whole pump session to work up to those settings.
Turning the pump on and starting off at level 10 suction does not make for a very comfortable pumping experience.
I would love to say to you reading this right now that all you have to do is remember to turn it down, but of all the times I've pumped during this last week, I have yet to actually remember to do it.
And this little feature makes for a very awkward start when I do remember that it turns on into expression mode because I have press the ON button followed by the letdown button in quick succession.
I learned on the second day to just find the massage setting I like to start at and not adjust it. Here's why: assuming that I raised the suction level to 5 on massage mode, the next time I go to pump, my nips will still be jolted by an uncomfortably high suction level due to it starting off on my last pump settings.
The standard flanges are too big for me.
The flange sizes offered as standard with Spectra is not unique to them. Most brands give you somewhere between 24 mm - 28 mm flanges with your breast pump. Spectra offers a wide range of shield sizes both smaller and larger than the sizes mentioned above.
However, I have tiny, 12 mm nips and need a flange size that spectra doesn't offer.
Need help with sizing your Spectra Flanges? Check out our flange sizing guide, which outlines everything you need to know to find the best flange fit possible.
I was able to find a 15 mm flange through Maymom ** on Amazon that is compatible with Spectra, and that's allowed me to use the pump. Without the aftermarket flanges though, the S1 (and all of the other pump brands out there) would be impossible for me to use comfortably.
Wide neck bottles are required.
The latest iteration of the S1 seen minor changes from the original S1 launch, but one difference that is quite noticeable is the transition from a standard breastshield neck width to a wide neck version.
It may not seem like a huge deal, and honestly, it's not, but the wider neck requirements pose a couple of challenges.
The first challenge is that all bottles are no longer compatible with pumping into. With standard size breastshields, any "standard" bottle can hook up directly to the flange. The S1's wide neck requirement means that if you only have narrow-necked bottle already, you may need to invest in a few wide necked bottles. Two bottles come standard with your new S1, but nipples are not included.
The second issue is that the area that connects to the membrane (be it traditional or duck-billed membranes) is larger as well making larger sized membranes necessary. Again, we have the same problem of incompatibility of other parts you may already have on hand.
For most, this is probably not going to be a major deal breaker, but it is something that can be a bit annoying.
Standard vs Wide neck bottles and flange necks
Standard vs wide membrane
My final thoughts
There are many great pumps out on the market right now, but I can't think of one that I've personally used that is as affordable and capable of heavy duty pumping as the S1.
It's nice to know that even though the S1 I'm using has been through many hours of pumping already, the quality of the S1 motor will provide a ton more pumping opportunities without a decrease in performance.
The size is a decent trade-off. Despite the inconvenience of its bulkiness, I would not want a lesser performing motor in exchange for smaller dimensions or a lighter pump.
I've gotten so used to the LCD displays that pumps without them feel a bit foreign to me. I realize this is my own personal perspective but something I thought I would note.
If you're looking to get a pump that is discreet, easy to pack in a small to mid-sized diaper bag, or looking for a pump to use only occasionally, the S1 may not be the best choice for you.
However, even if you plan to pump infrequently, the S1 holds it's value making it a great pump to use for subsequent children or to pass along to a friend or family member in need of a pump.
If you plan to pump exclusively, if you need to increase your supply, or if you're looking for a pump you KNOW will provide reliable, high-quality performance, the S1 is a perfect pump to consider getting.
Ordering a pump with Tricare is easy. Military Mommies offers the S1 and S2 FREE through insurance. If you're ready to order the S1 or S2, fill out this form, and I will get you started.
Do you have a Spectra S1? I would love to hear your feedback on it!
** Affiliate links