Baseline: If It Was not for the basic problems of the buzz noise, the flickering and the not separate setting for reading and wake up light levels (read review below), it would get a 4 star rating - 5 if the price was a bit cheaper.
If you think you can get past thesis defects by getting used to them, the wake-up function is pure bliss For Those who have trouble getting up to with annoying and disturbing alarm clock. This is the only reason I ended up keeping it, willing to have 2 lamps on my bedside table to compensate for the unusable light reading function (see "The Bad" section below).
Note: this alarm clock will not compensate for you not sleeping enough! waking up properly is only one part of a good day full of energy - going to bed early and getting enough sleep enoguh is something this wake-up lamp can not help you with: this it is up to you! ;)
REVIEW
I have bought this new version of the Wake up light about 3 months ago. I had to send back the first one I got at the maximum light intensity Because the lamp would flicker and made a loud buzzing noise quite, Especially in totally quiet environment. The new one I got is a bit better and Followed the advice of an engineer friend of mine to buy in additional power outlet filter to avoid the flicker (he is of the opinion That it is due to the in-built safety of the Lamp That turns it off When there are voltage spikes on the line). The situation improved a bit, but still happens every now and then.
The good:
- The wake up function is excellent; at the beginning it takes a bit of "practice" to select the right light intensity (for me it is 10 out of 20) to avoid waking up before the alarm time is reached. I ended up using the radio to wake me up, but the birds effect is so excellent; They do wake you up and It Seems They are physically in the room - but it can be a quite penetrating sound (!); Always 10x better than with a normal alarm clock (Which I dumped).
- The radio sounds good and it is turned on Progressively (always).
- The LCD When set at the lowest setting was not disturbing after a couple of days and it is low enough not to light up the room.
- Waking up with this type of alarm clock results in very pleasurable and soft waking up, did result in high energy levels in the morning and during the day (there is a marked difference with respect to the normal alarm clock).
- The design is very good as well as build quality (though read comments below)
The bad:
- I need to hold the lamp with 2 hands to make any settings or adjustments Because The buttons (good quality) are too hard and wants to make the lamp slide on the table
- I can not use it as a reading lamp Reading light and wake up light intensity are the same - if you read at 20, you will be waken up at 20; The Wake up light intensity needs to be changed each time the light is used as a reading light at a different light level -> I am using a separate reading lamp (2 lamps on my bedside table ...); more over (and more importantly) the light makes a faint but very audible buzz (the Intensity Varies with the light level); it can be annoying When reading (ergo another reason for the 2nd reading lamp) and it can even wake you up when the light turns on in the morning - it takes a while to get used to it (not noticing it) and it can be very disturbing for people sensitive to this kind of buzz noises; The Lamp Should be * quiet *!
- The LCD needs to be adjustable to "off" or at least have another 1 or 2 lower intesity levels (currently 4 and using number 1, the lowest)
- When turning the alarm off (with the radio), the light is not turned off and needs to be done separately
- Flickering at high light levels (starting from level 15 or so) - tried on 2 separate wall sockets; of additional power supply filter for voltage spikes hasnt Completely solved the problem (a 3rd reason to have another reading lamp) and required another 10 to get this working lamp (somehow) properly; I needed to turn back in the first lamp I got, thinking it what defective; 2 out of 2 Means simply a bad design That should be more robust to powerline spikes (if this is the reason of the flickering)
What * absolutely * Needs to be Changed:
- Flickering
- Buzz problem
- Reading light intesity setting decoupled from wake up light intensity setting
- Price (due to the bad above); at least 20-30 less
