This $50 Sound Machine Is My Secret Hack For Amazing Sleep

As an editor, one of the main perks of the job is receiving thoughtful, and often surprising, press gifts and packages in the mail. In one such package from a brand of luxuriously soft sheets — not related to Lasko at all, ironically — I also received the Lasko SlumberBreeze 2-in-1 Small Table Fan and White Noise Machine. Before trying it out, I had truthfully never even considered buying myself a white noise machine. As I've described in other product reviews, I'm generally a fairly good sleeper and am lucky to say when I hit the pillow, I'm generally out for the night.

All that changed, however, when I moved into my new apartment in a busier-than-expected part of Santa Monica. While any major city can be loud, this particular neighborhood has some early morning trash truck drive-bys, busy traffic noise pollution, and occasional late-night noise from other city-dwellers. While they weren't a total dealbreaker, all were definitely loud enough to interrupt my usually soundless slumber — which is why I was pleasantly surprised by the Lasko sound machine. I decided to set it up right next to my bed.

​(While I did receive the Lasko SlumberBreeze 2-in-1 Small Table Fan and White Noise Machine for free, all of the following thoughts and opinions expressed below are my own and are not influenced by Lasko, in any way.)

If you're in need of a serious sound-blocking or white noise machine, this particular model from Lasko is probably not what you need. Instead, this little guy is perfect for those who have minimal to low noise around them or simply enjoy the sound of a whirring fan as they snooze. The fan itself is only eight inches tall and about five inches wide in all directions, so it's perfect for a nightstand, bookshelf, or even desk. It includes two buttons on the front — one for power and one for oscillation — a USB port for charging, and a dial on the top that features five white noise frequency settings so you can select the best sound for you. While all of that may sound complicated, it's actually a very simple and easy-to-use device. I rarely mess with the noise frequency dial, since I find that the default noise does the job perfectly.

It plugs into the wall, so you'll need an outlet nearby, but once it's powered up, you can use it immediately.

While I have so far loved my experience with the fan-meets-sound machine, no thorough review is complete without a pros and cons list.

Pros

The device is simple, small, and budget-friendly at $49.99. If you're not sure if a white noise machine is the best purchase for you, it's a great entry into the category since it's compact and includes a fan for dual-purpose use. On the note of the fan, I'm the type of person who likes having a gentle breeze while I sleep no matter the season, so I love that it has that addition. I also like that it's rather quiet for being a sound machine. It drowns out every single sound during the night and now I find myself missing it if I'm staying somewhere without it. Some users may think it's ​too​ quiet and prefer a machine that has various sound profiles like waves or nature sounds, etc., but I like that this just sounds like a fan that happens to also drown out the traffic noises outside my building.

There's nothing about the Lasko SlumberBreeze white noise machine I consider a con. However, after perusing some of the comments on Amazon, I did notice a few recurring complaints from users. First, the dial on the top to adjust the noise frequency is a bit confusing as all of the options are pretty similar. That doesn't bother me — I like the standard fan noise — but if you wanted something with different options, this might not be the best model for you. Further, a few different commentators were less than pleased with the volume level of the gadget. It is rather quiet compared to other noise machines on the market, but I don't think I would like something that adds additional noise (even if it covers the outdoor noise). If you want something that's a tad higher than straight ambient noise, again, this might not be the model for you.

In my opinion, it is! If you want a small, but solid, fan and white noise machine hybrid, you can't go wrong with the SlumberBreeze. It's compact, affordable, and it offers the perfect level of ambient noise to block out random traffic and neighbor sounds that might pop up around you. There's no doubt it has improved my sleep by allowing me to drown out the city sounds around me.

Lasko SlumberBreeze 2-in-1 Small Table Fan and White Noise Machine, $49.99

Amazon