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12 Sound Machines Revered by Light Sleepers

Sweet (uninterrupted) dreams.

From drowning out street noise to preventing sleep disturbances, sound machines boast an impressive range of potential benefits. The one drawback to investing in one: There are tons of different models to choose from, and you could easily spend hours reading reviews and comparing specs. That’s where we come in. We’ve done our research and narrowed down a dozen of the best sound machines on the market. Whether you’re looking for a basic fan machine or a trendy high-tech device, we’ve got you covered. Below, check out the sound machines that are truly worth adding to your cart.

The 12 Best Sound Machines for Sleep

Best Overall: HoMedics White Noise Sound Machine

The simple design has six sound settings: white noise, thunder, ocean, rain, summer night and brook, all of which can be played continuously or set on 15-, 30- or 60-minute timers. The machine can either be plugged into the wall, or powered with four AA batteries—making it a handy pick if portability is important to you. It also features an easy-to-use volume dial so you can set the sound to your ideal level and adjust it during the night without having to fumble around with buttons. It’s also by far the most popular sound machine on Amazon, if that’s important to you. Priced at $22, this pick is affordable, too.

Timers: 15, 30 and 60 minutes
Sounds: White noise, thunder, ocean, rain, summer night and brook
Power: AC adapter or 4 AA batteries

White Noise Sound Machine

HoMedics

$22

SHOP

at Amazon

Best for Bargain Hunters: Jackdodo White Noise Machine

Looking for an option that’s even more affordable? Consider this Jackdodo sound machine, which goes for $13 on Amazon. It can create 24 different sounds including white noise, waves, a bonfire, and a soothing stream. Plus, we like that it doubles as a night light. In addition to 30-, 60-, and 90-minute timer settings, the Jackdodo sound machine also has an Auto Last Save setting which allows it to automatically remember the brightness and sound you selected the last time you used it. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better value when looking for sound machines.

Timers: 30, 60 and 90 minutes
Sounds: White noise, fan, bird song, ocean waves, brook, train, music box, thunderstorm, summer night, bonfire, pendulum, lullaby
Power: Built-in rechargeable battery

White Noise Machine

Jackdodo

$13

SHOP

at Amazon

Best Splurge: Hatch Restore

Ever since it debuted in 2020, the Hatch Restore has been generating serious buzz. It’s a sound machine like the other options on this list, but it also functions as a reading light and sunrise alarm clock—so it has the potential to become an integral part of both your morning and evenings routines. The Restore connects to the Hatch Sleep app on your phone. From there, you can set wind down and wake up routines complete with soothing sounds, lights and alarms all set to different intervals designed to help you fall asleep more mindfully and wake up feeling refreshed. As far as sound options go, you can choose from 31 noises ranging from the whir of a washing machine to the trickle of a small waterfall. The app also offers breathing exercises, sleep stories and meditations, but you have to purchase a monthly membership for access to those. At $130, the Restore certainly isn’t cheap, but its feature set—which is far more expansive than a standard sound machine—means it can do more, too.

Timers: Customizable
Sounds: Night’s tranquility, sea wind, chirping birds, mountain alps, arctic wind, forest song, evening campfire, snowstorm, light rain, heavy rain, spring rain, rain on leaves, calm ocean, river creek, small waterfall, mountain waterfall, mighty river, sea waves, sunny beach, tranquil beach, pink noise, white noise, fan, fireplace, washer, dishwasher, wind chimes, thin singing bowl, tibetan bells
Power: AC adapter

Restore

Hatch

$130

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at Hatch

Best for Light Sleepers: Adaptive Sound Technologies LectroFan Sound Machine

If you’re a particularly light sleeper, opt for Adaptive Sound Technologies’ LectroFan sound machine to help you drown out any disruptive sounds throughout the night. You can choose from 10 different fan sounds as well as 10 different noises which range from brown noise to pink noise to white noise. All three types of noise can help you sleep, the difference between them is just their pitch (with brown noise being the lowest pitched, white noise being the highest pitched and pink noise landing somewhere in the middle). They have similar benefits, so it ultimately comes down to which sound is most appealing to you. The LectroFan machine also promises to be non-looping, so you’ll never get distracted by a sound starting over again.

Timers: 60 minutes
Sounds: Fan (10 levels), white noise (10 levels)
Power: AC adapter or USB

LectroFan Sound Machine

Adaptive Sound Technologies

$50

SHOP

at Amazon

Best For Those Who Like Fan Sounds: SNOOZ White Noise Machine

Maybe you’re one of those people who sleeps with a fan on even in the dead of winter just to have a bit of background noise. In that case, check out the SNOOZ, a sound machine with a real fan inside. You can adjust the tone of the fan to be light (like a table fan), deep (like an airplane cabin) or somewhere in between by twisting the outer shell of the device and set the volume to one of 10 different levels with the push of a button. Like the Hatch Restore, the SNOOZ is app-enabled. After downloading the SNOOZ app, you can schedule what time you’d like the machine to turn on and off each day of the week, adjust the volume without getting out of bed and turn on the night light function if you have to make a trip to the bathroom during the night.

Timers: Customizable
Sounds: Fan (adjustable)
Power: AC adapter

White Noise Machine

SNOOZ

$100

SHOP

at SNOOZ

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Best for Busy Schedules: Loftie Smart Alarm

Here’s another sound machine that does double duty, functioning as both alarm clock and night light. Similar to the Hatch Restore, most of the Loftie device’s features are controlled via the Loftie app. There, you can set it to play white noise, nature sounds and guided meditations as well as set alarms. The Loftie alarm has two phases; the first is a sound designed to gently lull you awake, while a second louder (but still pleasant) one ensures that you actually get out of bed nine minutes later. Reviewers say if you want to break your late night social media scrolling habit and wake up to a more pleasant alarm, this device is a must-try.

Timers: Customizable
Sounds: White noise, nature soundscapes
Power: AC adapter or USB-C

Smart Alarm Clock

Loftie

$149

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at Loftie

Best for Minimalists: Marpac Dohm Classic White Noise Machine

Sometimes the best products are ones without a ton of extra bells and whistles. That’s definitely the case with Marpac’s Dohm White Noise Machine, which has remained popular since it debuted in 1962. The 60-plus-year-old machine contains a fan that allows it to emit a range of white noise sounds. To adjust the pitch of the sound, simply twist the base until you reach one you like. From there, you can adjust the volume to either a high or low setting. Keep in mind that this machine does have to be plugged into the wall, though, so it’s not as portable as some of the other options on this list.

Timers: None
Sounds: Fan-based white noise
Power: AC adapter

Classic White Noise Machine

Marpac Dohm

$46

SHOP

at Amazon

Best for Options: Adaptive Sound Technologies Sound+Sleep SE

If the Marpac Dohm sounds a little too simple for your taste, check out Adaptive Sound Technologies’ Sound+Sleep SE, which offers 64 different non-looping sound options to choose from. In addition to 30-, 60-, 90- and 120-minute timer settings, the Sound+Sleep SE has a unique adaptive feature that lets the machine listen to your surroundings and automatically raise the volume to drown out any distracting noises. It also has two convenient USB ports that’ll definitely come in handy for charging your phone at night. The only potential downside? Some users say this sound machine doesn’t have the crispest sound quality—so if that’s something that’s important to you, you may want to choose a different model.

Timers: 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes
Sounds: White noise, pink noise, brown noise, waterfall, meadow, rainfall, ocean, brook, city, baby, rides, home, crowds, meditate, small fan, large fan
Power: AC adapter

Sound+Sleep SE

Adaptive Sound Technologies

$120

SHOP

at Walmart

Best for Apartment Living: Adaptive Sound Technologies LectroFan EVO

Anyone with noisy neighbors (or housemates) will appreciate the LectroFan EVO, which was specifically designed to block out unwanted sounds. Simply set one of the 22 sound options to the highest volume, and you won’t be able to hear street noise or your neighbors’ arguments anymore. One Amazon reviewer even attests that the LectroFan EVO can get loud enough to drown out music whenever her nextdoor neighbor is throwing a party. Another adds that it’s a game-changer if you're a light sleeper who tends to wake up to noises throughout the night. Priced at $55, this is a great mid-range choice with a variety of settings you can customize to fit your preferences.

Timers: 1-8 hours
Sounds: Fan (10 variations), white noise (10 variations), ocean sounds (2 variations)
Power: AC adapter or USB

LectroFan EVO

Adaptive Sound Technologies

$55

SHOP

at Amazon

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Best for Frequent Travelers: Marpac Yogasleep Rohm Portable White Noise Machine

Packing a full-size sound machine in your suitcase isn’t exactly practical, which is why we recommend investing in the Yogasleep Rohm if you’re someone who travels a lot. The compact, rechargeable machine can play bright white noise,deep white noise or ocean sounds at a variety of volumes. The Yogasleep Rohm can run all night on a single charge, meaning you don’t have to worry about being near an outlet to use it. It also comes with a lanyard that makes it easy to secure the machine to your backpack or stroller so you don’t accidentally leave home without it. Users say for such a small device, it can emit impressively loud sound, too.

Timers: None
Sounds: Bright white noise, deep white noise, gentle surf
Power: Rechargeable via USB

Yogasleep Rohm Portable White Noise Machine

Marpac

$30

SHOP

at Amazon

Best for Kids: Hatch Rest+

According to Hatch, the Rest+ is “the ultimate, magical all-in-one sleep machine for babies and kids,” and after reading the description, we understand why. The Rest+ creates 11 different soothing sounds ranging from lullabies to crickets and can also function as a nightlight, complete with a variety of brightness and color settings. When you download the Hatch Sleep app, you can also set alarms and create customized bedtime and morning routines for your The Hatch [Rest+] has become an absolute must have for our family and we bring it everywhere we go! We tried other sound machines but they really don't compare to the options and app control that this one has,” one reviewer raves.

Timers: Customizable
Sounds: Crickets, rain, ocean, white noise, birds, wind, water stream, dryer, 3 classic lullabies
Power: Rechargeable via AC adapter

Rest+

Hatch

$90

SHOP

at Hatch

Best for Tech Heads: Amazon Echo Dot

If you’ve been meaning to invest in an Echo Dot smart speaker for your home, here’s a huge benefit: It can double as a sound machine. Simply download the Sound Machine Alexa Skill and you can ask your Echo Dot to play you dozens of different soothing sounds. You can select your favorite sound as the default and set your preferred looping time anywhere from one minute all the way up to 10 hours. Users note that the smart speaker has one of the widest varieties of sounds (there are 34 to choose from) and offers great sound quality. And considering all of the Echo Dot’s other capabilities like the ability to stream music, check the weather and control your other smart home devices, you really can’t go wrong here.

Timers: Customizable
Sounds: 34 options including airplane, beach, rain, thunderstorm, crickets, white noise, box fan and washing machine
Power: AC adapter

Echo Dot

Amazon

$40

SHOP

at Amazon

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