Philips Wake Up Light Review – Sunrise alarm clock reviews

The Philips wake up light is a tried and tested alternative to a regular alarm clock. Proven to make waking up for a far less stressful process, with extensive clinical trials showing measurable improvements in mood and energy levels. There are 3 main varieties of the  Philips Wake up Light ranging in price from $59 – $130depending on your budget-

HF3520 Philips Wake Up Light Alarm Clock

The HF3520 Philip Wake up Light alarm clock featuring a red to yellow sunrise simulator

  • Color changing light offering a gradual, natural way to wake up.
  • Sunrise simulation – Red to Yellow.
  • Sunset simulation – Yellow to Red.
  • Automatic display dimming
  • 20 display brightness light settings.
  • five nature sounds to help wake up naturally.
  • Touch snooze controls and FM radio.
  • Full review

The HF3520 Philip wake up light is by far the most popular model of Philips range of wake-up light alarm clocks. Similar in shape to the more affordable options but with many additional features and the only one to offer a red to a yellow sunrise simulator. -more info.

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Price information last updated on the 5th of September 2017 at 10:00 GMT
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

HF3510 Philips Wake Up Light Alarm Clock

The HF3510 Philip Wake up Light alarm clock featuring an orange to yellow sunrise simulator

  • Color changing light offering a gradual, natural way to wake up.
  • Sunrise simulator – Orange to Yellow.
  • Sunset simulator – Yellow to Orange.
  • Automatic display dimming
  • 20 display brightness light settings.
  • Three nature sounds to help wake up naturally.
  • Touch snooze controls and FM radio.
The HF3510 Philip wake up light is very similar in design to it’s bigger brother (HF3520). It does also offer a sunrise and sunset simulation, but without the red shade. A slightly more affordable wake-up light, but in our opinion, it’s worth paying the extra for the HF3520 model. -more info.
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Price information last updated on the 5th of September 2017 at 10:00 GMT
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

HF3500 Philips Wake Up Light Alarm Clock

the HF3500 Philips wake up light is the more offordable option for your sunrise alarm clock

  • Gradual increase in brightness over 30 minutes
  • Tap to snooze (9 minutes)
  • Bedside light with 10 light brightness settings
  • Audio beep alarm sound after sunrise

The HF3500 Philip wake up light is not as bright as the other models (200 lux compared to 300lux) however it’s still an effective wakeup light and and a far more affordable choice for those on a budget. -more info.

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Price information last updated on the 5th of September 2017 at 10:00 GMT
details »

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

Philips Wake Up Light Alarm Clock – Comparison Chart

Comparrison chart for the Philips Wake Up Light sunrise alarm clocks


Best offers on Philips wake up light alarm clocksThe Philips wake up light can put a completely new spin on your day.  Believe it or not, our ancestors didn’t have smartphones or alarm clocks beeping in their ears. They had a good old fashioned sunrise to wake them up. These days, however, we are governed by time. Waking to natural sunlight, for most of us, is not an option – unless of course you treat yourself to a Philips Wake up Light.

The Philips Wake up light, a sunrise alarm clock

There have been extensive independent studies carried out specifically with the Philips wake up light, researching the beneficial effects of waking up by light. The results were pretty damn conclusive with over 92% finding it far easier to get out of bed. Those that were woken by light rather than an alarm felt far more energised and had an improved mood throughout the morning.

A sunrise alarm clock proves even more beneficial during the winter months for early risers.  Waking to find it’s still dark outside can have a negative effect on your well-being.  This can be avoided by the making use of a Philips wake up light instead of a regular alarm clock.

HF3520 – Philips Wake up Light Review

The HF3520 is by far the most popular model of Philips range of wake up lights, similar in shape to the more affordable options but with additional features including:

  • color changing light offering a gradual, natural way to wake up.
  • Adjustable sunrise simulation and five nature sounds wake you up naturally.
  • Sunset simulation – Red to Yellow.
  • The light simulation starts 20 to 40 minutes before the alarm.
  • Automatic display dimming and 20 brightness light settings.
  • Touch snooze controls and FM radio.

The Philips Wake up Light with the gradual sunrise setting

The Sunrise Alarm Clock by Philips

If the wake-up light does its job correctly, you often won’t see the deep red glow of the early sunrise as you will still be sleeping during this stage. The HF3520 model does also have a sunset feature too. A perfect way to gradually relax and drift into a comfortable sleep, bathed in the warm red light of a simulated sunset.


To see the full range, read customer reviews and find the best prices on the Philips Wake-up light click here

For our full detailed review of the Philips HF350 sunrise alarm clock including a video demonstrating the sunrise simulation click here.

Alternatively, If you need even more sunshine in your life, take a look at the Lumie Zest SAD light, which can be used as a wake up light and also as SAD lamp to treat the seasonal affective disorder.

20 COMMENTS

  1. I’m new to sunrise alarm clocks, I was introduced to them by my BF, he has some sort of phobia to waking up to the sound of an alarm, He’s tried 3 or 4 different types on wake up lights and says the Philips Wake up light is by far the best of the bunch

    • Hi Milly, The Philips Sunrise alarm clocks have been around for a long time and they still rival the latest wake up lights in effectiveness, I’m just hoping they add some new features sometime soon, like Bluetooth streaming and WiFi connections for firmware updates.

  2. Hi William,

    It does depend on which Lumie and Philips wake up light you are comparing. The Philips HF3520 model has 300Lux, their cheaper wake up lights have 200Lux. The Lumie’s are comparable to the more affordable HF3500 model, but the Philips wake up light with the sunrise simulation is definitely a step up in quality and more effective in my opinion.

  3. I bought a Lumie wake up light form Boots, I haven’t really noticed any improvement at all, I think I might just be sleeping through the light phase. Is the intensity of the philips wake up light any better?

    • I had a Lumie Wake up light, it wasn’t bright enough to wake me before the alarm sounded. I switched it for a Philips wake up light and I rarely get to hear the birds singing.

  4. I was hoping to see a new model of the philips wake up light on this page, one with bluetooth for streaming music from my iPhone, it’s long overdue, don’t you think??

    • Hi Bright Spark,

      I totally agree, they need a new version with bluetooth (apt-x) and D.A.B radio too, they may as well improve the speaker quality while they are at it too, they certainly have the technology in their other products.

  5. A friend from work has been raving about her sunrise alarm clock for weeks now. I must admit she does seem far more with it in the mornings. I’m tempted to give one a go, she has a Philips wake up light, not sure what model though.

    • Hi Milly,

      Ask her if it transition from Red to yellow or orange to yellow, The Philips wake up light model HF3520 is the only one that starts or ends in red on the sunrise and sunset simulation.

  6. My lovely wife bought me a sunrise alarm clock for my birthday. I thought it would be a bit of a gimmick, but it’s actually made a big difference during the winter especially.

    • Hi Terry, Thanks for leaving a comment. A sunrise alarm clock is great all year round if you have good thick curtains or blinds. My curtains are pretty thin, so in the summer months the real sun does overpower the Philips wake up light.

  7. I’ve owned a Philips wake up light alarm clock for almost 6 years now, I could never go back to a regular alarm clock, I don’t take it with me on nights away from home, and I always miss it.

    • Hi James, 6 years and still going strong? nice! The Philips wake up lights have certainly stood the test of time, but I’m kind of hoping they upgrade them soon. I’d like to see a Philips sunrise alarm clock that features bluetooth, USB charging and possibly a DAB radio.

  8. The Philips HF3250 is the best sunrise alarm clock you can buy. I bought the JBL horizon and returned it in favour of the Philips wake up light, which in my opinion is a far superior product

    • Hi Pete,
      Thanks for the comment. I agree the range of Philips Wake Up lights are better than the others I have tested including the Lumia and JBL models. A little more expensive however, but worth it in my opinion.

  9. No – the post just reminded me of what that lady said – lol. I might get one though, it has to be better than the crappy alarm clock I’m using right now.

  10. Years ago, when I was house hunting, I visited what is now my current home, and was shown around the property by the lady that occupied it at the time. When we entered her bedroom, I commented that she had no curtains or blinds on her window. She told be that because her room was not overlooked, she chose not to have them. I remarked that surely it cannot be nice to have the sun beaming through the window first thing in the morning when you are trying to have a lay in. She laughed and told me that there is no better way to wake up than by natural sunlight. She was elderly and retired, which meant she had no schedule to meet, even so, the idea of awaking by light over the dreaded sound of a beeping alarm clock did have an appeal to me.

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