The 5 Best White Noise Machines For Better Sleep

White noise machines are a great tool you can use to fall asleep easier, as well as sleep better throughout the night. Just as white light is produced by combining all the color wavelengths of the rainbow, white noise combines all frequencies audible to the typical human ear. The resulting sound can help fill an otherwise quiet room, or drown out distracting sounds like road traffic or voices down the hall. Some people who use white noise machines to create a soothing environment will also experience Pavlovian conditioning, and the white noise itself will help calm them down at bedtime. This is partly why white noise machines have become popular for parents who use them in nurseries and their young children's bedrooms.

White noise machines typically use mechanical fans or software to digitally create white noise and its variants, such as pink noise and brown noise, which reduce higher frequencies to create deeper tones. Typically, white noise machines are easy to use and don't consume much power, since they're relatively simple devices. However, many modern white noise machines will use companion apps and some are combined with alarm clocks and other sleep tech. To help you choose the right device for you and your bedroom, here are the five best white noise machines for a better night's sleep.

The Hatch Restore 2 is more than just a white noise machine — it's also a sunrise alarm clock. Its built-in light can gradually increase in the morning to gently wake you up, as opposed to a jarring alarm. That light can also be changed to blue or pastel colors at night, which can be paired with white noise to lull you to sleep. Its simple controls include two large, tactile buttons: one to sleep, and one to wake.

The device uses three speakers to play 21 different ambient sounds, including babbling creeks and light rain, as well as different sounds to gradually wake you up, like chirping birds. What's innovative about the Hatch Restore 2 is that you can purchase a monthly or annual subscription to its service, which will provide you with additional lights and sounds through its paired app.

If the Hatch Restore 2 has a downside, it's the exorbitant cost, at least when compared to other white noise machines. If you retain membership after a free 60-day trial, you can add the subscription cost to that price. All three color options for the device — latte, slate, and putty — retail for $200.

Like some modern white noise machines, the LectroFan Evo eschews a mechanical fan in favor of digitally recreating white noise, using a high-fidelity speaker. This also allows the device to create a wider range of both volume and specific frequencies. As such, the LectroFan Evo offers 22 different sounds. That includes minor variations on white, pink, and brown noise, such as tan, chestnut, cinnamon, coral, champagne, and cream, as well as different types of simulated fan noise, like attic fan, exhaust fan, box fan, and oscillating fan. For some reason, it doesn't include many nature-oriented soundscapes, besides two ocean surf options.

Other advantages to the LectroFan Evo, which is manufactured by Adaptive Sound Technologies, Inc. (ASTI), include a sleek-looking and lightweight design, easy-to-use touch controls, and an audio jack that allows you to connect a pillow speaker, headphones, or other third-party speaker. The unit needs to be continuously plugged in for power. That can either be a pro or a con, depending on whether you'd prefer a white noise machine that uses batteries and/or can be recharged. The LectroFan Evo comes in two color options — black or white — and retails for $49.95, though you can currently find it for $35 on Amazon.

The Loftie Clock is a combination white noise machine and alarm clock, and it's also one of the best-looking of either product on the market. It combines a modern aesthetic with a traditional, warm bedroom clock look. Unlike most other competitors, it has color options beyond the typical black, gray, and white. Those color options include rust, sage, and coral. Even better, there's a "kids version" that can include fun designs and symbols on its face.

The device uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as a companion app that allows you to download any number of sounds, alarms, and even other audio content to help you sleep, like bedtime stories and guided meditations. It uses a two-phase alarm that can gradually wake you up, and you can also customize up to 30 different alarms. The device includes a backup battery in case the power goes out, so you still wake up on time. Its white noise options are solid and include variations like gray noise and blue noise. Also included are nature ambiance, like crickets, redwood forest, and rain on a tent.

The Loftie Clock costs $150, which is a lot for a white noise machine, but doesn't make it the most expensive on the market. Considering you're also getting a stylish smart clock with a one-year warranty and 60-day return window, it wouldn't be a waste of money. That warranty may come in handy, too, because a not-insignificant amount of Amazon reviews have complained that the device can sometimes malfunction (it has more favorable than unfavorable reviews, however), which is something to keep in mind before making the purchase.

Despite being one of the most affordable options when compared to other white noise machines, the Dreamegg D3 Pro has a lot going for it. It's $40, and comes in either black or white, and while it's not the most stylish device on the market, it has a low profile that won't ruin your bedroom aesthetic. The machine comes with 29 different high-fidelity sounds to help you sleep, including campfire, train, gentle surf, and seven white noise variants.

A built-in headphone jack allows you to use the device privately if sleeping with a partner, or attach it to an external speaker. It's also simpler than many modern white noise machines, in that it doesn't need a companion app — everything from producing sound to setting its volume or shut-off timers can be done with physical buttons. The device is battery powered and, if fully charged, can last all night at the elast. This, plus its small size, makes it a great option if you're traveling. However, for some strange, unfortunate reason, the device doesn't come with a power adapter. You'll need one if you want to use its accompanying USB cable to charge it from a wall outlet.

Many white noise machines digitally create the noise they output, but the Snooz uses an actual mechanical fan. This keeps the sound from subtly looping and sounding repetitive or too monotonous, though that means you won't be getting any simulated nature soundscapes from this device. However, the fan noise can be set from a light whir to a deep drone, as well as frequencies in between. It also doesn't produce cold air, which would obviously be a problem for many people in the winter, and the device doesn't consume much power.

The Snooz also has a sleek design that blends in well with a bedroom. An accompanying app can be used to program the unit, as well as choose options to fade in or fade out the noise during the night. The Snooz has no battery, which is disappointing given its small, lightweight features that suit it well for travel. You'll need to keep it close to a wall outlet. Despite having a continuous source of power, its night light could be better. But if you don't mind plugging it in and only need the device for its white noise and not its light, it's a very good choice. The Snooz comes in two color options: charcoal and cloud gray. Both options are available for $100.