What Should I Consider When Buying an Alarm Clock?

The dreaded alarm clock is an annoyance for many people, but a necessary evil for those who lack a perfectly working internal clock. Without our alarm clock, many of us would never get to work or school on time and even with one, some of us still have problems. If you find yourself in the market for buying an alarm clock, whether you’ve thrown yet another one against the wall or simply never had one before, it might help to consider your next clock’s features before you buy.

If you share your bed with a bedmate, then buying an alarm clock with dual alarms may be essential. If you and yours truly have different morning schedules, then buying an alarm clock with a dual alarm allows you to set two different waking times. This is a particularly handy feature to have for couples, especially if you rise an hour or more apart. Dual alarm clocks generally have the option to set each alarm to tone or music, allowing each of you to also customize your waking experience.

That brings us to the next feature, which is the tone versus music wake up call. Some people find they sleep right through music, no matter how loud, but others do not want to be woken with a blaring, obnoxious sound. If you consider that you will hear this alarm each and every morning, then it shouldn’t take much to convince you to ask someone if you can plug it in and check the sound before buying an alarm clock. Some alarm clocks have a gradual alarm, which means it starts at a lower volume and then gradually increases in volume. This is a nice feature to have to avoid the immediate, startling blast of sound that ruins many mornings.

Other features you might consider when buying an alarm clock include radio and CD capabilities, time display, and backlighting. There are also talking alarm clocks if this should happen to be a feature that interests you. People with less than perfect vision might want to consider buying an alarm clock with a projection feature that displays the time on the wall or ceiling for easy viewing. Of course if you find even the slightest amount of light disturbing while you sleep, you might rather buy an analog display over digital. If you’re buying an alarm clock that runs off electricity, make sure it also has a battery powered back up just in case. Obviously if you’re traveling a great deal, it might be best to just buy a small travel alarm clock for use at home and on the road.

Whichever type of alarm clock you settle on, remember that it will greet you most each and every day so invest in features that serve you well. If, however, you have a track record for smashing, throwing or otherwise destroying your bedside timepieces, buying an alarm clock with the cheapest price would make the most sense.