Philips AJ3231 Clock Radio review

If in the market for a functional, stylishly original clock the Philips AJ3231 Clock Radio should meet your expectations exactly. Gorgeously simple yet divinely styled, this clock is as much a timepiece as it is a object of admiration.

Instead of a screen clogged with information, the mirrored surface of the AJ3231 simply shows you the time on its elegant mirrored surface. Wake up to the clock’s buzzer or your own favourite station on the FM radio band. An included cable lets you plug in your MP3 player/ ipod as well. At night you can dim the clock’s brightness so it doesn’t interfere with your sleep. Also with a 9V battery backup you will never have to worry about being late for work should the power go off during the night. The AJ3231’s small dimensions means you have a ton of room left on your night stand for other things: lamp, glass of water, favourite book, etc.

If you like to receive a cataclysm of information when you wake such as temperature, humidity, date, etc, then this clock’s simple display will likely drive you mad. However, if you would rather find these things out in due time and want your clock to remain a clock instead of yet another computer in your house than the Philips AJ3231 Clock Radio will meet your demands with style and sophistication. With its modest price tag you can afford to get one for your spouse’s side of the bed as well.

Shocking Alarm Clock review

If you are one of those people that seriously has trouble getting motivated to get out of bed in the morning then the Shocking Alarm Clock will be right up your alley. While on the surface it looks like your standard old alarm clock it is hiding a deep, dark secret that is going to shock you, literally.

Like any alarm clock, after it goes off in the morning you’ll need to reach over to turn it off. When you touch the clock’s surface it will give you a small electric shock that is sure to get your attention. After a nice shock you will definitely be awake and probably won’t even need coffee to get yourself going.

It is a nice-looking clock in itself, and adds a touch of nostalgia to any décor. One small downside is that it only operates on batteries, so if you are regularly shocking yourself you may need to stock up on “AA”s. For those with lazy teenagers on their hands, help them get started in the morning without having to turn the hose on them. Better yet, don’t tell them about the clock’s additional feature and get a kick out of how high they jump out of bed.

Even for a standard alarm clock, the Shocking Alarm Clock’s price is quite reasonable, even a downright bargain, and it makes a great gift for anyone who has a hard time getting going in the morning.

WARNING: The shocking alarm clock should not be used by anyone with epilepsy, pacemakers, or heart conditions. If you are not sure about this, please consult your doctor.

Buy the Shocking Alarm Clock from gadgetepoint for £10.99 (use the voucher code ATGX5 before the end of 2008 and you will save 5% at gadgetepoint).

Revolution Alarm Clock review

If you have an auto-enthusiast in the family then the Revolution Alarm Clock is a perfect gift for the holidays or a birthday. Designed like an old fashioned rev counter, this clock comes to life when the alarm goes off and it revs up with a convincing V8 sound. Whether it’s for a teenager or adult car lover this is a great clock and definitely makes a statement on any bedside table.

Some of us like to wake up gradually to our favourite song on the radio or nature sounds. Others prefer to begin their day with a shot of adrenaline, which is where this great clock comes in. The roar of engines when your alarm goes off with have you ‘revved’ up and ready for your day in no time. Ignoring the V8 alarm is impossible since it gets louder the longer you leave it.

If your husband, partner, child or friend loves fast cars and everything to do with cars then this clock will make a perfect addition to their bedroom. Not only is it incredibly sleek and stylish but it works great at telling you the time and waking you up, as all good clocks should.  After you turn off the alarm in the morning you can sit back and just enjoy how much cooler your bedroom looks with the Revolution Alarm Clock.

So instead of a boring old alarm clock that sounds like a fire alarm every morning and then just sits there the rest of the time looking dumb, get yourself a clock that looks fantastic, and wakes you up in an original way every single morning (except Sunday, no one should be woken up by an alarm on Sundays). At the great price, you can get one for you and your mate and have races every morning.

The Revolution Alarm Clock is available at Find Me A Gift for £19.50 and at gadgetepoint for £24.99 (use the voucher code ATGX5 before the end of 2008 and you will save 5% at gadgetepoint).

Sonic Grenade review

This is not strictly an alarm clock, and it’s definitely not a radio, but we thought it was worthy of a mention. The sonic grenade is ideal for parents who struggle morning after morning to get the kids out of bed.

It may not be in the “Good Parenting Handbook”, but all you need to do is pull the pin, lob in the grenade, and just wait for them to crawl out of bed. The grenade will continue to make a noise until the pin is re-inserted, so they won’t be able to stop the noise until they find you, and the pin, at the breakfast table.

Undoubtedly, the best thing about this novelty grenade is the cool factor. You can pretend you are your favourite Hollywood actor, as you pull the pin and shout “Fire in the hole”, before lobbing the grenade under your sleepy child’s bed.

It has three volume levels, so it can be adjusted according to the persistence of the child, and the noise is just plain annoying.

Tokai LRE 153 Radio Alarm Clock review

The Tokai LRE-153 Radio Alarm Clock is a great alarm clock that comes with a super-funky design and a handy double alarm function. You can set it so it only goes off on weekdays, preventing you and your partner from untimely Saturday or Sunday awakenings. Choose to wake up to a buzzer, radio station or you can even use the AUX input to plug in your mp3 player or other device.

This alarm clock is great for couples since it has the double alarm function as well as a projection mode to display the time so you don’t have to climb over your better half to find out if you are late for work. The cube design with the projection globe on top is both funky and fashionable and will fit in with any décor. The clock’s big blue LCD display is perfectly easy to read, and you can adjust the brightness in case it proves to be too much for you.

The Tokai LRE-153 Radio Alarm Clock is great for just about anyone who wants a good alarm clock with a whole lot of features, but doesn’t want to pay too much cash for it. Not only is it a great design, it also displays the indoor temperature and has a calendar feature, in case you wake up and forgot what day it was. This is a handy clock that looks great on a dresser or night-table and has enough bells and whistles to impress just about anyone.

Click here to buy the Tokai LRE 153 Radio Alarm Clock from Amazon. The price is £15.00 at the time of writing.

Shape Up Alarm Clock review

This is just a cool idea. The Shape Up Alarm Clock takes fitness to a whole new level, by making you do bicep curls first thing in the morning just to turn off the alarm! If you’ve been putting off getting into shape you will have no excuse with this alarm clock. Nothing gets us up and awake like forced exercise does it? In case you really can’t handle 30 reps on a particular morning there is a regular alarm off function, but that’s no fun is it? If you are buying this alarm clock form someone else then don’t tell them that.

Whether you are a muscle mania and would love the opportunity to start your morning by pumping iron, or you want some encouragement to keep to your exercise routine this cool clock will have your blood flowing in no time. Don’t worry about the weight, it’s pretty light, but you will still feel more awake when you are finished lifting it 30 times to turn off the alarm. By the way, this probably isn’t the best clock to have if you wake up before your spouse does or he/she may throw it at you.

So if you need some help with those scrawny pipes of yours, or you want to irritate a friends with a clock that makes them wake up to a workout, the Shape Up Alarm Clock is perfect. For the price you could by a few and give them to all your friends, or maybe not.

J425 Black and White AM/FM Radio Alarm Clock review

This cool looking alarm clock is a great choice if you want to have a clock that is functional, but doesn’t cost a whole lot. This model is great for anyone who doesn’t care if their clock comes with a bunch of bells and whistles, or for someone who needs a clock for an office or spare bedroom. While you won’t find a whole bunch of features on this model, it is nice and affordable.

The radio function for this clock only offers radial tuning, so you will wake up in the morning to whatever station you set the night before if you have it on radio alarm mode. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether the volume is loud enough or too loud when you turned it off at night, and whether your radio station plays classical tunes at night and heavy metal in the morning. The display is nice and big and easy to read, and it has a battery backup in case the power goes out. That’s about it.

So if you want a clock that has dual alarms, digital fm tuner, station presents and so on you will have to pay a bit more for another alarm clock, because the J425 Black & White AM/FM Radio Alarm Clock does not do any of this. It is just a clock with an alarm and radio. But it looks good and does the job for cheap, so you can’t really complain.

Click here to buy the J425 Black and White AM/FM Radio Alarm Clock from Amazon. The price is £8.99 (good value as the RRP is £19.99) at the time of writing.

Geemarc Wake and Talk Radio Alarm Clock review

If you are in the need for an alarm clock and a phone by your bedside, then the Geemarc Wake and Talk Radio Alarm Clock is for you. With its big, bright display and radio function you can set your alarm for the next day, listen to some tunes while you read before bed, or talk on the phone - all from the comfort of your own bedroom.

This alarm clock and phone combo is pretty basic, which is why it is so affordable. The phone has standard features like mute, redial, ringer on and off settings as well as volume control for the ringer in case it is too loud for right beside your head. If you are looking for features such as dual alarm, call display or other functions though you may have to consider spending a lot more, because you definitely won’t find it at the same price as this model.

The Geemarc Wake and Talk Radio Alarm Clock is certainly not a fashion statement or does it have all the features of more expensive models – however, it is definitely a good, cheap phone and radio alarm clock combination that beats buying the two units separately. This product makes a great addition to a guest room, den or office where privacy may warrant a phone, but it is not used enough to justify an expensive radio alarm clock. This phone is a great buy and will last a long time.

Click here to buy the Geemarc Wake and Talk Radio Alarm Clock from Amazon. The price is £15.26 at the time of writing.

Crayola AM/FM Alarm Clock Radio with Night Light review

If your little one is having trouble waking up on his own, and you are tired of rolling him out of bed in the morning, then Crayola AM/FM Alarm Clock Radio with Night Light is a perfect solution. The front panel comes with customisable plates, so kids can be in charge of the design, and for younger children the three colour night light feature is a definite bonus.

The alarm functions on this clock lets your child wake up to the radio, a buzzer, or a programmable 10-second message. Kids can have a blast leaving messages for themselves, or silly sounds and jokes. The cool blue backlight LCD display has a dimmer adjustment in case it is too bright for the little ones. Mums and dads will love the back-up battery power, meaning that they never have to set the time after a power outage.

Kids can set the sleep timer if they want to fall asleep to the radio and can gently ease into a new day with the gradual wake system. They will quickly discover the snooze function as well, allowing them to catch a few more winks before getting ready for school.

With all the great functions on this alarm clock at a great price it is no wonder that the Crayola AM/FM Alarm Clock Radio with Night Light is such a popular model for children, which make it a great birthday or Christmas gift. Give kids control over when they wake up and let them learn about time and promptness.

Click here to buy the Crayola AM/FM Alarm Clock Radio with Night Light from Amazon. The price is £14.95 at the time of writing.

Sony ICFC218S review - a great cheap alarm clock radio

We have looked at some weird and wonderful radio alarm clocks, but what about a normal, bog standard, “tell me the time and wake me up in the morning” radio alarm clock? Well, here’s one for you – the snappily named ICFC218S.

So, what’s it got? Well, it tells you the time on a large LED display, it has a single, easy to set alarm and an FM/AM tuner. For an incredibly cheap alarm clock, a couple of noteworthy features are that it comes with a back up battery included (some of the more expensive ones make you buy a battery separately) and it features auto time setting – so it will adjust the time for you in March and October, meaning you can forget everything you learned about “Spring forward, Fall back” etc.

So, if it is a cheap and simple radio alarm clock you need then take a look at the Sony ICFC218S at Amazon

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