The alarm clock I'd been waiting for

I hadn't realized until recently that buying an alarm clock was such as difficult proposition. My requirements were (I thought) modest:

* Dual alarms, preferably with tone
* Easily readable display
* Snooze control
* Battery backup

The first clock I bought had dual alarms, but one had to be a tone and the other had to be radio, and it wasn't easy to figure out which one you'd actually set. That one was never even used. I immediately packed it back up and returned it.

Others had battery backup, but didn't actually display the time while on backup. Huh?

Some had miniscule snooze controls. Don't know about you, but my accuracy at early hours isn't the best; I need a big snooze bar that's hard to miss.

If all that wasn't enough, I kept finding lots of LCD displays which were somewhat blue numbers on a blue background; virtually impossible to read even in a dark room.

Then I found this little beauty, for less than some more expensive clocks that wouldn't have made it past some of my initial requirements.

The display is quite large, almost enough for someone like me, who is blind as a bat without glasses. Even from across the room, I can figure out what time it is. With glasses, I can even be appalled I'm awake at that hour.

I love that I can set both alarms any darn way I want to. What genius decided that each alarm had to be a different kind of noise? Honestly, I just don't wake to music; I sleep right through it.

And, as an extra added bonus, the tone doesn't blare at you (which always scared me out of bed and raised my blood pressure way too much for the early morning). The tone gradually increases from "hey, time to wake up ..." to "GET UP NOW".

The display is bright. Some complain it is too bright. Since I can't claim to have ever fallen asleep while looking directly at a clock face, this just hasn't been a problem for me, ever.

Haven't had to use the battery backup, so I'll go on other reports that it gives the correct time. I started buying battery backups YEARS ago, though, before they were popular, and they've saved my job more than a few times. I will never have a clock without one again.

The snooze is actually what they call a SmartSnooze feature. Essentially, the entire top of the clock because a giant snooze bar. This means you've got to hit the right button to actually turn the thing off, but it also means your accuracy doesn't have to be all that terrific; if you can feel your way somewhere in the vicinity of the top of the clock, you're golden.

That said, the buttons are large and well-labeled. I like that I can move forwards and backwards (yep, some clocks only go one direction). Be VERY careful about whether you're setting for a.m. or p.m., though, as with any alarm clock.

The footprint is larger than the pictures would indicate, which makes this a sturdy clock which can take more than a little force in its direction. The pictures make it look like a good wind would blow it over, and that's just not correct.