There are obvious benefits to getting a good sleep. You'll likely wake up feeling rested, refreshed, and more ready for the day. When you're struggling, creating a relaxing and calming space can help give you the space you need to sleep better. Adding a white noise machine can make a huge difference in your bedroom.
A lot of people toss and spin or wakes up frequently at night. If this is you, you should be aware that you can fall asleep and fall asleep more easily with a white noise machine. You can also invest in one to help your insomniac holiday shopping list.
Read more: 4 best noise colors to improve sleep quality
White noise machines are very popular because they can help you fall asleep and sleep by masking extraneous sounds from outside. When I lived in a thin-walled apartment complex, the sound machine drowned out ambient sounds like babies crying, revving engines, and even barking dogs.
To help everyone close their eyes more and snooze more deeply, I tested a selection of white noise machines. If they can send me — the self-proclaimed lightest sleeper ever — to land of dreamsthere is hope that they will also help you to have a good night's sleep.
The ultimate white noise machine
We've tested the best white noise machines on the market and narrowed down our top picks to Homedics Sound Spa. We chose this as the best overall white noise machine because of its unique features and affordability. The best white noise machine for you is one that checks all the boxes for your specific needs.
Amazon's favorite, the Homedics Sound Spa achieves the perfect balance of quality and budget; it's good value. This white noise machine has a timer that you can set for 15, 30 or 60 minutes and plays six soothing nature sounds and sleep sounds. Choose from soothing white noise, stream, thunder, summer night, ocean and rain sound options. You can plug the Sound Spa into a wall outlet or use batteries to take it on your travels, which brings me to one of the best features — that it's incredibly portable. This white noise sound machine is lightweight and slim, so you can slip it into your carry-on or personal item without a problem.
What I want: Homedics Sound Spa is inexpensive, easy to use and portable. It produces high quality sound for the price (although the rain setting has an obvious loop), and has enough sound settings for the average person.
What I don't like: When the Sound Spa is turned on, there is a small green light on top of the machine. I'm quite sensitive to light when falling asleep and while sleeping (I'm a very light sleeper), so this green light seemed very bright and unnecessary. If you want pitch black darkness, Homedics Sound Spa is probably not the right choice for you, or you can try concealing the light.
Unlike many models, the LektroFen there are no sounds of birds chirping, ocean waves, falling water, or other nature sounds, and I think that's a good thing. This means that people who buy a white noise machine for white noise are getting exactly what they want. LectroFan has a total of 20 sounds: 10 white noise sounds and 10 fan sounds. There are only three buttons on the front: power, volume control and sound selection. The adjustable volume control is quite sensitive, and I've never had a problem finding the right volume to mask outside noises on any given night. I've been using the LectroFan on and off for about six months, both at home and while traveling.
What I want: I love the simplicity of the LectroFan. Its small size and portability add to it. This is the perfect white noise machine for people who don't need a lot of sound options, but need to take their white noise machine with them when they travel.
What I don't like: There's nothing not to like about the LectroFan, unless you're looking for something with natural sounds. If so, definitely look elsewhere.
If you want a white noise machine that is much more than just a white noise machine, the Sound Plus Sleep SE by Sound of Sleep is the one you need. It may cost more than most people would want to spend on a white noise machine, but you get your money's worth. I've been using it for over six months and not only does it put me to sleep (and keep me asleep), but it also helps me focus while working from home and drown out distracting noises.
What I want: The huge range of sounds you get with this white noise machine. I use the pink noise setting to fall asleep and the meditation or precipitation settings to focus while I work. I also like the sharp volume control and the sleek design. It doesn't look like it's on my nightstand or my desk.
What I don't like: There's nothing I don't like about the Sound+Sleep SE. It's expensive for a sound machine, but well worth the price if you have trouble falling asleep at night. You can't put a price on the feeling of rest.
CNET's Vanessa Hand Orellana tested this noise machine, and I'll share her comments here.
Hatch Baby Rest (or Hatch Rest 2nd Gen) is a sound machine, night light and alarm in one. As a sound machine and night light, it's pretty simple. You can turn on the sound and light from the device itself, change the type of sound or the color of the light, and increase or decrease the volume and brightness. You'll have to pair it with the app to do anything more complicated than that.
If you have the Rest Plus, the app also doubles as a baby monitor (audio only) to (allow you to) either listen to or talk to your baby. It will still play the sound even when the phone screen is in standby mode.
What I want: There are similar products that offer similar features for less—the Rest retails for $55 while the Rest Plus (which also has a digital clock and baby monitor) is $90—but what drew me to Rest was the level of in-app customization and the elegant design. It didn't clash with my baby's nursery, the one room in the house where I put a lot of creative effort. It looks like a small candle and doesn't take up much space on your bookshelf or table.
What I don't like: You'll need access to an outlet to plug it in, though the Rest Plus can actually be charged if you want to move it around while you sleep.
On Return to slot 2 is a great multi-functional white noise machine that doubles as a sunrise alarm clock (something to consider if you hate waking up to sudden and invasive alarm sounds).
What I liked most about Hatch Restore is its ease of use: with Hatch Sleep appyou can set an entire bedtime routine with multiple alarms so you have separate ones for weekdays and weekends. You can also adjust the volume, light intensity and sounds. For example, here's what I set up on my Hatch Restore:
- A bedtime routine that starts with 20 minutes of reading. Hatch Restore gently illuminates my room with peachy light.
- 10-minute guided meditation for replenishment. You can choose from several in the Hatch app, plus more with a premium subscription.
- Pink noise that continues until my alarm goes off.
- 30-minute sunrise alarm culminating in the sound of the Alpine mountains: I wake up to what sounds like an early winter morning.
What I want: You set this all up in the app, but you don't need your phone nearby to start your bedtime routine: you can simply tap the button at the top of the Aperture Return to resume things. Without a premium subscription, you have access to more than 20 light shades and 31 sleep and wake-up sounds.
What I don't like: If you want to explore more nuances and sounds, you need to subscribe and unlock additional content for $5 per month or $50 per year.
Honeywell manufactures reliable, high-quality products and Dreamweaver Sleep Fan it is no different. This little bedside fan doubles as a sound machine, but it doesn't actually use white noise. She uses pink noisea softer type of ambient noise that has been proven increase the time spent in deep sleep and improving memory. When I lived in a busy apartment complex, this combination of a fan and pink noise helped drown out the sounds of cars and pedestrians.
What I want: At the top of the unit is a small night light that has three levels; if you want to sleep in pitch black darkness, tap it three times to turn it off completely. If you want some light, Dreamweaver can be your white noise machine, night light and fan all in one.
What I don't like: The fan seems to collect dust pretty easily, but that's what fans do. It's nothing a quick wipe can't fix.
How we tested the best white noise machines
To determine our review of the best white noise machines, we looked at factors such as functionality, special features, range of sounds, and price. These choices are based on personal preference and you should consult your doctor before purchasing a white noise machine to ensure you get the best one for your needs.
Other white noise machines
These two white noise machines aren't my top picks, but they still offer value and may be right for you.
YogaSleep Dohm Classic
Dohm bills itself as the first company to produce white noise machines, and the Dohm Classic is the original sleep sound machine. On Dom Classic is super simple, much like the LectroFan: it only produces white noise, and the controls are on, off, high and low. After choosing high or low, turn the cap to adjust the sound to the perfect level for you.
If you're really looking for simplicity, the Dohm Classic embodies it. To me, this white noise machine feels a bit limited for the price, and the sound quality isn't as great as some of the others on this list. It comes from a reputable brand and has nearly 4,000 positive reviews on Amazon, so it's worth a look if you want a reliable product in the middle of what seems to be the price range (around $15 to $90) for white noise machines.
Snooz White Noise Sound Machine
On Snooz White Noise Sound Machine is a good choice for people who want an authentic fan sound. Most white noise machines come with a fan sound, but if you're used to falling asleep with a fan on, you can tell the difference.
That's where Snooz comes in: this sleep machine is a simple acoustic enclosure with a mechanical fan inside. This means the sound doesn't loop, so that's a bonus. By turning the body of the machine, you can change the volume of the fan to find the sound that best drowns out the sounds that keep you awake.
I would probably prefer to sleep with a fan as I sleep warm anyway. It's kind of expensive for a white noise machine with such limited sound options, but Snooz might work well for people who like fan sounds but don't like cold air.
A white noise machine is a device that emits a constant frequency of sound to help create ambient or environmental noise. Many people use them to help them sleep.
The use of white noise machines is generally considered safe. People with tinnitus may experience worsening symptoms with prolonged use of a white noise machine.
Our top pick for the best white noise machine is the Homedics Sound Spa. It's an affordable device with plenty of sounds to choose from.
You can keep the white noise going all night; however, it is not necessary. If you play white noise for baby, you can turn it off when they sleep.
The best sounds for sleep include white, brown and pink. The best noise to sleep is different for each person; find the one that works best for you.