Philips Wake-up Light with Colored Sunrise, Sunset Simulation and New PowerBackUp+ Feature, HF3520/60

[Employee of philipsglobal] I absolutely love how the natural lights and natural sounds gradually increase. It is so beneficial to wake up and not be startled awake like you are with a traditional alarm. It actually makes me feel more rested. There is a significant difference in how I feel since waking up with this product

I didn't realize how harsh I'd been waking up with the standard alarm. The Wake up light is a slow smooth waking experience. Just like we gradually fall asleep, we need to gradually wake up. The wake up light gently brings you out of your sleep. Then the sound gently wakes you up. I don't have the adrenaline rush from a sudden radio blasting me awake. I don't need to hit snooze anymore. And amazingly, I'm in a better mood in the morning. I have recommended the wake up light to all my co-workers.

This alarm clock is delightful. It is the best representation of a simulated sunrise I have seen. There is one drawback and I think it could be easily resolved. Unlike most other dual alarm alarm clocks, the alarm has no setting for days of the week, so every time you turn off the alarm in the morning you have to re-enable it for the next day. I forgot to do this once and almost slept in but luckily woke up anyway.

I work very long hours and do not consider myself to be a morning person. After much research, reading all the reviews, I bought this alarm and could not be happier! It was easy to set up, works like a charm, and wakes me now almost as soon as the orange light comes on. I definitely feel more refreshed upon waking. The only con is the "seagulls" that come on after the lights - I have taken to smack them down. I haven't figured out how to change the sound yet. I love the light feature though, that is the absolute best!

The product does what it is supposed to do meaning it wakes you up in a more gentle fashion. The menu routine is a bit to go through but nothing daunting. For the price I think the radio should be better quality but basically it's an add- on thing and not really part of the units purpose.

The only complaint I have is being able to easily find the buttons. They are hard to see and hard to tell what they turn on/off. The button sensors on the front are the same way. It would work best for me if the buttons were all on the back and clearly marked. Having an alarm I could set on automatic would be convenient also. I would like to set it and forget it but this one has to be turned on and off. Having a setting that turns the light off during the day would be convenient also.

The light and design and sounds are really cool. But how can you make an alarm clock without a battery backup. I bought this without knowing it, didn't think I'd have to ask. I have to set a second alarm on my phone just in the rare instance that the power goes out. If it had a backup, it would be an easy 5 stars.

I had heard of the term "Wake up light," but had little idea about the item itself or functionality. I wanted to take the time to contribute to this review so that others who are considering this product (either this model or another one) will have some insight on what choice to make. As I titled my review summary, this product does indeed work as intended. I have been used to waking up to the sound of a buzzing alarm clock for years-even so, I was excited about an opportunity to wake up and not feel exhausted from hitting snooze on the alarm excessively and finally forcing myself out of bed. From the first day, I immediately noticed a difference with how I felt waking up with this lamp..it is clear that this a high quality light with soft illumination. I don't feel that it really mimics the sunlight as advertised, but the gradual levels of brightness do alert my body that it is time to wake up very pleasantly. It is worth noting that this is one of those "tech items" that you either really need or really don't. If you have a problem waking up in the morning, this would be a good investment, but maybe in a cheaper model ( I went with the "best seller"). While I am happy with how this light makes me feel in the mornings now, I can't give this five stars because this light is not for everyone, unless you have extra money to spend on a big and pricey desk or night lamp..which leads me to my criticisms. As some of the previous reviews mentioned, this lamp is rather big so make sure you have room for it. Also there should definitely be more than 5 nature sound settings..perhaps 10 or 12 ( I only like 3 of them). One more minus is that for this cost, a battery backup and phone sync up with an app would be more than fair. These additions would make the cost of this light more acceptable to me. But again, since I did have a specific problem waking up in the morning, this was my solution overall and for that I will look forward to using this light for a long time.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I think the button placements could be much better, especially desiring an enlarged and obviously placed alarm "off" button at the top front of the sphere that I can detect and depress easily with my eyes closed and one-handed. But still have it visually blend in with the face. I was excited to use the preset sounds and tried each one out for about two days but then opted to set my phone alarm in conjunction with the sunrise alarm. Your sounds could be so much more; the loop is much too short and it becomes intolerable quickly. With a longer loop time you could also build a more layered sound experience. The audio alarm when set to radio, seems to be going on after the sunlight portion is done, whether it goes out after the designated preset time or I hit the off button, and it stays on indefinitely, until I hit another button. The clock display is too small and I have to walk up to it more often than not to view it rather than glancing at it from an indirect angle. It would be great if the numbers could also be on the dome's face and are about 2" tall, and then when the sunrise feature is in action, the numbers could show up in a contrasted color. Lastly, the base needs a more stable, larger and flatter surface, it's too wobbly as it is and requires two hands to do anything. I do love the orange display color and how the brightness adjusts to the room light.

I love the idea of this alarm clock & lamp, and the design is beautiful. Very aesthetic. But when it comes to actually using the thing, it comes up short. First, be aware that this thing is huge. It will take up quite the footprint on your nightstand. I suppose the size is warranted, however, because you will be reaching for it in a groggy state. That said, then, the rim of the lamp is encircled in tiny buttons that are not easy to distinguish in that same groggy state— nor are they marked in any way visible to the front of the device. Turning the alarm(s) on and off seems to be more of a hassle than it should be. Finally, as far as my negatives go, the pictures and the product description describe the snooze function as if all you have to do is gently graze the lamp with a finger or two. Doing this, I was unable to trigger the snooze for several days. Finally I figured out that you have to give the front face a nice little thump to trigger the snooze. You're not going to coldcock the device, just give it thump with your finger. Most mornings it takes me a few thumps before I get it right. All that said, does the combination of lamp and alarm do what it promises to do? Maybe. It will doubtlessly vary from individual to individual. I struggle to get out of bed most days, but I find since using this alarm that I can generally get out of bed with fewer snooze resets. Additionally, I don't seem to be as groggy when I do get up. Wrapping things up, we come to the price. I bought the top-level model. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't make the same choice again. I might evaluate the low-end model to see if it does everything that I find I use, but the top-end model is simply way too expensive. You get a few added features in the top-end model, but not enough added features to justify the price.