After testing the Hatch Restore 3 for several weeks, this sunrise alarm clock stands out as my top choice due to its functional options and design. You can customize the lighting options to your liking to create the perfect sunrise. Whether you like to wake up to warm golden tones or a soft amber glow, Hatch Restore 3 offers a variety of colors that mimic the sunrise to ease into your day. Since using the Hatch alarm clock, my bedroom is phone-free at night, which has greatly improved my sleep quality.
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Benefits
- Customized sleep patterns
- Sleek, minimalist design
- It promotes good sleep habits
Evil
- Registration is required to get full features
- Initial setup and customization depends on the smartphone application
- Requires Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
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A sunrise alarm clock will keep the morning panic at bay because it’s a peaceful way to wake up.
If you dread waking up in the morning, the last thing you want to hear is a loud, screeching noise. alarm clock. A sunrise alarm clock is a better option because it mimics a natural sunrise with a light that slowly glows and you can choose soothing sounds to wake you up instead. More peaceful mornings wake up in the morningthese watches have other advantages.
“Our lives and homes are full of noise, and this creates opportunities for insomnia, anxiety and depression. I like the idea of these silent alarm clocks to match our natural circadian rhythms and help start our days on a calm note,” says Jamie Gold, a health justice consultant and author, who adds that he came across these quiet sound alarms while researching. “Some heavy sleepers may need a strict wake-up routine, but if you’re not one of them, it’s definitely a solution worth considering.”
To find the best sunrise alarm clock available, CNET experts tested the most popular models on the market from a variety of brands.
The best alarm clock of 2026
After testing the Hatch Restore 3 for several weeks, this sunrise alarm clock stands out as my top choice due to its functional options and design. You can customize the lighting options to your liking to create the perfect sunrise. Whether you like to wake up to warm golden tones or a soft amber glow, Hatch Restore 3 offers a variety of colors that mimic the sunrise to ease into your day. Since using the Hatch alarm clock, my bedroom is phone-free at night, which has greatly improved my sleep quality.
Another feature I really like about Restore 3 is the collection of sounds to pair with your sunrise. You can choose from soothing nature sounds to soothing music to create the perfect ambiance to wake up to or sleep in. Mine is the sound of the beach to wake up to and a little rain at night to help me wind down after a long day. The ability to mix and match your lighting and sound options is endless.
To properly use Hatch 3 Restore you must download the app. A straightforward, easy-to-use app where you set up your own personal routes. I control the alarm time, light settings and sounds all from my phone. For $4.99 a month, you can subscribe to Hatch+, a library of meditation, music, bedtime stories and ASMR.
Casper Glow Light makes our sunrise clock a versatile alarm clock for a good reason. Once charged, the Bright Light becomes a portable light at night that I can carry with me, whether it’s a trip to the bathroom or the kitchen for a midnight snack.
The Casper Glow app adds another layer of convenience to your alarm clock. From the app, you can customize the brightness, sync multiple lights to wake up or sleep and schedule your wake up time. I really like the dimming options for sleep as it signals my brain that it’s time to start getting ready for bed.
Of all the sunrise alarm clocks on this list, the Casper Glow is probably the most unique to use. Besides the app, it also uses tactile controls, like flipping the device to turn off the light. Its small, sleek design complements almost any type of decor.
The Lumie Bodyclock Rise 100 is a lighter version of the Lumie Shine 300. It’s a high-end simulator alarm clock for people who just want the basics: The Lumie Rise 100 features a 30-minute sunrise with the option to set the final brightness. You can also schedule sunsets to help you fall asleep.
The Lumie Rise 100 doesn’t have nature or ambient sounds to add to sunrise and sunset, although you can optionally set an alarm to sound when your sunrise reaches maximum brightness. Like the Lumie Shine 300, the Lumie Rise 100 has a snooze feature for tap control and an auto-dimming display.
If you already have a bedside lamp, you can make a DIY sunrise alarm clock by replacing regular light bulbs with smart lights from Lifx. These Wi-Fi-enabled bulbs connect to Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana and Apple HomeKit, and you can program them to dim and brighten as the sun rises and sets as you go to sleep and wake up, respectively.
You won’t get any noise, but if you’re a light sleeper who wakes up and changes the brightness, these programmable light bulbs will still wake you up in the morning. You can also combine Lifx fibers in fun colors for the coolest sunrise ever.
Read our Lifx Mini smart bulb review.
If you’re not ready to shell out $100 or more for a sunrise alarm clock, this budget-friendly sunrise clock from Jall should do the trick. It has all the basics and enables a customizable sunrise: Choose from seven colors and 20 brightness levels to complete your sunrise, and seven natural sounds to accompany the brightness. You can also choose to activate the FM radio.
Jall Wake Up Light Alarm Clock works as a night light and bedside lamp, and you can adjust the brightness level of both. It doesn’t have a sunset function like the others on this list, and it doesn’t repeat like a white noise machine. If you only want a sunrise job, that doesn’t matter.
Most of the reviewers on Amazon love this watch: It has 4.3 stars and almost 100% of reviews agree. It seems that many people who bought this clock were looking for a quick way to wake up, and the Jall Wake Up Light did the trick for them. Consumers also like that it’s easy to set up and easy enough for kids to operate on their own.
How we chose the best sunrise alarm clock
Our compilation of the best sunrise watches involved a thorough evaluation of several key metrics to ensure a great user experience.
Customization: We’ve prioritized sunrise alarm clocks that offer customizable light settings and included some models that offer a sound option to pair with your light.
Features: Let’s take a look at what special features sunrise alarm clocks offer. For example, seamless control app integration, sound libraries and portability.
Design: There is nothing we love more than an aesthetic yet functional design. We have selected models that can blend into almost any decor you have in your home.
Strength: Our staff has personally tested these watches to check each device’s quality and durability.
Our top pick is Hatch Restore 2 because it checks all the boxes for things you’d want in a sunrise alarm clock, like customization, sound options, app integration and ease of use.
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Yes. A simulated sunrise helps alert your brain that it’s time to wake up.
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The sunrise alarm clock simulates a natural sunrise to wake you up properly by gradually increasing the brightness before your wake-up time. Unlike traditional alarms that jolt you with loud sounds, these clocks create a peaceful waking experience by simulating the gradual transition from darkness to daylight. This signals your brain that it’s time to wake up.
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Setting an alarm on your phone can be distracting. You might end up scrolling late at night or waking up early because of notifications. An alarm clock can help avoid these problems and get better sleep.
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Designed to mimic the dim natural light of dawn, sunrise alarm clocks are rarely too bright. Many will have alarm settings that allow you to set the brightness to your liking, but the brightest setting won’t be too difficult. Some models also slightly increase the light output with your morning alarm so your eyes have time to adjust.
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