THE BEST DEALS OF THE DAY
30 second review
The LectroFan Mini2 is a portable white noise machine that doubles as a mini Bluetooth speaker when you're on the go, and if you're having a hard time fitting into hotel rooms, it could be invaluable.
LectroFan makes a wide variety of sound machines to block out distractions and help you focus on your work or fall asleep at night. As the name suggests, most of them use a physical fan to generate noise. This has a huge advantage over other machines that play recorded audio files, as the noise never loops or repeats (which can be very annoying).
If you'd rather fall asleep to your favorite podcast or a dreamscape from the Calm app, the LectroFan Micro2 doubles as a portable Bluetooth speaker, and the sound is way better than you might expect. Sure, it's not going to top our picks for the best wireless speakers anytime soon, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a smaller one that delivers sound this clearly.
Our only real complaint is that, unlike some portable white noise machines, the LectroFan Micro2 doesn't have a timer that turns it off after a while to save battery life. This is something many other white noise machines offer, so it's a bit surprising that LectroFan overlooked it.
- LectroFan Micro2 (White) on Amazon for €34.95
It's not a deal breaker though, notably this little machine can keep putting out soothing fan and rain sounds for several nights between charges.
Price and Availability
- Cheaper than a full size noise machine
- Available worldwide
The LectroFan Micro2 costs $34,95 / £34,95 / AU$69,99 and is widely available from various stores including Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
That's considerably cheaper than most full-size white noise machines that plug into an outlet, including the $49.95 / £49.95 / AU$89.95 LectroFan Classic, but if you're on a tight budget, you can. You might prefer to opt for an under-the-pillow speaker like Roberts Radio Pillow Talk, which you can use with a free white noise app on your phone.
Integrated
- Very small
- Adjustable speaker grill
- USB-C charging
The LectroFan Micro2 is a nice little white noise machine that looks like a little fish tank. It measures 52 x 52 x 53mm (much smaller than machines like the LectroFan Classic) and has a soft-touch casing topped off with a black speaker grill that can be twisted for directional sound.
On the side, you'll find a USB-C charging port, as well as a switch to toggle between Bluetooth speaker mode, sleep sounds, and off. There are also controls for playing or pausing audio, skipping backwards or forwards between tracks, and adjusting the volume.
It's available in black, white, blue, and red, although not all retailers carry the full range of colors.
Performance
- Wide selection of sound effects.
- No noticeable loop
- no timer
The LectroFan Micro2 is extremely easy to use. For ambient noise, simply move the switch to the "Zzz" position and playback will start instantly. There are 11 effects to choose from, but since this little machine doesn't contain a mechanical fan, they're full-size LectroFan machines, they're pre-recorded clips that run on a loop.
That said, we couldn't detect when this loop occurred, which kept us from getting distracted. There's a mix of fan noises (some of which include a mechanical hum in the background), as well as white noise and rain sounds.
The rain sounds aren't as detailed as what Rainy Mood offers, for example (can't tell the occasional big drop) and there's no customization beyond changing the volume, but when you just want something to help mask background noise works fine. We liked that the various effects cover a wide range of tones so you can find something to mask the particular noise keeping you awake, whether it's a shrill car alarm or the whirring of a washing machine, and the volume controls work in increments. very small so you have a lot of control.
Battery life is also good; We found that it easily lasted two full nights between charges, which is much better than many sleeping headphones.
Flip the switch to Bluetooth mode and you can connect your phone to the LectroFan Micro2 just like any other wireless speaker (you'll hear an audio alert when connected successfully). It's definitely not a Sonos One, but the LectroFan Micro2 sounds a lot better than you'd expect given its price and the fact that it's primarily designed to reproduce fan noises. Its sound lacks a bit of depth and is a bit tinny, but for occasional use on the go, it's excellent.
At this price, you don't get extras like Alexa or Google Home compatibility, but the LectroFan Micro2 does have a built-in microphone in its little case, allowing you to use it for hands-free phone calls.
There are a few features that would make the LectroFan Classic even better: a timer like the one on the Yogasleep Travelcube to mute the sound after a certain period and save battery life, and a travel case included in the price. LectroFan makes a case that can be purchased separately, but for a small portable speaker designed to be thrown in a bag or suitcase it would make sense for it to come with some protection as standard.
First revision in March 2022
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This article is part of TechRadar's Sleep Week 2022 (Sunday, March 13 to Saturday, March 19), a week-long celebration of all things sleep. We'll give you proven techniques and tips to help you sleep better, and we've rounded up all the top-rated technology to transform your sleep.
THE BEST DEALS OF THE DAY