Best clock radio

The best clock radios are the perfect solution for those who hate waking up in the morning to the sound of a repetitive alarm. Whether you come to despise any alarm your phone offers, or simply find yourself sleeping through the same tune every morning, these alarm clock radios are designed to start your day in the right way with the radio stations you love. 

At the very least, these clock radios offer both clock and radio functions. There's a lot more on offer in our guide to the best clock radios though, including wireless phone charging, sunrise alarm lights, temperature detection, and smart home compatibility. 

All the clock radios in our guide offer intelligent time displays and strong radio connectivity. Another important feature to consider is whether your clock radio has a backup power supply, so that in the case of a power cut you'll still have a reliable alarm and won't have to reset all your settings. Our top pick, the Uplift Alarm Clock Radio, is a reasonably priced clock radio which fits a lot of features into its small design. For the rest of our favorite clock radios, just keep reading.

Where can we start with the Uplift Alarm Clock Radio? It’s got 16 volume levels and a 4.2 inch LED screen which displays temperature and time. You get the choice of 12 or 24 hour clock displays and you can also use this clock radio as a night light, with five light levels to create your perfect ambiance and act as a reading light beside bed. When it comes to radio stations, you can search and save stations from 87.5 to 108MHz and set the alarm to wake you up to your favorite radio station. It also has aux and Bluetooth functions for switching over to your morning playlist. The Uplift Clock Radio also has two USB outputs and plugs in with a simple power adapter. As a backup, it runs on a button battery (included), which saves you any power cut drama. Awesome. 

If you want a radio clock which will do the job, no questions asked, and look pretty great while doing it, we recommend the KOOSIN Radio Alarm Clock. We’ll give you a minute to appreciate that stylish wooden finish - nice, right? Well, as you can see, this radio clock also has a large and bright LED display which can be set to a 12 or 24 hour display. Every button you’ll need is displayed clearly and intuitively on the top of the KOOSIN clock radio, and the snooze button (the most important of them all) takes center stage. However, it's preset to nine minutes. For those sensitive to lights when sleeping, the LED display can be set from 0 percent to 100 percent brightness to help you find that optimum level. The radio has a sleep timer, and tunes in to FM radio frequency from 76.0-108.0MHz. You can set two alarms, one for the weekend and one for weekdays, or one for you and your partner, and each can be set to sound with a buzzer or radio. There’s also a USB port to charge your phone. A bedside essential. 

Available in black and grey, the i-box Bedside Radio Alarm Clock with USB Charger is noticeably attractive and comes with modern wireless charging. Simply place compatible smartphones on top of this clock radio and forego messy cables as you sleep. This radio alarm clock has a dual alarm function and up to 10 FM presets, so you can switch up your radio alarm depending on your mood. The snooze button lives front and center of this clock, but the rest of the buttons are a little on the small side due to the fact that the charging pad takes up a lot of surface space. If this isn't a concern though, it's a brilliant choice. 

When it comes to design, there’s no denying that the DreamSky Decent Alarm Clock Radio is a little on the basic side. However, what it does it does incredibly well, and it’s a great price for the features on offer. This radio clock will only tune into FM radio, but it has an incredibly reliable connection and great sound quality. You can also fall asleep to radio with a preset timer, which will turn the radio off automatically once you’re sleeping soundly. If the radio doesn’t send you to sleep, you can opt to wake up to your favorite channel with preset radio alarms and a 1-15 volume level. Reliability is key, so we’re impressed that the DreamSky Decent Alarm Clock Radio has mains power, which can also charge your phone through its USB port, and backup battery power for any electricity failures.  

Wake up light alarm clocks have a bit of a cult following for their gentle sunlight simulation, which provides a lovely natural wake up in the morning. Well, the LBell Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with FM Radio does that, with radio connectivity and a great clock display to boot. If you want a clock radio for your bedroom, you’ll struggle to find better for the price. The clock radio can save up to 40 channels and be used as an alarm clock for the morning, which is perfect if you’re the type to sleep through an alarm once you get used to the sound as it’ll bring you something a little different every morning. The display is touch screen and you can snooze for up to nine minutes. 

The Sony Compact AM/FM Dual Alarm Clock Radio is an awesome compact clock radio which will fit into the smallest spaces but deliver great sound quality. This digital radio can tune into AM and FM radio and offers ten slots of radio station presets so you can keep all your favorites on hand. You can set two alarms - one for you and one for a partner, or one for weekends and weekdays, and the clock can be set to your time zone which saves any adjustments of hours and minutes when it arrives. There’s an automatic snooze of ten minutes and the ever-essential backup battery power.  

The Mpow Projection Alarm Clock has a 180° projection display which will project the time onto your ceiling or wall with the option of adjustable brightness. You can set to 12 and 24 hour timing depending on your preference, and the Secura will charge your phone while you sleep or listen to radio. The FM radio tunes into 76.0-108.0MHz and will let you save up to 15 radio stations. You can adjust volume with 15 levels to choose from. This clock radio will work well in any room of the house, and its included backup battery will keep you running on time no matter what.  

The verdict

Clock radios can make your mornings a whole lot happier, and we've found the very best you can buy on any budget. Our favorite clock radio, the Uplift Alarm Clock Radio, is a reasonably priced option, but the DreamSky Decent Alarm Clock Radio is our best budget pick. For use as an alarm clock, check out the attractive and easy-to-read KOOSIN Radio Alarm Clock. Another option with a large time display is the Mpow Projection Alarm Clock, which also projects the time. 

The i-box Bedside Radio Alarm Clock with USB Charger will charge your phone wirelessly, which is a great modern feature. If it's a wake-up light option you're looking for, the LBell Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with FM Radio offers all the great features of a clock radio but with added SAD light functions. For something you can take on the go, check out the small but mighty Sony Compact AM/FM Dual Alarm Clock Radio.