Best Sound Machines of 2025

The Hatch is one of those buzzworthy baby registry products you’ve likely heard about even if you haven’t splurged on one yet. Over half—55%, to be exact—of parents we surveyed proudly proclaimed it their favorite sound machine. “It’s programmable, portable and has the best selection of colors and sounds,” says one parent. Many others credit it for helping their baby (and themselves) sleep sounder and for longer stretches. “We have noisy neighbors and it’s majorly helped keep our sanity by blocking out the noise and helping us and baby sleep,” another parent told us. 

Revered as an all-in-one sleep solution, the Hatch serves as a sound machine, color-changing night light and time-to-rise clock for older kiddos to help them stay in bed. As a mom of three who has tried—and currently uses—almost every Hatch model, including the 2nd Gen featured here, I’m definitely that mom who tells all my parent-to-be friends they have to buy one. 

I love the ability to control everything straight from my smartphone via the app. I can set custom sleep schedules for each child (so convenient), change the sound up when the baby starts to cry in hopes a new noise soothes them back to bed and adjust the volume, night light brightness and color all without ever getting up myself, a highly underrated feature when the baby is in your room but a game-changer when they transition to their own.

The Hatch 2nd Gen has a wide range of realistic sound options to appease even the fussiest child, from relaxing nature noises to white and brown noise, a heartbeat option for newborns, calming sleep stories for preschoolers and sweet lullabies. For older kids (my five-year-old is obsessed), another cool feature is the night light’s custom color wheel—a great hack for giving your preschooler more control and autonomy at bedtime.

One potential drawback of the Hatch 2nd Gen is that it’s WiFi-enabled; the app can be slow at times or difficult to connect. (It’s not the norm, but it can happen.) It also needs to be plugged in, so you’ll need an outlet that’s a safe distance away from baby’s sleep space. The more expensive Rest+ 2nd Gen comes with a 12-hour backup battery and charging base, potentially solving both problems and giving the Hatch greater portability.

Additional Specs

• Dimensions: 4.2” x 4.2” x 6.61”

• Sounds: 19

• Special features: Custom sleep schedules, app-controlled, combines night light, sound machine and time-to-rise clock in one

• Power source: Plug

More than 85% of Babylist parents we surveyed said they own a portable sound machine, with the Yogasleep Hushh 2 being a popular choice for on-the-go car and stroller naps.

While small, Babylist parents rave about the Hushh 2’s sound quality, with one calling it “so nice” and another noting it’s “high quality enough to sound lovely.” It doesn’t offer as many sound options as other more robust machines on our list, but considering its size and portability, it’s more than good enough. (There are six sounds altogether, including the signature Yogasleep Dohm, white noise, calming melodies and more.) 

There’s also an adjustable night light with three settings and visible backlit buttons—a real game-changer—so you can actually see what you’re doing in the dark. It’s designed with toddlers in mind too, featuring a child lock to prevent playing with settings and a protective exterior to withstand the inevitable stroller drop or toss across the room.

Most importantly, the Hussh features an impressively long battery life, lasting 34 hours—the equivalent of three 11+ hour nights and more than a week’s worth of naps for many babies. A convenient auto-off sleep timer with settings for 30 minutes, one hour or two-hour naps helps conserve battery life. When the battery is running low, the LED indicator light will blink quickly to remind caregivers to recharge. I love that it works with an iPhone charger too, which most parents probably already have plugged into a nearby outlet.

Before you use this portable sound machine, it’s important to know that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends placing a sound machine at least seven feet from a child’s head and using the lowest effective volume. Since that’s not possible when you’re using it on the go (like attached to a stroller), Barclay, a pediatric audiologist, recommends “turning the volume down softer to compensate for the decreased distance to the baby’s head.” (Just note that the exact volume level hasn’t been formally investigated, so try to keep it as low as possible while also still being effective.)

While the Hushh 2’s clip is easy to use one-handed and attaches to most anything, many Babylist parents complain that it breaks easily and is slightly flimsy—though it doesn’t seem to be a dealbreaker.

Additional Specs

• Dimensions: 1.34” x 4” x 3.39”

• Sounds: 6

• Special features: Adjustable night light, backlit buttons, long battery life

• Power source: Rechargeable battery

For just about $25, the Momcozy offers a lot of bang for your buck. It’s mini but doesn’t skimp on features, boasting an impressive range of sounds (20 in total), including white noise, pink noise, nature sounds and soothing spa-like music and lullabies. It also doubles as a light source, perfect for seeing during those late-night feeds or for older toddlers who are scared of the dark. You can turn the light on or off with a quick tap of the little light icon in the center or adjust the brightness simply by long pressing it. I really like how you can flip the machine with the light face up for brighter light when you need to grab a diaper or bottle, or down for a more subtle night light glow.

The lightweight, compact design and long battery life of the Momcozy make it especially great for hotel stays and trips to grandma’s. “Love that it’s portable and holds a charge,” said one Babylist parent. Another called it “so easy to use” and “convenient.” I couldn’t agree more. While Momcozy states the sound machine has a 10-hour battery life, I was able to get two nine-hour+ nights out of it before having to recharge (which only takes two and a half hours to fully charge). 

Another feature that stood out to me was the memory settings. When I powered off the Momcozy in the morning, it automatically remembered my previous setting for the next sleep, saving me precious time and the hassle of having to shuffle through to find my little one’s favorite sound, adjust the volume or flip on or off the light again. There are three timer options too (one hour, three hours and six hours) so parents can set the sound machine to automatically shut off after a set time. Once your baby hits toddlerhood, the Momcozy features a genius child lock button so kids can’t mess with the settings or turn it off in the middle of the night. 

For serious white noise users, the quality of some of the sounds, particularly the pink, white and brown noise, may underwhelm; however, I found most sounds to be quite pleasant and soothing. I do wish the buttons were backlit, as even with the nightlight on I had to use my phone’s flashlight if I wanted to switch sounds or adjust the volume during the night.

Additional Specs

• Dimensions: 3.6” x 3.6” x 2”

• Sounds: 20

• Special features: Dimmable touch lamp, child lock, built-in memory function

• Power source: Rechargeable battery

Shushing a baby for even just a few minutes can be exhausting—I know from experience. While I regrettably never owned the Baby Shusher, which uses the rhythmic shushing sounds of a real human voice to put your little one to sleep, Babylist editor Jen LaBracio told me she swears by it. “I consider this one of those simple, straightforward baby products that just work,” she says. “There's nothing complicated about it; it literally emits a continuous shushing noise so you don't have to. And most babies love it, both of mine included. I used it at home and on the go with both of my kids during their first few months.” Many Babylist parents agree, with one calling it a “lifesaver for car rides or getting baby to sleep” and another dubbing it “the single best thing we ever bought for our baby,” conserving parents’ limited energy and their sanity. 

To use, simply rotate the top to the 15 or 30-minute timer position and twist the bottom to your desired volume. While it requires 2 AA batteries, they’re included, and according to Babylist’s assistant editor Briana Engelbrecht, the batteries lasted her family almost a year before they needed replacing (and by that time you’re probably done using it anyway).

A common frustration expressed by many parents is that they wished the Shusher stayed on longer than 30 minutes. “So annoying that it shuts off after 30 minutes and wakes a newborn with the sudden change,” one parent noted in our survey. Others were dissatisfied by the shape, which rolls around when placed on its side and muffles the speaker when upright.

Additional Specs

• Dimensions: 2.3” x 2.3” x 5”

• Sounds: 1

• Special features: Uses real human voice to shush babies to sleep, two automatic timer options

• Power source: 2 AA batteries (included)

The Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor was a clear favorite in our Babylist survey, with 20% of parents relying on it to monitor their little ones nightly. If you’re a Nanit user, it’s worth investing in the sound machine and night light, albeit pricy, for convenience—and to avoid the headache of yet another app. “As a Nanit user, this was a really convenient sound machine for me,” says LaBracio. “I'm all in favor of any item of baby gear that simplifies my life, and it was nice to be able to use this in sync with my Nanit monitor that I was already using in my nursery. You can operate the sound machine via the main Nanit app—no need to toggle back and forth between two different apps—which I liked.”

The sleek machine comes with 11 sound options, and there’s a good variety, from calming white noise to tranquil nature sounds to please even the pickiest baby. LaBracio also appreciates the customization options “so you can find the light and sound options that work best for you” and save your faves for the next nap or nighttime. Users can create custom wake routines, bedtime routines and more, all with a unique light color so it functions as a toddler clock too. 

The only complaint reviewers have is that the app can be buggy, often disconnecting the sound machine, which can be a pain.

Additional Specs

• Dimensions: 5” x 3.5” x 3.5”

• Sounds: 11

• Special features: Can set up custom routines and save favorite sound/light combinations, app-controlled via the main Nanit app

• Power source: USB rechargeable battery, plus power adapter for use at home or on the go

If you’re looking for a sound machine without all the bells and whistles, the longstanding Yogasleep Dohm, which has been lulling littles and their parents to sleep since 1962, is your best option. The Dohm has the official stamp of approval from the National Sleep Foundation and, not surprisingly, was the second most popular sound machine amongst Babylist parents we surveyed. “It creates a soothing windy white noise that is absolutely key to helping baby fall and stay asleep,” remarks one parent. 

What sets the Dohm apart from other sound machines on our list is not that it only offers one sound, but that its beloved white noise is generated by an actual fan with an adjustable speed (there are two settings), volume and tone so you can find the perfect setting to soothe your child. “White noise is calming for babies, as it sounds similar to what it sounds like inside the womb,” explains certified infant sleep consultant Carolynne J. Harvey, founder of Dream Baby Sleep. “It actually switches on the calming reflex in your baby’s brain, allowing him or her to fall asleep more easily. There are other benefits, too: it drowns out background noise, helping them get uninterrupted sleep, and it's a great part of a sleep routine.”

The Dohm doesn’t connect to an app. There are no set sleep schedules or library of sounds or night light options or plethora of buttons. But this simplicity is why it shines, and why it’s an easy first choice for some parents. The Dohm also needs to be plugged in, so you’ll want to be sure to place it a safe distance (seven feet+) from your child’s crib or bassinet. (According to Yogasleep, at six feet the maximum decibel level of the Dohm Natural is 58.1dB. The AAP recommends 50 dB or lower, while the CDC recommends under 60 dB, according to Barclay.)

Some Babylist reviewers have complained about a loud rattling sound coming from the Dohm when used at the highest setting over time, but that isn’t the norm for most people.

Additional Specs

• Dimensions: 5.62”L x 5.62”W x 3.97”H

• Sounds: One

• Special features: White noise created by real fan with adjustable speed, volume and tone

• Power source: 7-foot 120V AC plug