My rowdy neighbors are no match for this small yet mighty white noise machine

Yahoo

10-03-2025

Hi, I'm Britt, and in honor of Sleep Week, here's a fun fact about me: I happen to live right across the street from the noisiest neighbors on the planet. Alright, I might be exaggerating, but when I'm trying to fall asleep and it's clear that their night is only just getting started? Yeah, it certainly feels that way. Add a snoring spouse into the mix, and getting some shut-eye becomes, well, a challenge. At least, it was — until a little lifesaver called the LectroFan Classic White Noise Machine found its way onto my nightstand. Now? I don't know how I ever slept without it.
In the depths of my cranky-pantsed, sleep-deprived misery, I'd spoken to friends, many of whom live in loud cities, who swear by white noise machines for getting a solid night's slumber, so I thought it couldn't hurt to try one myself. After all, any other noise had to be better than my screaming neighbors, right? After doing some research, I opted for the LectroFan. It boasted more than 10,000 five-star ratings, and I thought its sleek design would look great in my bedroom.
If you're new to the world of white noise, here's how it works: It's essentially a combination of frequencies that can help block out distracting sounds — and that's why so many people rely on it to fall asleep. Among those people, some prefer a higher-pitch sound to send them off to dreamland, some a lower-pitch option. One of the things that drew me to the LectroFan is that it offers 20 sounds: 10 white noise variations and 10 fan sounds. It seemed like the right number of options without being overwhelming, and I was eager to see if it was worth the hype.
The first thing I noticed about the LectroFan was how tiny it was. I knew it would be compact from reading reviews, but this thing was only slightly larger than my not-very-big palm — a plus for people like me who are short on surface space.
Another standout was its minimalist appearance. I'd ordered the white model, which I thought would add a calming presence to my bedroom. I was also hopeful that, in addition to giving it visual appeal, its seven sides would ensure I got at least seven hours of solid sleep!
I'll admit that I'm not remotely savvy when it comes to electronics, so I was pleasantly surprised by how user-friendly the LectroFan was right off the bat. There are only three buttons: one that turns it on and off and sets a timer, one for volume, and one to switch between the white noise and fan sounds. As far as setup goes, all you do is plug the power cord into an outlet, and you're golden.
Once bedtime rolled around, I clicked through the sounds until I found one I thought would drown out outside noise without being disruptive. Admittedly, I thought some of the higher-frequency sounds were too intense and shrill, but there were several lower-sounding options I found a lot more soothing. I was also impressed by the volume settings, which go from whisper-soft to startlingly loud. Since I was going for a more peaceful sleep environment, I went with the quietest setting that still managed to muffle outside noise, got into bed, and hoped for the best.
After just one night with the LectroFan, I was sold. Not only did it block out the commotion on my street, it lulled me into a state of deep relaxation and I drifted off in no time. Since then, I've used my LectroFan to help me fall asleep every night, and it still works just as well as it did the first time.
One of the great things about this machine is that it uses non-looping sounds to keep our brains from picking up on noise patterns, which can minimize effectiveness. This means the sounds are always changing ever so slightly, but I truly can't even tell. My favorites still sound the same night after night, and I find it extremely comforting. The built-in timer is also convenient in case you want the noise to turn off after an hour. I leave mine on all night.
Icing on the cake: Its simple, stylish look will suit pretty much any room, and its wee little size makes it great for travel. After all, anyone who's ever tried sleeping in a hotel room near the elevator or ice machine knows how loud that can be.
I do find myself wishing the LectroFan was battery-powered at times, as outlets can be hard to come by when you're traveling, but it suits my nightly needs just fine. Another slight inconvenience is that if you accidentally click past the sound you want, you have to keep clicking through all of the others to return to it, since there's no back button. That said, you'll have to scroll through 10 sounds at most, so I'm really nitpicking here!
In case it isn't glaringly obvious, I wholeheartedly recommend this little gizmo — but I'm not alone in thinking it's the greatest thing to happen to sleep since beds themselves.
One shopper, who has been using the LectroFan for many blissful years, raved, "This thing has saved my sanity, and possibly my marriage. I bought it in January of 2016, and seven years later, it's going and going and going."
"This is my fifth time buying this sound machine because I've been so happy with it!" wrote a LectroFan loyalist. "We have one in all our kids' rooms, as well as our room and a spare at my mom's house. The sound is easily adjustable ... Another bonus for us is that it doesn't put off any lights/glow. Between cameras, clocks and air purifiers, the last thing I need is another glowing light."
"First off, this thing is tiny!" exclaimed a third enthusiast. "For how small it is, it can still pack a punch! ... I just moved in with roommates who have dogs, and I am very sensitive to noise. This has been a lifesaver to have in my room when I am trying to wind down! The sounds are also very solid ... the only word I can think of is 'smooth.'"
"I work third shift, so I'm sleeping in the mornings when most other people are getting up and heading out to start their day," explained a generally pleased snoozer. "I also live not too far from a school, and busses run nearby my house ... So I really benefit from having some white noise to help block out outside sounds. This device is great. ... The ONLY negative thing I can think of is that I kind of wish the controls were digital rather than analog so it would be easier to differentiate when scrolling through the different sounds."
"I was sick of using an actual box fan every night for white noise," shared a final fan. "This machine is tiny but mighty with the sounds it creates. ... The only drawback of this product is the extremely short cord that connects the machine to the outlet."
While we're on the subject of things I can't sleep without...
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.