The Sweet Sounds of This White Noise Machine Keep Me From Smothering My Husband With a Pillow (2024)

My husband introduced me to sleeping with a white noise machine. He can’t sleep without one, and he even packs one to go on vacation. These devices help induce sleep for a scientific reason: Not only does a white noise machine mask sounds, but it also creates boring, consistent sounds that the human brain interprets as “safe,” which helps lull a person to sleep, Stanford University sleep researcher Rafael Pelayo told us in an interview for our guide.

But the machine that my husband used back then played repetitive sounds—almost like a record skipping over and over—which were more unbearable for me than the noises we were trying to drown out and made my nights a lot worse.

Five years ago, I picked up the LectroFan Classic, a long-standing Wirecutter pick for the best white noise machine. My husband and I loved it because it had a variety of sounds that were relaxing, and it was small enough for us to stuff into a carry-on. (If you’re a rough traveler, you may want to invest in a travel case for your white noise machine.)

After years of service from the Classic, we upgraded to the latest model—and Wirecutter’s current top pick—the LectroFan EVO, which offers everything the Classic does plus some thoughtful design upgrades.

The LectroFan EVO plays random, non-repeating white noise, which is soothing and effectively masks the outside world. (If your brain can pick up on a pattern, it might be harder for you to fall asleep, according to an interview we did with University of Pennsylvania sleep researcher Michael Perlis for our guide. That explains why my husband’s old machine might have done me more harm than good.)

The controls on the EVO are easier to manage too, which is a nice perk when you are slipping in or out of a deep sleep.

In our guide to the best white noise machine, our testers found that the LectroFan EVO effectively drowned out all manner of irritating noises (pets, rowdy roommates, snoring spouses). Its “clear and rich” sound quality also helped it stand out against similarly priced competitors, which in some cases sounded “tinny or muffled.”

Sam Nicolino, founder, president, and CEO of Adaptive Sound Technologies, knows all about the struggle to get some good shut-eye in a loud environment. Back in 1995, work crews were extending a freeway past his quiet home. “My wife and I didn't like the noise, and I started working on ways of cancelling it,” he said in an interview. The end result was a patent for “adaptive noise transformation” in 1998.

The price tag for the original sound machine that Nicolino created was way beyond reasonable for most folks, so he decided to wait until the technology was more affordable. Ten years later, the cost of memory chips, CPU chips, speakers, and amplifiers dropped, and Adaptive Sound Technologies was born.

The LectroFan EVO can produce 10 fan sounds and 10 ambient-noise sounds, plus two ocean soundscapes, so you should be able to find one that sends you off to the Sandman. You could also use an app to do that, such as Wirecutter’s pick, myNoise, but the LectroFan EVO doesn’t require you to keep your phone in your bedroom, doesn’t light up, and doesn’t send nagging text messages, all of which can keep you up at night.

The LectroFan EVO cranks out not only white noise but pink and brown noise as well. Who knew noises had a color wheel?

Pink noise has lower pitches than white noise, similar to that of rainfall. Brown noise has the lowest frequencies of them all and is often considered the most soothing, like listening to waves crashing. A New York Times article reported on research suggesting that brown noise may be helpful for focus, and some people with ADHD find that brown noise helps them tune out distractions and calm their brains. In her article about using brown noise for focusing, Wirecutter senior staff writer Elissa Sanci notes that the EVO can connect to speakers or headphones, helping users further shape their work environments.

Nicolino suggests finding one white noise sound and one fan sound that you like best. “Many find the fan better for sleep and the deep white noises (brown noises) better for study, privacy, concentration, yoga,” he said.

Once you find a sound you like, the EVO saves it in your settings, so you just need to turn it on every night.

The original version of this post was published as part of our 2020 “52 Things We Love” series, an ode to Wirecutter picks that have withstood the test of time. Read the entire series. This version was edited by Rachelle Bergstein and Catherine Kast.