myOurReview

One-minute review The HoMedics Sound Spa Rejuvenate is a simple device the plays white noise and nature effects to mask unwanted sound – and it does so very well. Its nature sounds may not be the best quality, but they work, and in our tests cancelled out the noise of traffic, dogs barking, and loud neighbors. It's also extremely easy to use, which would make it a particularly good choice for older users who may struggle with the complex menus and settings of some other sound machines. It can run from either mains electricity or batteries, so it's also a good choice for travellers who want to get a good night's rest in a loud hotel. There are six sounds to choose from: thunder, summer night, ocean, brook, white noise, and rain. That's not as many as you get with the Lectrofan Classic , but it's understandable considering the Sound Spa Rejuvenate's lower price. The rain effect was our favorite, although all were fine for blocking out unwanted noise. Don'...

One-minute review It might not look like much, but the modestly designed Lectrofan Classic has the ability to drown out even the loudest of noises. The volume is adjustable, but even on the lowest setting we found it blocked out the loud traffic noise from outside, as well as a barking dog, and even a doorbell. It certainly does a good job of masking disturbances. There are 20 sounds you can choose from; 10 different electric fan vibrations and 10 variations of white noise (including pink and brown noise). It does take some time though to get used to what you prefer, and different settings work well in different situations. We found the noise of the low fan helped block out a neighbour’s chatter when we were working in the day, and for bedtime the brown noise was extremely effective at blocking out a partner's snores. It also masked the loud noise of teenagers slamming doors shut at night. The Lectrofan Classic has a timer you can set for how long you want it to stay on for. W...

30-second review The Philips Somneo (also known as SmartSleep) is one of the best wake-up lights we've tested, with a gentle and realistic sunrise that wakes you gradually, phasing through red, then orange, yellow and white to avoid jarring you awake. Its unusual shape provides soft, even illumination that fills the room. We were particularly impressed by the snooze function (something lacking from most wake-up lights), which lets you doze for an extra nine minutes before waking you again. It's controlled using a touchscreen on the bottom of the lamp, which disappears when not in use. Here you can adjust the wake-up time and duration, choose a sound to wake up to, and pick the brightness level. You can add an alarm noise as well. There are several to choose from, or you can opt for FM radio instead. Unfortunately there's no DAB option with this model, but you can create two alarm profiles (one for weekdays and one for weekends, for example). The Somneo has a sty...

Two-minute review The Beurer SE 80 SleepExpert is a contact-free sleep tracker that slips under your mattress, much like the Withings Sleep Analyzer . Unfortunately, in our tests it proved unreliable, and often failed to record our sleep accurately. The SleepExpert includes a heart rate monitor, plus sensors to track your respiratory rate and movement during sleep. It uses this data to calculate your REM sleep, deep sleep, and time spent awake. The app is easy to use, but is a little time-consuming to set up. Although you can choose to only supply your name, email address, and a password to log into your account, the device works best when you enter your gender, height and weight as well, plus the number of people who sleep in your bed. Once that's done, however, you can simple leave the SleepExpert plugged in and receive a detailed analysis of your sleep in the morning. That's the theory, at least. Unlike the Withings Sleep Analyzer, which is a wide mat, the SleepExpert ...