Top 5 compared
The best sound machines
Steady, soothing sound that helps little ones settle, and masks the doorbell, the dog and the neighbors.
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The top 5 at a glance
A sound machine plays a steady sound that masks sudden ones, which is why it’s a favorite for naps and bedtime. It isn’t only for babies: plenty of adults use one to sleep through traffic or a snoring partner. White noise is the classic hiss; brown and pink noise are deeper and less hissy, and most machines add fans, rain and other natural sounds.
Every one here plugs in, to an outlet or a USB port, so there’s no battery to run down; Calm Me’s goes straight into the wall and leaves the nightstand clear. iDealSleep’s has no light at all, for a room that needs to stay dark. In a nursery, keep the volume moderate and the machine a little way from the crib.
What matters
- Sounds that don’t loop, so there’s no repeating hitch to notice.
- A timer that fades out, or one that runs all night.
- Volume that goes low enough for a quiet room.
- Memory, so it comes back on at the last sound and volume.
#1ColourNoise Soother Sound Machine (30 sounds)
$10–$20
Thirty sounds that don’t loop, from brown, pink and white noise to heavy rain, a fireplace and a heartbeat, with a night light in 12 colors and 10 brightness levels. When the timer runs out, the sound fades away rather than stopping dead.
What owners say: Owners enjoy cycling through the sounds and colors, and say they drift off within minutes. The spread of volume and brightness settings wins praise too.
A closer look: Using the same sound for every nap and bedtime turns it into a cue that sleep is coming. A dim, warm shade from its 12 colors makes a gentle light for night feeds and diaper changes without lighting up the whole room.
- Non-looping sounds
- Brown, pink and white noise
- Heartbeat and hushing tracks
- Fades out when time’s up
- USB-C cable included
Best for: The nursery or a grown-up’s nightstand
- Power
- Plug-in (adapter)
- Sounds
- 30
- Night light
- 12 colors, 10 levels
- Timer
- 1–4 hrs or all night
#2Easysleep Sound Machine with Night Light (25 sounds)
$10–$20
A simple plug-in machine with 25 sounds, 32 volume steps and a warm light in four levels, bright enough for a feed or a few pages of a book. It remembers the last sound, volume and timer.
What owners say: The choice of sounds, the dimmable light and the simple on-off button win owners over, and light sleepers say it works for them. It takes up very little room beside the bed.
A closer look: At 3.9 in square it’s a small tabletop machine, and it runs from a wall adapter or a USB port, so a laptop can power it in a hotel room. Easysleep backs it with an 18-month warranty.
- 32 volume levels
- Remembers sound, volume and timer
- Non-looping sounds
- 3.9 in square
- 18-month warranty
Best for: Night feeds and bedtime reading
- Power
- Plug-in (AC or USB)
- Sounds
- 25
- Night light
- Warm, 4 levels
- Timer
- 1–4 hrs or all night
#3iDealSleep Sound Machine (30 sounds, no light)
$10–$20
Not a single light, only thirty sounds: two fan sounds, five kinds of noise including brown and pink, fifteen natural sounds from rain to brook and birdsong, and eight soothing tracks such as a heartbeat and piano. The volume turns from a whisper to loud, enough for a nursery or a noisy street.
What owners say: Owners say it drowns out street noise and gets them off to sleep, and some with tinnitus swear by it; one notes the volume knob is easy to find in the dark.
A closer look: About 5 in across, it sits on a nightstand or packs into a suitcase for hotel nights. For masking a snoring partner, brown noise is the setting to try first, and with no light at all it can face the bed without a glow in the corner of the eye.
- Fades down at the end
- Remembers sound and volume
- Brown, pink and white noise
- Heartbeat and piano tracks
- 365-day guarantee
Best for: Dark rooms and light sleepers
- Power
- Plug-in (adapter)
- Sounds
- 30
- Night light
- None
- Timer
- 1–3 hrs or all night
#4Calm Me Wall Plug-In Sound Machine (20 sounds)
$30–$50
It plugs straight into a wall outlet, so it takes no room on the nightstand and leaves no cord to trail. Twenty non-looping sounds cover white, brown and pink noise, six fan sounds, rain, thunder and a brook, with a night light in two colors.
What owners say: Loud neighbors and office chatter fade into the background with it, owners report, and having no cord on show pleases them. Setup and adjustments are simple, and they fall asleep faster.
A closer look: Plug it into an outlet near the bed, or use the USB cable that comes with it to stand it on a shelf or take it to a hotel. Beyond the bedroom, an outlet beside an office door is a good spot for it, keeping conversations inside the room private.
- Fan, rain and brook sounds
- Non-looping sounds
- Brown, pink and white noise
- Remembers the last settings
- Keeps office talk private
Best for: Offices and cramped bedside tables
- Power
- Straight into the outlet (USB cable optional)
- Sounds
- 20
- Night light
- 2 colors
- Timer
- Yes
#5Dreamegg D1 Sound Machine with Night Light
$30–$50
A solid 1 lb plug-in machine from Dreamegg, with 24 sounds including seven kinds of white noise and seven fan sounds, a warm nursery light and an audio input for playing your own sounds through its speaker.
What owners say: Parents like the clear sound, the ocean waves in particular, and say it keeps children asleep through naps and nights. The warm light is a hit; a few find even the low settings louder than they’d like.
A closer look: Its 10 natural sounds include a fetal tone and a lullaby, gentle choices for a newborn’s first weeks. A phone plugged into the audio input plays a playlist or a parent’s recorded voice through its speaker, and the warm light is easier on sleepy eyes than a blue-white glow.
- Audio input for a phone
- Fetal tone and lullaby
- Remembers light, sound and volume
- Weighs 1 lb
Best for: A sturdy nursery machine
- Power
- Plug-in only
- Sounds
- 24
- Night light
- Warm
- Timer
- 30–90 min or all night
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1ColourNoise Soother | #2Easysleep | #3iDealSleep | #4Calm Me | #5Dreamegg D1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best wall plug-in | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.1 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 |
| Power | Plug-in (adapter) | Plug-in (AC or USB) | Plug-in (adapter) | Straight into the outlet (USB cable optional) | Plug-in only |
| Sounds | 30 | 25 | 30 | 20 | 24 |
| Night light | 12 colors, 10 levels | Warm, 4 levels | None | 2 colors | Warm |
| Timer | 1–4 hrs or all night | 1–4 hrs or all night | 1–3 hrs or all night | Yes | 30–90 min or all night |
| Best for | The nursery or a grown-up’s nightstand | Night feeds and bedtime reading | Dark rooms and light sleepers | Offices and cramped bedside tables | A sturdy nursery machine |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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