The Best White-Noise Machines for a Blissful Night’s Sleep
I cannot sleep in total silence. I need the hum of a fan or the crackle of a fire. Too much noise and I can't turn my brain off, but too little, and every toss, turn, or sniffle is amplified. Whether you feel the same or not, you probably still don’t get enough sleep, and if you’re like most people, it’s not for lack of trying. Help is available. A good sound machine is just one tool in an arsenal of gadgets that can help you get your recommended number of z’s.
WIRED’s gear reviewers have filled their homes with sound machines for everything from muffling Witcher battles in the living room while the kids snooze to helping us stay asleep while night-owl partners sneak into bed. These are our favorite machines for getting some shut-eye. Be sure to read our other sleep-related buying guides, including the Best Mattresses, Best Sheets, Best Extreme Alarm Clocks, and Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks.
Note: If you're buying for a child, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents to keep sound machines to around 50 decibels and farther than 200 centimeters (6.5 feet) from where your baby sleeps.
Updated July 2024: We’ve added a note and instructions about a recall for some power adapters sold with the first-generation Hatch Rest.
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A Note on “White Noise”
You've likely heard "white-noise machines" more often than “sound machines,” but that technically is incorrect. The steady background whirr produced by most of these machines isn't white noise at all. Most sound machines use pink or brown noise instead.
If you think of sound waves as being loosely analogous to light waves, then the different colors of noise refer to different parts of the sound spectrum. Pure white noise is a mix of all the frequencies humans can hear, so it can be a little agitating (think of the static on your TV). Pink and brown noise are at the lower end of the spectrum. They aren't as grating and have been found to help people sleep a little more deeply. So even though a lot of brands call their own products white-noise machines, just know you're likely listening to something much more pleasant.
- Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Best for Classic Sleep Sounds
LectroFan LectrofanThe Lectrofan Classic is in several WIRED staffers’ homes, divided among children and adults. At 4 inches across and 2 inches tall, it's small enough to fit on the most crowded nightstand. You can also often find it for cheaper than its $50 price. There are no bird sounds or fireplaces—we have many options for that—but you can choose between fans or a spectrum of colored noise. It has a 60-minute timer and cranks up to a whopping 85 decibels, or stays low enough to barely hear it at all.
- Photograph: Simon Hill
This One Has a Sunrise Alarm
Hatch Restore 2We already like most of Hatch’s lineup, including the original Restore. This Restore 2 gets a pretty redesign, with a full-linen look that makes its sunrise and sunset simulations more serene, and two new speakers for better sound. There’s a digital clock face too, and you can set it to automatically turn off in a dark room. It's no surprise it recently went viral on TikTok.
The Restore 2 has physical buttons to start and stop sleep and wake cycles, but you’ll need to use the app to customize everything. There are a few nice free options, but you get a lot more variety when you subscribe. It offers great bedtime stories, lullabies, and meditations I absolutely adore. It's not especially expensive at $5 a month (or $50 a year), but when you're already spending $200 on something, it's a shame none of that is included. Check out our Best Sunrise Alarms guide for other similar options.
- Photograph: Hatch
A Multipurpose Machine
Hatch Rest (2nd Generation)The second-generation Hatch Rest combines a sound machine and night-light with two added features for children: time-to-rest and time-to-rise lights. These are called beacons, and they're helpful reminders for adults too. This version also includes a dimmable clock, and it's controllable via Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth. In the app, you can customize colors, adjust the volume, and pick from the sound library. Tapping the top of the Hatch Rest cycles through sounds and turns it on and off. (There's a child-lock function to prevent kids from messing with the settings, and it still gives them control of the nightlight button on the back of the machine.)
Like with the Restore 2, you get more options if you choose to subscribe. We've also tested and like the Rest Plus for $90, which adds Amazon Alexa support and includes an audio monitor. We don't recommend the Rest Mini for $40 though, as one tester said it stopped turning on after several months.
★ Note About the First-Gen Rest: There's been a recall for some power adapters sold with the first-generation Rest. The Hatch website has instructions for determining whether your adapter is affected. If the model numbers match, send a photo of your adapter to [email protected]. The second-generation Rest recommended here is not part of the recall.
- Photograph: Marpac
If You Sleep Best to the Sound of a Fan
Yogasleep Dohm ClassicYogasleep's Dohm (originally called the Sleep-Mate) was invented in 1962, and it's still one of the most reliable sound machines you can buy. At 4 inches tall and 5.5 inches wide, it's a little larger than the LectroFan, but it's much simpler. A rotating fan is set within the Dohm's acoustic housing, and it has just two settings (the lower one is under 55 decibels). If you've ever been to a therapist's office, you may have noticed these outside the doors. They conceal the conversation inside without being obtrusive.
If you normally sleep with a box fan running but don't want dust bunnies blown into your face all night, this is the pick for you. Don't be alarmed if you see Marpac on the packaging or buy page—it's the same company.
- Photograph: RAPTbaby
Made for Babies
RAPTbaby Smarter Sleep Sound MachineRaptbaby's sound machine is cute and has four sound categories, each with two options. I particularly loved the classical music tracks, which put me right at ease. It's designed for babies, so there are also womb sounds that might comfort them. You can play sounds continuously or choose 30- 60- or 90-minute timers.
If you have a baby, any low-decibel sound machine will work (see the note at the beginning of this guide on safe volume), but Raptbaby says its machine goes a step further with neuroscientist-designed soundtracks that promote sleep and help develop the “neuronal connections that are critical to language development in young children.” I couldn't verify this claim, but I liked listening to its tracks.
- Photograph: Amazon
A Portable Machine
Dreamegg D11This machine is also marketed for babies—there's a shhhh sound that sounds comforting and a child lock on the back to disable the buttons. But anyone can use a portable sound machine! If you frequent hotels, occasionally like to drown out distractions in your office, or have a child who's fussy in the car, it's nice to pick it up and go where you need to go.
The D11 has 11 sounds including a fan, lullaby music, and even a busy restaurant-like sound with muffled chatter. It's small but can get quite loud, and the swirl design works as a night light. There are 30-, 60-, and 90-minute timers, or you can leave it running continuously. It charges via USB-C, and if you use a timer, the battery should last you for a few nights. I left it on for nearly 12 hours in my office and it was still going the next day.
- Photograph: ergoPouch
Another Cute Portable Machine
ergoPouch Drift AwayThe ErgoPouch costs more than the Dreamegg above, but I think you'd be happy with either, whether you need portability or not. I particularly loved how pretty this one is; its neutral aesthetic reminds me of a pebble at a spa without going full beige. There are seven sound options ranging from colored noise to rain and shushing. A charge should last you a few nights, but I wish there was a timer option to conserve battery. The back has a light with three levels of brightness. I liked to carry this around my house pretending I was holding a candle in an old movie. It's just very cute.
- Photograph: Marta Puglia/Morphée
For Sleep Sounds and Meditations
MorphéeMorphée's meditation machine includes a range of sleep sounds—I particularly like the cat purring and fireplace sounds—but I love the meditations that are designed to relax you into a deep sleep. You can unplug it and take it with you, too. It looks like a little music box!
There are eight themes—body scan, breathing, movement, visualizations, cardiac coherence, napping, relaxing music, and nature sounds—each theme has eight sessions all available in either eight or 20-minute lengths. The visualizations theme has different stories for the male and female voices. My only quibble is that I wish you could let the sleep sounds play continuously.
- Photograph: Medea Giordano
The Smallest Machine
Restnature Mini Sound MachineThe Restnature sound machine is tiny—it would easily fit into a pocket. Despite its size, it has 16 sound options from birds, fire, and other nature noises to lullabies and different color noises. It gets very loud. Maybe even too loud, because the sound quality starts to suffer at the top. There are 30-, 60-, and 90-minute timer options. The other portable players on this list are nicer, but this is a solid option if you need a machine that's as small as possible.
- Photograph: Google
If You Already Have a Smart Speaker
Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen)Do you have a Google smart speaker—or any smart speaker for that matter? Congratulations, you already have a sound machine capable of noise and much more. A simple command like, “Hey, Google, help me relax” will trigger 12 hours of ambient noise (if you don't stop it). You can also ask for specific sounds like rain, a fireplace, country nights, or a babbling brook. Google speakers let you create a bedtime routine, as well (learn more about routines). These features work on any Google speaker.
- Photograph: AmazonAmazon Echo Dot With Clock (5th Gen)
If you have an Amazon Alexa speaker, you can enable an Alexa skill called Ambient Noise to select sounds ranging from a whale to a dishwasher or washing machine. There are other Alexa sleep sounds too. Alexa may even suggest some if you ask for white noise or sleep sounds. You can also search for white-noise playlists on Spotify or other music services, like Prime Music.
Photograph: Getty ImagesTry an App and a Bluetooth Speaker
Sleep Sound AppsSound machines are meant to sound great, but you don't actually have to buy anything. Before getting a dedicated sound machine, I played an app from my phone's speaker that lulled me to sleep via the sound of a clothes dryer tumbling. There are tons of noises to help you relax, but if you need some inspiration, we compiled our favorite apps and Spotify playlists here. A Bluetooth speaker will step it up a notch.
Photograph: SNOOZMore Sound Machines We Like
Honorable MentionsBaby Brezza Sleep and Soother for $30: This is super light, can run on batteries or be plugged in, and has 18 sleep sounds and three timer options (or it plays continuously). There’s also a night light with three brightness levels.
Yogasleep Hushh 2 Portable Sound Machine for $30: The Hushh 2 is another great portable sound machine that you should consider. It has six sounds, three timer options, and a nice night light for softly illuminating your bedside table or guiding your way to the bathroom. The brand says this model is its most durable sound machine. I didn't fling it down the stairs, but it has held up to falling off my nightstand.
My Little Morphée for $100: The Morphée above is great for adults, but this version is cute and designed for kids from 3 to about 10 years old. WIRED reviewer Adrienne So's 7-year-old loved the stories, which take kids on meditative journeys with an animal companion. Stock tends to fluctuate on this one.
Lectrofan Evo for $33: Another solid option from the brand that makes our top pick. The Evo has a few more sound choices (like ocean noises) and looks nicer, but we prefer the buttons on the Classic. They're better for fiddling with in the dark. This one also jumped in price recently.
Dreamegg D1 for $36: This one plays a lot of the same sounds as the D11 portable machine, with a handful more fans and a spectrum of noises. The control panel is matte and soft to the touch, and you can set it to play continuously or for 30, 60, or 90 minutes. I tried the white version, but you can get a few other nice colors on the Dreamegg site. The rim also lights up.
Snooz Sound Machine for $100: The Snooz machine has one sound: the comforting whir of a fan, thanks to the real fan that spins inside it. That’s the sound I turn to most so I appreciate that there’s nothing to futz with. It also has a nice fade-in and fade-out feature for timers, so it’s not jarring. The biggest problem is how expensive it is for one noise compared to other machines on this list.
Encalife Sound Machine for $86: This little sound machine has a blue light that you can match your breathing to in order to relax. You'll also likely find it on sale often, which is good because I wouldn't spend $86 on it. A very similar model is available under numerous brand names for far less money. Encalife says these are ripoffs, rather than from the same manufacturer. We can't confirm that, but either way there are better options on this list for less.
Photograph: MarpacAvoid These Ones or Proceed With Caution
Marpac Not Our FavoritesMarpac (Yogasleep) Go: We recommend other Yogasleep products, but this portable one was recalled in 2019 because the internal battery can leak, making it a burn hazard. It's been long enough that you probably won't be able to find it anymore, but just in case you see it second-hand, it's best to avoid it.
Allway Aqua10 for $119: I love that this looks like a cute Marshall amp and works as a decent-sounding Bluetooth speaker for sleep sounds and anything else you want to listen to the rest of the day. You need the Allway app to access the sounds, which include crackling fires, busy cafes, a spectrum of colored noises, and a wide selection of instrumentals. They’ll play for anywhere from five to 120 minutes. The Aqua10 also has a humidifier function, which looks extremely cool paired with lights that illuminate the vapor like a fire. But I found it to be fussy and leaky, and it seemed to stop even though the reservoir was full. It's no longer available on Amazon, which might say something about its longevity.
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