Types of alarm clocks and how to choose: analog, digital, light, vibration, phone
It is easier to find an alarm clock that suits you if you choose by how it wakes you, not by how it looks.
Grouped by how they wake you
| Type | How it wakes you | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bell (analog) | Rings a metal bell | Loud. Runs on batteries and is simple |
| Electronic (digital) | Plays an electronic sound | Volume is often adjustable. Easy to read |
| Light | Gets brighter toward the set time | Some make no sound. Depends on how bright the room is |
| Vibration | The unit or a pad shakes | Works without sound. Placed under a pillow, for example |
| Phone alarm | Sound and vibration | Always with you. Easy to set by weekday |
| Smart speaker | Set by voice, plays a sound or music | Hands-free to set |
Alarm clocks fall into these six groups. Some clocks wake you in two ways, such as sound and light, or sound and vibration.
Each type and how it fits
Bell (analog)
A small hammer hits a metal bell. It is loud, so you can hear it even from far away. It is simple and works as soon as you put in batteries. Many have no volume control, so check how loud it is first if you live in an apartment or share a room. If the ticking bothers you, choose one with quiet hands.
Electronic (digital)
It plays an electronic sound. Some let you choose the volume, and some get louder little by little. The time is shown in numbers, so it is easy to read in a dark room. Some can hold two alarms or ring on weekdays only. For a clock that plugs into an outlet, check the manual to see what happens in a power cut.
Light
It gets brighter little by little toward the set time. Some can be used together with sound. If the room is already bright, the light is harder to notice. Before you buy, think about whether you can put it where the light reaches your face.
Vibration
The unit, or a pad on a wire, shakes to tell you. You put it under your pillow or in your bed. It makes no sound, so you can use it when someone else is in the room. It is harder to notice if it moves away from your body while you sleep, so try a few ways to place it. You can also use the vibration of a watch on your wrist.
Phone alarm
You can use the phone you always carry. Weekday settings, labels and sounds are easy to change on the screen. You can make many alarms. It will not ring if the battery runs out, so charge it before bed. See How to use alarms on iPhone and How to use alarms on Android.
Smart speaker
You set the alarm by voice. This works when your hands are full or after you get into bed. The speaker stays in one place, so check that your voice reaches it from where you sleep.
One tap cannot stop it. YOBIOKO, the alarm you stop by typingSee the app
How to choose
- Loudness: is it fine for family or neighbors to hear it?
- How you stop it: a button on top, or a switch?
- Power: batteries or an outlet? What happens in a power cut or when batteries run out?
- Brightness: does the face light up at night? If light bothers you, pick one you can turn off.
- Where it goes: within reach, or where you have to stand up?
- Weekday settings: if you want weekdays only, one that lets you choose days is handy.
- Snooze: does it have snooze? Can you change the length?
- Carrying it: for travel, pick a small one whose buttons do not get pressed in your bag.
Choosing by situation
| Situation | Types that fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You share a room and get up first | Vibration, or electronic with low volume | Less sound reaches others |
| Different times on weekdays and weekends | Phone, or digital with weekday settings | No need to set it again every night |
| You stop it right away when it is in reach | Bell or electronic, placed far away | You have to stand up to stop it |
| Travel or business trips | Phone, or a small battery clock | No extra luggage |
| Important days, such as an exam or a flight | Both a clock and a phone | If one fails, the other still rings |
Check these before you start using it
- Ring it once during the day. Check how loud it is and how to stop it.
- Lie down where you sleep. Check that you can see the face and that the light is not too bright.
- Check which is the snooze button and which is the stop switch.
- On a digital clock, check if it shows 12-hour or 24-hour time. This helps you avoid mixing up AM and PM.
- For a battery clock, note the day you put in the batteries. Change them early if the sound gets weak.
Combine a phone and a clock
Phone alarms are handy, but they can fail with a dead battery or a wrong setting. On important days, setting both a clock and your phone is safer.
When you combine them, set the times about 5 minutes apart. Put them in different places too, such as the phone by your pillow and the clock where you have to stand up. If the phone did not ring, review the settings with the iPhone checklist or the Android checklist.
On a phone, apps let you choose how to stop
On a phone, changing the app changes how you stop the alarm: solving math, taking a photo, typing text and so on. See 6 ways alarm apps make you stop the alarm.
Common questions
Which is better, an alarm clock or a phone?
It depends on how you use it. A phone is handy if you want different times on different days. A clock fits if you want to put it far away and ring it loudly. You can also use both.
What is snooze?
It rings again a little while after you stop the alarm once. See What is snooze?.
When should I change the batteries?
It differs by clock, so check the manual. A weaker sound, hands that run late or a faint display are signs to change them.
Does a phone alarm ring in silent mode?
It depends on the model and settings. See Will my alarm ring in silent mode, airplane mode or with the phone off?.
Summary
- Choose an alarm clock by how it wakes you, not by how it looks.
- Check loudness, how you stop it, power and placement against your own room.
- Before you start using it, ring it once during the day and check the sound and how to stop it.
- On important days, set both a clock and a phone, with different times and places.