When it comes to improving my quality of sleep, I am open to trying anything. From the latest sleep hacks to the best sleep trackers, if it means I'll get a longer and more restful snooze, I'm all for it. Most of the time, I'm left disappointed. However, this only encourages my search for the perfect sleep devices and methods, and that can only be a good thing.
The latest product to take pride of place on my bedside table is the Groov-e Serenity Sleep Aid Sound Machine. Designed to induce the perfect night's sleep, the Groov-e Serenity plays a range of six soothing sounds that allows its user to drift off peacefully. Despite being a simple (and extremely inexpensive) sleep device, I knew I had to give it a go.
Before you find out my thoughts, have you seen our roundup of the best mattresses? It's a good place to start if you're looking to curate the perfect night's sleep!
Groov-e Serenity review: price and availability
The Groov-e Serenity can be purchased from Amazon and has an RRP of £22.99, with the occasional discount taking place. White is the only colour available.
Groov-e Serenity review: unboxing and set up
Unboxing the Groov-e Serenity was an extremely simple process. I was expecting the device itself to be a little bigger, but the compact design soon grew on me and it fitted nicely on my bedside table.
The box also included a USB C charging cable and instruction booklet. A lot of other sound machines and wake-up lights have to be permanently plugged in to use, so it was a nice surprise that the Groov-e Serenity had a rechargeable battery that lasted a decent amount of time. This makes it a good travel companion or easily transported between bedsides if shared between you and your partner.
Groov-e Serenity review: design and features
The design and features of the Groov-e Serenity are also simple, but in the best way possible. It has a circular structure, measuring 8.5cm in diameter and 3.5cm tall. As mentioned, the white option is the only one available, but its neutral design is bound to blend into most places.
The device has six sound settings, including rain, forest, ocean, relax, calm, and white noise. These are probably the most popular sounds when it comes to sleep aid machines, so I didn't expect to see any others. There's also a timer with three settings (15, 30 and 60 minutes) which allows the sounds to be played for a certain length of time before it stops. Without the timer, each sound will play until the machine is manually turned off.
As you can see below, there's a small LED indicator which tells you what timer setting the machine is one. Each button clearly shows what sound it controls, as well as a - and + button for volume adjustment
The Groov-e Serenity also doubles up as a night light, ideal for a bit of extra comfort or to guide your way if you have to get up in the dark. I'm not a fan of a pitch black room, so having this option was really nice.
There's a button which allows you to turn the LED light on or off, or select breathe mode. This causes the light to dim and brighten rhythmically, mimicking a breathing pattern. However, the light has to accompany a sound, so you can't just have it on without any of the noises playing.
Groov-e Serenity review: performance
I was extremely impressed with the functioning and performance of the Groov-e Serenity, and have found myself using it every night since unboxing. Calm and relax were soft melodies, whereas rain, ocean and forest were nature sounds. Each sound had a large volume range and was certainly effective at creating a sleep-inducing environment.
I tried each of the sounds, deciding that rain and calm were definitely my favourite. I also tried white noise, something I've never understood the fuss about. However, I have friends that swear by it, so I know it can work well.
Once I found a sound I liked, I would then set the timer. If I hadn't been on my phone and had just finished reading a few chapters, I found that the 30 minute setting was enough for me to drift off. If I was feeling a little more energised, I would opt for the 60 minute setting, so it was really useful having the choice.
However, at the end of the timer period, the noise stops abruptly. There were a couple of occasions where this would jolt me awake, especially if I'd selected the 30 minute timer setting. I'm luckily one of those people that can get to sleep again pretty quickly after being woken, so this issue didn't cause too much interruption. However, it would've been preferable for the sound to fade out instead of come to a sudden halt.
I did enjoy the LED light breathe setting, and found it be really soothing. However, I would've liked there to be an option to adjust the light's brightness when it was still, just like the volume buttons. I enjoyed having the light on, but sometimes found it to be a little brighter than I would have wanted.
Groov-e Serenity review: verdict
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed using the Groov-e Serenity Sleep Aid Sound Machine. Despite having a small and compact design, it has proved to be extremely effective in inducing sleep. It features six different soothing sounds and can be doubled up as a night light, making it the perfect addition to your bedside table. I would have preferred the sounds to fade once the timer had stopped and brightness adjustment would have been nice, but the machine's affordable price point and impressive functioning overrides this.
Groov-e Serenity review: alternatives to consider
Whilst we haven't exclusively tried out sleep sound machines before, there are a few products we've covered at T3 that do the same thing. For example, the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 holds the top spot in our best wake-up light buying guide and received five stars in its review. Aside from an array of impressive features, it can play a huge range of wake up and sleep sounds (including 'goat', believe it or not) or the option to play FM radio. It's obviously a lot pricier as you pay for more than just the sounds, but it's a great wellness investment to make.
Another alternative would be the Hatch Baby Rest+. It's a perfect option for those with young children, especially as it allows you to create schedules of sounds and lights to fit in with a routine. There aren't as many sleep sounds as the Groov-e Serenity, but it does have smart features, making it easy to control when across the room or elsewhere.
