The Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks of 2026 (7 Researched Picks)

Most alarms work by shocking you awake. A sunrise alarm tries the opposite: it slowly fills your bedroom with warm light over 20 to 60 minutes, so by the time the sound starts you’re already halfway up. On dark winter mornings, that difference can be the line between a groggy start and a manageable one.

We compared the sunrise alarm clocks people actually buy, from about $25 to nearly $300, on brightness, sunrise length, sound options, subscription costs, return policies and warranties. Here are the seven worth your money, and who shouldn’t bother with one at all.

Our picks at a glance

• Best overall: Hatch Restore 3. Sunrise, sound machine and wind-down light, with buttons so your phone can stay out of reach.
• Best without a subscription: Philips SmartSleep HF3520. No app, no account, no Wi-Fi.
• Best for heavy sleepers: Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300. A sunrise you can stretch to 90 minutes, plus radio.
• Best for winding down: Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light HF3650. Adds light-guided breathing at night.
• Best budget: Dreamegg Sunrise 2. Usually under $50.
• Best for kids: hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock. Cheap, simple and colorful.
• Best design: Loftie Lamp. A beautiful sunrise lamp, at a price.

How we chose

These are researched picks. We haven’t tested these clocks in our own bedrooms yet, and we won’t pretend otherwise. To choose them we compared manufacturer specs, current prices, return windows and warranties, and any subscription costs. We also looked for patterns across verified owner reviews and published hands-on reviews. Wherever a fact comes from someone else’s testing, we say so. You can read the full process on our how we review page.

Prices and features were checked in early November 2026. Sunrise alarms are often discounted around Black Friday, so check the current price before you buy.

Do sunrise alarms actually work?

A sunrise alarm, or dawn simulator, has a narrower job than the marketing suggests. Its job is to make the moment of waking less abrupt. It isn’t a substitute for real daylight, which is many times brighter and is what really anchors your body clock (we explain why in our guide to morning sunlight).

The research is encouraging but small:

• In a home study of people who struggled to wake early, an artificial dawn reduced complaints of sleep inertia (that heavy, groggy feeling after waking), though it didn’t measurably shift their body clocks (Giménez et al., 2010, Chronobiology International).
• In a randomized crossover study of just eight people who found mornings hard, 30 minutes of simulated dawn before waking led to higher alertness ratings and faster reaction times after waking than waking without it (Thompson et al., 2014, European Journal of Applied Physiology).

Who should buy one

• You wake up in the dark for part of the year and find those mornings much harder than summer ones.
• You’re a night owl trying to shift earlier. A gentler wake-up won’t fix your schedule by itself, but it pairs well with the plan in how to become a morning person.
• You want your phone out of the bedroom. A dedicated alarm removes the main excuse for scrolling in bed.
• You hit snooze repeatedly because your alarm yanks you out of deep sleep.

Who should skip it

• You already wake up after sunrise and have bright windows. You’re getting the real thing for free.
• You share a bed with someone on a different schedule. The light reaches both sides of the bed. Some couples manage by putting it on the early riser’s side and turning down the brightness, but it’s a real trade-off.
• You’re a very heavy sleeper who needs to be up at a set time. Light alone may not wake you. You can still use one, but keep a loud backup alarm.
• You want to treat low mood or a sleep disorder. Talk to a doctor first.

The best sunrise alarm clocks

1. Hatch Restore 3: Best overall

1.Best overall

Hatch Restore 3

by Hatch

A sunrise alarm, sound machine and wind-down light in one bedside device, with phone-free buttons for everyday use.

Best for: People who want one device for both falling asleep and waking up gently

What we like

• Gradual sunrise light with adjustable color, brightness and timing
• 40+ sleep sounds and 20+ sunrise alarm sounds without a subscription
• Physical buttons for snooze, volume and wind-down
• 30-night trial with free returns

Watch out for

• Wi-Fi and the Hatch Sleep app are needed for setup
• Stories, meditations and the larger library need Hatch+ ($4.99/month or $49.99/year)
• Hatch doesn't publish a lux rating

Price$$$$Check price for Hatch Restore 3 (opens in a new tab)→

The Restore 3 is the most complete bedside device here. It does a gradual sunrise in the morning, a dimmable reading and wind-down light at night, and a sound machine in between. You can adjust light color, brightness and sunrise timing in the Hatch Sleep app. Then the physical buttons handle snooze, volume and starting your wind-down routine, so you don’t need your phone at bedtime. It’s also the best overall pick in Tom’s Guide’s current sunrise alarm roundup.

The subscription is the main complaint in owner reviews, and it’s worth getting straight. Out of the box, without paying for Hatch+, you get the sunrise alarm, 40-plus sleep sounds, more than 20 alarm sounds and basic wind-down routines. Hatch+ costs $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with 30 days included. It mostly adds meditations, sleep stories and a larger, regularly updated content library. If you just want light and white noise, you can skip it.

The downsides: you need Wi-Fi and the app to set it up, and Hatch doesn’t publish a lux rating. Wareable’s reviewer describes the sunrise building from a dim glow to a noticeably brighter light, and suggests heavy sleepers choose a more assertive alarm sound as backup. Hatch offers a 30-night trial with free returns and a one-year warranty. If you’re also considering Loftie, read our Hatch Restore 3 vs Loftie comparison first. They’re more different than they look.

2. Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light (HF3520): Best without a subscription

2.Best without a subscription

Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light (HF3520)

by Philips

Philips' best-selling wake-up light: a colored sunrise up to 300 lux, five natural wake sounds and FM radio, with no app or account.

Best for: Anyone who wants a proven sunrise alarm with no app, account or subscription

What we like

• Up to 300 lux (Philips rating)
• Red-to-yellow colored sunrise and sunset
• Five natural sounds plus FM radio
• No app, account or Wi-Fi

Watch out for

• Small sound library that some owners find repetitive
• Dated, bulky design
• Fewer wind-down features than Hatch

Price$$$$Check price for Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light (HF3520) (opens in a new tab)→

If the idea of an app for your alarm clock makes you tired, this is the one. The HF3520 is Philips’ best-selling wake-up light, and it has been around for years for a reason. You plug it in, set the time, and it does a colored sunrise, from soft red through orange to bright yellow, over about 30 minutes before your alarm. Philips rates it at up to 300 lux. There’s no app, account, Wi-Fi or subscription.

For sound you get five natural wake-up sounds plus FM radio, and there’s a sunset mode for reading in bed. The pattern in owner reviews is consistent: people love that it needs no account, and a few find the nature sounds repetitive after a while. Philips sold it for $124.99 when we checked, and it’s frequently cheaper on Amazon. The design is dated and the plastic body is chunky. If those don’t bother you, it’s the safest no-fuss choice.

3. Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300: Best for heavy sleepers

3.Best for heavy sleepers

Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300

by Lumie

A UK-designed wake-up light with a 15–90 minute sunrise and sunset, 15 sounds, FM radio and adjustable light intensity.

Best for: Heavy sleepers and dark-winter risers who want a long, adjustable sunrise

What we like

• Sunrise and sunset adjustable from 15 to 90 minutes
• 15 sounds plus FM radio
• No app or subscription
• 3-year warranty and 45-day trial direct from Lumie

Watch out for

• Changing alarm settings is fiddly (one button cycles through days)
• Plain design
• No app, so every change happens on the clock

Price$$$$Check price for Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 (opens in a new tab)→

No light can guarantee that a deep sleeper wakes up. But if light is going to work for you, you want a long, adjustable sunrise and a real sound alarm behind it, and the Shine 300 gives you both. You can set the sunrise (and the evening sunset) anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes and choose the light intensity. Then you finish with one of 15 sounds or FM radio. Tom’s Guide names it the best sunrise alarm for brightness. It uses warm white, orange and red LEDs to mimic the color shift of dawn.

Lumie is a UK light-therapy specialist, and buying direct from its US store gets you a 45-day trial and a three-year warranty, the best terms in this guide. There’s no app or subscription. The catch is the controls. Published reviews and owners agree that changing alarm times is tedious, because one button cycles through every day of the week. Set it once and leave it.

4. Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light (HF3650): Best for winding down

4.Best for winding down

Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light (HF3650)

by Philips

Philips' step-up wake light (formerly Somneo) with sunrise and sunset simulation, light-guided RelaxBreathe, seven wake sounds and FM radio.

Best for: People who want a strong light-first sunrise plus a guided wind-down

What we like

• Colored sunrise and sunset simulation
• RelaxBreathe light-guided breathing
• Seven wake sounds, FM radio, USB charging port
• 2-year warranty

Watch out for

• Bulky on a small nightstand
• Doesn't connect to an app, despite the 'Smart' name
• Pricey for the feature set

Price$$$$Check price for Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light (HF3650) (opens in a new tab)→

Formerly sold as the Somneo, the HF3650 takes the HF3520’s light-first approach and adds a stronger evening routine. Its RelaxBreathe mode pulses the light so you can pace slow breathing with your eyes closed, and the sunset fades the room out before sleep. In the morning you get a 30-minute colored sunrise, seven wake-up sounds or FM radio, and there’s a USB port for charging your phone. Philips includes a two-year warranty.

Two cautions from owner reviews. First, despite the “SmartSleep” name, this model doesn’t connect to an app, which surprises some buyers. Second, it’s big and round, so it takes over a small nightstand. At $199.99 from Philips when we checked, it costs more than the Hatch. It’s worth it mainly if you care more about light quality and a breathing wind-down than about a big sound library.

5. Dreamegg Sunrise 2: Best budget

5.Best budget

Dreamegg Sunrise 2

by Dreamegg

A budget sunrise alarm, night light and sound machine with a dome-shaped face and simple dial controls.

Best for: Budget shoppers and first-time sunrise alarm buyers

What we like

• Usually under $50
• Sunrise adjustable up to 60 minutes
• 29 sounds plus a timed sunset night light
• Simple controls, no app

Watch out for

• Basic sound quality
• 12-month warranty
• Less natural-looking sunrise than premium models

Price$$$$Check price for Dreamegg Sunrise 2 (opens in a new tab)→

The Sunrise 2 is the budget clock that comes closest to the Hatch formula: a sunrise alarm, a night light and a sound machine in one, controlled with dials instead of an app. You can set the sunrise from 0 to 60 minutes, choose from 29 sounds, and run a timed sunset night light at bedtime. Tom’s Guide calls it its top affordable pick, and it usually sells for under $50.

What you give up is polish. The sounds are basic, the sunrise looks less natural than the premium models, and the warranty is 12 months. As a first sunrise alarm, or a test to see whether you like waking to light before spending more, it’s excellent value.

6. hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock: Best for kids

6.Best for kids

hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock

by hOmeLabs

A very cheap sunrise alarm with a 10–30 minute sunrise, FM radio, nature sounds and colorful mood-light modes.

Best for: Kids' rooms and anyone who wants to try a sunrise alarm for the price of a takeout dinner

What we like

• Very low price
• Colored mood-light options kids like
• FM radio and timed sunset light
• No app

Watch out for

• Yellowish light that looks less like a real sunrise
• Light alone may not wake deeper sleepers
• Basic alarm sounds and build

Price$$$$Check price for hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock (opens in a new tab)→

This is the cheapest clock here, usually $25 to $30 on Amazon. Its colorful mood-light modes are why we’d put it in a child’s or teen’s room rather than your own. It does a 10- to 30-minute sunrise, plays nature sounds or FM radio, and has a timed sunset light for bedtime. The controls are simple enough for a kid to use.

As an adult alarm it’s a compromise. Tom’s Guide’s reviewer didn’t always wake from the light alone, even at the highest setting, and the yellowish light looks less like a real sunrise than the Philips or Lumie. For a few dollars it’s a low-risk way to make school mornings slightly less of a battle.

7. Loftie Lamp: Best design

7.Best design

Loftie Lamp

by Loftie

A designer bedside lamp with a scheduled sunrise wake-up, sunset wind-down, red-light and reading modes.

Best for: Design-minded buyers who want a sunrise lamp that pairs with the Loftie Clock

What we like

• Colorful sunrise gradients set from the app
• Sunset wind-down and red-light mode
• Pairs with the Loftie Clock
• 30-night trial

Watch out for

• Expensive for a sunrise light
• Needs Wi-Fi and the app for sunrise alarms
• No speaker; pair it with a clock for sound

Price$$$$Check price for Loftie Lamp (opens in a new tab)→

The Loftie Lamp is the one you’d buy because you want it on display. It’s a sculptural bedside lamp with colorful sunrise gradients scheduled from the Loftie app. It also has a sunset wind-down, a red-light mode for night and a reading mode. It pairs with the Loftie Clock if you want sound too. Loftie offers a 30-night trial.

It’s expensive for what it does: about $280 at Loftie when we last checked, before you add a clock. It also needs Wi-Fi and the app to set up sunrise alarms, and one published review found weak Wi-Fi caused repeated re-pairing. If design matters less to you, the Philips and Lumie lights do the core job for less.

Sunrise alarm clocks compared

Clock	Sunrise length	Sounds	Subscription	App needed?	Warranty
Hatch Restore 3	Adjustable in app	40+ sleep, 20+ alarm	Optional (Hatch+)	Yes, for setup	1 year
Philips HF3520	About 30 min	5 + FM radio	None	No	2 years (Philips US)
Lumie Shine 300	15–90 min	15 + FM radio	None	No	3 years
Philips HF3650	About 30 min	7 + FM radio	None	No	2 years
Dreamegg Sunrise 2	0–60 min	29	None	No	1 year
hOmeLabs	10–30 min	Nature sounds + FM radio	None	No	1 year
Loftie Lamp	Set in app	None (pairs with Loftie Clock)	Optional (Loftie+)	Yes	See Loftie

How to choose a sunrise alarm clock

Brightness (lux)

Lux measures how much light actually reaches you. Most well-regarded wake-up lights top out around 200 to 300 lux at close range. That’s bright for a bedroom but still far below daylight. Look for adjustable intensity rather than the highest number: what wakes you gently in January may feel harsh in May. Be wary of budget listings that quote huge lux figures without saying at what distance. Many brands, Hatch included, don’t publish a figure at all, so lean on hands-on reviews.

Sunrise duration

Twenty to 30 minutes is the default on most clocks, and 30 minutes is the length used in the Thompson study above. Longer is useful if you’re a heavy sleeper or wake in a very dark room. The Lumie goes up to 90 minutes and the Dreamegg to 60. Shorter can help if you share a bed with a late riser. Ideally, choose a clock that lets you change it.

Sound

Treat sound as your backup, not an afterthought. Check whether you can choose a sound that actually gets you up, whether the volume ramps, and whether the clock doubles as a white noise machine you’d use at night. FM radio is a nice extra on the Philips and Lumie models.

Subscription

Most sunrise alarms have no subscription. Hatch and Loftie sell optional memberships for extra audio content or features. Before you buy, check exactly what works for free. If you’d pay for the subscription, add a year of it to the price when comparing.

Bedside light color

A sunrise that moves from red through orange to warm yellow looks more natural than a light that simply turns up a white bulb. At night, the warm and red settings matter as much as the sunrise. A bright, cool-white reading light right before bed works against you, so look for a clock with a warm or red evening mode. Plenty of owners use theirs more as a bedside lamp than as an alarm.

What to do tomorrow morning

1. Decide what you’re solving. Groggy dark mornings point to a sunrise alarm. Low winter mood points to a doctor and possibly a light therapy lamp.
2. Pick by your constraint. Hatch if you want an all-in-one bedside device, Philips HF3520 if you want zero apps, Lumie if you sleep like a rock, Dreamegg if you want to try one cheaply.
3. Set the sunrise to finish at your alarm time, start with 30 minutes, and adjust after a week.
4. Still get outside. A sunrise alarm gets you up. Daylight in the first hour does the heavy lifting for your body clock, so pair it with the steps in our science-backed morning routine.

Shopping for someone else? Several of these clocks also appear in our guide to gifts for morning people.