Need to pump on long journeys?
If you’re taking a long car trip, you need to make sure you’re able to use your breast pump.
Being able to pump in the car makes your life a whole lot more comfortable and you don’t have to worry about when and where to stop.
You might consider buying a battery pack for your breast pump but these can be unreliable, plus you still have to keep it charged up.
The safest option is to use what’s called a power inverter. You can plug this device into your car cigarette lighter port, then plug your breast pump into the power inverter.
A power inverter is designed to convert the car battery power into the electricity you need to run home appliances like your breast pump. You don’t even need a different plug or adapter, it’s just like plugging into the mains wall socket at home.
Plus, you’ll be able to run and charge all your other devices such as laptops, phones, tablets, fans, and much more!
There are a few things to consider when choosing a power inverter for your breast pump, so we’ll go through everything in this article.
In a hurry? Check the top picks…
What Size Power Inverter for Breast Pump?
Power inverters come in different sizes. For your breast pump, you’ll only need a small car inverter that produces 100 or 150 watts.
This should give you plenty of power as the average breast pump uses between 15 and 30 watts. So you’ll even have enough power to charge a phone while pumping.
There’s no point in getting a bigger power inverter than 150 watts, as this is the maximum amount you can draw from a car cigarette lighter power (known as 12V DC socket because it produces 12 volts direct current from the battery).
Best Car Power Inverter for Breast Pumps Reviews
Let’s go through the best car power inverter for breast pumps. All of these products listed below act as a simple breast pump car adapter, which can also run a number of other small portable devices.
BESTEK 150W Power Inverter
Kicking off this list is the best of the bunch. This inverter from BESTEK offers everything you need in a slim design.
Use it how and wherever you want in the vehicle. Simply plug straight into the cigarette lighter port and place the adapter where you need it. You can even hook up in the back seat thanks to the 32 inch power cable.
You can 1 AC plug to run your breast pump along with 2 USB ports to charge phones and tablets at the same time. Everything is perfectly safe to run with protections against electrical faults such as overheating, undervoltage, overvoltage, short circuiting, overload.
In addition, thanks to the slimline design you can easily store it in the glove box or bag when not in use.
BESTEK 150W Compact Car Power Inverter
Next up is another neat design from BESTEK which offers compact, no fuss, performance.
Do away with long messy cables and parts flying around the car. With this little adapter, you can be pumping in seconds. The whole device sits nicely in the 12V cigarette lighter port so nothing gets tangled up in the car.
Despite its miniature size it still gives you pretty amazing performance. The AC outlet allows you to plug your breast pump straight into the inverter. While the USB ports offer extra charging capabilities. Although, due to the size, they don’t offer the highest charging speeds compared to the bigger inverters.
I guess one of the drawbacks of this is you won’t be able to move the inverter around as there is no power cable. Overall, it’s a neat compact device that gets the job done.
Tripp Lite 200W Cup Holder Car Power Inverter
Time to look at a fancier design in the form of a cup holder power inverter.
I really love this style of adaptor as they stay nice and secure in your cup holder while being big enough to give decent power and multiple outlets.
The Tripp Lite is the top performer in this category with two AC outlets and two USB ports. It’s ideal for running breast pumps, charging laptops, and even running DVD players to keep the kids entertained.
Its thick durable housing keeps it safe from knocks and drops too, making it great for chaotic family journeys. The in-built cooling fan does make a little noise but means it won’t overheat when running multiple devices simultaneously.
A sturdy and more powerful beast to keep the whole family powered up.
Rally 200 Watt Cup Holder Power Inverter
For another option in the cup holders design then check out the Rally 200.
It performs very similarly to the Tripp Lite but has a few other features which might be handy for you. First things first, you get a 2 year warranty rather than the 1 year standard. This is always a comforting addition when buying electronics.
In addition, the two AC outlets and two USB ports give plenty of versatility and are protected by clip-on covers when not in use. This stops dirt and liquids from getting stuck in the unit.
Use this to run your breast pump and quickly charge small devices including dedicated iPod charging circuitry!
Ampeak 100W Car Power Inverter
Finishing off this list is a small but reliable breast pump adaptor for your car.
It packs less of a punch than others on this list with 100 watts power output. This is still more than enough for your equipment and you’ll still be able to charge a smartphone. It is a little more limited with one AC outlet and one USB port but that might be plenty for solo travelers. You won’t be able to charge multiple phones at the same time for example.
The swiveling design allows you to plug into your car without the need for long cables. Plus it still contains all the crucial safety features to protect against things like short circuit, overload, and overheating. It even has a tiny cooling fan inside for periods of long use!
A nifty little inverter with enough power to keep your devices running.
Buying Guide for Breast Pump Car Adapters
By now you should have a better idea of what products are available on the market. But you might still be a little confused about what’s best for you. If that’s the case then read the following buying guide. It contains everything you should consider when making your final choice.
Size and Power
Most power inverters should have enough power capacity to run your breast pump. The size of an inverter is measured in wattage. A breast pump will use less than 50 watts while a power inverter will usually have 100 watts or more.
To be honest, the consideration here is not to go too big. You don’t need anything larger than 200 watts as a car cigarette lighter port won’t deliver more power than this. Adding to this, the more powerful the inverter the bigger they become, in fact, that can be deceptively big compared to their photos. Plus it would be unnecessarily expensive.
Ease of Use
The second major point to think about is how easy the inverter is to use. There’s a couple of key points to this – firstly, can you plug it into your 12V cigarette lighter port in the car. Make sure it comes with the correct plug/cable which looks like this:
You also want to make sure it has a standard 3 pin AC outlet, like the wall socket at home. This allows you to plug your breast pump straight into the inverter without needing another adapter. Be a little careful as some options only come with USB ports and alternative 2 pin AC outlets.
Price
So how much does a breast pump car adapter cost?
Well, these inverters are small and low powered so will not be very expensive at all. You will find they cost between $15 and $40 depending on design and size. For example, a compact swivel head option costs around $20 while a larger cup holder car inverter costs about $40.
You don’t want to buy anything much cheaper than this range as it will likely be very low quality. This could mean unreliable power output and flimsy durability. In addition, there’s no need to spend much more than $40 as it becomes a bit overkill in terms of size and power for your car.
Final Words on Power Inverter for Breast Pump
That covers just about everything you really need to know about power inverters for breast pumps and breast pump car adaptors.
Happily, breast pumps are very low powered machines that any inverter will be able to run. This means you can use a small and compact option designed to be used in a car.
Simply plug into your 12V DC cigarette lighter port and off you go. Many people prefer this method compared to using a battery pack as you’ll always have reliable power while the engine is running.
One final tip is to always run your engine when using your car power inverter. This keeps the car battery charged and stops you from quickly running it flat!
For more options, you can also check my guides to the Best Car Power Inverter and the Best 150 Watt Power Inverter.
Hi, I’m Michael, the editor here at Watt A Lot.
After years of experience with off-grid power like solar panels, inverters, and batteries I decided I should share my hands-on knowledge with you. In my professional and personal life, I’ve needed to find electrical solutions for remote situations from owning a food truck, to running events at the top of mountains, to my converted campervan. So whether you’re looking for the best products or fixing an electrical problem, you can rest assured my advice comes from real hands-on experience.
