A sunrise alarm clock that is actually dark at night

September 19, 2022 6:01 AM

I'm shopping for a sunrise alarm clock and I've looked through wirecutter etc., but I'm having a hard time figuring out which ones are completely dark at night. No lit-up clock, no glowing power button (why do so many devices have these??), no weird ambient glow. No light at night!!

Other things I'd like:
- a gradual increase in light (so, not just like a three-step light where it gets A Lot brighter at once)
- programmable to the extent that I can set different times on weekdays/weekends
- easy to turn off for a day if, for example, there's a random day off on Monday
- NO LIGHT AT NIGHT!

thank you :)

posted by goodbyewaffles to Technology (9 answers total)

Best answer: I couldn't find a sunrise alarm clock that I felt was worth the price and was exactly what I was looking for, so I got a smart light bulb and put it in an ikea globe lamp. It's totally programmable like you are requesting, completely off/dark when not in use, and works wonderfully to simulate a sunrise and help make wake up a bit easier. I set it up to start at 5% with an red-orange color and then transition over half an hour to a warm white at 80%, and I use an app on my phone to control it otherwise. I got a Lifx mini bulb, specifically, but I'm guessing any decently rated smart bulb would be able to do something similar!
posted by carlypennylane at 6:16 AM on September 19, 2022 [23 favorites]

I have been using this alarm clock since the beginning of the year and once you turn off the LED display it's completely dark. I don't know if it's programmable, though.
posted by rhymedirective at 6:25 AM on September 19, 2022

The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750 does everything you need. It's not cheap, but I've had mine from secondhand for the past 5 years and it's utterly solid.

- gradually lights up over half an hour
- morning wakeup times are fully programmable by individual day or by weekday/weekend, plus there's a useful sunset mode for going to sleep
- one press to switch off the next day's alarm
- completely black at night
- bluer light for morning / warmer light for evening reading - easily dimmable and you can toggle between the two as well
- no need to change bulbs so far (touch wood)

I have the bluetooth version without DAB radio, but this one seems to be the same with DAB (UK link). I wouldn't hesitate to buy another if mine were to go wrong.
posted by doornoise at 6:45 AM on September 19, 2022 [1 favorite]

If you find a clock that is otherwise perfect but still emits light at night, they do make LED blocking stickers to help solve that problem. Sad that they're necessary, but they work well.
posted by Aleyn at 7:25 AM on September 19, 2022 [6 favorites]

I came in to recommend LED blocking stickers too!
posted by ellieBOA at 8:13 AM on September 19, 2022

Best answer: Seconding a color-changing smart bulb in a bedside lamp. I use a $10 Wiz bulb, which has 30 minute gradual wake-up and bedtime modes, among other options.
posted by mumkin at 8:47 AM on September 19, 2022 [1 favorite]

Seconding the Lumie Bodyclock. I have had mine for 10+ years at this point and haven't changed the bulb for it( again knock on wood). It covers all your requirements.
posted by Lucubrator at 8:57 AM on September 19, 2022

I've had my Philips sunrise alarm for 7-8 years and mostly love it. For years, the display on the dimmest setting didn't bother me at night, as it goes dimmer when we turn off the room lights. In the last year, as I've been more committed to sleeping in a completely dark room, that little bit of red display has been too much. I tried turning it to face the wall, but the display reflected off the wall and diffused the light (which was great for the sunrise cycle in the morning). Now I have it turned so that the display faces away from me AND away from the wall. I don't see any light whatsoever from the red clock display, and the gradual sunrise effect still wakes us well.

(Fun note: we have trained the cats not to bother us until the sunrise simulation begins. Except in June-July, when the real sun rises an hour+ earlier.)
posted by writermcwriterson at 9:07 AM on September 19, 2022 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: update: we definitely just got a color-changing smart bulb and stuck it in our existing lamp, this was a $15 solution that absolutely worked. thank you everybody!
posted by goodbyewaffles at 3:11 PM on January 23, 2023