Best sunrise alarm clocks: Philips SmartSleep vs Hatch Restore 3 vs Loftie

Which sunrise alarm clock should you buy?

Choose the Philips SmartSleep HF3520 if you want the light itself to be the point. Its manual gives a sunrise of 30 minutes by default, adjustable from 20 to 40 minutes, and a light range of about 1 to 300 lux at 45 cm^{8, 9}. It has no app, Wi-Fi or subscription, and it was $124.99 on November 6, 2026⁸. The catch is a plain interface: five nature sounds or FM radio, and a clock that keeps time for only 4 to 8 hours in a power cut⁹.

Choose the Hatch Restore 3 if you want a sunrise alarm, sleep sounds and a night light in one clock, and you don’t mind an app. It was $169.99 on November 6¹. The catch is that it needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, setup asks you to start a 30-day Hatch+ trial, and Hatch+ then costs $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year^{1, 2, 4}. Hatch publishes no lux figure and no list of sunrise lengths^{1, 3}.

The Loftie Clock is a different kind of product. Loftie says it is not a sunrise alarm and points to its separate Loftie Lamp for that¹⁰. It’s in this comparison because people search for it next to Hatch. See the Loftie Clock review for its Loftie vs Hatch answer in full. None of these makers’ figures shows that any clock improves your sleep.

Philips, Hatch and Loftie side by side

Prices are US prices on each maker’s page, before tax. All three were checked on November 6, 2026. Everything below is a maker’s own figure. None of it is an independent measurement.

These links go to each brand’s own store and earn us no commission.

Which one fits which need

Each suits a different need, and this isn’t a ranking. Start with whether you want a sunrise light at all, then decide how you feel about an app.

• You want a sunrise lamp you set with buttons, no app and the lowest known cost of the three: Philips SmartSleep HF3520. It’s $124.99 with a 2-year warranty, and the manual gives its light range and sunrise lengths^{8, 9}. The catch: five natural sounds or FM radio only, a clock memory of 4 to 8 hours, and a mailed return at your cost⁹.
• You want a sunrise alarm, sleep sounds and a night light in one clock, and you’re fine with an app: Hatch Restore 3. It’s $169.99 and works without a paid plan^{1, 4}. The catch: it needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Hatch publishes no lux or sunrise lengths, and Hatch+ adds $59.99 a year if you want its larger audio library^{1, 3, 4}.
• You want a gentle alarm clock with sleep sounds and a nightlight, and a sunrise light doesn’t matter: Loftie Clock. It’s $199.99 with no subscription and a backup battery^{10, 11}. The catch: it has no sunrise light, and setup needs the app and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi¹⁰.

Does a sunrise alarm help you wake up? What the studies found

Not enough is known to promise a better morning. In two home studies of people who had difficulty waking early, an alarm clock with an artificial dawn reduced complaints of sleep inertia compared with no dawn. The measure was self-reported, and the authors said mechanisms other than a clock shift are needed to explain the result¹⁵.

A randomized crossover study of eight adults found higher alertness ratings after a simulated dawn in the last 30 minutes of sleep. Reaction times after waking were faster, 0.81 against 0.86 seconds¹⁶. In 23 adults with an average age of 67, a laboratory study found dawn simulation led to 33% less sleep before waking, and no change in alertness, balance or cardiovascular function after standing¹⁷.

These studies are small and short, and none tested the Philips, Hatch or Loftie clocks. Philips says its Wake-up Lights are clinically proven but names no study⁸. Hatch cites none for its cortisol claim either¹.

Hatch Restore 3 vs Philips: do you need an app or a subscription?

The Philips needs neither. You set it with the lamp’s buttons, and Philips lists no app, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or fee^{8, 9}. The Hatch Restore 3 needs the free Hatch Sleep app and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to set up, and brightness can only be changed in the app^{1, 2, 18}.

The Restore 3 still works without Hatch+. Its sunrise alarm, sleep sounds and light options come pre-loaded⁴. Hatch+ adds more audio, at $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year^{1, 4}. Cancel the setup trial through the app store before it ends if you don’t want to be charged⁶. The Loftie Clock has no subscription either, and its optional Loftie+ membership is for blocking apps¹⁴.

Warranty and returns

Philips gives 2 years and a 90-day money-back guarantee, but you pay return shipping, need an authorization form and wait 6 to 8 weeks for a refund check⁹. Philips’s US page doesn’t print these terms, so check them before you buy⁸.

Hatch gives 1 year from app registration and a 30-night trial with free return shipping. Returns apply only to a clock bought directly from Hatch, and exchanges are for another color^{5, 6}. Loftie gives 1 year and a 30-night trial, and a return that comes back damaged or missing parts can be refunded up to 50%^{12, 13}.

What about the newer Hatch Sleep Clock?

Hatch also sells the Hatch Sleep Clock, which Hatch’s comparison page says adds sleep tracking. It was $249.99 on October 20⁷. Hatch says the Restore 3 has no sleep tracking⁷. We haven’t reviewed the Sleep Clock, so it isn’t in the table. Hatch’s older Restore models aren’t covered here either.

Where wake-up clocks fit in the sleep guide

A clock is one small part of a bedroom setup. The sleep buying guide covers bed cooling, masks and sheets, and what the sleep evidence shows explains how strong the research behind those products is.

Sources

1. Restore 3 US product page Hatch · manufacturer
2. Restore 3 Technical Specifications Hatch Help Center · manufacturer
3. Restore 3 Alarm Guide Hatch Help Center · manufacturer
4. Hatch+ membership Hatch · manufacturer
5. Hatch Warranty Info Hatch Help Center · manufacturer
6. Return and Exchange Policy Hatch Help Center · manufacturer
7. Hatch Sleep Clock vs. Restore 3 Hatch · manufacturer
8. SmartSleep Wake-up Light HF3520/60 US product page Philips · manufacturer
9. HF3520 user manual Philips · manufacturer
10. Loftie Clock US product page Loftie · manufacturer
11. Loftie Clock Support Loftie · manufacturer
12. Loftie Warranty Policy Loftie · manufacturer
13. Loftie Refund policy Loftie · manufacturer
14. Loftie+ support Loftie · manufacturer
15. Effects of artificial dawn on subjective ratings of sleep inertia and dim light melatonin onset (Giménez et al.) Chronobiology International, 2010
16. Effects of dawn simulation on markers of sleep inertia and post-waking performance in humans (Thompson et al.) European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2014 · randomized trial
17. Effect of artificial dawn light on cardiovascular function, alertness, and balance in middle-aged and older adults (Gabel et al.) Sleep, 2020
18. How can I adjust the brightness on Restore 3? Hatch Help Center · manufacturer