Willow launches new cord-free smart breast pump at a lower price
The Willow Go is an in-bra, wearable pump with no dangling cords.
Willow — a line of smart breast pumps that promises a higher milk yield than other pumps — today unveiled the Willow Go. The new model retails at $329, a considerable drop from the $500 price tag of the Willow 3.0. While some insurance plans offer breast pumps for free or at a reduced cost, many will only cover the cost of a manual breast pump (which normally are in the ballpark of $20). The Willow Go is likely to be an attractive option for women who are forced to pay out-of-pocket for a smart breast pump. According to the company, the Willow Go costs $150 through most insurers. Each set includes two cups.
“More than 20 percent of Willow pumps were purchased with insurance in 2021. Offering Willow Go at an affordable price point, as low as $150 with most insurance plans, allows more moms than ever to have access to best-in-class technology without requiring any tubes, cords or bulky external motors,” said Willow CEO Laura Chambers in a statement.
We reviewed the Willow 3.0., which debuted at CES in 2020, and noted it seemed like a quieter, more user-friendly version of the older models, along with advanced features and more milk capacity. Willow Go seems to follow the same trend, and is at a lower price point. Since the smart breast pump market is more saturated in 2022 than it was when Willow first launched, it might be worth it to shop around. There are cheaper smart breast pumps in the market today than the Willow Go, as well as high-end models that also offer hospital-grade technology for upwards of $2,000.
Willow Go offers more milk capacity than other generations of the Willow, at 14 ounces. This is a considerably heftier load than the Willow 3.0., which can only hold four ounces of milk per bag (for a total of eight ounces). The Willow Go offers an "Expression" mode with nine levels of suction, a notable upgrade from the seven levels offered by the Willow 3.0. The device comes with two reusable milk containers for storage. Alternatively, mothers can opt to store their milk in disposable bags, which retail at $24 for a pack of 48.
