10 Unique Alarm Clocks That Will Make You Want To Ditch Your Smartphone Alarm App

Still using your phone as your alarm clock? It seems convenient, until you discover that sleeping next to a charging phone all night might not be the best for your health. Maybe you're concerned about your device's EMF emissions (though there's virtually no evidence supporting the assertion it constitutes a health risk). You might be subconsciously hearing notifications in your dreams. Blue light from your phone screen can disrupt your sleep, and if you're a particularly light sleeper, even a subtle buzz could have a negative impact.

More and more people are ditching their smartphones at night in favor of good old-fashioned tabletop alarm clocks. But that doesn't mean you need a big clunky box with a blaring alarm telling you when to wake up. Alarm clocks have gotten quite the glow-up in recent years, giving you tons of options to control your morning experience (you can even set Alexa routines to trigger when your alarm sounds). Here are 10 unique alarm clocks that will make you glad to stop using your smartphone alarm — you won't even miss it.

If you like the idea of waking with the rising sun, the Dekala Arches Sunrise Alarm Clock makes a great substitute for your smartphone alarm. Sunrise alarm clocks simulate the natural dawning of the day, so you can enjoy a tranquil sunrise even if you're not an early bird. The built-in light glows like the sun, increasing in intensity over time. It's like stepping slowly into a cold pool, allowing you to acclimate yourself rather than taking the full plunge.

The Dekala Arches alarm clock gives you control over your wakeup experience. You can choose from a variety of colors and customize things like light amount, sound volume, and more. Its purpose goes beyond waking you up in the morning — it's also a sound machine, wireless charger, and weather display. And if you don't want to splurge on a separate Bluetooth speaker from a major brand, you can connect your phone and play music in your room. It plays eight sleep sounds (including waves, light music, and frogs!) to help you fall asleep. You can also connect it to your smartphone speaker, like Alexa or Google Home Assistant, to use the speaker for more than just your wakeup call. You can get the Dekala Arches alarm clock on Amazon for $129.99.

Hatch makes it possible to break up with your smartphone every night. This screen-free alarm clock uses the sunrise concept to help you wake up gradually. You can set an alarm schedule, listen to soothing sleep sounds, and establish a bedtime routine to help you get a more restful sleep. The slow, gradual sunrise wakeup approach helps to reduce cortisol spikes typical with smartphones or traditional alarm clocks. You can also use it as an ambient light if you need to get out of bed in the middle of the night or anytime you want a soft glow in your space.

Hatch also offers a Hatch+ membership for $4.99 per month. It's not a requirement to use the Hatch Restore 3, but it gives you more value from the alarm clock. The subscription includes a growing library of music and sounds, guided meditations, bedtime stories, and more. The Hatch Restore 3 alarm clock retails for $169.99 on the Hatch website and includes one free month of Hatch+. It's also HSA-eligible.

DreamSky's wooden digital alarm clock features a minimalist design to keep your bedtime routine uncomplicated. There isn't much to this alarm clock, and that's part of its charm. The display includes large numbers that are easy to read and a bell icon to show when you've set your alarm. You can adjust the alarm clock volume and brightness based on your preferences. A 9-minute snooze button gives you a few extra minutes in bed in case you're not quite ready to greet the day.

Unlike most traditional alarms, the DreamSky offers corded and cordless operation. A battery backup will keep you on schedule in case of a power outage. A sleek wooden appearance matches with just about any setting or decor. Overall, this alarm clock focuses on what it does best — waking you up in the morning. There aren't really any bells and whistles to speak of, which makes it a good choice for distraction-free sleep. You can get the DreamSky wooden digital alarm clock on Amazon for $16.99.

The Reacher Wood Grain Sunrise Alarm Clock proves that alarm clocks can be beautiful and functional. It's not your average alarm clock design. The smooth curves, calming colors, and sunrise feature enhance your bedtime and wakeup routines, almost making it easier to get out of bed in the morning. Similar to other modern alarm clocks, the Reacher uses the sunrise method to help you slowly wake from your sleep. It feels more natural and does not use glaring tones to jolt you awake in the morning. You can set the sunrise duration that works for you, anywhere from five to 60 minutes.

Healthy sleep is key to improving mindfulness, and this alarm clock is dimmable to minimize disruptions when you're dozing. It also doubles as a sound machine, playing 26 unique sounds like nature sounds, lullabies, and white noise. The light can be bright enough to be a bedside lamp for reading, plus you can change the color of the lighting to match your mood or ambience preferences. You can also control things like volume level, alarm sounds, and dimness of the light and display. The Reacher wood grain sunrise alarm clock sells on Amazon for $49.99.

The Buffbee Sound Machine and Alarm Clock has earned over 4,500 ratings on Amazon for a reason. Mirroring a similar size and style as an Amazon Echo Dot, the alarm clock is compact and minimal. A simple display shows the current time and nothing more. All of the function buttons ring the top edge of the speaker, making them easy to get to. On the bottom, a color-changing light spans the perimeter of the alarm. Choose from 30 volume levels to get the amount of sound you need, whether you're playing white noise or ocean waves to stay asleep or need a loud alarm to wake you from a heavy sleep.

Unlike most alarm clocks, you can also choose the sound you hear when your alarm sounds off: Birds, the ocean, piano tunes, a babbling brook, or a gentle beep. It also includes 18 additional sounds that can play overnight to help you stay asleep and block out external noises. You can get the Buffbee Sound Machine and Alarm on Amazon for $33.99.

The Loftie Smart Alarm Clock offers good value for the price, plus it's won multiple awards from the New York Times and Time for its quality, design, and innovation. It's an alarm clock, Bluetooth speaker, sound machine, and nightlight rolled into one device. One of its best features is its blackout mode. You can make the display go completely dark if light is a distraction to you, or you can dim the light to suit your preferences.

The Loftie uses a two-phase alarm, starting with a gentle alarm to wake you with ease before the louder alarm sounds off. Features like sleep sounds, nightlights, and the optional companion app help you build entire sleep routines. Users can access sleep-related content like music, meditations, and bedtime stories to help them unwind at the end of a long day and prepare for restful sleep. The Loftie smart alarm clock retails on Amazon for $159.99.

Goloza adds a unique element to this alarm clock, giving you an easy way to check the time without getting out of bed. A swivel projector can display the time on the wall or ceiling in the position where you're most likely to see it. The lighting is minimal so it doesn't interfere with your sleep, plus you don't have to be blinded by the glare of an alarm clock display or your smartphone to check the time.

The projection alarm clock also uses a progressive alarm volume to mirror a more natural wakeup process. If you need more sleep, a large snooze button on top of the clock is easy to find and push in a groggy state, giving you an extra nine minutes of dreamtime. Like many modern alarm clocks, this one also includes a battery backup in case of a power outage so you can stay on schedule. Intuitive icons and big buttons make the clock easy to set up and use. There's also a built-in charging port so you can charge your devices without letting them become a nighttime distraction. The Goloza Projection Alarm Clock is on Amazon for $35.99.

If you're looking for an incentive to get out of bed in the morning, Clocky has it. This robot-like alarm clock is on wheels and will roll away from you as it sounds the alarm. You'll have to chase it down to turn it off if you want to restore peace in your bedroom. But don't think of it as a bad thing — all that early morning movement can be good for you, plus you won't waste time snoozing when you should be getting ready for the day.

The Clocky Runaway Alarm Clock is ideal for heavy sleepers that hit the snooze button more than once. It gives you a clear incentive to start moving immediately after waking, especially if you like a little quiet time in the morning. It's earned more than 6,700 ratings on Amazon, with customers citing they love the cute design and loud volume. It's also worth mentioning that this clock is battery-operated only, so you'll need to keep a fresh stock of AAA batteries on hand. The Clocky Runaway Alarm Clock sells on Amazon for $39.99.

Not all alarm clocks have to follow the classic, box-like design, and the Netzu Toast Alarm Clock is a great example of how to have fun with your wakeup routine. Designed to look like a toaster yes, really!), the Netzu is a great option for kids and teens to learn responsibility in the morning while enjoying the process a little more. The toaster lets you adjust the lighting and volume levels, letting your child customize their experience. It also doubles as a nightlight for kids who need a little extra comfort in the dark.

Other kid-friendly features include sun and moon icons to help them establish their routines and learn more about their day and night cycles. Like adult alarm clocks, the Netzu includes a 9-minute snooze feature. There's also a naptime mode that will count down the minutes (up to two hours) for those mid-day snoozefests that bring so many benefits to your kid. The Netzu Toast Alarm Clock retails on Amazon for $25.99 and comes in three color options.

If you can't ditch the idea of not sleeping next to your phone but also want another option for your alarm clock, the Power Tray Alarm Table Clock gives you the best of both worlds. Its minimalist design creates a dimmer display compared to traditional alarm clocks or smartphones so there's less light at night. You can also rely on the battery backup in case the power goes out, or if you want to travel with your alarm clock.

The power tray also includes a charging station to juice up your phone, wireless headphones, or other digital technology. Just place your phone on top of the alarm clock for wireless charging, no extra cables or connections needed. It's small and compact, so you can take it with you on the go. Since it uses AAA batteries as a power option, it can also double as a portable power bank. You can get the power tray alarm table clock at Target for $30.