The Philips AJT4400B/37 alarm functions as a Bluetooth speaker, charges your mobile devices, and makes hands-free phone calls from the comfort of your bed. Those extra features, along with its impressive list of alarm options, make it a great alarm clock for less than $50. There's no sunrise or sunset features, as found on the best sunrise alarm clocks, but there's still a lot to enjoy here.
This is the only alarm clock we tested with Bluetooth. Music plays from your phone through the device’s speaker. The AJT4400B also has a sleep timer, which turns the music off after a set amount of time, and the timer is adjustable between 15 and 120 minutes.
You also use the Bluetooth connection to make hands-free phone calls. This is also the only alarm clock we tested with a microphone, speaker and button for answering, ending or rejecting calls. However, it doesn’t display the temperature or date, two pieces of information that could help you plan your day.
The Philips AJT4400 has two sound options for the alarm: a buzzer or FM radio. Fewer than half the clocks in our test group have a radio alarm option, and the Philips AJT4400B allows you to store up to 20 preset stations. That makes it easy to rotate your station of choice when you get tired of listening to the same talk radio program every morning.
The AJT4400 uses two AA batteries as a backup to the AC wall plug. Batteries aren’t included in the packaging, but they are easy to install in the bottom of the device. The backup batteries save the clock and alarm settings in the event of a power failure, so it doesn’t go off during an outage. However, batteries don’t power the alarm. There is a USB port on the back panel that you use to charge mobile devices which frees up a wall socket near your bed to charge or use other electronics.
To test the alarm clock’s maximum volume, we placed a decibel meter two feet from the speaker and played its loudest tone. The buzzer on this Philips alarm clock projected sound at 86.5 dB, which is the loudest volume in our test and about as loud as city traffic. The Travelwey alarm was the only other clock that broke the 80-dB threshold in our test. The Philips clock has a progressive alarm, so it starts out about as loud as a normal conversation and works its way up to an ear-splitting volume until you hit snooze or turn the alarm off.
Summary
The Philips AJT4400B is a valuable tool to have on your nightstand. In addition to its alarm features, it has a USB charging port and Bluetooth connectivity. Those new-school features, along with its traditional conveniences and better-than-average durability, make it one of the best alarm clocks for less than $50.
