The best alarm clocks of 2024

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Three alarms, humidity and temperature sensor, weekday mode

Alarm style: Sound

The Jall Wooden Alarm Clock is quite possibly one of the most stylish alarm clocks we’ve ever seen. It’s an interior decorator’s dream! This beauty looks much more expensive than it is. A digital display is overlaid on a beautiful minimalist wooden face, and you can adjust the brightness levels as needed. You can also enable power-saving mode so that the display will only appear when it registers sounds or when you touch it. Set up to three alarms, and program a weekday mode so that the alarm only comes on Monday to Friday.

“I absolutely love this alarm clock,” said one Amazon reviewer. “We purchased it for a spare room but liked it so much we moved it to our bedroom. It’s attractive and stylish. I love its three brightness levels and that you can turn the display off so that it’s only sound- or touch-activated. I also really appreciate the temperature and humidity displays. ... [I] like this clock so much I will probably purchase another one soon.”

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Large LED digits, smart dimmer, single alarm setting with 9 minute snooze, adjustable volume, USB charging port, battery backup

Alarm style: Sound

The DreamSky Compact Digital Alarm Clock is simple but effective. It’s bold and modern and intuitive. The 2-inch LED digits are large enough to see from across the room, and you can easily set the brightness from zero to 100 with a wheel on the rear panel. The alarm sound can be adjusted, and there’s a on/off switch if you want to disable it on the weekends. A USB charging port lets you juice up your phone while you sleep.

"This clock is perfect for what I wanted," said one five-star review. "It is small, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space. The numbers are large and bright so I can see the time in the middle of the night without my glasses. The time was easy to set right out of the box. It comes with the USB cord PLUS the electric plug. Most don’t include that. It takes two AAA batteries in case of power outage [so] you won’t lose your alarm settings. It is surprisingly heavy and well built, so it will not be knocked over.”

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Has sound baths, visualizations, and a white noise machine to help you doze off, a gentle two-phase alarm, a companion app with a large content library for meditations, playlists and more. 

Alarm style: Sound and light component

This is a potentially life-changing investment. Instead of blasting you with sound, the Loftie has a two-phase, wake-up call alarm that plays a softer sound at first and then an extra louder alarm later. We’re talking soothing sounds too, like chirping birds and morning bells. It’s also one of a few alarm clocks that will help you go to sleep as well, with soundscapes, meditations and bedtime stories designed to help you gently drift toward slumber.

“Loftie has been such a game changer for me!” raved one shopper. “At first I was skeptical about investing in a smart alarm clock, but after seeing what a difference it’s made in my quality of sleep, I can confidently say it’s more than worth it! I've struggled with bouts of insomnia and fatigue for years, and this smart alarm clock has been huge in helping me initiate and maintain healthier sleep habits."

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: All-in-one sleep-wake machine, has a sunrise alarm that mimics the arrival of daylight

Alarm style: Light and sound

The Hatch Restore will help you doze off to sleep and uses a gentle wake-up method in the morning with the help of soothing sounds and lights. It's an all-in-one sleep-wake machine and our best sunrise alarm clock that works even for deep sleepers. It offers soothing sounds and calming lights to help you drift off to sleep, plus a light sunrise simulator alarm clock that will gently wake you with a gradually brightening glow. On top of that, it has a soft-glow reading light to help you doze off. It also comes with a free trial for the Hatch Sleep Membership, an optional in-app subscription that gives you unlimited access to meditations, sleep stories, soundscapes and more.

“This thing is a game-changer,” raved one five-star review. “I am one of the heaviest sleepers ever. You could crash a truck through the wall and I wouldn’t wake up, most of the time. Also, I’m not a morning person. I’ve tried every manner of alarm available; I don’t hear the alarm sounds or feel any of the vibration from the wearables. I do have one that shocks my wrist and I do wake up, but mostly out of panic and not 100% of the time. Sometimes I’ll still sleep through it. ... I’ve been using it for about a week now and I haven’t overslept once! This is usually a 3-4x/week occurrence, making me late for work. This is a lovely, natural way to wake up. Makes for a very peaceful morning and I don’t feel the need to hit snooze. Would absolutely purchase again.”

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Simulated sunset and sunrise, 20 brightness settings, five natural wake-up sounds, FM radio, automatic dimmable display

Alarm style: Sound and light

The Philips SmartSleep aims to wake you up more naturally by simulating sunrise along with five different wake-up sounds inspired by nature. Wake to the “sunrise” with this brilliant invention that rouses you with light and nature sounds. A glow, which begins 30 minutes before your set time, starts as a soft dawn-like reddish-orange and builds gradually, waking you slowly and gently. There’s also a sunset mode that will gradually dim the lights as you go to sleep. It even doubles as a bedside reading lamp thanks to its 10 brightness settings.

According to one digital-age renegade: “I got it because I got tired of being owned by my phone. It used to be the last thing I checked before going to bed, and the first thing I would check in the morning. No more. Now I can leave the phone charging across the room (or in a handbag even. Who cares?) I can set this for the ‘sun to set’ at 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes later. So I set it, and I get in bed and read a book for an hour. Then the ‘sun goes down’ gradually, and I go to bed. Eight hours later, the ‘sun’ starts coming up gradually. So gradually that at the beginning you don't even notice."

Power: Battery

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Night light, three dimmer settings, gradually faster beep noise, top snooze button, indoor temperature monitor

Alarm style: Sound

Want an easy-to-read alarm clock with a night light? Then get this Smart Night Light model from Peakeep. It has large digits plus a built-in ambient light sensor with turns on the soft nightlight at night. Sometimes you just want a simple digital alarm clock with a nightlight, and this Peakeep model is a great example of one. The nightlight can be flipped to low or high depending on how bright you want it, or you can just turn it off as well. Plus, the clock shows a temperature gauge so you always know how warm or cold your surroundings are.

“This is so simple to operate,” said a shopper who called this a great alarm clock. “Big protruding buttons and simple operation. Touch any button to reset for the next day. A slide switch (big) to switch off the alarm. Big top button for snooze. Can be set even when half asleep. So much better than my previous clock which had tiny recessed buttons and you had to touch exactly the right one and would automatically switch to a weekend mode so that you couldn't get up early at the weekend. This is like heaven in comparison."

Power: Battery

Dimmable: N/A, not lighted, there's a small light you can turn on at night

Features: No-frills, 1 AA battery operated, classic beep alarms, ascending volume, alarm lasts for nearly an hour, non-ticking clock

Alarm style: Sound

If you prefer the look of a traditional waker-upper, this Peakeep Small Travel Alarm Clock is a fantastic option. For those who appreciate a classic, this small, square clock is a winner that will fit tiny nightstands. It’s even compact enough for travel. It has the basic beeping alarm sounds, which can last for almost an hour before the alarm or snooze button is pressed. And it doesn’t have that annoying ticking sound that most analog clocks have either, so you can rest easier through the night and have a better wake-up experience.

"This is a Winner," said one review. "Easy to see in the dark with the dim light just enough light to pick it up and look at it. It has a simple 2 button operation set the alarm and then it gives you a gentle beeping tone that gets louder over about 1 min. if you let if get to full volume you will not sleep through that. Hit the top button and you are in for a brief 5 min snooze for the next alarm. The same top button activates the light when the alarm is not active. Easy to read without my glasses on."

Power: Battery

Dimmable: N/A, not lighted, there's a small light you can turn on at night

Features: Ultra small size, large alarm on/off switch, quiet sweep no-ticking

Alarm style: Sound

As its name suggests, the Peakeep Ultra Small Travel Alarm Clock is super tiny. It's so small, it can even fit in your pocket! We love the retro green on this tiny, battery-operated treasure. It has a convenient alarm on/off switch on the top and an easy access snooze button and light bar on the right side. You can also turn on a small backlight to illuminate the clock at night. But don’t let the size fool you, it’s a loud alarm clock!

This shopper says this palm-sized clock does the trick: "I was looking for a small alarm clock that did not have to be plugged in, quiet, no glaring light in my face, with a small footprint on my table—this is it! I keep one by my bed, one by my Lazyboy. For me, they’re perfect. Totally quiet, works with one AA battery, so easy to use that there aren’t any instructions with it! The clock hands are NOT glow-in-the-dark and there’s no glaring back-light to light up your room, but there’s a small button you can push so a light comes on and you can read the time when dark. The alarm is loud—not some shrimpy little buzz, but loud like a regular full-sized alarm. You turn off the alarm by pushing down the bar on top of the alarm—very easy, no fumbling around the back of the clock looking for a button to slide or push."

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Google Assistant integration, weather display, built-in nightlight, USB charging port

Alarm style: Sound

Lenovo's Smart Clock Essential is perfect for those who want an alarm clock with a smart assistant. Google Assistant integration means you can use it to get the weather forecast, last night's sports scores, and even control your smart home. It has a big and bold LED display, including an adjustable alarm volume. There's also a built-in nightlight so you can tiptoe to the bathroom without bumping into obstacles. 

“Awesome alarm, easy-to-read letters, weather and temperature icons,” said one five-star shopper. “You can change the volume and other options within your Google Home app or by speaking to the speaker. There is also four buttons used to set the alarm manually [and] change light or volume if needed.”

Power: Corded

Dimmable: Yes

Features: Google Assistant integration, color screen, built-in nightlight, wireless charging dock

Alarm style: Sound

Instead of an LED display, Lenovo’s Smart Clock 2 has a 4-inch color screen, which not only shows the time and weather, but can also display family photos. You can also use it to check security camera footage before bed for peace of mind. The Smart Clock 2 comes with Google Assistant, so you can use it to set timers, reminders, alarms and more. There’s a built-in nightlight, plus it comes with a wireless charging dock to charge your phone while you sleep.

“The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is hands-down my favorite clock that I’ve ever owned,” said this happy shopper. “The display is big and bright and the alarm is loud enough to wake me up, unlike the alarm on my phone that I often sleep through. Since the clock is ‘smart,’ I can choose between quite a few faces. I can even use pictures in my Google photos as my clock face, which I think is super cool.”