While I don’t love my alarm clock when I wake up in the morning, I do love smart alarm clocks. So this review will be about the top features to look for when shopping around for your smart alarm.
How to choose a smart alarm clock
There are many options available today, from sunrise clocks that wake you up with light to alarms that are voice-activated, there’s a lot to choose from. We’ve looked at some great reviews on the best smart alarm clocks, but before delving into specific models let’s look at the general best features.
Smart Alarm Clock Features
Here are the features that we’ll be reviewing:
- The Alarm Itself- Wake up to music, news, weather, sports, and more!
- Sleep Timer – Set an automatic wake-up time based on your sleep patterns!
- Calendar – Schedule events and reminders for any day of the week!
- Weather – Get the latest forecast for your area!
- Voice Control – Use voice commands to control your device!
- Sleep Tracking – Calculate the quality of your sleep!
1. The Alarm Itself
An alarm clock is one of the most basic pieces of technology available. It wakes us up in the morning and allows us to get started on our day. But there are many types of ways we can waken up, these include:
- Digital Sound – These alarms play a sound and turn off after a set period of time has passed.
- Radio Alarms – These alarms consist of a radio receiver that allows you to listen to different stations.
- Weather Watchers – These devices allow you to view the weather conditions outside and can wake you up with a weather update instead of a sound
- Relaxing Sounds – Some alarms offer multiple ringtones that include sounds of nature and different features that might help you wake up in a good mood!
- Voice Activated Alarms – These alarms use voice recognition software to identify your voice and play a tone or message back to you.
Make sure that the alarm you’re looking to purchase has the feature that you’re most interested in having.
2. Sleep Timer
A good night’s rest is important for maintaining overall health. There are several ways to determine what time you should wake up in the morning. The first method is based on the length of your sleeping cycle.
According to this method, you might find out that to feel most rested, you should wake up 30 minutes before your normal wake-up time. Some smart alarms are able to detect your sleep cycle and ensure that you don’t oversleep.
3. Calendar
Keeping track of dates and times can be tedious. That’s why calendars are so popular. They make it easy to see what days you have upcoming. Some clocks can connect with your calendar app and can even allow you to create appointments and schedule meetings.
4. Weather
Do you ever wonder where the weather is going to be? What kind of temperature should you be expecting tomorrow? Well a smart alarm clock can tell you all about that. With a weather app installed on some clocks, you’ll know exactly how much rain you’re going to get. You’ll also be able to check out the current temperature.
5. Voice Control
We love voice-activated alarm clocks because they help us easily make adjustments to our clock’s setting. This is definitely one of the most advanced features on this list and in our opinion one of the most important. Luckily there are many alarms these days that have this feature, so finding it won’t be difficult at all.
6. Sleep Tracking
Have you ever had a smart watch tell you how many hours of sleep you’ve had? Perhaps you’ve received this information from your phone as well. While these devices offer apps that can estimate your sleep. We’ve found that the best sleep trackers are actually come with alarm clocks.
Some very cool inventions include devices from companies like EightSleep. Their device can accurately measure your sleep using a band that is attached around your mattress and measures your movement. Definitely worth a look!
Price
Smart alarms cost anywhere between $50-$250 depending on their size and features. So whether you want something simple or something more complex, there’s bound to be an option for you.
Keep in mind that if you already own a digital alarm clock, you may not need a new smart alarm clock. Many of these features are really just nice to have. Getting restful sleep definitely comes down to your daily routine around sleep and not the type of clock that you own.
Conclusion
There are many different types of alarm clocks available today. Each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. We hope that this short article will help you decide which type would work best for you. What type of alarm clock would you choose? Leave a comment below!
