Top 10 Best Clock Radios, Reviewed!

Imagine waking up to the music of your favorite artist or the sound of your favorite radio station. In the past, it might have sounded like a dream, but nowadays, the market offers a wide variety of alarm clocks that have radio receivers integrated into them. These come in very nice designs that can add to the interior of your rooms, as well as saving space on your usually small bedside tables. Apart from telling you the time, ringing alarms, and receiving radio signals, they can have other useful features. Hence, you need to know what are the functions that you look for when it comes to a device like this and know about the different kinds of clock radios out there so that you can choose the best clock radio that fulfills your requirements. In this article, we will give you an overview of ten clock radios that we picked up from the market that seemed like a great choice and give you a little insight into what we like about them and what we don’t. Also, we will guide you through the important aspects you will need to consider before choosing your clock radio. Let’s tune in!

Our Best Pick

This is our pick for the best clock radio for a few reasons. Not only does the JBL Horizon have a compact and attractive design, but it also allows for Bluetooth connectivity and comes at an affordable price point. It is capable of filling the room with sound so that you can start your day off right.

Our Budget Pick

The iTOMA alarm clock radio is our budget pick because you get a variety of features for a low and affordable price. This is a multifunctional alarm with four different alarm auto-repeat modes, a buzzer, and wakeup alarm tones. It also has a 60-minute snooze cycle!

Quick Comparison Between The Best ​Clock Radios

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1. ​iHome IBT29 Bluetooth Color Changing Alarm Clock Radio

This iHome clock radio can be set to Bluetooth, audio, or FM radio and also has a built-in tone. You can easily stream your music from any Bluetooth connected device. Some have reported that this is one of the top-selling alarm clock radios currently on the market today, partly due to its revolutionary design. You can play your favorite music via Bluetooth, listen to the radio, and set your alarms. The clock itself is very lightweight and doesn't take up too much space. There is an inbuilt speakerphone and mic as well, so you can have a hands-free call experience. The aux in port is compatible with most headphone jacks, and the color-changing feature allows you to choose from five different hues. The colors add to the 6-color wake-up mode making waking up an even more exciting experience. The best part? This clock radio can be used as two separate alarms for two different users. That's right. It is like getting two clock radios in one!

PROS

  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Color-changing effects
  • Good sound quality
  • Dual alarms with multiple settings and features

CONS

  • The display is difficult to read at night

2. JBL Horizon Bluetooth Clock Radio

You can purchase this JBL Horizon Bluetooth Clock Radio in a black or white finish. It is a multi-sensory alarm clock that features LED ambient light. It allows for wireless Bluetooth streaming and can be charged via a USB with its dual fast charge USB ports. It has a compact and attractive design that won't take up much space or clutter your nightstand. This clock radio also features two alarms with your choice of original or digital alarm tones. There are up to five preset radio channels and a battery backup, so you don't have to worry about waking up late due to a power outage. Along with its impressive functionality, you also get a good quality sound. It has two speaker drivers, and the display is clear and easy to read. The display provides information regarding the time, the date, and the source of the audio that is being used by the device.

PROS

  • Good quality sound
  • Customizable alarms
  • Good blend of durability and functionality
  • Small, compact size
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • USB charging

CONS

  • Hard to read the display in dark conditions

3. Te-Rich Small Digital Alarm Clock Radio

This alarm clock radio by Te-Rich has been updated for 2020. It features a full range dimmable display and a 3.2-inch LCD display that is fully adjustable. The clock radio comes with a 76" charging cord but can also be powered off three AAA batteries. Having this battery backup helps ensure you won't miss your alarm in case of a power outage. The brightness of the display can also be adjusted and can display the time in either a 12 or 24-hour format - whichever you prefer. It also displays the indoor temperature, can schedule dual alarms and can set your favorite radio station channel. There are seven sounds available for the alarm, including chirping birds and piano sounds, among others. The snooze feature allows you to get in an additional 12 minutes of sleep; however, there is also a 10-minute option available as well.

PROS

  • Outlet power and battery backup
  • FM radio with up to 60 FM channels
  • 2 USB ports to charge your phone
  • 7 alarm options and adjustable volume
  • Simple to set
  • Space-saving design

CONS

  • Buttons on this radio are very small

4. ​hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock with FM Radio

This alarm clock radio by hOmeLabs is a digital LED clock with 6 color switch options and FM radio. A warm LED light is used and gradually brightens thirty minutes before the alarm to wake you up in a gentler way. It also features a sleep timer with a sunset simulation that can gently dim the room while also acting as a night light when needed. This is a very colorful and decorative clock radio. It has eight colorful light options and can double as a lamp on a bedside table. It emits bright and colorful colors, including green, red, blue, purple, and yellow. It is a good choice for an adult or child's bedroom. The clock radio comes equipped with a USB charger and can also run on a backup battery, so you never miss your alarm. The clock has a touchscreen face that shows the time in a 12 or 24-hour format. The brightness of the display can be adjusted as you please. You can customize the wake-up sounds you want from the sound of chirping birds to the sounds of your favorite FM radio station. The snooze button is on the top of the clock within easy reach and lets you sleep for an extra five minutes. Hitting the snooze button causes the alarm to turn off along with the light temporarily.

PROS

  • Lots of customizable features
  • Easy to use and operate
  • Stylish and colorful design
  • Sunrise simulation feature
  • Doubles as a night light

CONS

  • Has been said that the light goes off at the wake-up time
  • Short window to make changes to the settings

5. ​iTOMA Alarm Clock Radio

iTOMA Alarm Clock Radio If you are looking for a clock radio with a sleek and standard design, this would surely be a great choice for you. With its compact, rectangular shape and with a monochromic color scheme, this product from iTOMA looks very mature and elegant, which makes it suitable not only for homes but also for uses inside office rooms. Although you can set the brightness of the LED time reading, you might not have to worry about it at all because this smart device can automatically change the brightness setting by dimming it at night and brightening it during the daytime. The alarm settings on this device give you incredible flexibility. You can individually set two alarm times, with different volumes and sounds. The alarm repetition can also be chosen from a single day, weekends, weekdays, every day and the snooze function allows you to extend the sleeping time for 9 minutes. The alarm sound of this clock radio increases gradually, which is an important feature that is usually overlooked. It helps you wake up with more comfort than an alarm that is loud from the beginning, which might cause you to feel irritated from the start of your day. The bottom of this clock has a soothing white light that can be turned on easily by a touch. Apart from being used as a night light, it also offers a USB port for charging your devices. ​This product is also a great choice if you like listening to the radio, because it offers digital tuning, 10 stations that can be saved in its memory and an external wire antenna to enhance reception of radio signals.

PROS

  • ​Sleek, stylish design
  • ​One touch button allows it to be used as a nightlight
  • ​Multiple alarm setting gives you great flexibility
  • ​Battery backup to ensure your settings are not lost
  • ​Alarm sound increases gradually to help you wake up comfortably
  • ​Auxiliary input allows you to play music from your devices

CONS

  • ​Multiple features and settings might make it seem complicated for some users.

6. Mesqool 7"Projection Alarm Clock

Mesqool 7" Projection Alarm Clock This radio boasts a 7 inch LED screen without looking bulky. The screen is smooth and shows the time in red LED digits. It's stylish, its compact and it performs the jobs of waking you up and letting you listen to the radio stations you like. For the time reading, not only does it have an easy to read display screen but it has a projector that can be turned 180 degrees and cast the time reading in bright LED, wherever you want in your room, whether it be on the walls or on the ceiling. On the top surface of the clock radio are the buttons for other features that can be controlled easily. The buttons will allow you to control the brightness of the display and the projection and switch from AM to FM radio channels. The clock provides dual-alarm feature and you can choose to wake up to either buzzer sounds or to the sound of your favorite radio channel. ​If you are the person who is always looking for an extra USB charger, you can use the USB port on this device to charge any device.

PROS

  • ​Large display but sleek design
  • ​Projector with 180 degrees swivel
  • ​You can listen to AM / FM radio
  • ​Brightness controls for display and projection
  • Dual alarm feature

CONS

  • ​If you want to choose a music from your device to as the alarm then this might not be a good choice for you

7. Electrohome USB Charging Alarm Clock Radio

If you are a person who is looking for a reliable and user-friendly clock radio, this is a product worth looking into. This clock radio offers many useful features, and the best part is that many features are self-set, which saves you from the need to thoroughly study the user-manual or having to spend a lot of time learning to operate this device. One such factor that might be annoying is having to set the Daylight Savings Time. With this device, you can forget about that trouble, relax back and just plug it into a power source, and this device will automatically set the daylight savings time correctly, according to your time zone. This device makes a very reliable alarm. You won't have to change your alarm settings at the end of your weekend because you have to wake up earlier the next day. You can easily set different alarm times for different days, any way you like. If you and your partner need to wake up at different times, you do not have to buy two separate alarm clocks since this device has a dual-alarm feature to solve the problem. We are probably all familiar with the situation when we are half-awake and are trying to look at the time on the clock, not even clearly remembering where the clock is. With this clock radio, you can just half-open your eyes, look at the ceiling or the wall, and you can see the time-reading, thanks to its projection feature, with 180 degrees swivel. It also has a built-in battery backup to let you rest assured that your alarm will ring and wake you up even if there is a power failure. Other than being a great alarm clock, this device can be used to listen to your favorite radio channels. It has its original technology that helps you pick up the strongest AM/FM signals and also cancels out statics from the sound. The clock also has a digital display that shows the radio frequencies and rescues from having to tune-in to a radio station by analog methods. Now you can see why we say that this clock radio makes everything easier for you. In addition to all the handy features mentioned above, it displays indoor temperature and date and has a USB port for charging your devices. The triangular design also gives it a very stable bottom, which will prevent it from being accidentally knocked down.

PROS

  • The design makes it sit stably on any flat surface
  • Projects the time with 180-degree swivel
  • Flexible alarm settings
  • Automatic Daylight Savings Time
  • Automatic tuning to radio channels with static-free sound
  • Built-in battery backup

CONS

  • The color of the display and the projection can’t be changed
  • No Auxiliary input

8. HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock

This alarm clock offers sunrise and sunset simulation and is a good choice of alarm clock if you tend to wake up and go to sleep around the same time every day. During the sunrise simulation, the light on the alarm clock gradually increases before the preset wake-up time you have set. This allows the room to fill up with a bright yellow light - similar to the sunshine outside of the window. The sunrise simulation setting helps you learn to wake up more naturally. The light and sound for the sunset simulation will gradually decrease to help you get more relaxed for a good night of sleep. This clock radio is compatible with the Amazon Echo and Google Home Assistant. It supports iOS 8.0 and above and Android 4.4 and above. However, it only supports a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. The radio is an FM radio. There are also seven different alarm sounds you can choose from for this clock radio, including a birdsong, Hawaii wave, streams, beep, win dells, chord, ringtone, and piano. You can also use the radio function to set your alarm tone. The snooze function gives you an extra 15 minutes of sleep and is a big, hard to miss button. Finally, this clock radio also produces white noise to help drown out the other sounds at night so you can get to sleep peacefully.

PROS

  • Sunrise and Sunset simulation to help wake up and fall asleep more naturally
  • FM radio with 7 pre-set channels available
  • Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
  • White noise sounds
  • Snooze function with a 15-minute increment

CONS

  • No sleep mode to play sounds through the night. Rather, it has a 120-minute timer
  • The app used with the clock radio isn't easy to navigate
Along with a good knowledge of the top clock radios that you could buy, we want you to have a comprehensive idea of the factors that should be considered before buying a clock radio. That is exactly what the next section of this article is going to do; it will discuss all the important factors you have to know before finalizing which product to go for.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING THE BEST CLOCK RADIO

The Alarm

What type of sound would you like to wake up to? How loud do you want it to be? Do you and your partner wake up at different times and require different alarm times? Do you wake up at different times on weekends and weekdays? These will be some of the most obvious questions, but there are many other aspects of the alarm that needs to be considered when thinking of buying an alarm clock. Some clocks will let you choose from the options of buzzers, radio, and music from your devices such as iPod or your phone. Some will not give you so much flexibility. Snooze settings could also be an important thing depending on your morning habits. There are alarm sounds that will get increasingly louder, but there are also alarms that will be loud from the very beginning. So think about how you would like to be woken up and choose a clock that is suitable for you.

How efficient it is as a Radio 

There is a reason why these devices are called clock radios instead of just alarm clocks, and the features related to the radio are just as important as the alarms these clocks offer. Some things you should consider are how many preset channels does the radio allow you to save, what is the range of frequencies the radio can pick up, does it have an antenna for better signal reception, the position of the speaker and if it delivers a crisp, clear sound if it has a sleep timer that will automatically turn the radio off at a preset time, etc.

Projection of the Time Reading

Many of the clock radios available today have an added feature of time reading projection. It means that you can easily know the time by looking at the ceiling or the wall when you wake up, without having to look at the clock's screen. If you do decide to buy this type of clock radio, check the projection range, the degrees it can be rotated, and whether the intensity of the projection can be controlled and the color of the projection.

Design and other features

The design of the clock radio is an important aspect because it is going to be a part of your interior, and the design should go well with the overall ambiance of your room. Also, think about the space it is going to take on your bedside table or wherever you are going to put it and choose an appropriate size. Some designs are more stable than the others, and it's a good thing if you are going to put it where there is a risk of knocking it off in the dark. Clock radios can have other uses, and one of the handiest things about some of these is night light features. Not all clock radios have this feature, but some do, and they have lights that can change colors, be dimmed or brightened, and are especially great for your children’s rooms. Another important feature is battery backup. Most clock radios run by being connected to a power supply, but you do not want to risk waking up late on the day of an important meeting due to a power failure that caused your alarm not to ring. The battery backup feature of clock radios will ensure the alarm rings even in case of a power failure.

Conclusion

​As the old saying goes, the morning does show the day and now that you have a good idea about the kinds of clock radios available and also how to choose one that is suitable for you, you can get the best clock radio to make your mornings as well as your days better than ever before.​

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