Best Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clock 2024: The (Ultimate) Guide

Best Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clocks

This is the complete guide to help you choose the best sunrise simulator alarm clock of 2024.

If you are looking for something to lull you into sleep in the evening and then rouse you gently from your slumber in the morning take a look through my round-up of the sunrise alarm clocks to get something that could make your days a lot more bearable.

So lets start…

>>> I know about sunrise simulator alarm clocks already, jump me straight to the reviews <<<


Best Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clock Of 2024:
At A Glance List


NAMESPEC
> Brightness Settings
> Time Display
> Weight
RATING/
PRICE
#1 Philips Smart Sleep HF3670/60
>>> BEST FOR: Multiple features
25
Turns Off
3.36lb
91%
$$$
Check Price
Read Review
#2 Philips SmartSleep HF3650/60
>>> BEST FOR: All-round performance
25
Turns Off
2.45lb
91%
$$$
Check Price
Read Review
#3 Philips HF3520
>>> BEST FOR: Beautiful sunrise simulation
20
Dims
2.45lb
90%
$$
Check Price
Read Review
#4 Heimvision Sunrise Alarm Clock
>>> BEST FOR: Value for money
20
Turns Off
1.1lb
88%
$
Check Price
Read Review
#5 Philips HF3510
>>> BEST FOR: Great sunrise and sunset simulation
20
Dims
1.8lb
86%
$$
Check Price
Read Review
#6 Philips HF3470
>>> BEST FOR: Unique design
20
Dims
3.2lb
85%
$$$
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Read Review
#7 Philips HF3505
>>> BEST FOR: Natural wake up sounds
20
Dims
0.6lb
84%
$$
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Read Review
#8 Verilux Rise and Shine
>>> BEST FOR: Soothing sunset simulation
15
Hi/Low
1.6lb
82%
$
Check Price
Read Review
#9 Lumie BodyClock Active 250
>>> BEST FOR: No ambient light from time display
20
Turns Off
2.2lb
81%
$$$
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Read Review
#10 hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock
>>> BEST FOR: Value for money
10
Turns Off
1.3lb
81%
$
Check Price
Read Review
#11 totobay Wake Up Light
>>> BEST FOR: Great customer service
10
Turns Off
0.65lb
78%
$
Check Price
Read Review

Why Get A Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clock?


Do you really enjoy being shocked awake from a deep sleep by the shrill sound of an alarm clock ringing? I don’t think any of us do.

Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clocks, or wake-up lights as they are also known, rouse you gently from your sleep without the need for an alarm sound. They use light to wake you up, replicating the natural way we used to wake.

The light will start off low and gradually increase to full brightness and somewhere along the way you should wake up. Some also have an additional alarm or sound you can have playing at the end of the sunrise cycle just to make extra sure you wake up.

How Do They Work?

By simulating a sunrise wake-up lights can effectively reset your circardian rhythm and help you get a balanced 7 to 9 hours sleep a night. Your circadian rhythm is in effect your internal body clock.

In the winter, when we have less hours of sun our bodies produce more melatonin – a hormone that makes us sleepy.

Often during winter months we may feel ‘groggy’ for the first few hours of the day as a result of this excessive production of melatonin.

Wake up lights can help produce serotonin, another hormone that regulates feelings of well-being to the point it is know as the happiness hormone.

By helping increase the production of serotonin and reduce the production of melatonin sunrise simulation alarm clocks can help you sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day.

How Can They Benefit You?

A study by Chronobiology International showed that being startled from a deep sleep by the piercing sounding of an alarm leds to higher levels of cortisol, increased stress, worse moods and inertia.

Another study by Psychoneuroendocrinology on a range of volunteers showed that those waking up with sunrise alarm clocks felt more awake and had increased alertness througth the day, amongst other things.

There are many more studies that show the benefit of using a sunrise simulator alarm clock. Acta Psychiatry carried out a study showing wake-up lights increased mood, productivity, quality of sleep and more. The Journal of Affective Disorders carried out a study that showed that SAD suffers showed a huge improvement in terms of waking up in the morning and feeling less sleepy throughout the day after just a week of using a sunrise simulator alarm clock.

In Short

  • It is a much nicer way to wake up than to a piercing alarm.
  • Many have other functions such as a sunset simulation to help you wind down in the evening.
  • They are proven to have a positive effect on your mood and energy levels during the day.

How To Choose A Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clock


As with making any purchase when you choose a sunrise simulator alarm clock there are a number of factors you will need to consider.

Sunrise Functionality

Of course when you buy a wake-up light you buy it primarily for one reason – the sunrise simulation.

Take a look at what colors make up the sunrise simulation. Some use just yellow and white, others use a mixture of red, oranges and yellows.

Type Of Bulbs

Also consider the type of bulb the device uses. I always think LED bulbs produce a more realistic sunrise simulation than halogen bulbs.

LED bulbs are also more energy efficient, last longer and give off less heat then halogen bulbs. Most new units use LED bulbs.

Customisable Features

The best sunrise alarm clocks have a whole host of adjustable features. You will be able to adjust the brightness level you want the sunrise to reach in the morning, adjust the duration of the sunrise, adjust the volume of any sounds you want to wake up to and more.

Think about how you intend to use it and the level of functionality you want.

Nature Sounds

Some sunrise alarm clocks allow you to be woken up by, or go to sleep with nature sounds to compliment the sunrise.

These can be an extra nice way to rouse you from your sleep and also give you a little confidence that you will definitely wake up with the extra sound.

I find the sound of birds tweeting or ocean waves much nicer that a beeping alarm as well!

Radio

Some sunrise alarm clocks also come with FM radio.

Alarms

Some sunrise alarm clocks allow you to schedule more than one alarm – perfect if you get up at a different time in the week compared to the weekend for instance.

Adjustable LCD Time Display

I don’t know if you are like me, but I hate any kind of ambient light when I am trying to sleep and there is nothing more annoying that buying an alarm clock, congratulating yourself on how great it looks and how easy it is to work, only to find out when you turn off all of your lights the time display is brighter than the light itself!

Check to see if the time display can be dimmed, or even better turned off completely.

Sunset Function

Nearly all sunrise alarm clocks will have a sunset feature as well. That means you can gradually be lulled to sleep by a slowly dimming light if you have trouble getting to sleep.

Other Things To Consider

You might also want to consider other factors such as how easy it is to programme, whether it has a battery back up and the size and weight of it.

====> VIEW THE RANGE OF SUNRISE ALARM CLOCKS ON AMAZON <====


Best Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clock 2024


#1 Philips SmartSleep HF3670/60


BEST FOR:
Those looking for the best wake-up light with a multitude of features

Product Spec

  • AmbiTrack Sensor
  • Light guided breathing
  • 8 Wake-Up Sounds
  • 4 Relaxation Sound
  • 315 maximum lux level
  • Weight – 3.36lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$$
Philips SmartSleep Connecte

The Philips SmartSleep Connected HF3670/60 takes all of the wonderful features of the SmartSleep HF3650/60 and adds to them, making an even better wake-up light that is in all reality far more than a sunrise alarm.

It has 25 brightness settings, with a maximum lux level of 315 lux. It has eight wake-up sounds and four relaxation sounds.

It comes with four themed sunrises and everything is fully customisable. It weighs 3.36lbs and comes with a two-year warranty.

This excels in many different areas, but the most important one is the sunrise simulation. It is fully customisable and is warm, natural and very smooth.

What is even better is it comes with four themed sunrises you can use: Carribean Red, Nordic White, Island Red and Sunny Day. They are all wonderful ways to be roused from sleep.

I also like:

  • The sound quality is top notch – particular the bird sounds, which are very, very realistic.
  • It is fully controllable via the SleepManager app – making it much easier to use.
  • This has an AmbiTrack sensor that measures the temperature, humidity, light and noise levels in your bedroom and suggest how you can improve things for a better sleep.
  • This also has the RelaxedBreathe function the HF3650/60 has and helps you sleep by following light and sound based patterns.
  • The added Power Wake alarm will definitely make sure you don’t over sleep.

There are some issues around connecting this to the WiFi – it only works off an archaic 2.4 GHz network which makes things awkward. Also you can only register one device to it, so if you want to control it via more than one smartphone, or if your smartphone breaks and you get a new one it is a pain.

But for now, this is the pinnacle of wake-up lights – with a gorgeous sunrise simulation and much much more besides.


MY RATING: 91%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE SMARTSLEEP HF3670/60 <<<


Pros

  • Beautiful themed sunrise options
  • Great sound quality
  • Fully controllable via app
  • AmbiTrack Sensor is great
  • Relaxed Breathe function

Cons

  • Uses archaic 2G Wifi network
  • Can only connect a single device
Check availability on Amazon

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Line

#2 Philips SmartSleep HF3650/60


BEST FOR:
Those looking for an all round great wake up light that will help you sleep as well

Product Spec

  • Two alarms
  • LED bulbs
  • 7 Wake-Up Sounds and FM radio
  • 25 brightness settings
  • 320 maximum lux level
  • Weight – 2lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$$


The Philips SmartSleep HF3650/60 is the wake-up light by Philips that took things onto another level with an innovative light-guided breathing system to help you sleep as well as a fantastic sunrise simulation.

This has 25 brightness settings and reaches a maximum lux level of 320 lux. There are seven nature sounds you can wake up to and an FM radio.

The sunrise and sunset duration is fully adjustable, it weighs 2lbs and comes with a two-year warranty. It has two alarms, a USB charging point and a battery backup.

Where this really pushes the boundaries is it is the first wake-up light to feature ‘RelaxBreathe’,  Philips own light and sound-guided wind down function to help you sleep.

It plays out rhythms of light and sound which you have to follow with your breathing to calm you and help you move from the busyness of a day at work to a nice relaxed sleep.

It actually seems to work and is a great way to drift off to sleep if that is something you have trouble with.

Aside from this I also like:

  • A beautiful sunrise feature that moves from a lovely soft morning red to a warm orange through to a bright yellow to wake you up.
  • Finally Philips have got the message and you can fully turn off the clock display on this!
  • It has a great feature to use if you are prone to waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Just tape the snooze button and you get a very faint glow – enough to help you find your way, but not so much it hurts your eyes.
  • You can personalize it to get the light intensity and sunrise simulation you want – there are lots of options to play around with
  • Everything is sleekly and smartly designed – there is a wonderful touchscreen and intuitive press button functionality. It is just very nice indeed.

Two main issues. One turning the alarm on and off (aside from at alarm time) is not that easy. You have to flick through the touchscreen menu and scroll through options until you get to the right location – it could be easier.

The price is high. It is the most expensive wake-up light on this list, but with good reason – it does offer more than any of its competitors.

This is a wonderful wake-up light, the sunrise simulation is beautiful, you can turn the clock display off and I love the guided breathing exercises to help you sleep. It is top class.


MY RATING: 91%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE PHILIPS SMARTSLEEP <<<


Pros

  • Guided breathing system to help you sleep
  • Great sunrise simulation
  • Can turn off clock display completely
  • Very personalisable
  • Fantastic design

Cons

  • Turning alarm on and off could be easier
  • More expensive
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#3 Philips HF3520


BEST FOR:
Those looking for a beautiful sunrise simulation.

Product Spec

  • 10 light intensities
  • Five nature sounds and FM Radio
  • Maximum lux – 300
  • Alarms – 2
  • Time display – 4 brightness settings
  • Weight – 2.45lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$


If you are looking for a sunrise alarm clock with a a beautiful sunrise simulation then the Philips HF3520 is very hard to beat.

It has ten adjustable light intensities and also five natural sounds you can wake up to. The sunrise duration can be set to anything between 20 and 40 minutes and it has a maximum light intensity of 300 lux.

It has two programmable alarms, an FM radio and the clock face has four brightness settings and also adjusts automatically to ambient light. If you want to use this as a reading lamp it has 20 brightness settings.

This does have an absolutely gorgeous sunrise. The light progresses from a red tinge to a nice warm orange glow to pure yellow and then white. It is genuinely nice to wake up to and does as perfect job of recreating a rising sun.

Aside from that I also like:

  • You can complement the rising sun with five natural sounds – gentle piano, garden noises, birds in the forest, rainstorm with gulls and a bird song. A nice feature to help rouse you from your slumber.
  • The time display is great. You can adjust to brightness of it and it has a sensor so it dims when all the lights in the room are off for instance.
  • It has two alarms – if you have a different wake up time during the week compared to the weekend for instance (as most of us do) – a nice function that not all alarm clocks have.
  • It has a nice dusk simulation – the lighting dimming slowly and consistently.
  • It looks amazing! Futuristic, smooth, sleek and very good indeed.

Philips could have done better when it comes to the buttons for this – they are all around the rim of the light and are small and hard to read. Also setting the time and setting the alarms is not as easy as it should be – it gets confusing and takes longer than it should do.

But this will ultimately be judged on the quality of its wake-up light and that is very, very good indeed and it is easy to see why this remains at the top of the best sellers list.


MY RATING: 90%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE PHILIPS HF3520 <<<


Pros

  • Lovely sunrise simulation
  • Five nature sounds
  • Intelligent time display
  • Two programmable alarms
  • Looks fantastic

Cons

  • Buttons are small and fiddly
  • Setting time and alarms could be easier
Check availability on Amazon

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#4 Heimvision Sunrise Alarm Clock


BEST FOR:
Those wanting a good budget wake-up light with numerous options

Product Spec

  • Four alarms
  • 7 Wake-Up Sounds
  • 20 brightness settings
  • 7 time display settings
  • Weight – 1.1lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $
HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock

The HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock is a budget priced wake-up light with the features of a much more expensive model.

It has 20 brightness settings and four alarms with seven natural alarm sounds you can wake up to.

It weighs 1.1lbs, has a two-year warranty and can be controlled via your smartphone.

Amongst a host of attractive features, the most alluring for me is the price – you get a lot for your money – namely that you can fully control it via your phone by downloading an app – you have access to set every feature.

Having full control in this way is exceptional, and very rare, at such a budget price.

But there is also:

  • Twenty brightness settings, 20 volume levels, target light intensity, adjustable sunrise duration – tailor your alarm to your exact needs.
  • There are four alarms you can set – more than many expensive wake-up lights.
  • The sunrise simulation is great – very authentic and lovely to wake up to.
  • The time display can be turned off completely.
  • Nice USB charger on the back of the unit as well.

The downsides are that the sound quality is poor – with the sounds being on a noticeably short loop and the light color does have some noticeable jumps as it goes through the sunrise cycle.

But all-in-all – if you want a budget price sunrise alarm clock, then this should be your go to choice – it is a steal!


MY RATING: 88%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE HEIMVISION SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK <<<


Pros

  • Great price
  • Can be fully controlled by smartphone
  • Lots of adjustable settings
  • Lovely sunrise simulation
  • Time display can be turned off

Cons

  • Poor sound quality
  • Sunrise simulation does jump a little
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#5 Philips HF3510


BEST FOR:
Those wanting a great sunrise and sunset simulation.

Product Spec

  • 20 brightness settings
  • Maximum light intensity – 300 lux
  • Sunset simulation
  • Three nature sounds and FM Radio
  • Time display has four brightness settings
  • Weight – 1.8lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$


Another in the range of Philips Wake-Up Lights and another winner – the Philips HF3510  is when Philips really took things up a notch.

It has 20 brightness settings and a dusk simulation as well. You can wake up to three nature sounds and the digital clock has four brightness settings.

There is one alarm, an FM radio and it weighs 1.8 pounds and has a two-year warranty.

This is the first in the range of Philips wake-up lights to give off 300 lux of light (previous models were 200 lux).

You notice the depth of color in the light – it slowly changes from orange to yellow, using nicely diffused LED bulbs and give a glorious imitation of the sunrise.

Of course that is probably the main reason you would buy this but there is much more to like including:

  • You can wake up to three nature sounds with this – birds chirping, piano music and birds chirping with music. The sounds are really nice and not repetitive.
  • It offers a great sunset simulation which you can set to last from 5 to 60 minutes. It is almost as nice as the sunrise simulation.
  • As is common with Philips products this has a really gorgeous sleek, stylish look.
  • You can control the lamp brightness independently from the wake-up light brightness. Ie if you want to read before you go to bed you could set it at level 18, but if you want the light to only reach level 15 in morning you can set both of these. Therefore it works well as a bedside lamp.
  • It uses LED bulbs which last longer, stay cooler and are more energy efficient.

Again the control buttons are right round the rim of the clock and are small and hard to identify in the darkness. Also the time display cannot be turned off completely, the lowest setting is very dim but if you are the kind of person who does not like any ambient light at all it may still annoy you.

This however was a big step forward in the Philips Wake-Up Light line. The sunrise simulation is fantastic – you get lovely nature sounds to wake up to and it looks great. Well done Philips!


MY RATING: 86%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE PHILIPS HF3510 <<<


Pros

  • Lovely deep sunrise
  • Three nice nature sounds
  • Great sunset simulation
  • Nice large light surface area
  • Makes a good bedside lamp

Cons

  • Control buttons are awkwardly placed
  • Time display doesn’t turn off completely
Check availability on Amazon

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#6 Philips HF3470


BEST FOR:
Those looking for a uniquely designed wake-up light.

Product Spec

  • 20 brightness settings
  • Maximum light intensity of 250 lux
  • FM radio
  • Two nature sounds
  • Time display – 4 brightness settings
  • Weight – 3.2lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$$


The Philips HF3470 is one of the earlier models of the Philips Wake-Up Lights range and is now very difficult to get hold of, which is a shame as it is a damn good light.

It has 20 brightness settings and a maximum light intensity of 250 lux. It has one alarm and three alarm sounds (birds chirping, wind chimes and an FM Radio).

The time display has four brightness settings, weighs 3.2lbs and comes with a two year warranty.

The HF3470 is quite unique in its design amongst the Philips Wake-Up Lights that are on the market. After this they seemed to take a different direction – their proceeding wake-up lights were circular, whereas this is much taller and looks more like a speaker or even a vase.

Nonetheless I think it is very stylish and looks modern and the larger surface area gives off much more light which is a good thing.

I also like:

  • The light itself is really warm and buttery. Unlike most modern lights it uses a halogen bulb, but it is a very pleasant light indeed.
  • When the light reaches full intensity, the nature sounds or FM radio will come on and gradually increase over 90 seconds. The increase in volume is smooth and gentle and works well.
  • The two nature sounds themselves are great and of a high quality (birds chirping and bells chiming).
  • It is easy to use and the controls are actually better than on the later Philips Wake-Up Light Models.
  • Nice and customizable – set the light level, the maximum volume you want the alarm to reach and the alarm sound.

On the downside this is so now difficult to find as it is out of production, and when you do it is generally very expensive. Also the large surface area is great in many ways, but this does give off a lot of heat and you have to be careful not to accidentally touch it when the light is at full blast.

It is a shame this is so difficult to find as it is a great sunrise simulator alarm clock. If you do find it and at a reasonable price, you must snap it up!


MY RATING: 85%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE PHILIPS HF3470 <<<


Pros

  • Nice, innovative design
  • Lovely buttery light
  • Smooth introduction of sound for alarm
  • Nature sounds are great
  • Simple to use

Cons

  • Out of production so often expensive if you find it
  • Emits a fair bit of heat
Check availability on Amazon

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#7 Philips HF3505


BEST FOR:
Those wanting some nice and natural wake up sounds.

Product Spec

  • Ten brightness settings
  • Two nature sounds
  • FM Radio
  • Maximum light intensity – 200 lux
  • Time display has four brightness settings
  • Weigh – 0.6lbs
  • Two Year Warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$


The Philips Wake-Up Lights get better and better as the product progresses and although the Philips HF3505 is nearer the beginning of that line it still has some very compelling features.

It has ten adjustable brightness settings and you can wake up to one of two nature sounds or an FM radio. The maximum light intensity is 200 lux.

It has a time display with four brightness settings, weighs 0.6lbs and has a two year warranty.

I love the two nature sounds that you can set to play after your wake up light has reached full strength. They are birds chirping and a rainforest like sound with a mixture of birds chirping and frogs ribbiting.

The sound kicks in slowly but steadily. Building up from nothing to your chosen volume level (1 to 10) in a consistent manner and within 90 seconds. They are relaxing and authentic.

But there is more than that to this wake up light:

  • In keeping with all the Philips models it has a lovely sunrise simulation and although it only uses yellow it is a refreshing light that is nice to watch go from mild to bright yellow over a 30 minute period.
  • All the Philips Wake Up Lights look great and this is no exception – very impressive looking piece of kit.
  • It is simple and intuitive to set the time and the alarm.
  • It has a lovely touchscreen functionality that fits in with the futuristic looking design and works nicely.
  • It is small and compact and will fit on most bedside tables without a problem

My main problem with this is that when you are woken from your sleep by the light you can only turn it off by touching a small sensor immediately below this blinding light! It is difficult to find, invariably you are staring into the light and it hurts your eyes.

The snooze button is not great either. You have to tap it quite strongly to get the light to snooze, but as the light is so lightweight you can easily end up pushing it across the table as you tap snooze!

But these are minor things. This isn’t the best Philips Wake Up Light out there but it certainly is a good one and does its main job really well with a very nice sunset simulation.


MY RATING: 84%

>>> READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE PHILIPS HF3505 <<<


Pros

  • Lovely nature sounds
  • Great sunrise simulation
  • Looks stylish
  • Nice touch screen functionality
  • Small and compact

Cons

  • Difficult to turn light off
  • Snooze button poorly designed
Check availability on Amazon

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#8 Verilux Rise And Shine


BEST FOR:
Those wanting a truly soothing sunset simulation.

Product Spec

  • 15 brightness levels
  • Full spectrum white light or 250 calming colors
  • Time adjustable sunrise and sunset simulation
  • Six nature sounds
  • FM Radio
  • Weight -1.6lbs
  • One year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $


Verilux are more well known for their forays into the SAD light market, but the Verilux Rise and Shine Alarm Clock is a truly customisable sunrise alarm clock.

It has 15 brightness levels and a maximum of 454 lux. It has a time adjustable sunrise and sunset simulator which can be set to just white light or a range of colors.

It has six sounds you can use as an alarm and an FM radio. It weighs 1.6lbs and comes with a year warranty.

As mentioned this is very customizable. The Sunrise can be set to 15 or 30 minute duration and the sunset to 5, 15 or 30 minutes. You can choose nature sounds to go to sleep to or wake up to or even nature sounds playing over the FM radio!

With the sunset simulation you can also set it to rotate through 250 soothing colors to help lull you to sleep. You can also program the light intensity as well to suit your needs.

There is much more I like including

  • The sunset simulation works really well – especially the ability to set it to rotate through the 250 colors of light – it is truly relaxing and effective.
  • This initially started out at a high price point, but now it can be found at a fraction of the cost and is really good value for money.
  • Lovely and unusual design – like a cross between a UFO and a frisbee!
  • It has a nice snooze sensor that is a non-button touch activated area at the top of the device. It works well to snooze the light during the sunrise cycle and also to turn it on and off. The fact is touch activated is a nice feature as it makes the process simple and infallible even in a sleepy state!
  • The sounds, which include ocean waves, a babbling brook and birds are really nice and very soothing.

This does use LEDs that feel slightly cheap as they flicker slightly when the voltage varies as the lights change colors.

The clock display is quite bright. It has two brightness settings, but can’t be turned off, which I find very annoying as I like my bedroom to be pitch black.

Overall this is a really nice sunrise alarm clock that looks different, has a huge number of customisable options, a lovely sunset feature and is at really good price now. Well worth a look.


MY RATING: 82%


Pros

  • Lots of customizable options
  • Nice soothing sunset simulation
  • Intelligent snooze sensor
  • Great price
  • Unusual design

Cons

  • LEDs seem cheap
  • Clock display is too bright
Check availability on Amazon

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#9 Lumie BodyClock Active 250


BEST FOR:
Those wanting no ambient light from a time display.

Product Spec

  • Time adjustable sunrise and sunset simulation
  • Fully dimmable LCD display
  • Back up power
  • Six alarm sounds
  • FM Radio
  • Weight – 2.2lbs
  • One year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $$$


Alongside Philips the other big player in the wake-up light/sunrise alarm clock market is Lumie. The Lumie BodyClock Active 250 actually has a couple of big advantages over the Philips models it competes against.

It has a sunrise and sunset simulation that can be set over a period of 15 to 90 minutes. It also has six different alarm sounds you can wake to – five nature sounds and FM radio.

It has a dimmable time display, weighs 2.2lbs and has a one year warranty.

Now the big advantage this has for me over the Philips models is that the clock display can be completely turned off.

If you are like me and dislike even the smallest amount of ambient light at night this is a big bonus. If you want to check the time at any point, just press one button and the time will flash up for a few seconds and then turn off completely again.

I also like:

  • It has a battery backup – another advantage over the Philips models. So if there is a power cut it will keep the time and any settings and the alarm will still sound.
  • I like the fact that the clock remembers all of your settings anyway. So once you set your alarm, everything like noises, times, brightness settings are automatically saved.
  • It is very customizable – the sunrise and sunset features can be set to anything between 15 minutes and 90 minutes. Then you have many other settings for the lights and sounds.
  • Talking of sounds you get five nature sounds – morning chorus, waves, rooster, white noise, beep and FM radio – to wake up to and they build slowly and consistently. You can also set the sounds to fade slowly if you are using the sunset feature.
  • The light is nice, going from a soft orange to a more intense white smoothly and naturally.

You will notice that this actually gets very hot as it uses incandescent halogen bulbs. Be careful as the plastic casing will warm considerably. Also be aware that generally this is more costly than most of the Philips Wake-Up lights.

But overall the ability to turn the time display of completely and the battery backup might make you decide to choose this above the Philips lights and if you do I certainly don’t think you will be disappointed.


MY RATING: 81%

>>>  READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE LUMIE BODYCLOCK ACTIVE 250 <<<


Pros

  • Can turn time display off completely
  • Battery backup keeps time settings, etc
  • Lots of customisable features
  • Five great nature sounds to wake up to
  • Lovely sunset simulation

Cons

  • Gets very hot
  • More expensive
Check availability on Amazon

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#10 hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock


BEST FOR:
Those looking for the best value for money.

Product Spec

  • Ten brightness levels
  • Six nature sounds and FM Radio
  • USB chargeable
  • Time display can be shut off
  • Set sunrise or sunset to 15, 30 or 60 minutes
  • Weight – 1.3lbs
  • Two year warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $


The hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock is one of the most popular sunrise alarm clocks out there – combining ease of use, a nice sunrise and sunset and a few other features.

This has an adjustable sunrise and sunset feature from 15 minutes to 60 minutes and ten brightness levels. It can also be used as an atmosphere light and set to one of six colours.

It has six nature sounds and an FM radio, weighs 1.3lbs and has a two year warranty.  It also has a battery back up and is USB chargeable.

This is exactly what a budget product should be – it is reliable and has no bells and whistles but does its job well.

The sunrise and sunset features work well – the increase of brightness is gradual but steady and it can be set to 15, 30 or 60 minutes. Overall for a budget price it does this really well.

I also like:

  • You can shut the time display off completely so you can sleep in the pitch black – always a big plus for me and better than some of the more expensive Philips models.
  • Doubles up as an atmosphere lamp – you can set it to specific colors (red, green, orange, indigo and purple) or a rotating mixture of them to create a relaxing mood in your room.
  • There are a variety of power options – mains power, usb or battery – making it easier to keep it running.
  • I love the non-slip aluminium feet which keep this stable on your bedside table, it also is pretty compact so doesn’t take up much room.
  • It is the cheapest on my list I think – great value for money!

The glass touch-buttons this has are difficult to press and unresponsive to the point it can get very annoying and makes it difficult to set the alarm.

This has six nature sounds you can wake up to as well, but to be honest they aren’t great. They are on a very limited loop and the speaker is tinny so they don’t sound great.

But as I say this is very cheap and you really aren’t losing much if you decide to give it ago – on the whole it does its job very well and you won’t be disappointed.


MY RATING: 81%


Pros

  • Nice sunrise and sunset feature
  • Time display can be turned off
  • Works well as a mood lamp
  • Stable and compact
  • Amazing price

Cons

  • Touch screen buttons can be unresponsive
  • Nature sounds annoying
Check availability on Amazon

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#11 Totobay Wake Up Light


BEST FOR:
Those wanting great customer service.

Product Spec

  • Ten brightness levels
  • Six nature sounds and FM Radio
  • Mains/USB/Battery Power
  • Adjustable time display
  • Seven color mood light
  • Weight – 0.65lbs
  • Two Year Warranty
  • PRICE GUIDE: $

The Totobay Wake Up Light is another budget sunrise alarm clock with a lot going for it, but what really sticks out is their fantastic customer service!

It has ten adjustable brightness levels, a sunrise and sunset feature and you can wake to one of six nature sounds or FM radio.

It is powered by mains, USB and has a battery back up, weighs 0.65lbs and has a two-year warranty.

If only every company had the same customer service standards as Totobay! You will see lots of positive feedback on how easy they are to work with and how proactive they are in offering refunds or solutions to problems.

That is not to say you should get too many problems with this sunrise alarm clock as all in all it is a pretty good piece of kit.

There is a lot to like, including:

  • Nice touch control snooze that is easy to operate and works well
  • Ability to dim, and turn off, the time display
  • Has seven colors you can set this to if you want to use it as an atmospheric mood light
  • Nice sunrise and sunset simulation
  • You can wake up to six pleasant nature sounds or the FM radio

The volume control does seem limited on this though. Even at the lowest sound it is too loud! And the backlight on this makes the buttons hard to see – even more so when the light is shining in your face. This could be improved.

It is a good budget wake-up light though and the fact Totobay have such a great reputation for customer service is a big bonus.


MY RATING: 78%


Pros

  • Totobay have great customer service
  • Nice snooze function that works well
  • Time display can be turned off
  • Makes a nice mood light
  • Six nature sounds and FM Radio

Cons

  • Volume is too loud even at quietest
  • Backlight makes touchscreen hard to see
Check availability on Amazon

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I hope you have found this rundown of the Best Sunrise Simulator Alarm Clocks of 2024 of use and there is something on this list to suit your needs.

If you do have any questions or are uncertain about anything then please just drop me an email and I will do my best to help.

Don’t forget you can also look at my Wake Up Light Reviews Index for an overview of all my wake up light reviews on one page.

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Find out more about the Shine A Light On SAD Review Team.

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