I tried the Sweet ZZZ white noise machine for a month and believe it's invented the opposite of coffee 😴

Why do I need a Sweet ZZZ white noise machine? Well it's been a while (ahem 31 years) since I've had a mobile above my bed to get me to sleep. A lot has happened while adulting — job(s), bills, marriage — so, you could say I'm no longer sleeping like a baby.

Touted as one of the best white noise machines on the market, this appliance by Sweet ZZZ has a whole lot of pacifying perks to aid my beauty sleep. It has a whopping 29 background sounds to choose from and is perfect if your partner or roommate snores!

Quick menu:
1. 2-minute review
2. Important stuff
3. What I love
4. What I didn't love
5. How to use
6. Where to buy
7. How we review

I'm a bit of a health enthusiast, and I try to get at least eight hours of sleep a day, take a magnesium supplement (consult your doctor before doing the same), and try to turn off *most* devices around bedtime — and cell notifications. So I thought I'd give this a try to see if it could zhuzh up my sleep schedule. In short, it has defo improved my sleep hygiene (nothing to do with bacteria FYI) and the quality of deep sleep I have.

What I thought of the Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

At under $70, the Sweet Zzz white noise machine is an affordable purchase that'll pay dividends for years to come. You really can't put a price on good sleep so this is a worthwhile investment if you can be pacified by sounds. The menu itself is crammed full of familiar echoes of nature-inspired choruses, as well as scientifically-proven soothing notes. Whether you live in a noisy apartment block, are currently stressed out and need some extra sleep support, or have children, this multifunctional machine can suit anyone from 0-100+

Christina Chrysostomou

Christina Chrysostomou reviewed this white noise machine for just under a month, using it in her bedroom instead of listening to a podcast or book. This is her first white noise machine, so admittedly she didn't have anything to compare it to. However, she did look at other white noise machine reviews to manage my expectations of what to look out for and listen to. What's more, a couple of years ago, she worked in a private hospital (which ran sleep experiments on British celebrities for a TV show), so she has knowledge of the science behind deep (REM) sleep.

Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine info

• Charging voltage: DC 5 V
• Charging time: 2.5 hours
• Loudspeaker specification: 52 mm 2Ω5W
• THD: ≤1%
• SNR: ≥ 78 dB
• Battery capacity: 3.7 V/1200 mAh
• Product size (mm): H112.5 x W79.1 x L96.7
• Port functions: Type-V USB DC 5V charging port

What I loved about the Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

It has a 12-hour battery life
Always a perk when it comes to any type of electronic. I've had this plugged into a wall socket, but once you have enough juice, you can disconnect the cord and use it as a portable white noise machine. While it's charging, the indicator light will show solid red. Once it's reached 100%, it'll go green.

It can memorize your favorite settings
Sort of like a last dialed feature on your phone, the machine remembers what setting you used before.

It has a timer option
With the Sweet Zzz white noise machine, you can choose between 30, 60, and 90 minutes of play or freestyle with continuous play. I think the half-hour option is more than enough, but I have used the "a la carte" option over the set menu sitch.

You can use headphones
Sometimes your college roomy or BF/GF might not need a li'l extra help counting sheep. And, you've got to respect that, right? Thankfully, you can plug in some wired headphones and enjoy this sound bath, solo. It would be great if, in the next iteration of the product, Sweet Zzz could introduce a Bluetooth hook-up so that I could use my Apple AirPods (or any other wireless accessories).

The soothing night lights
I was one of those kids who begged their mom for glow-in-the-dark stars and decals on the wall, but this is a nice (less permanent) solution that you can switch off. My favorite is the light amber option (top row, third in) as my gray decor can feel a little glum at times. You can alter the brightness by holding down the button, too!

It's ROHS Certified
Whether or not you have children, the fact that this gets the green light from the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive 2002/95/EC is a good sign. In simple terms, this bit of legislation limits the amount of hazardous chemicals in electronics.

It has variable levels of volume
I trialed this by using the speaker icons and found that the maximum volume is a little too loud for my liking. It does "ding" when it has reached the top level.

It has a cute string for hanging
Personally, I placed mine on my mirrored bedside table, but if you don't have small bedroom furniture by your bed, you can hang this where appropriate.

It's lightweight (but durable)
Though it weighs less than a pound, I've knocked it off the side of my bedside table a couple of times. My bedroom floor is carpeted, but I'd guess that it'll still work if you accidentally knocked it on hard flooring. Don't hold me to that, obvi, as I haven't "tested" this, but it does have a one-year warranty in case you genuinely break it.

Most of the sounds are great

Bird song
I happen to live in the suburbs, so I see and hear various birds (including parakeets). Anyone whose most exotic neighborhood species is a pigeon — this one is for you. The audio is sweet and flute-like. Even when I'm not sleeping, I might just pop this on when I'm working from home or in the bath for a fast track to a spa-like experience.

Crickets
IDK why, but the sound of crickets chirping just reminds me of warm balmy vacations in Europe. To me, it's such a soothing sound (if you can get past the fact that they make it by rubbing their leathery front wings together. Gross.

Fireplace
Ahhh, autumnal nights. Why do we have to wait half the year to enjoy the sound of hot embers? Sure, there's no warmth or glistening, but if you want crackling audio without the fire risk, this setting is hot stuff.

Thunder and rain
Now unless you need your thunder buddy (like the cuddly bear from Ted), this could be quite relaxing. The trickling rain does legit make you want to snuggle under the covers, but the occasional roar could wake you just as you've secured your first-class ticket to dream world.

Waves
I love playing with water on the beach and hearing waves crashing, but if you need to pee — don't do it. This sound will only make a full bladder feel uncomfortable IMO. Same with the stream.

What I didn't love about the Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

Not all the noises are great

White noise
If you're not used to the sound of white noise, it can sound a li'l... well, weird. It's like a continuous, monotonous "fuzz," so don't expect any crescendo a la Troy Bolton. Instead, you'll be soaring and flying into the land of snooze.

Fan
Anyone who lives in the city (above a bodega or fast food restaurant) will be all too familiar with a ventilation fan so this option might seem a little unnecessary. My grandpops owned a traditional British fish and chip shop in London, and I associate this sound with the smell of a fryer. Not. for. me.

Train passing
As above, though I live near a train station (which is super handy to commute to the office) — I don't want to hear it! It's a totally personal and subjective opinion though as I understand that the gentle rumbling can be quite relaxing.

Ticking clock/pendulum
Pass! For me, it's either giving the intro of Britney's Hit Me Baby One More Time... which, oh baby, baby is the last thing I want to hear when I'm going to sleep.

Dripping faucet
Nope just nope. This one — just why. Most small apartments aren't perfect, and this just makes me paranoid that I've got a leaking pipe, among many other plumbing repairs that need to be addressed. Mr. Landlord, if you're reading this: we're good.

Hushing sound
IDK any other way to describe this one. In fact, I thought it was a shushing sound, and my husband thought it was a rainstick instrument. One thing we did agree on is that neither of us were into it.

Womb sound/lullaby sounds
I can imagine this one would be good for new moms who want to replicate the pre-birth environment for their baby. But it's not for me. Sorry, not sorry (ask me when we've got a kid in a crib and I need some sleep). The same opinion goes for the lullaby. The only mobile I have is on charge and do not disturb.

How to use this Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

Unboxing: The package itself is pretty simple. The white noise machine is housed in a sage green and white cardboard box. Once you open it, there is an appropriately-sized wrapper bag (I guess to stop the box from marking it in transit) with instructions on how to properly dispose of it.

Operation: The Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine is pretty easy to operate. And if the icons aren't clear enough, there's a little pamphlet that comes included to explain it all. It has nine soft buttons with pictograms detailing what each does.

Where to buy the Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

You can buy this white noise machine directly from Sweet ZZZ for $69.50 (with free two-day delivery) or from Walmart for $69.50

How we reviewed the Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

As with everything we review, we make sure to pair our reviewer and the product we need to review to ensure these two factors will work well together. I reviewed this white noise machine as I often need a YouTube video on my iPad or at least a podcast on Spotify to settle myself to sleep.