There's some scientific evidence that white-noise machines can help insomniacs sleep a little more easily at night. These devices generate repetitive, soothing noises on a variety of frequencies, which give a sleeper something to focus on other than street traffic, a roommate's TV or a spouse's snoring.
Because white-noise machines are easy to produce, however, there are plenty of shoddy, second-rate models on the market. We've researched five of the best white-noise machines, which should help you to, at last, get some unbroken shut-eye.
White-noise machines aren't new, by any means. In fact, Marpac has been making them since 1962. In a classic example of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" design, the Marpac Dohm Classic hasn't really changed in the last 50-plus years. Rather than generating white noise digitally, the Marpac Dohm Classic simply contains a small fan inside of a dome. You can use the fan on a low or high setting, and then adjust the tone. That's it. Very simple to set up and use, and the Marpac works as well now as it did back in the '60s.
Unlike a real barnyard fowl, the Big Red Rooster White-Noise Machine won't crow at you first thing in the morning. In fact, it could help you sleep in a bit, and wake up feeling like a real cock of the walk.
This machine is one of the cheaper options. However, you don't have to sacrifice any functionality, as it offers six different soothing sounds: Rain, Brook, Ocean, Thunder, White Noise and Summer Night. Another big advantage is that the Big Red Rooster can run on either an AC adapter or three AA batteries, which makes it good for travel.
The LectroFan High Fidelity White-Noise Machine is one of the few devices in our recommendations that can generate true white noise. However, as we mentioned earlier, not every sleeper is receptive to white noise — which is why the machine also generates pink noise, brown noise and has 10 different fan settings.
No matter what kind of ambient sound helps you to sleep, the LectroFan can almost certainly generate it. Thanks to its digital noise library, this machine can produce 20 different sounds, sure to lull even the most discerning sleeper into eight hours of oblivion. The LectroFan also features a timer, so it doesn't have to run all night.
Getting to sleep is an admirable goal, but most of us also have to wake up at a certain time. That's where the Homedics Recharged Alarm Clock & Sound Machine comes in handy. In addition to offering eight different soothing noises to help you fall asleep, the machine also functions as a clock radio with an alarm feature. You can awaken to your favorite FM radio station — or to a more traditional beeping alarm, if music doesn’t get you going in the morning. There's also a timer, a thermometer, a smartphone holder and a projection clock, so you can see the time displayed on the nearest wall.
