Tom's Guide Sleep Awards 2025: Best Sunrise Alarm Clock

(Image credit: Hatch)

As Tom's Guide's sleep tech product tester, I've put over 40 gadgets to the test this year. That includes industry-leading smart beds and trending sleep trackers, but the Hatch Restore 3 is one of the few gadgets firmly implemented in my everynight routine.

Versatile, functional and stylish, the Hatch Restore 3 is the best sunrise alarm clock we've tested this year, sporting 4.5 out of five stars in our Hatch Restore 3 review. In fact, besides sleeping on the best mattress for your sleep style and body type, it is the one sleep product I recommend to anyone looking to elevate their mornings and evenings.

Read on to find out why the Hatch Restore 3 takes the top spot on the best sunrise alarm clock podium in our Tom's Guide Sleep Awards 2025 — plus the many ways it can help you sleep better through winter...

Hatch Restore 3 sunrise alarm clock with orange light — (Image credit: Future)

An all-in-one sleep gadget

We know routine is the bedrock of quality sleep and the Hatch Restore 3 helps you establish a consistent sleep schedule by aligning your circadian rhythm, as well as implementing relaxing habits to help you wind down at night.

Rather than jolting you awake as a jarring alarm tone would, the Hatch Restore 3 gradually brightens over the 30 minutes leading up to your desired wake-up time. This way, your body is gently pulled from sleep and you should feel less groggy and more energised upon waking (goodbye, sleep inertia).

If the light alone isn't enough to fully wake you, you can set an uplifting alarm tone in the Hatch app, selecting from calming nature sounds or upbeat music. I love to wake up to the sound of rolling waves while my room is flooded with warm light (even if it's pitch black outside my window, I can pretend I'm in a warm, tropical country).

Hatch Restore 3 sunrise alarm clock with Twilight Saga lighting cues — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

While simulating a natural sunrise is the Hatch Restore 3's main selling point, its uses don't end there. It's replaced my bedside reading lamp and I use it as a nighttime sound machine when I need some help to switch off after a busy day.

In the Hatch app, there's a library of sleep audio including guided meditations, podcasts or historical stories. You can listen to these while the lamp gradually dims over 30 minutes, shifting between warm color tones and giving ultimate cozy vibes.

My only complaint with the previous generation Hatch Restore 2 was the fact you had to use your phone to operate the clock, which goes against sleep hygiene advice around keeping screens out of bed. But Hatch delivered on-device button controls with the Restore 3 — so now there's little to complain about, even as a fussy tech reviewer.

In terms of price, it's a little steep costing $169.99 at MSRP; though you can snap it up for its lowest price at $139.99 in the Black Friday mattress and sleep sales. Still, there's a $4.99 monthly subscription fee to access all features. Ultimately, if you want premium audio quality and an authentic sunrise, you won't find a better product than the Hatch Restore 3. But if your budget is a little tighter, check out the Dreamegg sunrise alarm clock dupe at Amazon (now $59.99).

Eve is a sleep tech product tester and writer at Tom's Guide, covering everything from smart beds and sleep trackers, to sleep earbuds and sunrise alarm clocks. Eve is a PPA-accredited journalist with an MA in Magazine Journalism, and has four years’ experience writing features and news. In her role as Sleep Tech Product Tester and Writer for Tom's Guide, Eve is constantly trying out and reviewing the latest sleep products from brands such as Apple, Garmin, Whoop, Hatch, Sleep Number, Eight Sleep, and Oura. A fitness enthusiast who completed the London Marathon earlier this year, Eve loves exploring the relationship between good sleep, overall health, and physical performance, and how great sleep tech can make that relationship even better.

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