The perfect alarm clock

Electric Gypsy

It amazes me how many people use their phones instead of an alarm clock. If there's anyone here who doesn't use their phone, please tell me what you use, because I'd like a few opinions before I buy my next one.

There's certain criteria that I want in an alarm clock. I'm thinking one of those digital ones that you can see the time on in the dark, but that doesn't cause a glow in the room. Another thing is that I want to be woken up, not to get a heart attack... so I'm looking for something that has a volume adjustor. But I don't think it will be possible to buy such an alarm clock in an actual store that I can walk into. I'll probably have to go to amazon or so. 

It surprised me how hard it is to fine alarm clocks for sale online that also have a demonstrational video of what the experience will be like! You'd think the manufacturer would have such a video that would show someone waking up to the alarm, showing them selecting the snooze time, etc. There's a bizillion fancy alarm clocks out there that offer fancy features like bedtime stories, being able to sync to your time-zone, etc, but I'm just looking for a simple one. But the fear I have is that you really have no idea what something will be like until you buy it. It's only then that you'll realise something like that it might have an annoying light on it, or that the volume it has can't be adjusted. With the last alarm clock I bought, I ended up knocking it off the bed stand when I was trying to hit the snooze button and it broke... the one before that was a cheap one and it kept going off 15 minutes early!

There's two reasons I don't want to use my phone. Number one, unnecessary radiation exposure. And secondly, being interrupted during my sleep. Recently I heard a text in the middle of the night and I couldn't get back to sleep afterwards. I had thought that if the phone was put on silent that you wouldn't hear the alarm, which wasn't true. So I started putting the phone on silent until one night I got a scam call... even though it was on silent I still heard the vibrations as I wasn't fully asleep.

I've looked at a few alarm clocks in various shops recently again, but it's always the case the vendor doesn't specialise in clocks so there's no point in asking them any questions about it. And it's not possible to open the package an witness what it sounds like before buying it. The last time I tried that it ended badly with the shop assistant.

Surely bit of God there must be an alarm clock that fits my needs out there!

artanevilla

I have a Lumie, it stimulates sunrise so supposed to wake you up gently. It has sounds but I don't use them.

In conjunction with this my phone gently vibrates on the mattress beside me which wakes me.

No alarm makes it easier to get up in the morning.

Electric Gypsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249275#Comment_120249275

But some make it harder!

bnt

I stopped using the “Lumie”-type thing I have, and settled on a vibrating alarm on my fitness tracker. I still have a phone alarm set for a bit later to remind me to get up & go.

setanta1984

https://amzn.eu/d/eTH99Av

Small, simple, alarm tone starts low and gets progressively louder, negative LCD screen, no glow, backlight operated by button, snooze button on top, well known brand. Perfect for me.

Backlight, snooze and alarm on/off are all on the top so can turn the alarm off unintentionally very rarely, literally only nitpick I can find. Looks like they've updated it, it now has the alarm button on the back instead, so its faultless now imo.

The perfect alarm clock is one which wakes you as violently as possible, making accidentally falling back asleep nigh-on impossible due to your racing heart beat and the accompanying burst of adrenaline from your inevitable fight or flight reaction. Old school, wind-up action, metal bells is what I'm saying. A lead paint finish is desirable, but not essential.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058284558/the-perfect-alarm-clock

Don't know why it would amaze you, people are use to using their mobile phone for everything incl alarms so it's easy to forget about the existence of much better alarm clocks.

Electric Gypsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249767#Comment_120249767

Does it tell you when it's low on batteries? Can you decide the snooze time yourself the night before, or does it have a set time? Does the time keep flashing on and off like in this video? I also find it hard to believe that it's 5.7 cm in width?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zalz7FsSMgw&ab_channel=OSReviews

This youtube clip seems more like your clock as the snooze and alarm button are together. As you can see in the comments someone posted this question: "without pressing the tab on the top of the clock, can one see the time in a dark room from about 8 feet away?" The answer they got was "no"! Is that true??

Do you have that back part to the base of your clock that sticks out the back as seen above at 2:33?

Also, did you buy it online? and did you just take a chance when you bought it, or did you know you'd like it?

setanta1984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250225#Comment_120250225

The version in the video is the one I have. It has the bit sticking out at the back, where the battery is. DOn't know about battery warning, I've only changed it once if even in the years I've had it. The new one looks thicker the whole way up to compensate the stability. The time doesn't flash, except when youre setting it, which is whats happening in the video. The snooze is not configurable, nothing is - its very simple. The negative LCD looks nicer imo especially at night, but it does make it harder to see from further away, I agree - its tiny and for a bedside locker so makes no odds imo.

Bought from amazon - its a €20 alarm clock, it tells the time and wakes you up, without a ticking sound and no emitted light in the dark, thats it.

Electric Gypsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250479#Comment_120250479

What is the actual snooze time? 5 mins or 10 mins? I wouldn't mind it being hard to see as long as I can see it. I'd only be 3 feet away max.

Electric Gypsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249275#Comment_120249275

Why do you use the phone too?

artanevilla

System redundancy.

Montage of Feck

Waking at four to soundless dark, I stare.

In time the curtain-edges will grow light.

tmabr

Seen one a while back , could have been in a gadget store. You screw the alarm clock to the ceiling and it had a string on it which is easy to reach when the alarm goes off. But it winds up a little bit each time you pull it which eventually means u need to get out of bed to reach it and turn it off.

very cool

SEPT 23 1989

Panasonic rc-6015

chooseusername

A hide and seek “Clocky”

https://youtu.be/PpfUcDFSFn4

Kintarō Hattori

I use one of these OP. This is the original model so no longer available. Has volume adjust., adjusts the display so you're not blinded looking at it in the middle of the night and the text can be made a fair whack larger than shown in the image above.

It's the smart clock from Lenovo. There are other models available. Not sure what the RRP is but they are regularly on sale. I got mine for about €40 a few years ago.

orourkeda1

The perfect alarm must have cake, boobs and a beer holder as optional

cobham

I have large digital display clock but located at far corner of room so no good as alarm. I can use alarm that is in radio near me or the alarm on a tablet that operates even when offline.

New Home

I used to have an alarm clock shaped like an orange tennis ball, but larger. The only way to turn it off was to violently throw it against a wall or a hard surface... excellent for reducing stress when waking up. It got a bit problematic when I nearly hit the window, a mirror, and even the wardrobe door... plus there was no way of changing the battery...

Capt'n Midnight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120504355#Comment_120504355

On my last phone you could set alarms for weekdays and it knew not to wake me up on bank holidays :)

But the screen died :(

New Home

The running one and the rocket one are easy, you just need to hold them before pressing snooze. Or you could give the running one to your dog.

The rest are evil.

Mine looked a lot like this one, but bright orange.

Guill

I have a Sunrise alarm clock and my Garmin watch.

I don't use the Sunrise clock in summer month but in wither I set it to start lighting the room 20 mins before my watch alarm goes off. I don't use sound on the clock and my watch only vibrates.

Count Dracula

As a 1500 year old Vampire Lord I have had considerable difficulty in timing my nocturnal existence.

But you cannot beat the aggressive clanging shill of your bog standard windup alarm clock to get the coffin doors swinging open. That intense ticking seems to raise a decibel as you anticipate your rude awakening.

My late dream cycle usually resembles hopeless attempts at staring at open landscapes at the heart of a stunning midday which mortals would be forced to view with expensive shades. Staring deadpan at silver crucifix or observing myself stark bollick naked in a wall length mirror whilst polarising a beauty queen senseless without leaving an unholy massacre of fang marks all over her throat or pelvis.

Simple pleasures.

Capt'n Midnight

..

Sgt Hartman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577378#Comment_120577378

My Dad still has the one he bought back in 1986 and it still works perfectly. The alarm sound still gives me chills to this day as it was used over the years to wake me up for school and later college and work.

Tavrin Callas

I have a cat, the best alarm clock of all. I defy anyone to remain asleep or snoozing when there's a cat demanding you get up and get it its breakfast.