The Best Sound Machine
Our Review Process
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Our Picks For The Top Sound Machines
- 1. Homedics Compact Digital Sound Machine
- 2. Big Red Rooster Auto-Off Timer Travel Sound Machine
- 3. Marpac Yogasleep USB Rechargeable Sound Machine
- 4. Adaptive Sound Technologies LectroFan Solid-State Sound Machine
- 5. Douni Built-In Headphone Jack Sound Machine
- 6. HOUSBAY Wood Grain Finish Sound Machine
- 7. Magicteam Non-Looping Solid-State Sound Machine
- 8. Marpac Dohm Classic Fan-Based Sound Machine
- 9. SNOOZ Companion App Controlled Smart Sound Machine
- 10. Hatch Night Light & Built-In Clock Sound Machine
This compact sound machine is lightweight and portable. It features six relaxing sounds such as white noise and thunder. The sound machine also has an auto timer and volume controls.
Compact Choice This sound machine is lightweight and portable.
This versatile sound machine works well at home or in an office. It includes six sounds, such as ocean, rain and summer night. The sound machine can be plugged in or battery operated.
Versatile ProductThis sound machine works well at home or in an office.
This highly portable sound machine is only three and a half inches in diameter. It comes with a baby-safe clip to fasten it to a stroller or baby carrier. The sound machine can play three white noise options.
Highly PortableThis sound machine is only three and a half inches in diameter.
This high-quality sound machine has non-looping sounds. It has 10 fan sounds and 10 white noise vibrations. The sound machine offers precise volume control.
High QualityThis sound machine has non-looping sounds.
Buying Guide
From traffic outside your window to the neighbours dog barking to creaking doors and floors in your house, there are a lot of sounds that can keep you and your loved ones awake at night. A great way to drown out all of the noise is to use a sound machine. Often called a white noise machine, these gadgets play a variety of soothing sounds, such as static, water rushing or birds chirping, to help people fall asleep and stay asleep.
One of the main things to consider when selecting a sound machine is the variety of sounds it can play. While some sound machines only play white noise, others have an array of sounds including music, running water, forest sounds, and more. Some also enable you to plug in a music player and play that through the sound machine. Think about what noises you prefer to fall asleep to. In addition, check to see what range of volume settings the sound machine has. Some people like to have their sound machine play very softly while others need it to be quite loud to drown out other noises.
Another factor to consider is whether the sound machine has a clean loop of the recording. In some cases, you can actually hear when the recording ends and starts again, which can be disruptive to some people’s sleep as there is a change in sound. With a clean loop, however, the end of the recording and the beginning of the recording are indiscernible, so you don’t get jolted awake by the sudden change.
What to Look For
- Where is the best place to set up your sound machine? For most people, it’s right beside their bed on their side table. This way, you don’t have to have the volume up too loud as the gadget is close by. However, others actually prefer to place the sound machine across the room. This gives the feeling of a fuller sound that encompasses the whole room, not just near where you’re sleeping.
- A great feature to have in your sound machine is ambient light or a night light. This way, you can use the feature to navigate across a dark room without turning on overhead lights. Some sound machines actually have light projections of different shapes, like moons and stars, which are great for helping overtired kids settle down and fall asleep.
- While some people like to have their sound machine on throughout the night, others prefer to have it turn off once they are asleep. Many sound machines come with timer features, such as 30, 60 or 90 minutes. After the time has passed, the machine turns off by itself.
- If you have trouble falling asleep anywhere that’s not your bed, opt for a small sound machine that’s easily portable. This way, you can take it with you wherever you go to help it feel more like home, and to help you fall asleep and stay asleep, no matter what noises are around.
- For those that are tech savvy, having a sound machine you can control with your mobile phone may be an attractive choice. You can control the settings via an app instead of on the sound machine itself.
More to Explore
Who is a sound machine for? While many parents of babies and young children swear by having a sound machine in the nursery, these useful gadgets are also great for adults – or anyone that has trouble at bedtime. White noise of any kind offers a soothing, consistent sound, so nothing jolts you awake in the middle of the night. It’s also helpful if you’re trying to sleep somewhere other than home. New noises, such as doors closing in the hallway when you’re in a hotel room, can be highly distracting. But a sound machine can help drown them out.