Elvie Curve Breast Pump review

Being able to silently pump while on the go, for a fraction of the price of Elvie’s electrical sister product the Elvie Pump (£269 for single pump; £499 for double pump on Elvie’s site), has huge market appeal.

Compared with other manual pumps, the Elvie Curve is double the price of the Medela Harmony (£39.99) and four times the price of the NatureBond versions (£12.99). However, it did win Gold at the 2021 MadeforMums awards for best manual breast pump. So is it worth the money? Let’s find out.

Buy The Elvie Curve Breast Pump: Boots, John Lewis, Argos and Amazon

Tested by

Rovenna lives with her husband and her newborn and toddler, plus two teenage stepdaughters at the house part-time. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, while testing, everyone was at home so she had a lot less time to pump alone at her leisure, so she was looking forward to trying the Elvie Curve to see if it buys her something that money can’t: time and relaxation.

What were your first impressions of the Elvie Curve breast pump?

The Elvie Curve is compact, sleek and the silicone feels soft and smooth - it feels very natural and creates higher and lower levels of suction using cleverly designed air technology.

Was it easy to assemble?

My Curve came preassembled in the box (bonus!). But it does come with an instruction manual, which provides very clear information about how to set it up. It really is very simple: you place the pouch into the frame and voila! You’re good to go.

How comfortable is the Elvie Curve breast pump?

I first used the Elvie Curve while feeding my daughter during the night. I am aware from breastfeeding with my first baby that I am highly susceptible to Mastitis, so while lactation is all over the place it’s best to drain any excess milk from the non-feeding breast to help avoid blocked ducts to save myself a lot of pain.

With the baby already latched and feeding, I reached over to my bedside table and grabbed the Curve. The pump curves over the shape of your breast which, coupled with the soft-touch silicone, makes it very comfortable to wear.

I tucked it into my bra, lay down and had a totally painless first experience, despite suffering from sore nipples during breastfeeding.

How easy is the pump to use?

I couldn’t believe how easy the Elvie Curve was to use.

To use it:

• Place the Curve over your breast
• Press down on the silicone pouch to create suction (the harder you press the more suction created)
• If the suction is too strong, give a quick squeeze to the valve on the top and suction is instantly halted

It took me two attempts to get the level of suction I required correct, but once that’s sorted you can just leave it to do its job.

I kept the Elvie Curve on for the duration of my baby’s feed, which was around 10 minutes, then squeezed the valve to release the suction. The release of the pump is painless and easy.

What features do you like most about the Elvie Curve?

Once you’ve removed it from your breast, the Elvie Curve is stable to stand as it has a flat base. It also has a lip to prevent milk from leaking out if it falls over and a spout for decanting the milk – both great features.

The USP of the Elvie Curve is that it’s handsfree: there are no parts to put together or chance of it being knocked off the boob mid-pump, which is a horrific experience for any Mum spilling that gold dust milk all over the floor!

How effectively does the Elvie Curve express milk?

The amount of milk expressed surprised me as it was a similar volume (30ml) to an electric pump. From that day on, I used the Elvie Curve on my non-feeding breast while feeding to collect leaking let-down milk and also to stimulate milk production.

This Curve doesn’t replace the Elvie Pump for actual pumping, as it’s a whole different experience, but for my second baby it has been my preferred choice. It’s made me much happier to have an alternative to the main pump that is so easy and silent and has meant less constant washing of sticky let-down milk-sodden maternity tops.

It is also the cheaper and more chilled out version to use of the two and has suited my lifestyle better.

How discreet is the Elvie Curve? Does it make much noise?

The Elvie Curve is very discreet and being a manual pump, it produces no sound. This coupled with its breast shape means you can put it on, walk around a supermarket and aside from the fact your boobs look different sizes (unless you had a Curve on both boobs – genius!) nobody would know you’re pumping. Not even you.

In comparison, with the Elvie Pump, I was able to walk the dog but I didn’t wear it in close proximity to the general public, as it was much less discreet. Other reviewers also found that it was more prone to leaking.

How easy is the Elvie Curve to clean?

The Elvie Curve is dishwasher safe, thus extremely easy to clean. You pull the pouch out of the frame, pop them on the top shelf of the dishwasher on a hot cycle, then put them back together again, which takes seconds.

I’ve never found any residue leftover in the pouch and there has been zero staining to date. If you don’t want to use the dishwasher you can wash by hand or sterilise.

Is it easy to transport?

It’s easy to transport being light, compact and made up of only two parts, which you separate solely for cleaning.

How does the Elvie Curve compare to other breast pumps?

The only other pump I have used is the electrical Elvie Pump, which was bought for me as a gift. At the time I don’t think I would have spent £269 on a pump myself, but I was chuffed to be bought it as a gift and thrilled at the results.

A couple of months later after having heard not only the mechanical wheezing and cow-like groaning of my friend’s double-bottled Medela Swing Maxi Flex beast, but her equally fed up griping about it, I hadn’t come across a device I liked better than the wonderful Elvie Pump. However, for far less money, the Elvie Curve was a really painless, easy hands-free experience.

It is hard to compare like for like given the Elvie Pump is electrical and the Curve is manual but, depending on your breastfeeding/expressing needs, it’s worth exploring the Curve to see whether it’s worth spending the significantly higher amount on the Pump.

Another bonus to the Elvie Curve is it has far less parts to deal with, which as an utterly exhausted, sleep deprived zombie, is invaluable.

What’s in the box?

• 1 x Frame
• 1 x Pouch
• 1 x Instruction manual

There are no additional accessories, which is part of its appeal.

Who would the Elvie Curve be most useful for?

The Curve is ideal for those wanting to catch the let-down milk while you're feeding or pumping on your other breast, or whenever your breasts feel full. It is also a great choice if you want to use out and about as it’s really discreet and makes no noise.

I think for anyone needing to feed with 100% breastmilk, as I did for 11 months with my first baby, then an electrical pump is also needed to stockpile milk and give your poor sore boobs a baby-break, but for a more relaxed, holistic approach, the Elvie Curve is a winner.

Is it worth the money?

The Elvie Curve is pricier than other manual breast pumps on the market, however, it is perfect if you want a breast pump that you can use on the go – the fact it is compact, hands-free, makes no noise and is very discreet, makes it worth paying that bit more for.

Where can you buy the Elvie Curve?

The Elvie Curve is available to buy from, Boots, John Lewis, Argos and Amazon.

MadeForMums verdict

The Elvie Curve is a great addition for any Mum wanting to pump, but being manual means it’s never going to produce as much milk as some of the electric versions.

However, it has the most discreet look when in use and the soft-touch silicone really adds to the natural feel of it. The fact it is hands-free is a really attractive feature – it requires no input when in use and is silent so will not disturb your sleeping partner, baby or other children during the night, and you can wear the Curve in your bra while performing day-to-day tasks.