Motif Luna vs Cimilre S6+

Mom’s are forever on the hunt for the breast pump that is going to be the best value for their money. They want an affordable pump that performs well and has a reliable reputation. Comparing pumps isn’t always very straightforward though- two pumps can have the same specs and perform differently because even SMALL changes to the pump design can have a big impact on performance and quality of a pump. Then add in one manufacturer may be producing multiple pumps under different brand names with only slight differences. It gets confusing for parents and lactation professionals to sort out what the differences are and make solid recommendations.

That’s how we got the ongoing debate of what is the difference between the Motif Luna and the Cimilre s6+

These pumps are extremely similar. Same manufacturer- Cimilre is the manufacturer for the Motif Luna, and also manufacturers their own branded line of pumps. Same settings and suction strength- moms who have used both note there can be slight differences in response to one versus the other but the feel is extremely close and the programs controlling suction speed and strength appear to be identical. Suction testing shows the same suction for both pumps. Opening the pumps up shows the internals appear virtually identical.

But despite the appearance of being virtually identical Mom’s reported different issues and a different response to the two pumps.

Motif Luna has a known issue of sudden loss of suction- Cimilre doesn’t have this same known issue.

Cimilre s6+ seems to produce slightly less milk for some moms than the Motif Luna but others report identical output.

And Mom’s want to know what the difference is so they can decide which option is best for them!

So we opened them up and compared the internal parts piece by piece until we found the difference. These pumps do not use the same motor.

These motors both appear to be available on Aliexpress- and as you can see there is a difference in price. The Motif Luna motor is a less expensive motor which is often associated with less durability. Cimilre s6+ is not producing the same pumping efficiency though which may be why some Mom’s report lower production despite this being what appears to be a higher quality motor.

So which pump is better?

Unfortunately we still can’t actually answer that question because while these aren’t truly identical pumps they are similar enough that they are functionally equivalent. If a Mom wants one of these pumps and only have insurance coverage for one versus the other she is probably fine to select the one that is financially most affordable at that moment. If they are going to cost you the same you have to decide which shortcoming you are willing to accept- slightly lower performance for some moms but not all or a fairly persistent issue with the pump dying and requiring warranty replacement.

I wish pump science could answer this more definitively but at least now Mom’s have the information to make an informed choice.