Now Testing: White noise machines

An exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at our testing Joanne Chen White noise machines have recently proved to be more essential to our day-to-day lives than we could have ever imagined. As [sleep schedules shift]( home-renovation projects surge]( (oh, the ceaseless drilling and hammering), and families try to work and learn under one roof, white noise machines provide some semblance of calm, control, and privacy (when headphones and ear plugs won’t cut it). And pandemic-era shoppers have more options to choose from since our guide to [white noise machines]( was first published, in 2017. What better time, then, to test out a few new machines and update our guide. —Joanne Chen When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Learn more]( → What we tested We’ve been reassessing our three current picks (the LectroFan Classic, the Yogasleep Dohm Classic, and the myNoise app) alongside 10 new machines, three new apps, and the white noise features on Google Home and Amazon Echo. A few of the new machines include: - [LectroFan EVO]( // $50 - [Yogasleep Dohm Connect]( // $70 - [HoMedics White Noise Machine]( // $20 - [LetsFit White Noise Machine]( // $23 - [Snooz White Noise Sound Machine]( // $80 - [Sound+Sleep]( // $80 - [Yogasleep Duet White Noise Machine]( // $40 How we tested Brent Butterworth There are dozens of white noise machines and apps available, some with dubious designs. We examined a total of 16 and narrowed the field by zeroing in on ease of use (including in the dark) and intuitive designs. This quickly eliminated Amazon’s number-one “Sound Therapy Products” best-seller, the [LetsFit White Noise Machine]( which features a confusing set of buttons and touch controls that make mishaps inevitable. The best white noise machine depends on what you intend to do with it. If you’re struggling with a variety of noises at any given time (jackhammers in the morning; clacking radiators at night), you’ll want a machine with a variety of sound choices in a range of frequencies that can mask an array of nuisance noises. If you want your white noise machine to relax you and mask noises, you should make sure that some of those sound choices include an ambient sound recording or two—such as ocean waves and rainfall—that you enjoy listening to. In our testing, we listened for machines that sounded rich and authentic. This is obviously a subjective matter. But after we listened to a dozen machines, we think the [Yogasleep Whish]( did not deliver on that. After 15 frustrating minutes spent looking for a soothing sound to sleep to, we gave up. Its rain noise sounded like static, and the gurgling stream reminded us of a leaky toilet. We then sent the best of the bunch to senior staff writer Brent Butterworth, Wirecutter’s in-house audio expert, based in Los Angeles. Using a decibel meter, he measured each machine’s highest and lowest volume output to test whether they would get loud enough to drown out environmental noise. A soft conversation typically measures about 60 decibels (dBa), and loud traffic noise coming from an open window might reach 80 decibels. In order to mask these unwanted sounds, the sound emitted from a white noise machine would need to reach the same or a higher decibel level. In our tests, the [LectroFan EVO]( performed particularly well, reaching 82 decibels from 18 inches away. But the cult favorite [Yogasleep Dohm]( measured only in the high 60s at its highest volume, so it would not help drown out a loud air conditioner. Meanwhile, back in noisy New York City, we couldn’t get a moment of quiet to perform the sensitive measurements that Brent had focused on. Instead, we tested how well the machines masked a variety of nuisance noises (like a dog barking and party sounds) by playing them on a laptop in the next room; these were in addition to the (annoying but serendipitous) construction noises from the apartment upstairs. The machines that offered a wide variety of sound options—such as the [Sound+Sleep]( with 10 options and three variations each—performed best. By the numbers - 5 nuisance-noise tracks played (and replayed) - 12 white noise machines tested - 17 variations of ocean wave sounds evaluated - 120 hours slept with white noise The verdict Joanne Chen The [LectroFan EVO]( is our new top pick. It’s the updated model of our former top pick, and it’s a value-packed option, with 10 fan sounds,10 white noise variations, and two ocean sounds for good measure. If you want your white noise machine to help you relax and mask noises, you should upgrade to the [Sound+Sleep](. It emits eight robust ambient sound recordings, such as ocean and rainfall, in addition to meditation music and white noise variations. Unfortunately, the cheaper machines featuring a wide range of sounds seemed less appealing, at least for adults in search of peace. Despite the [Yogasleep Duet White Noise Machine]( 30 sound options, for instance, a third of them are melodies (three specifically for babies). And only the campfire nature sound didn’t grate on our nerves. This machine also provides 10 white noise and fan variations, but they sound more muffled than the offerings from Sound+Sleep. If you’re one of the many people lulled by fan sounds, the latest rendition of the [Yogasleep Dohm]( is for you. Its new ergonomic design makes it easier to maneuver than its still-available predecessor, the YogaSleep Dohm Classic. For a more-stylish, app-enabled option, the Snooz unleashes a hardy whoosh, though $80 seems like a lot to pay for essentially one sound. We’re about to test the app-enabled version of the Yogasleep Dohm, called the [Yogasleep Dohm Connect]( (which costs about $10 less than the Snooz). Stay tuned for our forthcoming update to find out how it performs. What else we’re testing - Facial sunscreens - Mystery boxes - Period underwear - Subwoofers We share even more about our testing on Instagram. [Make sure to follow us](. Copyright © 2021 Wirecutter, Inc., all rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for Wirecutter's newsletter. [Forward this email to a friend](. [View this email in your browser](. Getting too many emails from us? [Get only our Sunday newsletter](. To stop receiving all our emails, [unsubscribe here](. Our mailing address is: Wirecutter, Inc. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018‌ [Privacy Policy]( | [California Notices]( | [Terms of Service]( | [Contact Us](