A good alarm clock is worth its weight in gold, especially if you’re typically difficult to rouse in the mornings. If you’ve got a smart home setup already, or you’re looking to start one, there’s a great smart alarm clock option that will tick every box.
Right now, you can pick up the Echo Spot smart alarm clock for £59.99, down from £79.99 (all prices correct at the time of writing) on Amazon. It’s available in blue, black, or white, although the black version is still priced at £79.99. You can also get the blue and white ones bundled with a Philips Hue smart bulb for just £64.99.
Featuring an LED display that with slowly glow brighter as you reach your wake-up time, easing you into wakefulness, this clock is ideal for anyone who needs a bit of encouragement to return from the land of nod. It also features voice-activated controls, can be used to control other smart elements in the home — such as a Philips Hue bulb — and it’s got a built-in speaker to play the radio, Spotify, and much more.
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So basically, you can listen to music while you wake up or get ready, which is bound to be a great start to any day.
It’s sustainably made with 36% recycled materials, and it’s got some handy privacy features for added peace of mind. The main one is a ‘microphone off’ button that manually disconnects the microphones when they’re not in use, which is particularly useful if you worry about smart home devices ‘listening in’ on conversations.
It’s a popular product at Amazon, with a massive 4.6 out of 5 stars averaged from 3,610 ratings so far. “For a blend of style, functionality, and cutting-edge technology, the all-new Echo Spot is an outstanding choice,” said one five-star review. “It makes daily routines easier and more enjoyable while providing a high-quality audio experience. Highly recommended for anyone looking to enhance their home with smart technology!”
“Nothing to dislike,” added another happy customer. “Use it more than I thought. Good quality sound, clear screen, not too big and certainly does the job. Bit on the pricey side but not extreme and fun to have.”
Another said: “The Echo Dot with its clear digital screen is a fantastic addition to any space. The display is bright and easy to read, showing the time, date, and weather at a glance. I love the countdown feature for timers—it’s so handy in the kitchen or while working.”
Some have found it disappointing, however. “This could be so so much better,” began one three-star review. “Unfortunately the sound quality is lacking and the screen, although clear, is very basic and doesn’t make full use of the semi-circle. If you have a Echo dot or tower, you will be disappointed by the lack of bass. It is fine for voice and Audible.”
Another found its built-in light too bright for their needs: “Unfortunately while the digits do indeed dim the screen backlight doesn’t and so what you get is a fairly bright square throwing light into the room. It’s very clearly visible if you are even slighly off-axis, and in a dark room even a small amount of back light is visible.”
Elsewhere, there’s another solid smart alarm clock in the Leaper Bluetooth Alarm Clock Smart Wake Up Light available for £31.99 at Debenhams. If smart home features aren’t your bag, check out the I-BOX Dawn bluetooth clock radio with wireless phone charging for £39.95 at Currys instead.
At less than £60 for a solid smart device that will make your morning routine much easier, the Echo Spot is nevertheless a great choice.