You don’t have to be a parent to know that the one thing that often goes out the window when a new baby arrives is sleep. But investing in a solid white noise machine like the Marpac Dohm Classic Natural Sound Machine can help in creating a soothing sleep environment that will help you gain those zzzs back. Since it hit the market in 1962, the Marpac Dohm Classic has developed a cult following—and not just among parents. Fans find the Dohm to be a helpful aid while sleeping at home or in a hotel room or working in the office. My husband and I have had lots of experience with the device. After some bad luck getting our first baby to sleep soundly, we turned to the Marpac Dohm for our second. From the moment we plugged it in and turned it on, we knew we had found the one—and we haven’t looked back since. Read on to see why we think this sound machine is worthy of its buzz.
Design: Basic but effective
At first sight, the Marpac Dohm Classic looks pretty basic—not like some sleep gadgets on the market, which are outfitted with endless bells and whistles that supposedly help get your baby (or you) to sleep. What makes the Marpac stand out amongst the rest, though, is the real fan working inside. It creates an inimitable sound with no grainy synthetic qualities like other sound machines (more on that later). Despite its short, slightly bulky size, the Marpac Dohm Classic blends into its surroundings. It comes in white, black, gray, and tan. Because it plugs in, we didn’t have to worry about it suddenly shutting off in the middle of the night.
Setup Process: One and done
The Marpac Dohm Classic is as simple as it gets. Just take the machine out of the box and plug in the standard 120V plug. This device doesn’t contain a battery like other rechargeable models, so you’ll need to make sure you have an outlet available. We keep ours at the foot of our now 18-month-old son’s crib on the floor, but any even surface will do. The Dohm has one button with two volume settings—high and low—and turning the shell of the sound machine left and right will give you slight variations on the tone. There is no timer. Simply turn it on, select your volume level, and you’re done.
Sound Quality: Loud enough to lull baby to sleep
It didn’t take us long to understand why this device is a favorite. The fan inside delivers a high-caliber natural sound. It’s consistent each time we turn it, with no cracking or skipping. It’s also loud enough to block out external noise, so we were able to lull our baby to sleep with no disruptions. With its soothing ambient sounds of rushing air, the sound environment is simple and unbeatable. We almost always put the volume on high, twisting and turning the cap until we find the perfect deep tone for us. Now after over a year of having the Marpac Dohm, our children, 18 months and 7 years old, know that it’s time to go to sleep once we turn it on. They’ll even remind me to turn it on if I forget. The sound has not varied since the moment we got it—other than those rare moments we’ve put it on an unstable surface, resulting in some rattling.
Range: High impact
This sound machine works for apartments, homes, and offices. The Marpac fills up the room with ambient sound, creating a soothing whooshing sound in our kids’ cozy 10 x 12-foot bedroom. We had doubts about how it would stand up in a larger room, so we brought it on a trip to their grandma’s house. It still held up and made an impact in a room double the size. Placing it by the door will help block out any noise that might disturb the baby’s sleep.
Price: On the higher end
Compared to other sound machines on the market, the Marpac Dohm ($45) is on the slightly higher end of the price range, but it still won’t completely break the bank. Its durability and high-quality real fan sound makes it worth every penny in our opinion—especially since most of the other options use synthetic sound. Plus, the company offers a 101-night trial and a one-year limited warranty.
Competition: Not for tech-lovers
While the Marpac Dohm serves the most natural sound compared to other sound machines, it is not going to be one that helps you track any sleep patterns, nor one that you can program from the other room. Techy parents may want to consider the Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine, another device we tested that can be controlled via an app on your phone. No more tiptoeing back into the baby’s room to turn the noise machine on the old fashioned way. It’s also not the most portable compared to some other sound machines; it needs a plug, and at over 1 pound, it will add some weight to your luggage. We also tested the Marpac Hushh Compact Sound Machine, which, as its name implies, is much more compact at 3.5 x 1.8 x 3.8 inches and 3.84 ounces. The Marpac Dohm Classic Natural Sound Machine has become a solid part of our sleep routine at home; we’re addicted to the fan-based ambient sound, and it’s so simple to use, even our 2-year-old can turn it on. While a little pricier than some of the other sound machines on the market, the Dohm is well worth it for a solid night’s sleep.
