Looking for a nice digital or numeric clock

October 18, 2011 9:13 PM

I'd like to find a classy clock that displays numbers, digital or otherwise, for my grandmother who no longer can read analog clocks. I don't even know what words to use to search for such a clock, to avoid the institutional look of most digital clocks.
posted by filthy light thief to Shopping (13 answers total)

How about an old school flip
clock? You grannie probably had one back in the day.
posted by amanda at 9:23 PM on October 18, 2011

Nixie tube clocks are cool, but the digits are not usually more than a couple inches in height (so they might not work for your grandmother, if acuity of vision is her problem).
posted by spacewrench at 9:25 PM on October 18, 2011

Have you tried a flip clock? Alternatively, looking for 'large display' clocks may give you some that are digital in a wood frame, geared towards a demographic that doesn't want an 'ugly modern clock' but practical enough to want a large numeric display.

(on preview, beaten to the flip clock idea!)
posted by cobaltnine at 9:27 PM on October 18, 2011

I was thinking about the flip clocks but then I found this nixie clock.
posted by bz at 9:27 PM on October 18, 2011

Word clock?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:29 PM on October 18, 2011 [3 favorites]

How about this Moshi which looks nice and is also voice interactive, which could be helpful for your grandmother.
posted by xedrik at 9:31 PM on October 18, 2011

If she is having trouble with analog clocks, it may be a cognitive impairment or a vision problem. Seconding the idea of a talking clock - subject to checking out with your grandmother, of course.
posted by metahawk at 10:08 PM on October 18, 2011

Here's a lovely old flip clock... ebay seems to have a nice selection of styles.
posted by Mchelly at 10:15 PM on October 18, 2011

How about one of the Oregon Scientific clocks? I am particularly fond of the three I own, and this one will likely replace the oldest of them soon. It is self setting once you have selected time zone, has very large format numbers (good for someone like me who can't see without their glasses at all), and a rather pretty lighting effect on the smooth glass part of the case.
posted by strixus at 10:25 PM on October 18, 2011

N'thing a large flip clock. When I was little, I had my mom's ancient flip clock radio next to my bed. I always found it extremely amusing watching all the little numbers fall.

Also: have you considered a talking clock? My grandma has a little talking clock cube that she's had for a few decades. Press a button, and it tells you the date, time, and temperature, and you could set it to go off automatically every (daylight) hour. I'm sure that there are ones nowadays with even more options. (My grandma is especially fond of this one because the clock voice is male. She always used to joke with the grandkids that she has a tiny man she keeps in a box in the living room.)
posted by phunniemee at 1:04 AM on October 19, 2011

There are new flip clocks available for purchase on Amazon. In a variety of styles.
posted by hippybear at 4:38 AM on October 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Ah, flip clocks. I had forgotten these!

And I like the idea of a talking clock that responds to a button push or speaks on the hour, as she has Alzheimer's disease, and her short-term memory would not be good enough to remember vocal commands for the Moshi (though it sounds like a very keen clock!)
posted by filthy light thief at 2:37 PM on October 19, 2011

Check out this wonderful electronic clock. 41 years old and still going. The workmanship, especially the circuit board, is pure awesome.
posted by bz at 8:24 AM on November 2, 2011