Top 5 Best Nursing Tanks 2023:
- Ingrid & Isabel Women’s Seamless Drop Cup Nursing Cami
- Leading Lady Women’s Empire Waist Nursing Cami with Lace Back
- iloveSIA 3PCS Women’s Nursing Cami Maternity Breastfeeding Tank Tops
- HOFISH Women’s Breast Feeding Tops, Maternity Nursing Cami with Build-in Shelf Bra
- Strapless Nursing Top – for Breastfeeding & Pregnancy
Having an opportunity to raise a baby is truly a blessing. However, it would be unreasonable to claim that this delicate period, while our children are still breastfed, does not pose some challenges in the lives of new mothers. One of the most common of them has to be the very process of breastfeeding – at least in public.
And believe us social acceptance has nothing to do with it. Breastfeeding is a beautiful and perfectly natural thing, and it should be treated as such. We are talking about the practicality of it. You see, mothers like to look good when they are shopping or going to a restaurant. They also need comfortable clothing that allows them to perform nursing without too much hassle.
If you are facing this practical problem, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we are going to take a look at the best nursing tanks currently on the market and try to see which one of them makes the perfect choice for all fashionable moms out there.
Related: The Best Ring Slings
5 Best Nursing Tanks In 2023: Detailed Reviews
1. Ingrid & Isabel Women’s Seamless Drop Cup Nursing Cami
It doesn’t take more than a quick glance at this simple clothing piece to notice we are dealing with one of the most promising contenders for the title of best nursing perspective.
Speaking in terms of the pure visual appeal, this item enchants with its simplicity. And yet, a couple of small details regarding the bra design and smart cut that was designed to complement the waistline area are doing an incredibly good job at elevating this clothing piece above the regular nursing tank.
Seriously, you can take this bad boy anywhere you like, and no one will ever notice you are wearing such a utilitarian piece of clothing.
But, as necessary as it is, an elegant look is only one of the crucial features we expect to see from a quality nursing tank. Fortunately, this model excels in other areas as well. First and foremost modal rayon cloth the tank was made from is silky, soft, and very breathable. Even better, if it picks up a couple of stains, it’s perfectly safe to put it into the machine and wash at low temperatures.
The second thing we really like is the simplicity. The drop-cup tanks have always been one of the easiest options to use, and Ingrid & Isabel Women’s Seamless Drop Cup Nursing Cami brings this idea to perfection. The straps are very easy to pop open, and the access to the breast is very good.
So, we are definitely talking a good looking and quality nursing tank if there ever was one. The only thing to take away from it is that the bra is not amongst the biggest on the market (regardless of size), which may put off women with larger busts.
Pros
- Reasonably affordable
- Excellent design
- Silky smooth, breathable material
- Washing machine-friendly
- Easy to pop open
Cons
- Not the biggest bra on the market
2. Leading Lady Women’s Empire Waist Nursing Cami with Lace Back
Ingrid & Isabel Women’s Seamless Drop Cup Nursing Cami may probably be the best nursing tank we got the opportunity to review. But, if that’s so Leading Lady Women’s Empire Waist Nursing Cami with Lace Back comes at a very close second place.
As a matter of fact, this stylish fashion piece even outpaces its direct competitor in more than one area. First and foremost, we have to give a special shout out to beautiful lace back. Nursing tanks tend to look quite good but rarely exceptional. The inclusion of lace makes this tank unique.
Also, the way this model is cut definitely compliments the bodies of the ladies that have gained some weight during their pregnancy.
When it comes to materials, things aren’t getting any worse. The tank is made from beautiful and soft cotton-based bled (95% cotton, 5% spandex), which strikes the perfect balance between comfort, breathability, and elasticity. Be extra careful, though, when it comes to maintenance.
So, the tank does more than enough things right to warrant your attention. What are the problems? Well, as cleverly designed this piece might be, there is no escaping the fact that the bra is tiny in proportion to the rest of the tank. When you throw that into the mix with the layered style design, which is, in itself, inherently convoluted, you only get problems if you have even the slightly larger breasts.
This problem is even more pronounced than in the previous product. If you, on the other hand, feature a slimmer build, you will get a blast out of this tank.
Pros
- Black lace back makes all the difference in the world
- Excellent price-value ratio
- Cotton-based material
- Soft and pleasant to wear
Cons
- The bra size/layered style combination doesn’t work at all
3. iloveSIA 3PCS Women’s Nursing Cami Maternity Breastfeeding Tank Tops
Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go – this package is not the best on the market. It doesn’t even come close to second place. But, you do get three handsome nursing tanks at the price of one (albeit a more quality one), which is the fact that makes us more than willing to look away from some small drawbacks.
But, what drawbacks are we talking about? Well, for instance, the shoulder straps are not amongst the strongest on the market. Don’t get us wrong, they will get you through more than a couple of months of use, but when this honeymoon is over, they will fall off every five minutes.
The other prominent issue (the one we continue to see in this niche) is the bra size. Of course, the problem is only made worse by the enclosed layered design.
On the other hand, it is hard to deny that the tanks look really good, and the option to get all three of them in different combinations (black, black + black, blue, or beige) is something worth pointing out. Also, as small-ish, as it is, the bra does provide excellent breast support.
Throw into the mix the fact the tanks come packed with adjustable straps (not the most fashionable detail, but very useful nevertheless), and you’ll get one very decent, if not very good package.
Oh yeah, did we mention that you get three tanks for the price of one?
Pros
- Probably the best price/value ratio on the list
- The tanks look very good and come in three color options
- Adjustable straps
- Soft and easy to maintain
Cons
- Small bra
- The straps are exceptionally weak
4. HOFISH Women’s Breast Feeding Tops, Maternity Nursing Cami with Build-in Shelf Bra
This tank looks like one of those products that do too many things right to be ignored but doesn’t do anything too extraordinary to truly grab the attention.
That’s too bad because, as we already mentioned, there are a lot of good things going on here. For instance, the tank does look truly simple and elegant and, because of its inherent stretchability, can be worn both during pregnancy and nursing period.
On the other hand, this stretchability is the product of the fact that the top is made from nylon-based material, which is something we are not too crazy about. Although the tank overall feels soft, it is not very breathable and a pain to keep clean (the material is dry clean only).
On the more positive note, although the tank features a layered design, the straps can be pop open and breast exposed with ease, and even more important, only one hand. Also, this model provides more than enough room even for larger busts, so finally, we have a product that can be worn by everyone.
Now, we should mention that this tank comes packed with removable pads, which is, in this case, both a blessing and a curse. Sure, you do get additional support and the ability to customize the bra size during pregnancy, but the pads are not that easy to position. So, take it however you want.
Pros
- Quality, stretchable tank
- Designed for larger busts
- Exposing breast is very easy
- Simple but elegant and functional design
- Removable bra pads
Cons
- Maintenance is a chore
- Bra pads just won’t stay in one place
5. Strapless Nursing Top – for Breastfeeding & Pregnancy
In a world of nursing tops, innovations are very rare and far in between. When some manufacturer does try to bring something new to the table, the results are either exceptional or utterly pointless. So, where does this nursing tank belongs if we had to choose between these two options?
Well, to be quite honest, we are not entirely sure.
That might be because of the fact that this is not the nursing tank in the most traditional sense. We are talking more of the top that attaches to your bra and creates one simple, good looking clothing piece that is also very easy to remove in the case of an emergency.
So, the practicality is definitely there – even more so, when you take into consideration that the top can be combined with the bras of your choice. Also, the materials are spot on. The cotton-based material is (95% cotton and 5% spandex) is gentle, breathable, and easy to clean.
On the other hand, we utterly fail to realize the appeal of this product. Sure, you do get a high degree of customizability, and the tank fits different body types. But, when you remove the top, you still need to deal with the bra, which makes the whole “nursing” appeal kinda pointless.
Also, the sizes are a bit off. So, if you plan to end up buying one of these tops, I would recommend that you go one size above your regular.
Pros
- Quality materials
- A variety of colors to choose from
- The top does look stylish and cool
- Reasonably affordable
Cons
- The whole concept is a bit half-baked
- The sizes are a bit off
What Is a Nursing Tank And Things To Look For When Buying The Best Tanks?
So, now that we’ve gone through some of the most good-looking, practical, and simply-put useful pieces of clothing, let us try to answer one crucial question – why would you even bother?
After all, what’s wrong with your regular t-shirts and trunks? Well, as it turns out – a lot of things. Although these clothing pieces may look great, and, on the first glance, look practical enough, they often lack a couple of essential features:
- Easy pull-down neckline access
- Ease of stretching
- Removable padding
- Breathability
- Ease of maintenance
- Secured clips
- Slimming factor
As we can see, all these requirements actually make quite a long list. Fortunately for us, they are also the things where nursing tanks excel. But, admittedly, not every nursing tank is made the same. How are we going to sort out the good ones from the bad?
It’s simple – we are going to go through all these features in greater detail and see which options are better than others. So, buckle up, we’re taking off.
1. Easy Access
One of the main advantages nursing tanks have over their traditional counterparts is the simple fact they make access to nurses’ breasts much, much more comfortable. However, not all pieces address this problem in the same manner. In most of the cases, you will get to choose between one of these three options:
- Clip-down/Drop-cup – These nursing tanks are, by far, the more common option, so there is a good chance you’ll end up with one of these. Both clip-down and drop cup basically work on the same principle – you remove the straps and simply allow the tank top to fold down.
- Neckline style – Although these tanks are not that frequent, they are straightforward to use. How? Just pull down the neckline and (usually V-neck designs) to access the breast, and that’s pretty much it.
- Layered style – This style may be a bit more complicated to use (you first need to remove one layer up and then bottom layer down), but it also reveals the least amount of skin, so it definitely has a loyal following with moms that don’t want to reveal too much.
Which one of these styles you are going to use largely depends on your breast type and what you find most comfortable. Our advice is to give them all a try before making any final decision.
2. Stretching And Slimming
We decided to put these two things together because they basically tell the same story. Most of the moms out there experience certain weight gains immediately after childbirth and need some time to get their body back in the pre-natal state.
During that period, the mothers’ tanks need to remain stretchable enough to be sufficiently comfortable and adaptable to frequent changes in weight. They also need to be tailored in a manner that allows them to utilize their inherent stretchability to hide some… Well, let’s call them small body imperfections.
3. Removable Padding
Except for the rare exceptions, most of the nursing tanks out there feature built-in bras. These bras usually operate on one-size-fits-all logic, and as any woman out there knows this approach to fashion doesn’t have too much sense. Especially in the case of mothers that have just recently undergone childbirth and whose breasts need more support.
But, even if you are not facing this slight problem and simply have smaller breasts, you will be glad to know that some of the units you can find in stores feature removable inserts that allow you to address both these issues with ease and a surprising amount of style.
4. Softness And Breathability
This one is easy. Any material that is soft and breathable is more pleasant to wear. And after childbirth, you will need all the comfort you can get. Fortunately, when it comes to the choice of the materials, things aren’t getting any more complicated.
Since organic cotton features both these qualities, it makes a perfect choice for a cozy and good-looking nursing tank. The other good option we can think of is modal rayon fabric infused with bamboo charcoal and fiber. According to some manufacturers, this combo has a very positive impact on circulation and metabolism.
5. Ease Of Maintenance
So, as you have probably noticed, breastfeeding is not the tidiest thing in the world. And that’s perfectly ok – at least as you are able to easily clean your tank. And, since putting your clothes is still the easiest way of cleaning known to humanity, it is highly advised to look for the products that are marked as “machine washable.”
Fortunately, both of the material we have covered in the previous section (cotton and rayon) are safe for machine washing, so there you have your ideal choices. Keep in mind, though – cotton has a very nasty habit of shrinking at high temperatures. When you need to clean it, use the hand wash settings.
6. Secured Clips
When it comes to nursing tanks, clips need to perform a couple of simple, but nevertheless very important duties – they need to be strong, simple, and easy to open. Because of that, back-located clips that can’t be opened without someone’s assistance should be immediately written off. Once we move past this issue, all you need to avoid are flimsy snaps that take ages to pop open.
See Also: The Best Wireless Bras
Conclusion
We are finally at the end, and we all know what that means – it is time for us to proclaim the winner of this short roundup. And you know what? It was close.
All these tanks brought at least something unique to the table. But, Ingrid & Isabel Women’s Seamless Drop Cup Nursing Cami definitely manages to do most things right snatching the victory just in front of Leading Lady Women’s Empire Waist Nursing Cami with Lace Back.
However, if you want to save money and get three nursing tanks for the price of one, you should take iloveSIA 3PCS Women’s Nursing Cami Maternity Breastfeeding Tank Tops into very serious consideration.