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The best sunrise alarm clocks

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Waking up naturally to a beautiful sunrise is not an option for everyone throughout the year. Fortunately, you can replicate the sensation of waking up with the sun with the best sunrise alarm clocks.

Unlike a regular alarm clock, a sunrise alarm clock uses a growing brightness to wake you up, rather than a blaring alarm. The gradual light lets you wake up refreshed and ready for the day. Many have convenience features that you want at your bedside, too. Here are the best sunrise alarms for 2020.

Philips Wake-Up Light HF3505

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The Philips line of Wake-Up alarm clocks is the best available, and this particular model is one of our favorites. It’s larger and brighter than most options on the market, and has 10 brightness settings up to 200 lux that you can set for a 30-minute phase which mimics a sunrise no matter where — or when — you are. The clock features a tap-to-snooze feature and a couple different “natural” alarms like birdsong, or a radio option if you prefer to wake up that way.

There aren’t a lot of extra features on the Philips Wake-Up Light HF3505, which makes it a bit more affordable than some Wake-Up light alarm clocks from Philips. If you need a serious sunrise clock that can really make a difference, Philips has you covered.

HeimVision Alarm Clock

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This HeimVision model combines an affordable price tag with ample customization, which allows you to set sunrise and sunset light progression as you see fit. There are seven different colors available for the LED lights, as well as 20 different brightness levels.

You can also program default wake-up times and a target light intensity (with four different alarms), so you get the exact sunrise experience you’re looking for. The HeimVision Alarm Clock naturally starts with redder colors and moves to brighter hues to mimic a real sunrise, and radio and wake-up tones are included by default. The alarm clock even includes a “sun” button, which lets you use the device as a nightlight when necessary.

Philips Somneo HF3650

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Given Philips is a household name when it comes to lighting, it’s not surprising to see the manufacturer featured twice on our list. The Somneo is similar to the aforementioned Wake-Up Light, but includes a wealth of extra features. There are seven sounds to wake up to, USB and auxiliary connections for playing music and charging your phone, and a white noise setting if background noise helps you fall asleep.

If falling asleep is often difficult for you, you might also appreciate the RelaxBreathe setting, which helps you time your breath to a gentle pulse of light or sound so you can relax more quickly. There’s also a “PowerSnooze” option if you want to break your bad snoozing habit. The Philips Somneo HF3650 is one of the most feature-rich clocks available, though, said features come at a price.

Morning Ray Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock

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This clock has many of the solid features we’ve already discussed from other models: There’s a familiar 30-minute wake-up sequence where the light will gradually increase (plus a dimmable setting to use as a desk lamp) and six different alarm sounds to choose from based on what you like — which includes white or pink noise.

The Morning Ray Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock stands out for the extra connection options it offers for our mobile devices. There’s a USB-A port for charging your phone while you sleep, and Bluetooth connectivity so you can turn the clock into a Bluetooth speaker when you want. It’s a great pick for a dorm or similar space.

Northern Light’s Lumie Bodyclock

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The Lumie allows you to set sunrise and sunset timers to last 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes, depending on how long you want your light progression to last. The clock also includes an FM radio and a number of sound effects, spanning everything from a choir to a rooster, so there’s plenty of room to play around. White noise and wave modes can help you fall asleep, and you can also turn the display off if you prefer no visible light. There’s even an away mode, which will keep the clock from turning on when you aren’t around.

There’s one downside to the Northern Light’s Lumie Bodyclock. While different languages are supported, the clock only shows military time. We’re not sure why, but if you aren’t comfortable with 24-hour clocks, you may want to avoid this model.

Homelabs Sunrise Alarm Clock

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For those looking for a budget-based model, look no further than the Homelabs Sunrise clock. The basic, no-frills device offers a 30-minute timer and a similar timer designed to mimic sunsets. It also functions as a vibrant lamp with eight different color options, including purple, blue, and green.

There are a number of nature sound options to choose from, as well as an FM radio and snooze button. The Homelabs Sunrise Alarm Clock even includes a backup battery and USB charger.

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Tyler Lacoma
Tyler Lacoma
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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