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Thanks to modern technology, there are more ways to wake up than ever before. Today’s best alarm clocks have many unique features that are sure to get you out of bed. To help you find the right one for your sleep schedule, we reviewed 10 great models you’re sure to love.

Each entry has its own distinctive qualities for waking you up. Whether through an ear-piercing siren or a slow sunrise, we’re sure there’s one just for you. But first, we’d like to share a couple of our favorite picks with you. This will give you an idea of what’s in store.

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We had many alarm clocks that we felt were simply fantastic. But when it came down to the best overall, we had to give that to Magnasonic’s Projection clock. This feature-packed entry’s main attraction is its built-in projector. This lets you shine the time directly on your walls or ceiling for easy viewing.

Having trouble getting out of bed? Sonic Alert’s Sonic Bomb will put a swift stop to sleeping in. It’s easily the loudest alarm clock we’ve ever heard. This model uses a combination of noise and vibrations to get you up and at ‘em.

Top 10 Best Alarm Clocks

There are eight more great units to go, so let’s dive right in. We’ll look at the above two in greater detail, and we’ll show you some other really neat innovations. From complex to over-simplistic, we’ve got the perfect entry for your needs.


1. Magnasonic Projection Review - Best Overall

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  • Shows temperature
  • Big, bright display
  • Clear projection
  • Battery backup
  • Easy to use
  • Plastic feels cheap
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It’s loaded with features and reasonably-priced. Magnasonic’s Projection clock is our pick as the best overall among our reviews. The display is bright and bold, with big white numbers on a blue background.

You can adjust the display level to be as dim or bright as you prefer. We like that both the time and temperature are shown. Most of us likely have to check our phones in the morning to see what we’re going to wear for the day. With this, just a glance tells you everything you need to know.

The big draw here, though, is the projection feature. The clock is equipped with a rotatable lamp that you can use to position the projection on your walls or ceiling. If you like, this feature can run all the time. This way, all you need to do is open your eyes to check the time.

You can choose to wake up to an alarm, projection, or radio station. And with its dual-alarm setup, you can program two separate alarms to go off.

Other handy features include an auxiliary port so you can listen to external media through the clock’s speaker system. Or, you can listen to the built-in digital AM/FM radio. In the event of a power outage, the clock will automatically restore itself to the proper time and date. This is made possible thanks to a built-in lithium battery.

And when Daylight Savings comes around, this clock will adjust itself for that, as well. With so many advantageous features and its nice price, you’ll be plenty pleased with all that Magnasonic’s Projection clock has to offer.

Features

  • Automatic Daylight Savings adjustment
  • Displays temperature and time
  • 3.5mm auxiliary input
  • Built-in AM/FM radio
  • 3.6-inch LCD clock

Ease of Use

Magnasonic delivers a very accessible and user-friendly alarm clock. Clearly-labeled buttons adorn the unit so you know exactly what you’re doing. With so many useful and fun features, waking up will never be boring again.


2. Sonic Bomb Review - Best for Heavy Sleepers

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  • Great for the hard-of-hearing
  • Extremely loud
  • Very effective
  • User-friendly
  • No built-in radio
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Do you or someone you know have a hard time waking up? If so, you should definitely look into the Sonic Bomb from Sonic Alert. This powerful alarm clock does more than just make noise; it will shake you awake, too! You read that correctly. There’s a small disc attached to the Sonic Bomb that vibrates when it’s time to wake up.

You can place this disc under your mattress or pillow depending on how much jarring you need. This thing shakes rather vigorously, so if you have trouble getting out of bed, this ought to do it.

The Sonic Bomb can be set to emit sounds as loud as 113 decibels. To give you a comparison, that’s like being right next to an ambulance with its sirens on. You can also adjust the alarm tone to better accommodate your needs. Bright red LED lights will even flash if you want. Really, Sonic Alert thought of everything here.

The Sonic Bomb has plenty of helpful features, too. You can adjust the snooze button to activate from anywhere between 1 and 30 minutes. There’s a dual-alarm function that lets you set two individual alarms. And a 9-volt battery keeps the time and date backed up in case of a power outage.

Features

  • Vibrating alarm disc
  • Up to 113 decibels
  • Bright-red LEDs
  • Adjustable tone
  • Built-in dimmer

Ease of Use

This is the perfect gift for those who can’t wake up in the morning or are hard of hearing. The vibration device alone is a huge benefit for the hearing impaired. With all of its unique ways of getting you or your loved ones out of bed, the Sonic Bomb is easily the best tool for the job.


3. Philips SmartSleep Review - Best for Light Sleepers

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  • Very attractive
  • Easy to use
  • Well-built
  • Soothing
  • Quite expensive
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We’ve just learned about the perfect clock for heavy sleepers, but what about those who wake up rather easily? Philips has exactly what you need with the SmartSleep. With its soft, glowing face, its effect emulates the rising sun.

This method works so well, in fact, that the SmartSleep has been clinically proven to improve your mood. Instead of a blaring alarm to snap you out of sleep, let the soothing glow of light gently lift you out of your slumber.

We like the light that the SmartSleep gives off. It starts at a very dim glow. Slowly, the light gets brighter and brighter until you’re fully awake. You can set this process to complete from anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. This ensures that you wake up feeling more refreshed as opposed to a sudden jolt.

This feature can be set to work in reverse, too. This allows you to slowly drift off into sleep. Even better, you can set the SmartSleep to play accompanying sounds to help add to the effect.

If you need sound to help you wake, there are 5 you can choose from. Or, if you like, there’s a built-in FM radio. Set it to your favorite station to wake up to your style of music.

The SmartSleep backs up its settings and data with a battery. This ensures that you don’t miss your wake-up time due to a power outage.

Features

  • PowerBackUp+ feature
  • Simulates sunrise
  • Clinically-proven
  • Built-in FM radio
  • Improves mood

Ease of Use

The digital clock display is beautiful and easy to adjust. Just tap on the labeled areas to access menu settings and other features.


4. Lenovo Smart Clock Review - Most Innovative

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  • Easy voice commands
  • Effective microphone
  • Attractive unit
  • Great display
  • It’s a bit pricey
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If you’re looking for a smarter approach to waking up, Lenovo makes it so with the Smart Clock. Its face closely resembles that of a smartphone, with features that are very similar. And thanks to coming with Google Assistant, you can chat your way to sleep by setting alarm times and other functions.

A built-in speaker works to play your choice of wake-up calls. There’s also a USB port so you can charge your smart device more easily. You can set the display to show you news items and things of that nature, as well.

Thankfully for privacy’s sake, there is not a camera on the Smart Clock. You can safely place it next to your bed and enjoy its many wake-up features. From dimming lights to ambient sound effects, there’s a lot to like here.

The voice commands work really well, even if what’s displayed is a bit limited. It’s nowhere near as robust Google’s Home Hub. But then again, should it be? It’s an alarm clock, and it’s probably better for it.

There’s nothing to get in the way of distracting you before bedtime. You can always use your favorite smart device for that.

Visually, the Smart Clock looks great. It’s wrapped in a soft clock material that feels nice to the touch and won’t scratch up your nightstand. The resolution is sharp and crisp, with large, bold text and fonts.

Features

  • 4-inch touchscreen
  • 400 x 800 display
  • Microphone mute
  • Google Assistant
  • USB input

Ease of Use

Thanks to Google Assistant, voice commands make for hands-free operation. It works really well and helps to make the Smart Clock a user-friendly experience. The touchscreen operations are the icing on the cake.


5. DreamSky Compact Review - Best for Seniors

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  • Highly-accessible
  • Great for seniors
  • Jumbo display
  • Affordable
  • No radio
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The DreamSky Compact alarm clock is simple but effective. It boasts big, bright numbers in a small body. You can choose between several different colors to best match your bedroom. Just keep in mind that you can’t actually change its colors. Once you order one of the models, that’s the color you’re stuck with.

You can, however, adjust the brightness via a wheel. This works well and is easy to operate. In fact, the entire clock is a cinch to use. We like that there are two built-in USB ports. One is for powering the unit while the other can be used to charge an external device.

The alarms are loud and effective. Setting them is very straightforward, as all buttons are clearly labeled on the back of the unit. You can even adjust the loudness of the alarms with a volume wheel.

Features

  • Adjustable volume and brightness
  • Optional battery backup
  • 2-inch jumbo numbers
  • 30 to 90 decibels
  • 2 USB inputs

Ease of Use

The DreamSky Compact alarm clock makes a great gift for seniors. It’s a breeze to set and its huge display makes it nearly-impossible to miss.


6. Marathon Silent Review - Best Classic Style

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  • Silent movement
  • Very easy to use
  • Accurate time
  • Effective
  • Runs on batteries
  • Seems a bit overpriced
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If you’d rather stick with the traditional style of alarm clocks, check out the Marathon Silent. This analog variant works well and features silent ticking, ensuring you have a much easier time drifting off to sleep.

A built-in sensor illuminates the face when it gets dark. It’s a very soft glow and shouldn’t disturb your rest. There are only two buttons to operate the clock: an alarm button and a snooze/light button. If you want simplicity, this is it.

We like that it automatically adjusts for Daylight Savings Time. It should be noted that adjusting for Daylight Savings can take some time depending on your time zone. So don’t assume your clock is broken if it doesn’t immediately set itself to the proper time.

The only real bummer is that it runs strictly on batteries. It would have been nice if this model came with a power cord. Although it does include the two required AA batteries to get you started.

Features

  • Automatic Daylight Savings adjustment
  • Powered by 2 AA batteries
  • Silent hand sweep
  • Built-in night light
  • Lighted face

Ease of Use

There’s not a lot going on with Marathon’s Silent clock. But for many, that will be the biggest draw. It’s a cinch to operate and does its job quite well.


7. Mirari OK to Wake! Review - Best for Kids

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  • Good learning device
  • Kid-friendly
  • Fun design
  • Affordable
  • Clock face doesn’t stay lit
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PlayMonster’s Mirari OK to Wake! Alarm Clock is a fun way to get your kids up and moving. It takes the jarring effects of a standard alarm clock and turns it into a friendly experience.

Children often wake up long before adults, so PlayMonster developed a way to keep the little ones in their room instead of waking up the whole house.

Mirari is a cute little green hunk of plastic that resembles a pet robot more than it does a clock. Its display toggles between digital eyes and the current time. You set the time when you want your kids to come out of their room. So let’s say they usually wake up at 6AM, but you don’t get up until 7AM.

Mirari will light up green when 7AM rolls around, letting your child know it’s OK to leave their room. The idea here is to have your child play quietly in their room until they see Mirari light up. There’s also an actual alarm sound if you wish to use Mirari as a means to wake your little ones.

And for bedtime, Mirari turns yellow to help children fall asleep. It uses a micro-USB cable for power, but also has a battery backup in case of a power failure.

Features

  • Great for learning to wake up
  • Micro-USB cable included
  • Optional battery backup
  • Visual indicator light
  • Kid-friendly design

Ease of Use

Setting wakeup times is easy. There are two big, round buttons on Mirari for your child to use. These light up Mirari, cancel the alarm, toggle the digital face, or snooze. It’s all very kid-friendly and works well.


8. Lemnos Riki Review - Easiest to Use

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  • Simplistic design
  • User-friendly
  • Attractive
  • Durable
  • Strictly battery-powered
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Lemnos’ Riki is an attractive analog alarm clock that features silent hand movement. Its face is a little under 5 inches and sports big numbers. Movement is smooth and accurate, too.

The Riki is carved out of beech. Its wood design looks classy and will add character to any nightstand. This clock doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but it serves its purpose well. It’s simple yet elegant.

And although it looks rather antiquated, there are some modern features injected into it. Take its built-in LED backlight, for example. A single button at the top of the clock works to activate the light and snooze option. We really like the lighting effect. It’s not too bright and provides just the right amount to illumination.

While the Riki clock looks to be perfectly round, it’s not. There’s a very slight flatness to it that keeps it in place. This is very effective when you’re blindly reaching for the snooze button.

Once again, we’re looking at a clock that runs solely on batteries. While this is nice for portability’s sake, it does cause concern.

If your batteries croak in the middle of the night, you risk oversleeping. Sure, you can always set a backup alarm on your smartphone. But that kind of defeats the purpose for buying this clock in the first place.

Features

  • Single-button use
  • Made from beech
  • LED lighting
  • Large face

Ease of Use

With only one button to use, this is as easy as it gets. If you’re looking for simplicity, Lemnos’ Riki is just what you need. It’s a classic take on an old favorite, but it adds its own unique flavor that suits it well.


9. Oct17 Bamboo Alarm Clock Review - Most Attractive

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  • Plenty of alarms
  • Great display
  • Affordable
  • Attractive
  • Difficult to program
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Oct17’s Bamboo alarm clock is one beautiful gadget. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary block of wood that’s been carved into a triangular shape.

Closer inspection tells that there’s actually some pretty cool tech inside. It’s made in a way that displays digits on the face of the wood. From here, you can see the time, date, temperature, and humidity.

Best of all, you don’t need to sync this clock up to Wi-Fi to display this information. There are three independent alarms, brightness control, and even sound-activated display. Simply clapping your hands will show you the time if you wish to conserve power.

The Bamboo doesn’t have a built-in radio or extra USB ports for charging. But for the low price, this is still a great alarm clock. It does what it’s designed to do really well. If you’re looking for an attractive unit to add to your nightstand, you’ll be plenty pleased with what this one has to offer.

Features

  • Optional sound-activation
  • Adjustable brightness
  • Crafted from bamboo
  • 3 alarm modes
  • LED backlight

Ease of Use

Three buttons on the back of the unit control all the settings and features. Keep your manual handy, though. Juggling all the different combinations can be a bit tedious.


10. RCA RCD30 Review - Most Budget-Friendly

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  • Great entry-level choice
  • Very affordable
  • Big display
  • Limited features
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If you’ve been looking for a classic digital alarm clock, RCA has you covered. This no-nonsense throwback-style unit is easy to use and gets the job done.

Best of all, the price is very budget-friendly. You can pick this up for what a couple trips to Starbucks would cost you. It may be small, but it packs a loud alarm and has a readable display.

Setting alarms is easy enough. And you can even make adjustments to the brightness level. We also liked seeing the optional battery backup. This is always handy in the event that there’s a power outage in the middle of the night.

You won’t find any fancy features, like an AM/FM radio. You’re also limited on alarm sounds, and you can’t control the volume. If you’re in need of something more robust, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

But when you consider the RCD30’s super-low cost, it’s hard to complain. If you just want an alarm clock that does a good job of waking you up, you won’t find a better value.

Features

  • Large, bright digits
  • Brightness adjust
  • 1.4-inch display
  • Battery backup
  • User-friendly

Ease of Use

Setting the time and alarms is pretty straightforward. There aren’t a lot of options here, but that’s going to be a big plus for many people. The simplistic design lends to easy operation. If you’re after a basic, no-frills alarm clock, this is the one for you.


Alarm Clock Buyer’s Guide

Most of us can’t wake up in the morning without the help of an alarm clock. Unfortunately, not all of the alarm clocks are created equal.

We’ve all been late for work, school, or a meeting due to faulty alarm clocks. Avoiding the problem of being late is easy with a high-quality alarm clock. But, before you can make the best buying decision, you need to know a couple of things.

Luckily, you won’t have to spend your time searching the Internet for relevant information, because we have done it for you.

Types of Alarm Clocks

Not so long ago most of the clocks were mechanical. They performed well for what they were designed for, but they lacked innovation. Today, most of the alarm clocks highlight their digital features as their selling points.

Alarm clocks have come a long way, and today we can classify them into three distinctive groups.

  • Quartz Analog Clocks: These clocks utilize quartz crystal to track the time. They are the ones you see most commonly everywhere around you. Plenty of them display the time by utilizing minute and hour hands, but some of them come with a digital display. They are well-known for their accuracy, as well as the ability to sound the alarm without hiccups.
  • Digital Clocks: They look similar to the quartz analog clocks, but they require electrical energy from a power outlet or a battery. Digital clocks are famed for their exactness. So, you can rest assured that they will wake you up, provided that you change the batteries often.
  • Atomic Clocks: Most of the people can’t afford atomic clocks since they are very expensive. They are extremely accurate, but you won’t find them in most of the online stores.

Features to Look For

Before you can buy an alarm clock that will serve you well, you need to know more about some of the useful features.

  • Power source: You never want to leave your alarm clock without its power source. So, know in advance how you can power your new alarm clock. If it uses batteries, then buy a couple of extra batteries. If it uses an AC adaptor, make sure that your outlets are in working order.
  • Display: Alarm clocks come in all shapes and sizes, and so does their display. Traditional folk can go for a clock with hands that spin on a dial. On the other hand, if you prefer a digital display, then you will be happy to know that the possibilities are almost endless. You can choose between an LCD or an LED display, but you can also choose the design of the display. Some are retro, while the others are futuristic. Some can change colors, and some models can even project the display on your wall. If you have problems with sleeping near a bright light, then you can choose an alarm clock with dimmable light.
  • Type of alarm: If you don’t have problems with waking up to the same sound every day, then you can ignore the types of alarms. Contrarily, some people get used to the same sound so much that it doesn’t wake them up. If you fall into the second category, then look for an alarm clock that allows you to change the alarm sound.
  • Size: The size of an alarm clock plays an important role to the travelers. If your job requires you to travel often, then a smaller alarm clock might be a good option. Likewise, if you are short on free space in your room, a small alarm clock should be your priority.
  • Smartphone dock: Most of the people like to keep their smartphones close to them in bed. A smartphone dock in an alarm clock is an excellent way to keep your phone close and charge it at the same time.
  • Automatic time sync: Alarm clocks without the automatic time sync require you to set their time after a power outage and the daylight savings. Good alarm clocks save your time and patience by automatically syncing the time.
  • Warranty: A warranty is a good way to know that the manufacturer is serious about a product. It is a way in which a manufacturer shows that they stand behind their creation. If you want to be sure that you are getting a good alarm clock, make sure that it comes with a warranty.

Besides the mentioned features, there are a couple more that are useful, but not a necessity. Some of the devices come with USB ports that allow you to charge other electronic devices. Other models allow you to play music instead of an alarm, and some alarm clocks can vibrate. You can even find smart alarm clocks that give you the power to control other devices. If you keep forgetting to take your medicine, there are alarm clocks that can remind you.

All in all, alarm clocks keep changing at a rapid pace. Nobody can know for sure which feature will be added next. But, always keep an eye out, you might find a feature that you didn’t know you need.