I cannot sleep in total silence. I need the hum of a fan or the crackle of a fire. Too much noise and I can’t turn my brain off, but too little, and every toss, turn, or sniffle is amplified. Whether you feel the same or not, you probably still don’t get enough sleep, and if you’re like most people, it’s not for lack of trying. 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 help keep us asleep while night-owl partners sneak into bed. These are our favorite machines for getting some shut-eye. Be sure to read our other sleep-related buying guides, including the Best Mattresses, Best Sheets, and Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks.
Note: If you’re buying for a child, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents to keep sound machines to around 50 decibels and farther than 200 centimeters (6.5 feet) from where your baby sleeps.
Updated October 2023: We’ve added sound machines from RaptBaby and ErgoPouch.
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