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In a bid to not have my phone on the bedside table I want an alarm clock. I’ve had a couple in the past but always end up going back to a phone because it’s just so quick and easy to set.
Anyone got any decent suggestions please? Ideally one with a memory that I can save a number of different alarm times?
And a simple digital display that doesn’t have an always on light and a not too scary alarm tone!
cheers
In a bid to not have my phone on the bedside table I want an alarm clock.
Why? I used to use a DAB clock radio iPod dock, but in recent years I’ve used my phone, because it gives me the option to set a range of different times to allow for different shifts, and different times when not on shift, or just not working but still being able to wake up at a certain time.
Maybe if you never wake at different times, then an alarm clock would be the right thing, but it’s still an alarm clock on a phone, just lying on its back.
Smart watch?
I've got a (non smart) watch that I wear all the time and don't want to change 🙂
Why?
Honestly because I'm a rubbish sleeper and not disciplined enough to not pick my phone up and read shit on the internet if I'm still awake in the middle of the night (I'm awake now, in the middle of the night but I'm at work).
As a suggestion rather than a recommendation, look at "sunrise/SAD light" alarm clocks. Mine slowly brightens over a controllable period of time.
Just make sure you read the details before you find yourself waking up to a chorus of songbirds every morning...
Before you go to sleep,lick your finger ,then write the time that you want to wake up on your forehead.
Repeat this process three times.
Just like using an alarm clock,you will wake five minutes before the time.
Guaranteed to work,honest. 🤣
In a slightly similar vein - if I want to walk up at 7am, when I got to bed I say the time 7 times whilst lifting my head and dropping it on the pillow.
I wake up 6.45am.
That was several years ago, I seem to wake by default at that time every day now.
Just bought an Amazon Echo Spot for these exact reasons. It was on offer for £50 so I’m sure it will be again if you can wait. Assuming your ok with Alex of course
We use a Sonos speaker..... Allows multiple alarms/day.
Doesn't show the time though.
I think phone not by the bed is a sensible plan for anyone who is distracted by it
I have Ruark R1 which is ludicrously expensive and i think the display can’t be easily turned off. So i turn it round. That’s a tough sell
But do research carefully. Loads of options we looked at had annoying bugs like not being able to set the volume the radio came on at
We use a Google Home Hub. It's worth it just for the voice interface rather than mucking about with buttons 😀 . That also gives the option of waking up to music, radio etc.
Just get yourself an enlarged prostate.
That’s what wakes me up every morning, regular as clockwork
That’s what wakes me up every morning
And again, and again, and again.
One of the things Long COVID Clinic told me to do is stop browsing my mobile in bed, it was so hard at first after years of browsing before trying to sleep, but I can now take my mobile to bed and not open it until I wake up.
After reading this thread, just spotted this deal.
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/lumie-sunrise-alarm-4539541
Yeah, one of those lumie sunrise ones. Option for birds, goats or other dawn noises too.
I still like a Sony digicube, my brother had an original one but the new ones are quite neat.
I'm in the leave phone/screen/tv out of the bedroom camp. In fact the forum update has massively reduced my surfing time and I have to say it feels great.
Just bought an Amazon Echo Spot for these exact reasons.
I have an Echo Dot with built-in clock, much the same idea I suppose. "Alexa, set an alarm for 7am."
Another vote for an Alexa Echo Spot, been really impressed with mine (within the scope of it being a bedside clock). I like the fact the numbers turn red from 10pm to 7am so they aren't too bright at night. Can't be easier to set, Alexa set an alarm for 7am, sure you can set routines via the Alexa app. Easy to turn off, Alexa Stop, and for the ultimate lazy move, Alexa what time is it without needing to even roll over. Plus it's a radio. Only downside is it's always listening, but my case nothing titillating to hear.
My recommendation is get yourself a toddler.
That way, you'll be woken up at midnight, 2, 4 and 6am. You then just pick whichever one of those most closely matches your desired time for getting up and simply don't go back to bed after that.
Not much use of you want to be woken up after 6am though.
Make sure its got a sticky bottom ..
.. otherwise it goes flying across the room when reaching for the OFF or SNOOZE button 😖
Thanks all, so looks like the only feasible way is a smart device of some sort.
The suggestions for home Hubs and Alexa got me Googling and because I don’t want to have to talk to it, I’ve found a Lenovo Google Smart clock. Seems to do exactly what I want (plus a load of stuff I don’t want).
Have a look at this, the wife wanted one for the reasons you listed:
Nice classic design, isn’t bright, alarm isn’t annoying and gets louder if you don’t wake up.
It’s a proper make that did these before smart phones, and a lot more than the no name ones but still, it’s a perfect thing.
Alexa
Used Echo Dot on eBay or CEX for peanuts.
Or stop being a fusspot and just set the alarm time every night.
https://www.ryman.co.uk/braun-classic-travel-analogue-alarm-clock-with-snooze-and-light-45-black-1
always end up going back to a phone because it’s just so quick and easy to set.
Seriously? I'm with politecameraaction on this, seems to be a lot of overthinking. I've got 20 year old radio alarm clock and the phone lives downstairs
My recommendation is get yourself a toddler.
Make sure its got a sticky bottom ..
Both boxes checked here.
because I don’t want to have to talk to it, I’ve found a Lenovo Google Smart clock.
A quick google seems to suggest that it's discontinued?
What's wrong with talking to it? Say you've got your head down for the night, just got all snug and comfy then realise you've forgotten to set an alarm. So you can sit up again and sod about with buttons for a couple of minutes, or just tell Alexa to set an alarm.
"In bed" is a killer app for me. Countless times I've gone to bed and realised I've left the lights on downstairs. "Alexa, goodnight" shuts off everything smart in the house. It's ace.
Have a look at this, the wife wanted one for the reasons you listed:
Nice classic design, isn’t bright, alarm isn’t annoying and gets louder if you don’t wake up.
It’s a proper make that did these before smart phones, and a lot more than the no name ones but still, it’s a perfect thing.
had one of these. Was pretty good until the LCD failed after c5 years. Which happened to the weather station I had bought in the same set too.
the reverse lcd is nice by the bedside but poor visibility in daytime. (Narrow viewing angle?)
I use my iPhone on nightstand mode now with a stand I bought on Etsy (to which you attach a MagSafe charger). Don’t read my phone at night.
The Lumi/Philips Wake Up type alarms are the best. You get them brightening up, and you usually wake before you get an alarm. We've still got ours, but I use my smart watch. It just vibrates lightly ! I can't be doing with booming alarm noises. Funny thing is, booming alarms don't work on my adult son, he still sleeps through them. I need a Wallace and Gromit system for him.
What's wrong with talking to it? Say you've got your head down for the night, just got all snug and comfy then realise you've forgotten to set an alarm. So you can sit up again and sod about with buttons for a couple of minutes, or just tell Alexa to set an alarm.
Or the opposite in the morning. No buttons to smash, easy to set a later alarm if you want. Wake up to whatever sounds you want or just "switch on" the radio or music by speech command.
"Alexa, snooze"
Just any old alarm clock. The Braun mentioned above is fine.
Echo Spot here too. Has so many options that I don't use, but the ability to set multiple alarm times and have something on the bedside table showing the time, but not so bright it lights up the room, it's pretty perfect.
Also, I'm a light sleeper, so the way the alarm starts quietly and gradually gets louder is also preferable to any alarm I've had before.
Just any old alarm clock. The Braun mentioned above is fine.
For you, maybe.
I know there are those with reservations about a 'smart' ecosystem and that's absolutely fine of course, but I wouldn't be without mine now.
A quick google seems to suggest that it's discontinued?
Yeah I meant to post that I’d found it on eBay and you’re right it is discontinued. It won over an Alexa because it has the option to swipe to a screen with all my alarms on ready to be switched on. Or I can talk to it.
I’m not against talking to smart things but we work shifts and often go to bed at different times. I wouldn’t be popular if I snuck quietly in to bed and then woke Mrs5556 up chatting to my alarm.
I know there are those with reservations about a 'smart' ecosystem and that's absolutely fine of course, but I wouldn't be without mine now.
I don't particularly have reservations. I am just yet to see anything useful that it actually achieves.
Do you work shifts?
No but I reckon I could reset the alarm time on an ordinary alarm clock quicker than you can open up an iPhone and choose your required alarm.
Teasmade. Might as well wake up to a cup of tea. That or a phone and some old-fashioned self discipline.
I don't particularly have reservations. I am just yet to see anything useful that it actually achieves.
My simulated sunrise rather than an alarm clock is a much more pleasant and reliable way to wake up in the morning. Long gone are the multiple presses of the snooze button before realising that I am now late and need to rush to get to work.
It isn't difficult to start with a few hue bulbs in the bedroom to see how you get on.
I wouldn’t be popular if I snuck quietly in to bed and then woke Mrs5556 up chatting to my alarm.
Echoes have a whisper mode. You whisper to it and it'll whisper back. Except for the first time you try it where it bellows back
"IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO ENABLE WHISPER MODE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT?" at 2am.
No but I reckon I could reset the alarm time on an ordinary alarm clock quicker than you can open up an iPhone and choose your required alarm.
I reckon I could say "Alexa, set an alarm for 7am" faster than you could reset the alarm time on an ordinary alarm clock.
Cool, if my Lenovo / Google clock is no good I’ll try an Echo Dot.
The Google one was only cheap so no great loss if it doesn’t do what I want.
I reckon I could say "Alexa, set an alarm for 7am" faster than you could reset the alarm time on an ordinary alarm clock.
Fair enough though I wouldn't want one of those in the house just to use as an alarm clock. To which of course the response is "OK Boomer".
I've got a Ferrari branded one which projects the time onto the bedroom ceiling in red. Once the F1 season starts I can set the alarm to sound as a recording of that lovely V10 during a testing lap at Fiorano. Otherwise radio. It was a gift from employees about 20yrs ago. Dinky little thing, would be lost without it (or at the very least, late).
My simulated sunrise rather than an alarm clock is a much more pleasant and reliable way to wake up in the morning. Long gone are the multiple presses of the snooze button before realising that I am now late and need to rush to get to work.
It isn't difficult to start with a few hue bulbs in the bedroom to see how you get on.
My alarm clock does all that i just don't have talk to an annoying **** to get it set.
I just press on and i am awoken by the gentle warming glow and what sounds like all bastard bird having an orgy in the garden.
projects the time onto the bedroom ceiling in red.
Mine does this, too. Seems like a pretty useless feature, but actually it's great.
Unfortunately the rest of the no-name Chinese brand clock is a pile of crap, and the screen's already dying (so it's probably lucky I can just look at the ceiling...) And why you'd make an alarm clock with a snooze button the same size as all the other (miniscule) buttons I'll never know.
I inherited a sony radio alarm clock that my dad bought in the late 80's. Awesome thing, still got it in a cupboard somewhere, but the screen is slightly unreliable and it takes forever to adjust the time.
I went through 4 or 5 modern replacements about 3-4 years ago. Still have the last one, it's the best of a bad lot and still pretty rubbish. I just use google instead.
Perfect. Well assuming it wakes me up in the morning it will be.
And as long as it dims the screen properly in the dark.
We have a pair of these, they're pretty good. Mine is a bit old and the screen flashes occasionally, I'll be sad if I can't find a replacement when it dies. You can set them to be smart speakers in Google Home, mine work as a stereo pair.
Do you work shifts?
No but I reckon I could reset the alarm time on an ordinary alarm clock quicker than you can open up an iPhone and choose your required alarm.
Possibly, but I reckon it would be a close-run thing - once the times are pre-set, it takes roughly seven seconds, at most, to change from one to another; I’ve just tried it.
Option for birds, goats or other dawn noises too.
Just don't choose the crack of Dawn... she makes a terrible noise.
She doesn't with me.
Ruark R1 for added audio loveliness (if you have a big budget).