Ask the Strategist: The Best and Nicest-Sounding Alarm Clock

I have this system in my house, and if you’re nervous you won’t wake up, I can guarantee that you’ll actually wake up from the light alone. But if you think that the light won’t be enough, the clock also comes with three “calming” wake up sounds — think cresting ocean waves, chirping birds, general spa vibes — and an FM radio. And sure, we’ll admit that spending around $100 is a bit of a splurge for an alarm clock, but you can also adjust the light to ten levels whenever you want, so it’s really a bedsidelampand an alarm clock all in one.

Hammacher Schlemmer advances on the theme by adding aromatherapy oils to their light-up alarm clock, so you’ll wake up not just with light and sound, but also withcalming scents.

At the same time, as light is the new wave we should all get on, it’s pretty much a universal cultural understanding that alarm clocks are supposed to sound like loud beeps and rings. The creator of the Wake alarm-clock app toldthe Ringerthat on his app that can make pretty much any calming sound, the second-most-popular sounds are the classic alarm ones.

With this in mind, I spoke with Jeannette Purdy from Ameico, an “aesthetic-driven” clock store in Connecticut, who suggested a few options based on looks first and then sound. Purdy recommends the Braun, a classic first designed by Dieter Rams in the ’70s. “They’ve got a beeping sound that increases in frequency and volume, and when those were first made, they were quite effective in waking people up,” she says. Now, just about all alarm clocks increase in volume and frequency, but Braun was one of the first to implement that feature. They remain excellent functional and minimalist alarm clocks. Her sentiment was echoed by Sebastian Christenson a horologist at New York’s Sutton Clocks shop, who said simply, “The best alarm clock is a Braun.”

I actually use aBraun voice-controlled alarm clockat home (you say “stop” to snooze) because I love the way it looks, and it’s a simple, functional, and beautiful object. If you just want a small alarm clock that’ll wake you up, this is an obvious, time-tested winner. To snooze the one pictured here, you just gently tap the top of the clock, which activates a hidden button on the bottom that snoozes and also turns on a light. It’s all so intuitive and discreet and amazing.The digital versionalso won a Red Dot Award in 2012, and they’re all small enough to throw in a bag and travel around with.

Purdy also recommends the Station alarm clock designed by Arne Jacobsen, a mid-century Danish designer. This one looks like a floating sphere, which is what attracted architect, interior designer, and clock collector Morris Adjmi. “I like the simplicity of it,” he told me. “I like the way it presents itself. It has a little metal stand that’s playful and elegant.” As for its sound, the Station mimics that of a real bell alarm clock, but a less intense digital version. It’s a light bell. It’s also the only alarm clock sold on Arianna Huffington’s sleep store, Thrive Global. The only downside (depending on how you look at it) is that it doesn’t have a snooze function. (But for a real bell sound with a snooze, try thissimilarly minimalist clockdesigned byIndustrial Facility.)