You don’t typically need much from your alarm clock as long it goes off when you need it to. But with technology improving everyday, additional features of a smart alarm clock — like various music streaming capabilities and a smart assistant — can make your everyday tasks a lot easier.
When shopping for a smart alarm clock, our Rothman recommends considering the following:
- Smart assistant capabilities: “If you’re going with one with a built-in smart assistant, make sure it’s compatible with other devices you have,” she says. For instance, an Amazon Echo Dot would work best if you also had an Amazon TV or other Alexa-compatible devices.
- Bluetooth features: Most (but not all) smart alarm clocks have bluetooth enabled so you can stream your own songs and music. Otherwise, some clocks include a USB port, SD card or aux port to sync music.
- Wellness content: Some clocks provide a reading light, guided meditations or sunrise wake-up to gently prompt you awake.
Check Out These Smart Alarm Clocks
Echo Dot
$59.99
A speaker, assistant and alarm clock in one, the Echo Dot is a great choice for helping you with everyday tasks while taking up minimal space. You can ask Alexa to wake you up to music, set recurring reminders or have her tell you the weather and daily news. Note that while this model can display the time and weather, it doesn’t have an actual screen display. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, you can try the Echo Show 5.
Wake-Up Light
$99.99
Not only were our Lab experts impressed with this alarm clock, but it also has a cult-following with over 10,000 reviews on Amazon. Instead of waking you up with a loud buzzer sound, this sunrise clock uses a special simulated sunrise setting with the choice of various nature sounds to gently wake you up. You can even use the alarm clock as a reading lamp, radio or even a morning mood booster, thanks to its warm glow and adjustable brightness settings.
Nest Hub 7-inch Smart Display with Google Assistant
$99.99
It has its own speaker, but if you have other Nest speakers in the house, you can broadcast messages throughout your home and alert family members to gather or even chat from room to room. You can tell Google Assistant to stream music, pause and play YouTube videos or tell you the latest sports updates. The Sunrise Alarm wakes you up gently with calming sounds.
