Is The Philips HF3510/01 Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock All Style And No Function?
The specification for the Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock HF3510/01 definitely makes it sounds like a functional choice as it offers sunrise and sunset functions that are customisable from 20-40 minutes, an LED lamp with definitive colour changes to create this “natural” sunrise and 20 different light intensities that give it a secondary purpose as a bedside lamp.
The device is supposedly clinically proven to work, with Phillips saying “92% of users agree it makes it easier to get out of bed”. It appears to have the scientific backing and the elements to make it stand out from crowd but does it get a thumbs up from those that have bought it?
Is the feedback from real users quite so positive and what benefits have they enjoyed about this Philips Sunrise Simulation Alarm Clock HF3510/01?
The biggest talking points on the positive side of this product are not the results and ease of getting out of bed but the style of the device and the quality of the light. There are mixed comments about the brightness and intensity of the light, with some saying it needs to be very close to the bed on dark mornings, others saying it can get very bright and many more sticking in the middle by saying it is just right and that, most importantly of all, it works at getting them up in the morning with the gentle approach they desire.
At this point it is important to note that the alarm does have brightness settings so it can be adjusted and that as it is recreating the natural sunrise it increases from softer yellows to a 300 lux bright yellow. The fact that it is only 300 lux may explain the complaints about the brightness as some light therapy devices go as high as 10,000 lux.
Moving on to the style and good looks of this curved Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock HF3510/01 with Sunrise Simulation and its LED light source, buyers like the colour changes – although they seem to mention yellows a lot more than the orange advertised – and that the LED display for the information is not too bright and doesn’t distract from the function of the actual light.
It has a stylish, simplistic design that means soft, clean lines that look nice on a bedside table as well as a small footprint. Despite this, this stylish design can have its downsides on the user-friendly aspect of the alarm.
Why can the design of the Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock HF3510/01 be an issue and what other problems have users experienced?
There is no denying that this is an attractive model, a lot more so than some other wake-up alarms, but it is just a shame that Philips did not put as much effort into the ease of use as the aesthetics. It takes some getting used to with all the buttons and settings, especially with the way they are hidden at the sides, and it really needs a couple of big buttons front and centre for easy access on groggy mornings.
The other issue that has been commonly mentioned is with the quality and selection of the audio options – all of which come under fire in some way. The three different nature sounds options are OK but the quality could be slightly better and length of the loop could be longer, the FM radio is fine in that it picks up stations pretty well but a DAB with pre-sets would be preferable and some would like a USB port for additional material.
Summary: are these issues too much of a problem to recommend this Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock for use?
The general consensus is that this product is adequate but could be a lot better – a 4 star product that does the basic job well enough but could easily be a 5 star product with some adjustments to the design and the audio options.
If it was easier to program and the sounds were not so pathetic then it would definitely have a lot more merit but these issues do not mean that the product is not recommendable because it still gets people out of bed with a pleasant light and is well designed with the bedroom in mind.
In short, the brightness issue and programming mean this Philips wake-up light is not the idea device for medical issues like SAD but the attractive qualities of the design, the light’s tone and sunrise mode mean it can still help with dull mornings and could be ideal for those that want a gentle, pretty bedside light rather than a highly functional alarm.
You can check out more customer reviews about the Philips HF3510/01 Wake-Up Light on Amazon here.