The 10 Best Alarm Clocks for Heavy Sleepers, According to Reviews

If you've missed more than a few morning meetings from regularly oversleeping, then it’s time for an alarm clock that makes it nearly impossible to press snooze and stay in bed. Instead of relying on your smartphone’s alarms, consider upgrading to an alarm clock that’s loud enough to wake up even the heaviest sleepers.

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Since there are so many different types of alarm clocks available to buy online, it can be hard to figure out which ones will actually wake you up from deep sleep. So to help you out, we scoured the internet to find the best alarm clocks for heavy sleepers. From sounds as loud as an ambulance to vibrating pods that literally shake you awake, these alarm clocks might use annoying methods—but they’ll actually get heavy sleepers out of bed in the morning.

These are the best alarm clocks for heavy sleepers in 2021, according to customer reviews:

• Best Overall: Sonic Alert Sonic Bomb Extra-Loud Dual Alarm Clock
• Best Light Therapy: Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock
• Loudest Option: Screaming Meanie Timer and Alarm Clock
• Best Classic Design: Peakeep 4-inch Twin Bell Alarm Clock
• Best Value: Travelwey Home LED Digital Alarm Clock
• Best for Kids: Clocky Alarm Clock
• Best With Wireless Charging:iLuv Time Shaker Wireless Charging Alarm Clock
• Best for Getting Out of Bed: Ruggie Alarm Clock
• Best Smart Option: Echo Show 5 
• Easiest to Use: Lexon Flip Plus Reversible LCD Alarm Clock

If the four alarms you scheduled to go off 10 minutes apart wake your neighbors but not you, you might want to try this noisy clock from Sonic Alert that has over 15,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. It has a 113-decibel alarm—about as loud as a jackhammer. And if the volume alone won't do it, the red flashing lights and accompanying 12-volt bed-shaker unit (which goes beneath your mattress or pillow) should deliver the full sensory message that grave danger awaits unless you get out of bed. “If you're like me and you hit snooze while you're still sleeping without realizing it, you need this,” wrote one shopper. “I work full time on an ambulance, and honestly, I can't decide what's louder, my siren or this alarm clock!”

Available at amazon.com, $34

If you’re looking for a calmer start to your day, you might want to try the Philips Wake-Up Light. It gradually gets you up and out of bed with a colored sunrise simulation and a selection of nature-inspired sounds, so you can start the day feeling refreshed and energized—as if you had woken up naturally. For anyone who finds it particularly hard to get out of bed when it’s cold and dark out, this alarm clock makes those early mornings a little bit easier. It also comes with a nighttime dimming feature so that you can make sure you’re getting your best night’s rest. “This product is the only alarm clock that will always wake me,” wrote one heavy sleeper. “I used to have to set three alarms for me to get up, [but] now just one.”

Available at amazon.com, $100

The three volume levels on this Screaming Meanie alarm clock can be best described as loud, louder, and loudest, topping out at a whopping 120 decibels (the volume of an ambulance siren). The travel-friendly clock runs on one 9-volt battery and fits easily in your carry-on, ensuring you'll never miss your wake-up call. Shoppers joke that this alarm clock is nearly loud enough to “wake the dead.” One wrote: “Not only does the Screaming Meanie get me out of bed in a split second, but we are running to get it turned off ASAP. It is painfully loud and does the job quite effectively.” 

Available at amazon.com, $37

If you have a serious problem sleeping through your alarm, this little retro alarm clock is for you. Because it doesn’t have a snooze button, you’ll be forced to either shut the alarm off completely and risk oversleeping or learn to wake up with the alarm. Plus, it doesn’t have an annoying ticking sound like other vintage clocks, so you won’t be kept awake at night. “I’m a heavy sleeper… I’ve had firetrucks, ambulances, and police cars in my front yard and slept through it,” said one customer. “This alarm scares me every morning, but it sure does get me awake.”

Available at amazon.com, $14

At just $14, this simple Travelwey alarm clock is one of the most affordable options on this list. It’s super popular among heavy sleepers, many of whom say it’s loud enough to make it hard to sleep through. “There are two speakers on either side of the display that blast ear-piercing alarm noises for five minutes to ensure you wake up,” one shopper said. Customers also love that the snooze button doubles as a way to turn on and off the nightlight. And thanks to the simple buttons on the back, it’s very easy to set alarms and change the time. 

Available at amazon.com, $15

If you can’t stop yourself from hitting the snooze button, this cute wheeled alarm clock is an easy solution. After just one snooze, it rolls and leaps off nightstands (up to 3 feet high) while beeping random patterns—and it hides until you hunt it down. It's safe to say you won't be catching any z's catching this clock. Even though plenty of adults in the reviews section have found success waking up with this alarm clock, many say it helps their kids get out of bed in the morning, too. “I bought this for my teen daughter who sleeps through everything,” wrote a shopper. “This alarm seems to do the trick [by] getting her out of bed and searching for her Clocky to turn it off.”

Available at amazon.com, $40

With the iLuv Time Shaker alarm clock, you really get the best of both worlds: a vibrating bed shaker to jolt you out of bed in the morning and a charging station to make sure your devices have a full battery by the time you wake up. It features a Qi-certified wireless charging pad on top of the clock and a USB port that allows you to charge your watch or headphones at the same time. One customer with a hearing impairment said that the shaker is so strong, “there is no way you can sleep through the alarm.”

Available at amazon.com, $55

In order to shut off this loud alarm clock, you have to actually get out of bed and stand on the rug for three seconds. But if you find yourself cheating your alarm by crawling back into bed after those few seconds, you can extend the alarm to require you to stand for up to 30 seconds—you’ll be much more awake once the blood starts flowing to the other parts of your body. For more advanced alarm options (like the ability to upload your own .mp3 files), just plug the clock into your computer. “It does exactly what it says it will, and I am faithfully now up every morning at 5:30 a.m. bright and early with no issues,” wrote a shopper.

Available at amazon.com, $75

You might find it easier to wake up to sounds that you want to listen to—and that’s why the Echo Show 5 is the best smart alarm clock for heavy sleepers. With the help of Amazon Alexa, you can set it to wake you up to your favorite song, a radio station, and even some celebrity voices. In addition to the fully customizable alarm options, you’ll also get access to all of the other features on the device, like instant updates on the weather and the ability to set reminders. Shoppers love that the volume gradually increases, and many appreciate that they can set recurring alarms and skip days if needed. “I think it is pretty cool that I can watch the daily news briefing on my alarm clock,” one person wrote.

Available at amazon.com, $80 (was $90)

Instead of sleepily fumbling with the alarm in the mornings trying to find the “off” switch, simply flip this Lexon alarm clock over to the other side to shut it off. And before you go to bed, just turn it over to the “on” side to set the alarm for the morning. Amazon reviewers rave about how minimalist and lightweight it is, and many people love how easy it is to use. “I love this clock; simple with no frills,” said a shopper. “I’ve had mine for several years and I recently bought one for my 80-year-old mother.” Bonus: It comes in a variety of bright hues (like pink and yellow), as well as more subdued colors like black and white.

Available at amazon.com, $40