Hatch Sleep Clock hands-on review: My first impressions of this new sunrise alarm clock with integrated sleep tracker

The new Hatch Sleep Clock on a white wooden nightstand in our reviewer's bedroom — (Image credit: Future)

It's time to clear a space on your nightstand — the new Hatch Sleep Clock is here and I'm already won over. Combining contactless sleep tracking with a circadian-friendly sunrise alarm clock, the Hatch Sleep Clock, now $249.99 at Hatch, promises to be the smartest thing next to your bed.

Adding a sleep tracker to a Hatch sunrise alarm clock is, in my opinion, an excellent idea. It takes the sleep-friendly tech of the best sunrise alarm clocks and adds the data to see the benefits at play. All without needing a watch, ring, or headband. I was eager to get my hands on it.

But can the reality of the Hatch Sleep Clock live up to the promise? I've been taking it for a spin — placing it delicately on my nightstand, in other words — to see we should throw away the wearables.

What is the Hatch Sleep Clock?

A woman with brown hair sleeps next to a cocoa coloured Hatch Sleep Clock placed on a wooden nightstand — (Image credit: Hatch)

The Hatch Sleep Clock is a sunrise alarm clock and sleep tracker, rolled up in one neat package. (It's also a white noise machine, making it a true triple threat.)

As a white noise machine and sunrise alarm clock, the Hatch Sleep Clock will gradually ease you into sleep and gently waking you up in the morning.

As a sleep tracker, the Sleep Clock observes your rest throughout the night. It then delivers insight into your sleep cycle and routine.

And it does all this from a position on your nightstand. No wearable required.

How does the Hatch Sleep Clock work?

As a sunrise alarm clock, the Hatch Sleep Clock isn't exactly breaking new ground. At least, nothing that hasn't already been covered by the Hatch Restore 3. It slowly floods the room with light to naturally trigger your circadian response and wake you up. I'll dive into all that later.

The sleep tracking is the real story of the Hatch Sleep Clock. Contactless trackers are driving the next generation of sleep tech, offering a way to observe your sleep without the intrusion of a health wearable.

The Hatch Sleep Clock in Cocoa on a nightstand in our reviewer's bedroom. A hand can be seen pressing the button on top of the Hatch Sleep Clock — (Image credit: Future)

While wearables typically use a combination of metrics to measure sleep, the Hatch Sleep Clock relies on "ultra-low-power radio signals" to observe movement. From this, it determines which sleep stage you're in.

At the end of the the night it collates this data into an attractive chart — honestly, it's a work of minimalist art — but no sleep score.

The more you use the Hatch Sleep Clock, the more it learns your sleep. Including how the Hatch fits into your routine. So if you sleep better on nights with gentle rainstorms or drift off faster when enjoying a podcast, it can let you know. Then it's up to you to adjust your routine.

A contactless device that tracks your sleep... Well, most of it

Through 'low power sensors', the Sleep Clock tracks your rest from your nightstand with what Hatch claims is 97% accuracy (based on a third-party study.)

Movement tracking is the kind of thing you find in free sleep tracking apps. The Sleep Clock costs $249. Needless to say, I was wary.

But even compared to my Oura Ring 5, the best sleep tracker we've tested, the Sleep Clock is pulling in good results. It's great at identifying when I've gotten in and out of bed, and it has the general outline of my sleep nailed. If you want an overview of your night, the Hatch will provide it.

On the left, a screenshot of the Hatch Sleep Clock app showing the data from a night's sleep. On the right, a screenshot of the Oura Ring 5 app showing sleep data from the same night. — On the left, the Hatch Sleep Clock. On the right, Oura Ring 5. (Image credit: Hatch / Oura)

There's one notable problem, however. While the Oura Ring detected just 56 minutes of deep sleep, the Hatch thought I managed over 2 hours. Based on my energy levels today, I'm inclined to trust the Oura.

It's still early days (early nights?) for the Hatch Sleep Clock, so I'll keep an eye on how my data compares. For now, I'll say it's good at the picture but struggles with the finer details.

Bookend your day with a stress-busting sunrise alarm clock

Of course, the Sleep Clock still offers Hatch's signature sunrise alarm clock. You set a wake up time and in the 30 minutes beforehand the Hatch gradually floods the room with light.

This sunrise mimicking effect is intended to kickstart your circadian cycle. (Light triggers the cortisol awakening response.) By the time your (gentle) alarm goes off, you should be primed to wake up.

The Hatch Sleep Clock glowing gently in a semi-dark room — (Image credit: Future)

It's summer, so my sunrise alarm clock is facing some stiff competition from the actual sun. But the Sleep Clock did as it promised, brightening in the half hour before my alarm was set to go off. I know, because I was already awake in my sunlit room.

Right now, it's the pre-bed programs that have caught my eye. The Hatch Restore 3 also offers a turn down service, featuring curated lights and sound.

I've only experienced a hotel turn down service once in my life and the Hatch can't quite compare — no chocolate on the pillow, for a start — but it's still pretty luxurious. My room was bathed in relaxing light while soothing sound emanated from my Hatch. For a brief moment, my bedroom was a spa.

Final thoughts so far

The Hatch Sleep Clock glowing gently yellow next to a bed in a dark room — (Image credit: Future)

The Hatch Sleep Clock still delivers as a sunrise alarm clock and the turn down service made even my messy bedroom feel luxurious. But so far, none of this justifies paying the extra $80 to upgrade from the Restore 3.

So is the sleep tracking worth the extra? Based on my early testing, I'll say yes... with a but. For sleep tracking aficionados who want precise, in-depth data, you're better off sticking with your wearable.

If you want an overview of your sleep from a non-invasive tracker, the Sleep Clock is a smart pick. And while the upgrade from Restore 3 to Sleep Clock might seem like a price jump, $80 is on the cheap side for a decent sleep tracker.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

Ruth is an experienced Senior Staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things sleep and mattresses. She writes to help people sleep better, from how-tos to the latest deals to mattress reviews, and has interviewed an array of experts who share her passion. She is also our specialist on memory foam — she’s flown around the world to see memory foam being made — and leads our hotel mattress content. She has a deep interest in the link between sleep and health, and has tried enough mattresses, from Helix to Nectar to Simba, to know the right bed really can make a difference to your wellbeing. Before joining the team at Tom’s Guide, Ruth worked as a sleep and mattress writer for our sister website, TechRadar.