Waking up is so much more gentle and enjoyable now!
I recently moved to Alaska, and decided to get a sunrise-type alarm clock to make getting up on these dark mornings a little easier.  After researching several that are available, I decided to try this one because of the features available and the fact that I can change the bulb myself (I had read in reviews of other brands that the bulbs burn out quickly and then people have trouble getting it repaired).  I've had this alarm clock for a little more than a month, and while it's not perfect, it's very very nice.<br /><br />Here's what I like about it: I like being able to set the brightness of the light, but it did take a little trial and error to figure out the best setting for me.  It's nice to be able to set so many features, like how loud the volume will be, which nature sound to wake up to, and to be able to have preset radio stations to choose from.  After some time, I got comfortable with how to change the settings (it did take a little practice, though), and I learned that you don't have to step through every option just to change the alarm time.  After choosing the alarm time, just hit the "mode" button 2 or 3 more times to get out of the "change settings" mode.  I also like how not only does the light gradually get brighter before your set alarm time, but the volume also starts quietly and gradually increases to the selected volume.<br /><br />What I don't like (these are admittedly picky, but I feel they're worth mentioning):  I wish I had more options for how long before my alarm time the light begins getting brighter.  The only option is 15 minutes.  It seems sufficient, and isn't a big deal, but more options would be nice.  Also, I like having the screen illuminated all the time, but it seems that if you use the dimming feature when going to sleep, it will turn that screen off.  Since I don't usually have trouble falling asleep, I just don't use that feature so that the screen will stay illuminated.<br /><br />After looking at the features that the other "sunrise" alarm clocks have, it seems like this one has the most features for the money.  I don't think I've had it long enough to know if I really feel more rested when I wake up, but regardless, it's so nice to wake up already used to the light and to wake up gradually rather than by the sudden beeping of an alarm clock.  I would recommend setting a backup alarm for the first little bit until you get used to the settings and being sure the alarm is actually turned on (watch for the little bell symbol).  It seems to be very reliable when I properly set it.
Rating: 5 stars