The Best White Noise Machines Of 2023 To Improve Your Sleep (Or Your Child's)

Available in two colorways (black and black/white), this device includes a two-phase alarm system that allows you to wake up gently, and is actually one of our top picks for the best alarm clocks for heavy sleepers. The machine has a subscription-free audio catalog that’s filled with white noise and nature sounds. You can even preview sounds on the brand’s website to see if they’re a good fit for you. 

What’s more, this pick comes with breathwork, meditation, and sound bath options to help calm anxiety and frazzled nerves. The Loftie clock also works as a Bluetooth speaker, which means you can get the most bang for your buck. Easy to use and well-designed, this alarm clock and white noise machine combo is a great addition to any bedroom.

Our commerce editor, Carleigh Ferrante, loves the Loftie Alarm Clock, noting that the brand’s Nighstant Bundle has fully elevated her sleep. “I had my eye on Loftie for a while before trying out the Loftie Lamp. I was so impressed with the device that I had to get myself the alarm clock, too. Together, these two devices help me ease into bed, sleep more soundly, and get out of bed in a fraction of the time that I used to. I love the breathwork and meditation capabilities and actually look forward to the soft glow of the lamp in the morning. The best part? I’m scrolling way less and I’ve cut down significantly on screen time.” —  Carleigh Ferrante, commerce editor

Totally transform your sleep experience by introducing the Hatch Restore 2 to your nighttime routine. Available in different design-forward colors such as latte, putty, and slate, this white noise machine does its job (and does it well) while seamlessly blending into a bedroom’s design. Each unit features large, tactile buttons, a dimmable clock that won’t interrupt your sleep, three high-quality speakers, and an alarm toggle to turn your morning alarm on or off. 

This aesthetically-pleasing pick can be controlled via an app to customize your experience. For instance, you can set sunrise alarms complete with soft-colored lights (the peachy hue is my favorite) or create a personalized bedtime ritual. An upgraded version of the Hatch Restore, this unit comes equipped with 21 new sleep sounds and 10 new alarm sounds. 

With nearly 1,000 five-star ratings on the brand’s website, this white noise machine is loved by many. One elated customer writes, “The Hatch helps us fall asleep faster and stay asleep. Getting up is a breeze with the customizable wake up sequence. Can’t imagine going back to using my cell phone alarm.” A second shopper shared that this compact machine helps their sleep hygiene “so much!”

Doubling as a nightlight with a wide array of soft colors, this device features a high-end intuitive design with a dimmable LED clock and easy-to-use buttons. What’s more, the machine is Wi-Fi-enabled, meaning you can adjust settings such as volume, brightness, and timers from your phone, even when you’re not in your child’s room. 

The unit offers a collection of soothing sounds, including ocean, fan, and rain, along with lullabies and stories. If you sign up for the Hatch Sleep Membership ($4.99 per month or $49.99 per year), you’ll have access to an expanded sound library. Whether you are trying to sleep train your child or simply need some extra assistance keeping them asleep through the night, this popular machine checks off all boxes. 

Over 31,000 Amazon shoppers have given this device a 5-star rating. One Amazon reviewer writes, "This is an absolute must-have for your baby and even older children. There are a lot of options for colors and sounds. You can adjust the brightness and volume. My 10-month-old has been using this since she was born, and it will come in handy even when she is older in the years to come. This helps drown out noise around the house during naps and at night when everyone else is still awake.” 

What our tester says:

“I’ve used this alarm clock for my four year old since she was born! You can control the volume on a scale of 1 to 100, depending on the size of the room and how far away it is from the crib. We love that the light feature serves as a way to make bedtime more fun! Before we turn out the lights in our toddler’s room, we let her choose what color she wants her Hatch to be (purple is a favorite!). We’ve taught her that when her light turns green in the morning (we control it through the app), it’s time to wake up!” — Jordan Dennis, mindbodygreen tester

Simplicity is the name of the game for this white noise machine. Clocking in at just 3.4 ounces, this compact machine is super portable and can easily be packed in carry-on bags, suitcases, and handbags. It’s conveniently rechargeable with a USB chord, and each charge lasts approximately for up to six hours. The device also comes with a lanyard that can be hung from anywhere.

Featuring a streamlined, intuitive design, this pick offers three sounds: bright white noise, deep white noise, and gentle surf. Its signature white noise has fewer high-frequency sounds, which the brand says may help you sleep even better. Note: the volume is adjustable via the machine’s side buttons, but this pick doesn’t have a timer. 

With over 9,000 5-star Amazon ratings, this white noise machine is the one to get if you need something portable, lightweight, and wireless. “Perfect for traveling,” one shopper notes. “Other white noise machines may have dozens of different sounds, but in the end you get used to one or two you use all the time. This one is perfectly fine for most people, it is super light, and it can be charged with any USB port.” Even though this pick has many rave reviews, it’s important to remember that it only comes with a few sounds.

Featuring 22 sound options including 10 fan noises, 10 white, pink, and brown noises, and a handful of ocean sounds, this streamlined device blocks unwanted sounds to help you sleep better. Each machine is powered by AC or USB, with a 3.5mm connector included to connect with your headphones or a speaker.

Even better? This pick comes with an optional timer, which comes in handy if you don’t want to keep it on all night. The machine has precise volume control and a compact, lightweight design perfect for home use or travel.

Thousands of shoppers applaud this easy-to-use white noise machine, exclaiming that “it does a great job at drowning out noises” and its “sound quality is amazing.” One customer writes, “This machine has made my quality of sleep one hundred percent better than before. I only wish I had purchased it sooner. Prior to using it, I would wake up about every two hours or when I heard something and felt tired when it was time to get up and not at all rested. With this machine, I sleep until I need to get up for a bathroom trip or it is near time to wake for the day. I feel that the quality of sleep I get has significantly improved and I wouldn't be without it now.” 

One customer does mention that the device doesn’t have any display lights, so keep this in mind when deciding on which to purchase.

If you’re looking for sounds you can easily take with you while on the road, try out this highly-rated sleep app that specializes in sleep tracking and white noise. It has over 300 sounds and 200 meditations, along with hypnosis tracks and more than 100 sleep stories—and new content is added regularly. Beyond white noise, there are plenty of audio options, including ASMR sounds, pink noise, brown noise, and binaural beats.

The app is free to download, but premium content comes with an extra fee. BetterSleep is equipped with a sleep tracker, timer, bedtime reminders, sleep recorder, and more. Awarded Apple’s “Best App of the Day” dozens of times, this option is a great tool to have on hand to improve your sleep. Use it straight from your phone or pair it with a speaker. 

This app impressively has over 272,000 reviews with an average 4.8 star-rating on the App store. “I’ve tried a lot of things for sleep sounds,” one user writes on the Apple app store. “But, year after year after year (how long have I been using this? A decade at least!), I consistently use this app. It’s always improving, even though I’ve never personally found it lacking. It’s amazing to have so much ability to customize mixes. I like layering multiple water sounds, brown noise, and a little quiet thunder. It’s created an almost Pavlovian response; I start playing my mix, and next thing I know, I’m asleep.” Although this app has hundreds of thousands of perfect five-star ratings, one customer mentions you can’t preview premium sound content, which they find to be a turnoff.

Subscription cost: Free limited access; $9.99 per month; $59.99 annually; $249.99 lifetime membership