The 7 Best White Noise Machines of 2025: Tested and Reviewed by Sleep Experts

The Hatch Restore 3 is more than a white noise machine or sunrise alarm clock — it’s “basically a fully customizable circadian-rhythm coach,” says my colleague Melanie Kassel. This intuitive system lets you fully customize your sleep routine from dusk ‘til dawn, including wake-up light cycles and guided meditations, through Hatch’s all-in-one app. You can find every noise on the color wheel. Melanie gave the overall sound quality an impressive 5-out-of-5 rating, as well as a 5 for durability.

The best way to operate your Hatch Restore 3 is through the brand’s app. Here, you’ll get access to a scad of sounds, meditations, and more to tailor your perfect background noise. “In addition to classic white noise, this clock has a veritable rainbow of noise colors,” Melanie explained. “I like falling asleep to ‘orange shag carpet,’ which sounds like someone continuously running their hand over (you guessed it) a thick shag carpet.”

In this app, you can also take advantage of the Hatch Restore’s artificial sunrise. “There are so many different lights and gradients of light you can choose,” Melanie said. “You can also easily control the light’s intensity with a slider that ranks brightness on a scale from 1 to 100.” Melanie found that the app and the machine itself were fairly intuitive, though she noted it may be a bit overwhelming for folks looking for simplicity. 

Melanie also thought that the Hatch Restore had a pleasing aesthetic and wasn’t too bulky. “It feels well-made and sturdy even as it doesn’t weigh much,” she said. She doesn’t anticipate travel being too much of an issue if you want to take your Restore with you on the go, so she rated portability at a 4 out of 5 overall.

The main gripe Melanie had with the Hatch Restore 3 was its price tag. The Restore retails for $170, but this doesn’t include a subscription that gives you access to the full sound library. “It’s nice that the basic color noises aren’t locked behind the subscription paywall,” Melanie said, “but $170 is still a bit too much to ask – even for an impressive multi-faceted sunrise alarm clock, especially if you’re on a budget.”

Looking for something more affordable? Check out the Magicteam Sound Machine. Or you can read more in our full Hatch Restore review.

Among the many annoying sounds that might plague your restless nights, an inconsiderate neighbor has to be one of the worst. As someone who lives in a multi-story apartment complex, I have the misfortune of dealing with upstairs neighbors whose active hours are between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.. The good news is that the Tuft & Needle White Noise Machine has been an astounding help in tackling this problem.

This sound machine is much louder than your average box fan, effectively drowning out most offending noises from echoing chatter to booming footsteps. I awarded this noise machine perfect scores for sound quality, ease of use, and durability — and now I don’t know how I ever slept without it.

I’m an extremely light sleeper who deals with constant tinnitus, so you could say I’m pretty picky when it comes to my white noise. What I love about the Tuft & Needle sound machine is that it features a real fan, which creates a more “authentic” sound. Sometimes white noise machines feel like they’re trying to trick my brain and sound too one-dimensional, but that isn’t the case here.

The Tuft & Needle also gets very loud, as I mentioned. It reached about 77 decibels when I measured it with an app on my phone. It’s enough to block out most noises, including traffic, talking, and those pesky neighbors. It makes any room sound like the Arctic tundra with its layered depth.

At first, I was wary of the app that comes along with this machine. Most of the time, I find these clunky and hard to use, but this one actually changed my sleep routine. It’s come in clutch the many times I’ve hopped into bed and forgotten to turn it on: one click and I’m saved. You can also use the app to set specialized timers and auto shut-off, down to a specific day of the week, if necessary. You can also turn off the button illumination if you’re sensitive to light, but I quite like the nightlight effect.

I also have brought this sound machine with me on road trips. It’s not too large, but it is hefty, which would dissuade me from bringing it in my carry-on. It does need to be plugged into an outlet, which can pose an issue for international travelers, but as someone who always loses charging cords, I don’t mind the attached cord.

The Tuft & Needle sound machine retails for $88, which seemed pretty steep to me at first. I’ve been using the same fan that was in my college dorm room for white noise, so it’s safe to say I didn’t know what I was missing. Still, it may not be the best pick for budget shoppers. If you do decide to buy this, it’s backed by a 1-year warranty — but as someone who uses this every night, I expect this little guy to last well beyond that.

Want something a bit more affordable? Check out the Magicteam Sound Machine.

Whether you work from home or in an office, a white noise machine can be beneficial for drowning out distractions. The Yogasleep Dohm Classic noise machine is a simple plug-and-play device that helps promote focus, as my colleague Riley Otis found out. She considered this machine on the softer, gentler side of the white noise machine scale, making it bettersuited for working rather than sleeping. She gave it high marks for ease of use (a 5 out of 5) and portability (4.5 out of 5), plus a respectable showing for its durable construction (4 out of 5).

The Dohm Classic is controlled by a simple flip-switch with three options: off, softer (labeled with ‘I’), or louder (labeled with ‘II’). There’s nothing too fancy with auto shut-off or programmable apps; simply plug this guy into the wall, and you’re good to go. “I don’t think the majority of people will need to examine the instructions,” Riley said.

Riley noted that even the louder setting wasn’t too deafening, only reaching around 57 decibels when measured with an app. “This white noise gives my brain something to focus on other than my racing thoughts, which helps me not only fall asleep, but focus when I am working,” she explained. 

 Office workers and overstimulated adult sleepers aren’t the only ones who may benefit from the Dohm sound machine. Riley added that it could also work well for newborn sleepers, too. “The soft ‘shushing’ sound would be great for lulling a baby to sleep,” she said. “The gentleness of this machine ensures you’ll still be able to hear your baby fussing if they need you.”

Riley initially thought the Yogasleep appeared small, but found that it wasn’t exactly the most portable noise machine she tested. Since it has to be plugged into the wall, wrapping the cord around the machine also gives it a bit more girth. Riley found it takes up a bit more room than she’d like in a carry-on or backpack.

Interested in purchasing the Yogasleep Dohm Classic? It retails for about $55. It’s also backed by a 1-year limited warranty.

Finding the right noise machine for babies is not a task you should enter into lightly. Studies show that some white noise machines are far too loud for young ears and can cause hearing problems down the line. That’s why we recommend the SNOOZ White Noise Machine, which features an intuitive nursery calibration function that you can use to monitor the decibel level to ensure it doesn’t get too high for your baby’s ears.

The SNOOZ is also primarily controlled via app, so you can set timers, adjust the lighting, and even adjust the volume from another room without risking waking your little one. My colleague Nicole Davis, who has used many white noise machines since becoming a parent, gave the SNOOZ a plethora of 5-out-of-5 scores, including that for sound quality, ease of use, and durability.

The SNOOZ White Noise Machine makes its noise through an actual fan mechanism inside the machine. It has sound levels of 1-10, with 10 exceeding 80 decibels per Nicole’s records. She keeps it at 5 for a comfortable sound for her two young children. You easily adjust the sound via the SNOOZ app or by pressing the plus or minus symbols on the machine’s surface. “You also can twist the outer fabric shell clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the fan sound from light fan to ‘airplane cabin’,” Nicole added.

Setting a nightly routine for your baby should also be easy with the app; you won’t even need to enter the nursery to set up automatic shut-off. You can be precise about it too, setting limits down to 5-minute intervals. Plus, instead of abruptly cutting out when you turn off the machine, it gently fades out. “It’s such a small detail, but in the morning that’s a nice touch when I’m waking my girls up for school,” Nicole said. “It doesn’t seem so jarring.”

Nicole thought that the SNOOZ sound machine was decently proportioned for travel. At around 5.5 inches of circumference and weighing 1.1 pounds, she called it “portable for sure.” Even with its small stature, it was clearly constructed with care. “Comparing this to other sound machines I’ve used in the past, this seems very durable,” Nicole explained. “I think the simplicity lends itself to this, as there isn’t much that can malfunction.”

The SNOOZ White Noise Machine does retail for a hefty price, coming it at just about $100. It does come with a 1-year warranty, which pales a bit when you consider the amount of money you’re spending. Still, Nicole has reported no issues in the months she’s been using the machine.

If you’re looking for something more affordable, check out the Yogasleep Dohm Classic. You can also read more in our SNOOZ Sound Machine review.

If you’re looking for a white noise machine that’s “LOUD,” my colleague Riley Otis says to look no further than the Magicteam Sound Machine. She tested this sound machine and raved all about it in her testing notes. This affordably priced white noise machine easily drowned out the clamor of a noisy neighborhood, including, inexplicably, the vibrant sounds of a mariachi band. She awarded it all 5-out-of-5 scores for durability, ease of use, portability, and, most importantly, overall sound quality.

Riley found that the Magicteam Sound Machine was louder than any sound app and box fan she’s used in the past, so she gave it a permanent station in her partner’s loud and busy apartment. “One night, his neighbors had a mariachi band over and played with the door open. This machine was able to drown out the horns and guitar, as well as the chanting and singing from across the hall,” Riley said. If even fanfare is stifled by this machine, you should be able to sleep through the more banal disruptions like traffic or snoring.

You get a plethora of sound options with the Magicteam machine, including your typical colored noises. Riley was impressed by the sheer variety, including some of the more unique sounds, such as a crackling fire. Switching between these sounds is fairly easy with the buttons on the machine’s surface. You have your typical on switch, volume control, and “next” and “back” buttons like your personal playlist. You may have to cycle through the options until you find your favorite. 

“Each sound is labeled in the booklet,” Riley said, “but when I turn the device on and off, it stays on whatever sound I had previously selected.” It might be a problem if you want to turn up the noise in the middle of the night, as the buttons aren’t raised or backlit. “I often end up skipping to the next sound when I mean to turn the volume up,” Riley explained. “But, the use in general is extremely easy.”

The Magicteam Sound Machine is “small but packs a powerful punch,” per Riley, and is great for travel. Though you’d think its smaller, lightweight design would mean problems for durability, Riley added that it’d gone through the ringer and emerged unscathed: “My partner’s cats also sometimes knock the machine off the nightstand. But the machine continues to make noise and hasn’t obtained any dents or scratches.”

For just $22, the Magicteam is a great budget buy that should last well into the offered 18-month warranty. But if you’re looking for something with a bit more heft and frills, check out the Hatch Restore 3.

White noise machines aren’t just for kids. I started using one myself in recent years, and they’re a great way to help fellow light sleepers mask the noises that might wake them up. If you’re an adult sleeper looking for a sound machine that’ll check all the boxes, try out the LectroFan EVO. Described as a “petite little thing” by my fellow tester Sosha Lewis, this little guy packs around 20 different modes into its simple construction. Sosha gave it high marks for its portability and ease of use, earning perfect 5-out-of-5 scores.

Sosha, a self-described light sleeper, found that the LectroFan EVO did a fine job of masking low-level noise like snoring and street noise. “The decibel readings came back in the mid-60s for the highest option,” she noted, which we’d consider fairly decent. She added that some deeper sleepers may find that this level is enough to effectively “cover up” any disturbances.

The design of the LectroFan EVO was simple enough for Sosha to understand on her first try. “I thought it was super easy to use,” she said. “You just have to keep jabbing at the buttons until you get the setting you want.” The machine offers 22 sounds: 10 fan settings, 10 white noise options, and 2 ocean sounds. If you do happen to go past the one you want, though, you will have to circle back — “easy but not nuanced,” as Sosha put it. 

Traveling with the EVO shouldn’t pose any problems, though, because of its compact size. “I could easily throw it in an overnight bag without having to leave much behind,” Sosha said. Just make sure you bring a USB adapter along, as that’s how it gets its power. 

Sosha had concerns about the EVO’s overall durability due to its tiny size. “I’m most worried about the buttons,” she said, “but as long as you’re not Hulking out on it every night, you should get your money’s worth.” The LectroFan EVO retails for $60 and comes with a 2-year warranty, which Sosha called “fitting for the price and durability.”

If you’re looking for something more robust, you might like the SNOOZ Sound Machine.