The best alarm clocks

Mains or battery, bright or barely there at night, gentle or loud enough for the heaviest sleeper: five alarm clocks that do the one job properly.

Top 5 · Updated 30 September 2026

A bedside alarm clock lets the phone charge in another room, and a good one can be read in the night without lighting up the bedroom. Mains clocks can have bright LED numbers that dim right down; battery clocks sit anywhere without a cable and carry on through a power cut.

With a mains clock, check what happens when the power goes: some keep the alarm going on backup batteries, others only remember the time. Then there’s the alarm itself: a crescendo beep starts quietly and builds, while a clock with several volume levels can be turned up for heavy sleepers.

What matters

Power: mains with a backup, or batteries alone.
A power cut: whether the alarm still sounds.
Display: how clear by day and how far it dims at night.
Alarm: a gentle crescendo, or loud enough for heavy sleepers.

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#1 of 5

Best overall

A black digital alarm clock with red numbers on a white desk — Illustrative photo

FAMICOZY Simple Digital Alarm Clock

£10–£20 Price range

9.0/10Picked Rating

It plugs in, keeps the alarm going on three AAA batteries if the power goes off, and dims itself in the evening and again overnight, so there’s no fiddling with buttons at bedtime.

What owners say: Owners say the night-time dimming works brilliantly, find the numbers easy to read at a glance, and set it up in minutes.

A closer look: The three AAA batteries for the backup aren’t included, so fit a set before counting on it in a power cut. On battery the display stays dark to save power and lights for ten seconds at the press of any button. A good pick for anyone who finds bedside gadgets fiddly.

Mains powered, 1.5m cord
AAA backup keeps the alarm working
Dims itself in the evening and overnight
6 brightness levels
Rising beep alarm, 5-minute snooze

Best for: Simple and easy to read

Power: Mains, 3 x AAA backup
Display: Auto-dim, 6 levels
Alarm: Rising beep, about 80dB
Alarm works in a power cut: Yes

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#2 of 5

Best for travel

Two hands holding a black digital clock with a large grey display on white — Illustrative photo

Braun BC08 Digital Travel Alarm Clock

£25 RRP

8.8/10Picked Rating

A pocket-sized 5.8cm square with a crescendo beep, a ten-second backlight and a touch snooze, running for up to a year on one AAA battery. The BC08 won a Red Dot product design award in 2020.

What owners say: Owners like how compact and well made it is, find the numbers large for its size, and say it’s simple to set and dependable on trips.

A closer look: There’s no AAA battery in the box, so pack one for the first trip. Its reverse LCD digits are clearest in daylight or with the light on, and in a dark room a press of the snooze and light button brings them up. There are white and grey versions too.

5.8 x 5.8 x 2cm
Runs on one AAA battery
Crescendo beep alarm
10-second backlight
5-minute snooze

Best for: Travel and small bedsides

Power: 1 x AAA battery
Display: Negative LCD, 10s backlight
Alarm: Crescendo beep
Alarm works in a power cut: Yes

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#3 of 5

Best for heavy sleepers

A black digital alarm clock with bright white numbers showing the day and time — Illustrative photo

Netzu Loud Digital Alarm Clock (6208D)

£10–£20 Price range

8.7/10Picked Rating

Made for deep sleepers: four volume levels, the loudest rated at 115 decibels by Netzu, two separate alarms for weekdays and weekends, and a display that switches between eight colours.

What owners say: Owners like the colour display, which dims until it’s barely visible at night, and one says the blue makes a nice change from the usual red.

Heads up: Owners differ on just how loud the top setting is, so try it at full volume before trusting it with an early flight.

A closer look: Two AAA batteries (not included) keep the time and the alarm going through a power cut, though the screen stays dark until the power returns. At night, a softer colour on the lowest brightness keeps the glow down without losing sight of the time.

4 volume levels
Two alarms (weekday and weekend)
8 display colours, 5 brightness levels
9-minute snooze
AAA backup keeps the alarm

Best for: Heavy sleepers

Power: Mains, 2 x AAA backup
Display: Colour LED, 5 levels
Alarm: 4 volumes, up to 115dB
Alarm works in a power cut: Yes

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#4 of 5

Best wooden

A wooden digital clock with glowing numbers on a wooden table — Illustrative photo

aboveClock Wooden Digital Alarm Clock

£10–£20 Price range

8.5/10Picked Rating

A solid beech case with the grain on show, big backlit digits, and the date and room temperature beside the time. It runs on batteries, so it can sit anywhere without a trailing cable.

What owners say: Owners like the classy beech case and the large numbers that are easy to read at night, and find it simple to set.

A closer look: Three AAA batteries are needed and aren’t included. An alarm on/off switch silences weekend mornings without touching the alarm time, and a tap on the top button lights the screen for five seconds. At 13.7cm wide, it fits a narrow bedside shelf.

Solid beech wood case
Light sensor adjusts the backlight
Rising-volume alarm with on/off switch
Date and temperature
Silent, no ticking

Best for: A warm, cable-free look

Power: 3 x AAA batteries
Display: Backlit LCD, light sensor
Alarm: Rising volume
Alarm works in a power cut: Yes

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#5 of 5

Best budget

A black digital alarm clock with bright blue numbers and a temperature reading — Illustrative photo

GOLOZA LED Digital Alarm Clock

£10–£20 Price range

8.4/10Picked Rating

Big LED numbers that are easy to read at a glance, five brightness levels down to fully off, and three alarm sounds (birdsong, beep or chord) at two volumes, plus a USB port to charge a phone overnight.

What owners say: Owners like the big, clear numbers day and night, how far the brightness turns down and how simple it is to set, and some say it’s a real help for weaker eyesight.

Heads up: It arrives with a 6:00 alarm already set, so press the mute key on the first night if that’s too early.

A closer look: Its backup battery only remembers the time and settings: in a power cut the screen goes blank and the alarm stays silent until the power is back. The snooze button on top has a raised line, easy to find by feel with eyes still shut.

Large LED display
5 brightness levels plus off
3 alarm sounds, 2 volumes
9-minute snooze
USB port for charging a phone

Best for: Big, dimmable numbers

Power: Mains, coin-cell backup
Display: LED, 5 levels + off
Alarm: 3 sounds, 75–85dB
Alarm works in a power cut: No

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How they compare

Feature	#1FAMICOZY	#2Braun BC08	#3Netzu 6208D	#4aboveClock wooden	#5GOLOZA LED
Feature	Best overall	Best for travel	Best for heavy sleepers	Best wooden	Best budget
Picked Rating	9.0	8.8	8.7	8.5	8.4
Price	£10–£20 Price range	£25 RRP	£10–£20 Price range	£10–£20 Price range	£10–£20 Price range
Power	Mains, 3 x AAA backup	1 x AAA battery	Mains, 2 x AAA backup	3 x AAA batteries	Mains, coin-cell backup
Display	Auto-dim, 6 levels	Negative LCD, 10s backlight	Colour LED, 5 levels	Backlit LCD, light sensor	LED, 5 levels + off
Alarm	Rising beep, about 80dB	Crescendo beep	4 volumes, up to 115dB	Rising volume	3 sounds, 75–85dB
Alarm works in a power cut	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Best for	Simple and easy to read	Travel and small bedsides	Heavy sleepers	A warm, cable-free look	Big, dimmable numbers
Check price	View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon