For understanding how white noise and sound machines work, please read here for how they mask sound. Different ‘sound’ colors are discussed along with the advantages of white noise for anyone disturbed by unwanted noise. The best white noise machines are discussed in this review for you to consider when purchasing an incredible unit.
Product | Sound | Timer | Ratings | Price and Reviews |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 fan sounds, and 10 white, pink and brown noise | Yes | 5 out of 5 Stars | ||
Fan-based natural white noise | No | 5 out of 5 Stars | ||
10 distinct sound profiles | Yes | 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ||
4 different White Noise sounds, 4 soothing Water sounds, or 4 Nature sounds. | Yes | 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ||
Natural white noise that is ‘constant’ emulating Rain, Waterfall and Surf | No | 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ||
10 different soothing sounds (white noise, brown noise, rain, bird, brook, thunder, typhoon, ocean, and 2* lullabies) | Yes | 5 out of 5 Stars | ||
6 different nature sounds including: White Noise, Thunder, Ocean, Rain, Summer Night, and Brook | Yes | 4.5 out of 5 Stars |
Who Should Use White Noise And Sound Machine
Features Of White Noise And Sound Machines
The units can cost anywhere from low to high and that is determined on what you want in terms of features and superiority of the device. We will discuss these here so that you will only purchase a unit with the selections you need and want.
Noise Masking
This is the term used to block out intrusive and disturbing noise preventing you from sleeping and concentrating on tasks at work. Many professional offices want confidential conversations with clients and patients, thus, a noise masking sound machine is a great unit to achieve this. The noise machine is found to be appeasing, calming, and peaceful to those using them. Babies, toddlers, and youngsters enjoy the soft hushing noise that helps them to relax and sleep.
Quality of the Sound
Sound quality can be realized with either a mechanical or an electronic unit. An electric mechanical unit is a special electric fan that produces an agreeable, enjoyable, and satisfying ‘white’ noise without extra features. These are long lasting and simple to use. Most of these will have tone and simple volume variations.
With more options from which to choose, electronic white noise units are not as reliable as mechanical units are. These units sometimes have prerecorded sounds such as water, rain, birds, and crickets that repeat those sounds. Some units do not repeat the noise.
Optional Features
Timers - Permit you to set the unit to automatically shut off after the time you select.
Clocks - Some units have alarms so that you can get to sleep with it waking you up instead of your traditional alarm clock.
Sounds - Nature’s sounds, for example, waterfalls, chirping birds, crickets, rain, thunder, heartbeat, sparkling brook, a clickety-clack train, specific tones, and more to mask out your disturbing sounds that improve sound masking better than the typical ‘white’ noise units are found to be more uplifting and calming.
You can also select from smaller units that are more suitable for when you travel or vacation. Some units function with batteries rather than a standard plug. A variety of plush animal toys are provided for the kids to enjoy helping them sleep and rest better. You can also find units that port into your speakers increasing the base tone that benefits the low sound frequency. With your own speakers, you will have greater volume control if your unit does not provide loud enough tones for you.
Decibels (dB)
Decibels (loudness) is the unit to measure the intensity of a sound. Sound pressure meters record decibels. A hair dryer is 85 dB. A sound unit should be placed at least a foot or more away from a baby’s head and no more than 50 dB. For babies and children having a smaller ear canal, be sure to check with your pediatrician for white noise and sound machine decibel limits. Most units to not state decibels.
Total Number of Sounds
Total number of sounds vary from manufacturer and type of white noise or sound unit you select. Some units typically play from 4 to 10 sounds.
Continuous Play
A white noise machine with continuous sound loops back and forth to repeatedly play the same noise over and over whether it is a nature sound or white noise sound.
Radio / Clock
Digital clocks are offered in a premium-designed unit. This clock uses digital tuning, and offers various white noise sounds. Sound machines do not integrate radios.
Bluetooth
Available are Bluetooth sound therapy systems that are portable and small, cordless and rechargeable with a Bluetooth speaker, white noise, and a speakerphone that is sound free. These are great for homes and offices including professional offices and are more expensive.
Design
Today’s contemporary while noise machines are mechanical using a speed switch and a fan for noise producing a whizzy sound that sends air through small slots in the machine's exterior, producing the sound you want. Other units that are electronic typically play a digital recording of nature’s sounds or almost any sound you choose.
Warranties And Customer Support
All manufacturers provide excellent customer support and each company has its own period for guaranteeing the unit.
Top Best White Noise Machine Reviews
5 out of 5 Stars
The LectroFan® is provided by Adaptive Sound Technologies, Inc. established and created in 2008 in the Silicon Valley area of California. White noise units work for the over 500 million people globally who cannot get to sleep spending $16 billion for treatment each year. The 10 fan sounds and 10 white noise sounds do not repeat, the volume is adjustable, and the unit has a timer for your sleep. It is available is either black or white with a power cords.
Not only is this unit wonderful for nighttime sleep, you can set the timer for a short day-time nap, to help study better when the living room TV is loud, to enjoy speech confidentiality, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), for anxious or stressed pets, when meditating and other times you want silence. It will lull babies and youngsters to sleep and keep out the noise from neighbors and streets. Take it with you traveling to put it your hotel room or visiting someone to mask out disturbing ambient noises.
The LectroFan® Original is ideal to use in your home, day care, dorms, at the office, apartments, and anywhere you want no disturbing noise to interrupt your peace and quiet. The unit is simple to use by pressing the power button to turn it on or off. When you press the Fan Sounds button, and press once again they cascade through the built-in 10 different fan sounds.
Select from a mellow soothing sound, the hum of a box fan or the swish of an industrial fan. The White Noise button lets you select the different 10 white noises at the level you want by pressing the Volume Up or Volume Down button. The unit remembers your settings when you turn it off and will commence from there when you turn it back on. The unit is designed using algorithms not recordings of sound.
Plug the UL listed cord into a 110/120 USA outlet. It is 50/60 Hz, 5-Volts, 500 mA (0.5 Amps), and 2.5-Watts, so uses only a small amount of energy. It does not run on batteries and there are no lights on the device. The unit can also be plugged into a laptop USB port or battery packs to mask sounds in the area. The dimensions are 2.3-inches tall x about 4 inches wide and weighs less than 1 pound. The LectroFan® comes with a User’s Manual and a 1-year manufacturer’s Warranty.
5 out of 5 Stars
The corporate office for Marpac is located in Wilmington, North Carolina, creating sound machines since 1962. This top rated unit is made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) a strong non-toxic plastic. The colors available are white, black, or tan. The cord color is the same as the body color. The acoustic unit encircles a 2-speed electric motor with an irregular fan to give you more flexibility with your tone and volume selections.
The company is proud to be the Official Sound Conditioner of the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recognizing the value of white noise for sleep and masking noises. Having 2 speeds, the swooshing of white noise air gives you a larger range of sound in your area. It provides a soothing background noise when it’s too quiet and masks sounds for disturbing and distracting noises you do not want.
Select from the low or high speed simply by twisting the cap and collar to increase or decrease the slit openings for the sounds you like in terms of tone and volume. It is not digital, but is mechanical with a fan built in to create the rushing air noise. A headphone jack is not included since the unit is mechanical, so the conception of a headphone is not conceivable and is not applicable.
This unit is ideal for babies, those suffering from tinnitus, those who snore, college rooms, homes, apartments, traveling, at the office, and anywhere you want to wipe out noise. This unit does not have a timer or clock and will run all night or all the time until you turn it off. Plug the UL listed cord into a USA 110/120-Volt at 60/60 Hz outlet in North America only.
This unit is not battery powered. This unit is not Bluetooth compatible and there is no USB connector. The dimensions are 5-3/4-inches base diameter x 3-1/4-inches high and it weighs about 1.5 pounds. Gift-wrapping is available for a loved one or friend. The Marpac DOHM-DS unit comes with a User’s Manual, and a 1-year Limited Warranty, and is assembled in the USA.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
The ASTI Sound+Sleep™ Therapy System is designed and created by the company with its headquarters in Silicon Valley, California. This incredible unit will deliver a very accurate and natural noise for sounds to provide you with a great night’s sleep. There is no clock or alarm clock built into this model.
Buttons across the top row are power, display, and volume. The timer lets you set it for 30-, 60-, 90-, or 120-minutes or continuous playing. Select from 10 programs using the dial for sounds of a train, city, meadow, rainfall, ocean, brook, fireplace, waterfall, meditation, or white noise. The sounds are real from nature and allow you to rest, nap, relax, or sleep in a peaceful setting. The 3 tone settings for depth and intensity give you a full sound that is calming and sleep inducing.
Select your preference in the adaptive or manual operating modes to have your sleep experience be just the way you like it. The small and functional unit has speakers on the top for filling your room area with sound, and it also has 3.5 mm (0.14-inch) stereo headphone jacks for just you when you want to be private. (Headphones not included.) Speaker compensation is 5-band parametric equalized. The sounds do not loop and repeat using different sound tracks. The display button turns off the light indicators.
Plug the UL listed cord into a USA 110/120-Volt at 60/60 Hz outlet and a 220/240-Volt outlet in countries outside the USA with an adapter for the 2 plug end prongs. Power is 5-Volts, 500 mA D/C. This unit is not battery powered. This unit is not Bluetooth compatible. The dimensions are 7.5-inches long x 5.5-inches wide x 4.5-inches tall and weighs about 2 pounds. Gift-wrapping is available for a loved one or friend. The (ASTI) Sound+Sleep™ unit comes with a User’s Manual, Care and Instructions, and a 1-year Limited Warranty.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
The HoMedics® Deep Sleep™ Therapy Machine is slim and trim to sit on your nightstand, table, or mantel. Relax and slumber to nature’s sounds to cover noise disturbances interfering with sleep and quality of life. The latest model, Deep Sleep™ II, has a lit digital display and the former model has only buttons.
The whole-room unit cannot be mounted on the wall. The unit has a lit digital display and the timer can be set for 30-, 60-, or 90-minutes. There is no clock or alarm with this unit. The slightly curved shape is stylish and graceful to sit anywhere. The remote control unit attaches to the back of the device with magnets. There are no headphone ports. Set the unit to your favorite sound, push the power 3 times, and the lights will dim. The small blue power button stays lit.
The remote control touch pads are power/timer, dimmer, white noises to select from, sleep therapy, nature, water, volume up/down, and tones up/down. You are able to preset the therapy programs that smoothly change to white noise. The white noise will keep you sound asleep for a deep sleeping experience all night through. With the remote, you never have to move from where you are resting.
The 2 speakers have an additional bass for superior sound production. This charming device lets you choose from thunder, rain, a babbling brook, ocean hitting the rocks, and forest sounds. Nature sounds are the everglades, summer night, campfire, and wind chimes but not the wind. The 4 selections of white noise are calm, relax, soothe, and mask. Make your selection from 8 sleep therapy programs for a restful night’s sleep.
Plug the UL listed cord into a USA 110/120-Volt at 60/60 Hz outlet and a 220/240-Volt outlet in countries outside the USA with an adapter for the 2 plug end prongs. The power is 5-Volts, 500 mA D/C. This unit is not battery powered. This unit is not Bluetooth compatible and there is no USB connector. The dimensions are 7.8-inches wide x 4-inches deep x 8.6-inches tall and it weighs about 2 pounds. The base is 4-inches deep tapering to become thinner at the top. Gift-wrapping is available for a loved one or friend. The Deep Sleep™ II unit comes with a User’s Manual, and a 1-year Limited Warranty.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
The Marpac Marsona® is perfect to relax, when traveling, sturdy, simple to operate, lightweight and small. It is available in a light tan color and provides noise-camouflaging abilities better than larger sized units. TSCI means Travel Sound Conditioner International and it indeed is great for travel and others at home and the office. The durable device is made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) a strong non-toxic plastic.
The electronics integrate with an initial Marpac Signature Sound and there are no recordings, and no loops to repeat the same sound repetitively. The Marpac produces a natural white noise that is ‘constant’ or an ocean wave sound. You can fix the tone the way you like with the slide control. Solid-state electronics are used to create the white noise that sounds like rain, a waterfall, or surf. Because the sound is produced electronically, you will hear no air movement from a fan.
The unit does not have an automatic shut off and runs until you turn the switch off at the base. It does not have a built in timer or clock. You can select the time delay mode, and volume. The sounds are soothing and dependable.
With the Marpac Marsona®, you will have sound privacy, and it prevents eavesdropping so that you know what you say is confidential. You will have much better rest, napping, studying, and sleep with this device. It comes with a nylon travel pouch to slip into your luggage or purse. This unit is wonderful for shift workers, infants, apartment dwellers, noisy neighbors, barking dogs, sirens, street noise, TV and stereos, airplanes, and disturbing conversations. Use this device in assisted living, healthcare, and daycare centers, RVs, hotels and anywhere you are.
Plug the UL listed 6-foot cord into a USA 110/120-Volt at 60/60 Hz. Countries outside the USA such as Europe, UK, and Australia can use the 220/240-Volt outlet with the included plug adapters, converting to USA 12-Volts D/C. This unit is not battery powered. This unit is not Bluetooth compatible and has no headphone jack or USB port. The speaker is 3-inches at 8 Ohms. The power plug is 2.5-inches.
The convenient travel pouch is 7-inches long x 5-3/8-inches high x 2-3/8-inches deep in black nylon with a drawstring to shut it. The dimensions for the external wall mount transformer with US, CSA, TUV, CE certifications is 5-5/8-inches long x 3-1/8-inches high x 2-1/4-inches deep and it weighs about 1.2 pounds including the transformer. Gift-wrapping is available for a loved one or friend. The Marpac Marsona® TSCI-330 unit comes with a User’s Manual, and a 1-year Limited Warranty, and is assembled in the USA.
5 out of 5 Stars
The AGPtEK will lull your baby to sleep with 10 calming and sleep inducing sounds. Select from white noise, brown noise, or sounds from nature to help baby and everyone sleep better and to remove distracting sounds. The nature sounds are birds chirping, rain, thunder, a babbling brook, typhoon, ocean waves, and 2 children’s bedtime songs or lullabies.
Its real time and sleep timer is easy to see with the LED (Light Emitting Diodes) and it can be set from 15-, 30-, 60-, and 90-minutes and an all-night mode. Adjust the volume to suit your hearing preferences then rest and relax. There is no alarm clock or Bluetooth capability. The volume control lets you adjust it for the sound intensity you like best. The LED screen always displays when the sound machine is functioning, when it is turned off, and when the sleep timer is working. The clock does not light up. Select the timer or let it run until you shut it off.
The unit is powered with 4 each AA batteries (not included) or an A/C adapter (included) to plug into the wall. This makes it very adaptable when traveling to use the USB adapter as well.
This is a great choice for a sleep device ideal for babies, spas, hair salons, apartments, hotels, offices and everywhere you want peace and quiet from obnoxious noise. This device can be used with any USB adapter. Plug the 110/120-Volt UL listed cord into a USA outlet. The dimensions are 6.5-inches wide x 6-inches long x 1.8-inches high and it weighs 14 ounces. Gift-wrapping is available for a loved one or friend. The FIGERM® unit comes with a USB A/C adapter, USB cable, User’s Manual, and a 1-year Warranty.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
The silver HoMedics® Sound Spa® model SS-2000G/F-AMZ will provide you with peace and quiet for getting to sleep soon and awake refreshed. It has 6 digitally recorded natural sounds to select from white noise, rain, thunder, ocean waves without bird sounds, brook that sounds like water running over rocks, and summer night sounds with crickets. The speakers are integrated for a great sound experience and you control the volume. The unit has a built-in timer to automatically turn it off to eliminate the need to manually turn the device off.
The small green power light stays on and you can run the unit 24/7/365. There is no fan inside for the white noise sound; the sound loops and repeats. The unit was not designed to be attached to a wall. It is great for all people and babies in all locations. Those with tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) will find relief with this unit that tilts to the front. Babies sleep and rest with the soft sounds, and this unit is portable to take with you being very lightweight.
It blocks out traffic noise, apartment neighbor noise, lawn power equipment, and almost any disturbing noise. The nature sounds are so peaceful for drifting off, meditating, or studying. Use for stress, in a therapist, counselor, or professional office setting, and take to work to block out coworker’s noise. This is great for shift workers who sleep when it is the noisiest outside and inside when everyone is up and moving about making disturbing noise.
Operate the Sound Spa® machine with a power cord adaptor (included) or 4 AA batteries (not included). The unit does not have a headphone jack nor is it Bluetooth compatible. Plug the UL listed 6-foot cord into a USA 110/120-Volt outlet, A/C 60 Hz 65 mA; output 6-Volts D/C, 300 mA. A 220/240-Volt adapter will need to be purchased for use in Europe and countries outside the USA.
The dimensions are 6.5-inches wide at the base and about 2-inches tall weighing 8 ounces made of non-toxic plastic. Gift-wrapping is available for a loved one or friend. The Sound Spa® unit comes with a User’s Manual, and a 1-year Limited Warranty.
Safety Tips
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has provided you with the essentials for how the units work, where they work, and who can use them to mask out distracting noise from their lives. Read customer reviews and research white noise and sound machines online. Happy shopping for a pleasant peaceful environment.