I cannot sleep in total silence. I need the hum of a fan or crack of a fire. Too much outside noise and I can’t turn my brain off, but too much quiet and every toss, turn, or sniffle sounds amplified.
Whether or not you feel the same, you probably still don’t get enough sleep, and for many people, it’s not for lack of trying. But help is available. A good sound machine (also called a white-noise machine or sleep machine) is just one tool in an arsenal of gadgets that can help you get your recommended number of z’s.
WIRED’s gear reviewers have filled their homes with sound machines for everything from muffling Witcher battles in the living room while the kids snooze to keeping us asleep while night-owl partners sneak into bed. These are our favorite machines for getting some shut-eye.
Check out our many other buying guides for getting a good night’s rest, such as the Best Mattresses and the Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks.
Updated March 2022: We’ve added new picks from Lectrofan, Hatch, Dreamegg, Morphée and Snooz.
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