Big Red Rooster Sound Machine - 6 Sleep Sounds - Portable White Noise Machine for Office Privacy & Adult Sleeping - Compact Travel or Home - Dual Power Options - Black

Since the time our twins were babies, they slept in the same room. We used a music player and bought some "white noise" music so our kids could listen to some soothing sounds to help them sleep. After our twins got their own rooms, we didn't have another music player so one of our kids didn't have any soothing sounds for a little while. A couple months ago, my son said his room was too quiet so I just happened to find this sound machine really quickly. It was a great price and it seemed to be just what we were looking for so we ordered it.This sound machine is a great option if you simply want a sound machine for someone's bedroom or you want one to use for travel. You can even use it for both options! The actual machine is small and compact so it doesn't take up a lot of space. It measures 4 3/8 inches long, 4 inches deep, and 2 1/2 inches high. It's white and the front of the machine is the speaker so it projects a good amount of sound. There are six sound settings: rain, brook, thunder, white noise (aka static), ocean, and summer night. There are also buttons for power, timers (15, 30, and 60 minutes), and volume up and down. There are two options for the power source. You can either use the included AC adaptor or three AA batteries, the latter of which are not included. This machine is made in China.My son was so excited when this arrived! We just opened the box, took it straight to his room, plugged it in, and started testing it out. He's almost five so it's really easy for him to use because he can press the buttons himself and he knows how to use the volume and power buttons. We've tried out all of the sounds and he prefers "brook" best because it's just bubbling water sounds. The thunder one can be a bit loud and he's scared of storms so we don't use that one currently. Also, when that one is turned up louder, the thunder sounds tinny coming out of the speaker. The rest of the sounds are nice, relaxing, and sound natural.The other thing I really like about it is that my son sleeps better because of it! He wakes up occasionally during the night but he doesn't wake up scared because he heard a strange sound. At first I was thinking that we had to choose how long the sounds would play but we don't! The sounds will stay on all night until you turn it off in the morning unless you choose a timer.Overall, we are very happy with this purchase and the price was just what we had hoped to pay! Our son has slept better since we got it and it's easy for him to use himself. I love that it stays on all night and the sounds are soothing for him. It's also a great size for traveling so we can just pack it up in a suitcase to take it with us. We haven't tried out other sound machines but so far, we are very happy with this one and recommend it if you want a good, yet inexpensive sound machine!

A story: construction has begun nearby me, and the ground works make my house shake. I can feel it in my bed, and can hear the whirl of heavy machinery inside my bedroom. That's what caused me to buy this noise maker. I needed something to restore my sleep, or at least some of it, if possible.Overall, if you are thinking about a noise maker, think about what it can and can't do. It can't drown out everything, or keep my bed from shaking ever so slightly in the wee hours of the morning. But it can disrupt the sound of machinery and give me a chance at falling, and staying, back asleep. And it does, for which I am thankful.Oh, and I bought this from some new parents that have been using it for several months and recommended it. I figure if it was good enough for a baby, then maybe it'd help me sleep like one.Real review time:Pros:I like that it has a plug, and also the capability for batteries, meaning I can take it on the road (camping, or a hotel room with poor plug situations). Furthermore, the six sounds it has means I can vary from one to the other, so if one noise isn't helping me sleep at night I can try another one. I've played around with all six of them, and have my favorites, but all of them work well. It also has three different timer settings, which I use to help me fall asleep (rather than worrying about staying asleep in the mornings) which I greatly appreciate. It can also be left on, which is nice for having it playing throughout the night and into the morning. It is simple, easy to use, and just does the one thing it is supposed to do: make noise that helps one sleep (or concentrate if you want to use it at work for nice background noise, but that's a different type of review). The sound is good from softest to loudest (I like somewhere in the middle), and it is small, compact, and aesthetically pleasing.Cons:At this time, I can't think of any. I hope that it lasts a long time, so I have some additional testing to do.Price though:I got mine for almost half off, which makes this more than worth the value. Would I have paid the full price and been as happy? No, but I'd still be sleeping just as well, which means I'd still be happy. And at sub-$20 price for which I got it, this is more than worth it.