Yogasleep Travelcube review

30-second review

The Yogasleep Travelcube is a compact white noise machine that's a good choice if you struggle to settle down and sleep in an unfamiliar bed – though it's not the most portable or versatile machine around.

Although it's not huge (you can hold it in one hand quite easily), the Yogasleep Travelcube isn't much smaller than many full-sized white noise machines like the HoMedics Deep Sleep Mini, which offer many more options and better sound quality. It's not the lightest travel white noise machine we've tested, either – that award goes to the LectroFan Micro2.

That said, it's very easy to use, and would be a good choice for an older person or anyone with limited dexterity in their hands. There are just five buttons, which are all large and clearly labelled. It's strange that the Yogasleep Travelcube's controls are on the underside though, as it means you have to pick the whole unit up to use them. Locating the controls on the side seems like a better option, particularly since the Travelcube has a non-slip base that would stop it sliding around while you used them.

There are only six sound to choose from, but they're all high quality recordings and (with the exception of the piano version of Brahm's Lullaby) we were unable to spot the points where they looped round.

Price and availability

• Affordably priced
• Widely available

The Yogasleep Travelcube costs $20.99 / £34.99 (about AU$42) direct from Yogasleep, or from third-party retailers like Amazon worldwide. That makes it Yogasleep's cheapest portable sound machine, and one of the most affordable white noise machines we've tested to date.

It's also a little cheaper than the LectroFan Micro2  in the US and Australia (this smaller device is available for $34.95 / £34.95 / AU$69.99).

Design

• Not as small as LectroFan Micro2
• Practical, easy to carry design
• Controls on underside

The Yogasleep Travelcube is a square, pillow-shaped device, measuring 90 x 90 x 44mm and weighing 180g (measured using our digital caliper and scale). That's considerably larger than the LectroFan Micro2, and almost twice as heavy (our Micro2 tipped the scale at 96g).

The Travelcube's case is hard plastic, with a loop on one corner and a lanyard so you can tie it somewhere if there's no flat surface available. The speaker on top of the device is covered in light gray fabric, and a ring of soft silicone on the bottom prevents the device sliding around on your nightstand. 

On the underside you'll also find the controls: a power button; a timer that will turn the machine off after 30 minutes, one hour, or two hours; a button to switch between audio effects; and the volume buttons. It's charged using a USB-C cable (supplied), which plugs into a port on the side of the unit.

Performance

• No noticeable looping (except on lullaby)
• No Bluetooth speaker option
• Easy to operate

Unlike the smaller LectroFan Micro2, the Yogasleep Travelcube doesn't moonlight as a Bluetooth speaker. This is just a noise machine – and a very well built one, at that. The Travelcube is solidly made, and although it's not exceptionally light, its sturdy plastic shell took quite a few knocks while being carried around during our tests, and doesn't have a scratch to show for it. It comes with a one-year limited warranty too, which protects you in the event of a manufacturing fault.

The design is user-friendly, and easy to operate. The Travelcube is controlled with just five physical buttons, all of which are large and clearly labelled, which would make this white noise machine a good choice for users with vision problems, or parents who want to operate it in a darkened room without disturbing their child.

There are six sounds to choose from: white noise, brown noise, a piano rendition of Brahm's lullaby, rain, and crashing waves. It's not a huge selection, but the sounds available are high quality recordings , and we were unable to spot when the colored noise and nature effects looped (something that can be an issue with cheaper sound machines). The volume controls let you adjust the sound in very small increments, and the lowest setting is very faint; some white noise machines we've tested have been quite loud even with their volume at its minimum, so this is a welcome feature.

One of the Yogasleep Travelcube's best features is its timer, which can switch the speaker off after 30 minutes, an hour, or two hours. Many people only need white or other ambient noise to help them fall asleep, not throughout the whole night, and the timer helps greatly extend the machine's battery life. It has a battery life of around eight hours, but thanks to the timer you'll only need to charge it once or twice a week rather than daily.

The fact that the controls are on the underside of the Travelcube is a little strange. On one hand, it means Yogasleep's designers have been able to make all the buttons large and clearly labelled accessibility, but on the other, you have to pick up the device to make any changes to the sounds and settings. It's not a major hardship, but something you might prefer to avoid if you've settled down in bed.

First reviewed March 2022

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This article is part of TechRadar's Sleep Week 2022 (running from Sunday 13 to Saturday 19 March), a week-long celebration of all things slumber. We'll be bringing you proven techniques and tips to help you sleep better, and have rounded-up all the top-rated tech to transform your sleep.

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