Alan North
I’ll be the first to admit that I did not need a $170 alarm clock to stop using my phone at night and actually get some good rest. After all, willpower is free, and in general, most alarm clocks are much cheaper.
Still, I was intrigued by the Loftie Clock, from the positive reviews it received across the board, often citing its pleasant “wakeup” sounds that replace the classic blaring alarm. As a lifelong night owl who now works East Coast hours from Los Angeles, I made the case over and over to myself about why I should invest in one — but I could never quite get over the sticker shock.
That was until I came across Loftie’s refurbished section. Combined with a coupon from the Shop app, I got the $170 Loftie down to $96 for a refurbished clock in “Great” condition. Though $96 is still steep, it was at least below triple digits, and after spending nearly a year with it, I’m convinced I’ll use this alarm clock until it dies.
Though it is technically a “smart” clock in that it can connect to an app, once I set it up with my phone, I can use all of its functions just with the clock. The biggest reason I wanted an alarm clock was so I could leave my phone outside of my bedroom at night, so this was a huge plus.
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The night light is a godsend for anyone who’s opposed to overhead lighting.
Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable
What I appreciate most about this clock, however, was that it is maybe the only alarm I have ever used that doesn’t jolt me awake. I have aspirations of being a person with a healthy REM cycle, but for the time being, I am not. If I want to wake up on time, I need an alarm. Unlike using a song to wake up (an excellent way to Pavlov yourself into hating the music you like) or a standard iPhone alarm (just generally grating), the Loftie clock comes with a two-alarm system that manages to nail the balance of soothing sounds that can actually wake you up.
The initial setup screen on the app clues you into how much this clock can do.
Credit: Screenshot: Loftie
The app interface after setup is easy to navigate, showing the essentials on the home page.
Credit: Screenshot: Loftie
The system works by playing an initial “wakeup tone” followed by a “getup tone”, which plays either nine, six, three, or zero minutes after the first one, depending on your settings. If the wakeup tone is akin to a sound bath, the getup tone is a bird gently chirping outside your window. In other words, the reviews about this clock being downright pleasant to wake up to weren’t lying.
The Loftie’s display is minimal, and though it’s tinier than most standard alarm clocks, I can still read it from about a foot away, squinting, if I happen to wake up in the middle of the night. (For anyone unimpressed by that, I have a -6.5 prescription in both eyes). The smaller display also means I don’t deal with a glaring light in my room. Once I moved in with my partner, we found that he was slightly more sensitive to the light, but switching to the clock’s red mode did the trick. There’s also an option to turn off the display altogether if you’re extra sensitive to light.
The red light is much easier on the eyes when it’s dark.
Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable
The features I’ve described so far are enough to make the clock worth it to me, and I say this as someone who’s tried out other premium sleep tech. Additional features include:
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A bed signal alarm that can help remind you to wind down at night
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A Bluetooth speaker that allows you to stream audio directly from your phone
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A built-in night light that’s easy to turn on and off in the middle of the night
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Preloaded sleep machine sounds, sound baths, and guided meditations
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Excellent customer service: I had a small issue connecting my clock to WiFi after a move, but when I reached out to the Loftie team (from my personal email), they responded within four minutes. You can also book 15-minute live support sessions if you need more hands-on help.
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The option for a Loftie+ membership, which comes out to $5.99 per month or $49.99 per year
It’s not an absolute necessity, but it’s definitely one of the nicer luxuries I’ve treated myself to. With the amount of use I get out of it (and the hours I’ve saved myself from doomscrolling), I would make the decision to pay $96 for it all over again. (Though, I can’t say I recommend buying the Loftie at full price.)
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