
Anyone who is close to me knows that I am not a morning person. It’s unfortunate since my schedule requires me to wake up at the early morning hour of 4:30 am before the sun rises. I hit snooze several times on my alarm clock before I get out of bed. When I do finally get up, I turn on as many lights as possible because the only thing that wakes me up in the morning, besides coffee, is an apartment full of light. This is why the best wake up light alarm clock intrigued me so much.
For those of you who can relate to this, a wake-up light alarm clock might be what you need. Many different wake-up light alarm clocks exist in the market today. How do we know which is the best wake-up light alarm clock for our needs? It all depends on what is important to you.
What Is the Best Wake Up Light Alarm Clock?
A wake-up light alarm clock, or a wake-up light therapy lamp, is a device that slowly emits light starting 30 minutes before your alarm is set to go off. The light mimics the morning sunrise so that by the time your desired wake up time comes, the alarm fills your room with approximately 10,000 lux of light. This much light is 20 times the strength of standard indoor lighting. The continuous light helps you wake up naturally, instead of an alarm that immediately wakes you up. With all of this light, you may feel like it’s the middle of the day before your alarm goes off!
How Do Wake Up Light Alarm Clocks Work?
The best wake up light alarm clock have various LED lights inside of them that emit bright light. The light is similar to sunlight and helps you get up in the morning by stimulating your body’s hormones that help you wake up, while at the same time easing up on the sleep hormones. Some wake-up light alarm clocks also have built-in sounds, such as nature sounds, to complement the bright light and help you gradually get up.
Where Can You Buy the Best Wake Up Light Alarm Clock?
You can buy these alarm clocks online or at select retailers such as Target and Walmart. To purchase online, most are on Amazon, but you can also find some brands on Walmart, Target, BestBuy, or other retailers.
How Much Do Wake-up Light Alarm Clocks Cost?
A wake-up light alarm clock costs depends on features and functionality. However, the best wake-up light alarm clock is not always the most expensive.
How We Reviewed
I looked at different features, functionality, and ratings on Amazon. Then I took into consideration various features that are appealing to many consumers, such as light therapy, design, and value. Finally, I combined these important features with the ratings they received on Amazon or Target.com to come up with my top 10 list of the best wake-up light alarm clocks. I then narrowed down the top 10 list to the overall best wake-up light alarm clock.
The Top 10 Brands/ Models of Wake-up Light Alarm Clocks
After researching different alarm clocks, the following made our top 10 list of the best wake-up light alarm clocks, in no particular order.
Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with Colored Sunrise Simulation and Sunset Fading Night Light
- PERSONALIZED WAKE-UP AND WIND-DOWN: Simulated sunset and sunrise, 20 brightness settings, and choice of 5 natural...
- SMART FEATURES: FM radio, tap snooze, bedside lamp, and automatic dimmable display
- MOOD AND ENERGY: Proven to give you an easy and energetic wake-up and improve your mood in the morning***
Our first choice for the best wake up light alarm clock features 20 different colored brightness settings, 200 lux maximum light intensity and a bulb that lasts for the life of the unit. Traditional alarm clock owners will like the feature of a traditional-style alarm clock with an FM radio and tap snooze capability.
The clock has a setting for “sun goes down” that helps you fall asleep, in addition to the regular morning alarm settings, and it has sound features if you want to add your favorite sounds. The sounds range from birds chirping and ocean waves to classical music and FM radio. It also has a three-year warranty. However, the average consumer finds the buttons confusing to navigate, and there’s no automation or battery backup.
InLife Wake-up Light Alarm Clock
- Sunrise simulation wake up light: 30 minutes before your alarm time, light gradually brighten from 10% of brightness to...
- 6 changing night light: Touch the color key to choose your favorite color, including green, red, blue, purple, orange...
- Sunset simulation sleep light: 30 minutes before your sleep time, the sunset simulation light will be on at 100% of...
The InLife wake-up light alarm clock is a great buy with good features. It has six changing colors, snooze function, an FM radio and a USB charger. The clock has six different nature sounds ranging from birds chirping to a stream, it has soft light, and is practical and stylish at a very good value. Unfortunately, it has some design flaws, such as no up and down volume control, the clock disappears when the FM radio is on, and the average consumer finds the clock confusing to set up.
Home Labs Sunrise Alarm Clock
- Wake Up Sunrise Alarm Clock - This alarm clock uses a warm LED light that gradually brightens 30 mins before the alarm...
- Modern Alarm Clock for Heavy Sleepers - Gradually waking up to light with your choice of nature-inspired sounds is a...
- Decorative LED Color Options - With 8 colorful light options, this bedroom clock can double as table or bedside lamp...
The Home Labs Sunrise Alarm Clock is another best wake up light alarm clock. It has easy to touch keys that are simple to use, it comes with a base, so it stays in place on any hard surface, and the light gradually increases and decreases according to your wake up time. It has a light that is bright enough that it mimics the sunrise, the base is sturdy, and you can easily turn off the clock display. However, the average consumer finds the settings difficult to navigate, and it has poor sound quality.
iHome Zenergy
If you’re looking for a modern alarm clock that is compatible with your smartphone, this is for you. It has 10 different sounds to choose from, plus 10 different light therapy modes, Bluetooth audio, USB charger, a speakerphone, and it has its own app.
It has a soft light wakes you up in a gentle way, it has a great speaker system, soothing tones that help you fall asleep, it has many different light and sound features to choose from, and a one-year warranty. The cons for this clock are that consumers run into problems with using the app to link to the device, and the settings working properly.
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Similar to the Home Labs or InLife Alarm Clocks, this one has good value and features. It has a sunrise and sunset function for waking up and falling asleep, 10 adjustable brightness settings, six natural music sounds, seven different colors, and a USB charger.
It has great sound quality, good brightness, good battery life. It has a sturdy stand that you can place on any surface and is a good value for the price. Unfortunately, it has poor volume range, sometimes the alarm is unreliable, and some of the settings are hard to navigate.
Philips HF3505
- YOUR OWN PERSONAL SUNRISE: Choose from 10 different brightness levels to stimulate your body so you can rise easier
- NATURAL WAKE-UP: Simulated sunrise combined with gradual sound gently prepares your body for waking up while you are...
- SMART FEATURES: FM radio, tap to snooze, choice of 2 wake-up sounds, and reading lamp
This alarm clock is the “little brother” to its counterpart, the Philips HF3520. It has 10 separate brightness settings at 200 lux of maximum light, different sounds to choose from ranging from the natural sounds to FM radio, a tap to snooze function, a beep function for the alarm, and a three-year warranty.
The clock is easy to use and set up, has soothing sounds, you can easily adjust the light to your desired brightness, and the alarm clock does what it says with no surprises. However, it has no battery backup, the clock sometimes malfunctions, and is too bright for some consumers who need absolute darkness when they sleep.
Philips Somneo
- PERSONALIZED WAKE-UP & WIND-DOWN: Customizable sunset, sunrise, and sound profiles
- SMART FEATURES: Midnight light, FM radio, phone charging dock, power back-up, speaker, auto dimming display, bedside...
- MOOD AND ENERGY: Proven to give you an easy and energetic wake-up and improve your mood in the morning***
This choice for the best wake up light alarm clock is also the most multifunctional of the group. Its features are that it gets brighter and colder the closer you get to your wake up time, it has a breathing mode that pulses the light and sounds to help you breathe more regularly, it has a light-temperature adjustable reading light, and a three-year warranty. It has quality sounds and music that is very relaxing, the light has a good brightness, the alarm has two different settings, and it has a battery backup. Sometimes the clock and alarm malfunction and the light isn’t bright enough for some consumers, though.
Electrohome
If the retro look is your thing, this is for you! The features of this alarm clock are it has a motion-activated night light sensor, 20 AM/FM memory stations for easy tuning, you can program it with “weekend cancellation” so the alarm doesn’t come on during your days off, it has a sensor-activated snooze function, and a 30-day warranty. The pros are that it has a backup alarm feature 30 minutes after the wake-up light, it keeps its memory after being unplugged, has a great vintage feel and a backup battery. The cons are that the motion sensor is sometimes too sensitive, and the lights and alarm sometimes malfunction.
Circadian Optics Lumis
- STYLISH & UV-FREE: These happy light therapy lamps deliver safe and natural LED light that our bodies need and are...
- EASY TO USE: Our lamp’s revolutionary, quick one-touch operation makes it simple to use with 3 levels allowing you to...
- EFFECTIVE: This therapy light provides the recommended 10,000 LUX of brightness to help the winter blues, regulate...
This choice for the best wake up light alarm clock boasts multifunctionality but at a lower price. The clock features 10,000 lux of bright light it emits help give you energy throughout your day. It has a wall-mount capability with brightness settings and a built-in timer, plus a two-year warranty.
The clock has a built-in timer, and the light is pleasantly bright, it’s lightweight and designed well, and helps boost mood and energy levels for a variety of consumers. Unfortunately, the lamp and timer sometimes malfunction and the stand isn’t sturdy.
Sharp Sunrise Simulator
The Sharp Sunrise Simulator is another pick for the best light up alarm clock is an affordable and practical speaker/ sunrise combo. The features are that it has a USB charger, Bluetooth connectivity and gradual wake-up lighting that starts 40 minutes before your alarm. The light and sounds are pleasant, and it has two USB charging ports. The cons are that the display is hard to adjust, and some consumers don’t like the sound of the alarm.
The Best Clock For You
When it comes to purchasing a product, reliability and practicality are at the top of my list. What good is style if a product is unreliable? It may have many great features, but if it malfunctions or is confusing for the average consumer, the features won’t matter. That’s why I choose the Sharp Sunrise Simulator as the best overall wake-up light alarm clock. Its reputation for reliability and useful features make it my pick when you’re ready to make a purchase.
Tell us what you think is the best wake up light alarm clock in the comments.
Last update on 2023-06-06 at 14:33 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API