Top 5 Alarm Clocks
Best For Memory Loss: American Lifetime Day Clock Best Faux Wood Clock: JALL Digital Alarm Clock Best Sunlight Simulation: Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light Best Charging Function: DreamSky Compact Digital Alarm Clock Best Analog Clock: Peakeep Twin-Bell Alarm Clock
Best For Memory Loss: American Lifetime Day Clock
This alarm clock lets you set up to five daily alarms, which is useful for reminding you to take medications, eat meals, empty the dishwasher, and perform other daily tasks in addition to waking you up. Its other features include an easy-to-set scrolling menu and an automatic dimmer.
Key Features
Digital format Five color options Up to five daily alarms Alarm and brightness adjustments Day of the week and date displays One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers said that this product helped loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia maintain their daily routines. Many also appreciated that the packaging didn’t mention memory loss, making it a good gift. Dissatisfied customers said that the clock displayed inaccurate times or stopped working altogether.
Best Faux Wood Clock: JALL Digital Alarm Clock
This alarm clock can ring three times per day, which is useful for partners who have varying sleep schedules. It also features an LED display for easy readability. This display automatically turns off after five seconds to conserve energy.
Key Features
Digital format Four color options Up to three daily alarms Alarm and brightness adjustments Temperature and humidity readings
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers said that the clock was easy to read and use and had a stylish design. However, some customers said that its temperature and humidity readings were inaccurate. Other customers didn’t like that they couldn’t view the time and temperature simultaneously.
Best Sunlight Simulation: Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light
This light-simulating alarm clock from Philips wakes you by mimicking the sunrise and puts you to sleep by mimicking sunset. The alarm clock also has five natural wake-up sounds that can be paired with the light as well as 20 brightness levels that can help you use the clock as a lamp for nighttime reading.
Key Features
Digital format Alarm and brightness adjustments FM radio Two-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Happy customers said that this alarm clock helped them read more books and reduce their nighttime smartphone usage. However, a handful of customers mentioned that the product stopped working soon after the warranty expired.
Best Charging Function: DreamSky Compact Digital Alarm Clock
This alarm clock features two-inch LED digits for easy readability and an adjustable dimmer for customizable brightness. From the back of this alarm clock, you can change the alarm, adjust the volume, and charge electronic devices.
Key Features
Digital format Seven color options Alarm and brightness adjustments USB charging port
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers praised this digital alarm clock for its large display, which many people said was visible even without glasses. Users also loved its intuitive design and dimmer option. Unhappy customers mentioned issues with the numbers burning out or the time displaying inaccurately.
Best Analog Clock: Peakeep Twin-Bell Alarm Clock
This analog alarm clock has two bells for a retro look and a loud alarm for waking people with narcolepsy or hearing loss. It also has a button that lights its display to help you see the time in the dark.
Key Features
Analog format Five color options Backlight 90-day warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers praised this clock for its ability to wake deep sleepers as well as its easy setup and vintage look. However, some customers said that the product was unreliable, with one person saying that the leg fell off and another saying that the time was inaccurate.
Buyer’s Guide
Read our buying guide below to learn about the top alarm clock factors that can aid you as you make your purchasing decision.
Clock Type
There are two types of alarm clocks.
Analog: Analog alarm clocks show you the time with hands. They have a retro look, but they don’t come with a lot of bells and whistles. You can usually only set them to go off at one time with one tone. Digital: Digital alarm clocks show you the time in numbers. They can come with several bonus features, including Bluetooth connectivity, charging ports, snooze buttons, and customizable tones and brightnesses.
Readability
Whether you select an alarm clock with a digital display or analog hands, the time should be easy to read. The numbers should be large and bright, allowing you to lean over at night in the darkness to see them.
Dimmability
Some alarm clocks have a dimming function. This allows you to tailor their brightness when you want more light while you’re reading in bed and when you want darkness while you’re sleeping.
Alarm
Some alarm clocks use harsh, loud sounds to wake deep sleepers, while others use relaxing nature sounds to slowly wake light sleepers. Some alarm clocks, especially digital ones, will give you several alarm options to choose from.
Ease of Use
Adjusting your clock’s settings shouldn’t be complicated. A good alarm clock should be straightforward, even if it does have extra features.
How are alarm clocks powered?
It depends on the clock. You can find models that plug into the wall and models that use batteries. Some alarm clocks offer both options to keep them running if the power goes out in the middle of the night.
What’s a vibrating alarm clock?
These alarm clocks usually pair vibrations with tones to wake you. They’re usually placed under a pillow or somewhere else in the bed, making them good for waking deep sleepers.
How much do alarm clocks cost?
It depends on the type of alarm clock and what features it has. Basic analog clocks cost around $10, while basic digital clocks cost around $20. If you want a digital alarm clock with a lot of bells and whistles, expect to pay $40–$100.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
