My 14 year old is still using the one we got when she was two, the “don’t get out of bed until the light is green and you see a smiley face!” one. It works like a normal alarm clock too…

I like the Echo dot because they can also rpogram it to tell you the time, weather and other things when they wake up.

Anonymous wrote:I bought a sunrise clock for my teenager and it’s a game changer! Her room is bright by the time the alarm clock goes off and it’s much much easier for her to get up.

+1 Echo Dot + Echo Glow works like this and it's great

Anonymous wrote:I bought a sunrise clock for my teenager and it’s a game changer! Her room is bright by the time the alarm clock goes off and it’s much much easier for her to get up.

This.

This is the Wirecutter guide -- haven't checked these out, but typically they have good suggestions: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-alarm-clock/

I will chime in with that has not worked for my kid becuase she's too heavy a sleeper. The Loftie clock has soothing wakeup sounds, and it's just not loud and obnoxious enough to get her out of bed. She loves it for getting to sleep, though -- it has meditations that have been terrific for her.

We ended up buying a cheapo alarm clock (like the one OP sounds like she already has) and putting it on the other side of the room to force her to get up.

Mine had one from target with a cd player. She loves music so being able to wake up to her favorite songs is more effective and less stressful than an alarm noise. It does get gradually louder if not acknowledged.

My son has this ihome clock. It is LOUD. It wakes me one room over, but sometimes it does not wake him and is right by his head. I think it’s just young teen exhaustion.

Lots of options and no issues with it.

iHome PowerClock Glow Alarm Clock - Bluetooth Color Changing FM Clock Radio with USB Charging Port, Dimmable Display and 7-5-2 Dual Alarm - Perfect for Bedside Tables (Model iBT295) https://a.co/d/4zcoB0T

I am sorry for typos. I was proofing as I went. I guess I needed to read over again.

*read in bed on an actual book

I bough this one for myself a year ago. And last week I got another for my 9yo.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BJPYVMLJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It fits your requests for:
Sound volume settings.
I can turn off the display completely — this saves my sleep so much.
I set a 30 m light to gradually go off. So I read in her on an actual book and when I can’t see to read anymore, I bookmark and set it out. Feels so much better than looking at my phone to sleep.
I set a 10 m wake up light that goes before my alarm. So, sometimes it’s a more gentle way to wake up. The actual alarm will go if I sleep through that. Fine, need to get up then.

PP here, I think its this one https://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Simulator-Bedside-Charger-Sleepers/dp/B0B8S73NYF/ref=sr_1_9?crid=ZRDEWRMUVRER&keywords=Sunrise+clock&qid=1701606004&sprefix=sunrise+clock%2Caps%2C428&sr=8-9

I bought a sunrise clock for my teenager and it’s a game changer! Her room is bright by the time the alarm clock goes off and it’s much much easier for her to get up.

My 11yo used a DOT but then it wasn’t loud enough. I just bought a small battery powered travel alarm clock that has a loud beep. The key for us was to put it on the other side of the room so she had to get out of bed to turn it off..

Echo dot. My kids each have one in their room and use it pretty much as a clock radio.

My kids need help waking up. One has a cheap, crappy clock that has to be reset each time it is unplugged which seems to happen nearly daily (faulty plug) and the other uses her phone but says it’s too quiet.
I am buying them alarm clocks but am overwhelmed by options. Please recommend the one you have and like - for yourself or your children - that doesn’t have very bright (or dimmable options) display because I don’t want it being so bright it disrupts their sleep.