The Sony ICFC1T is missing some of the newest innovations in alarm clock technology, such as Bluetooth connectivity and USB charging ports, but it is a durable, workhorse clock. It wakes you up, even when the power is out, but there's no sun alarm function here. For that feature, look at our guide to the best sunrise alarm clocks.
The backup batteries in most models we tested only save the time and alarm settings. An icon appears on the front panel of this clock to let you know when the backup battery dies, and you should replace it as soon as possible. If there is a power outage and the backup battery is dead, you lose all your alarm settings.
The snooze button runs the entire length of the top panel, which makes it easy to find in the dark. We pressed the button more than 100 times with varying amounts of pressure, and it continued to function normally. The buttons on the ICFC1T feel like you could press them thousands of times without damage. The Oregon Scientific was the only other alarm clock we tested that comes close to matching the durability of the ICFC1T.
This clock has a dual alarm function, so you set separate alarms for you and your bedmate. If you prefer, you can set one or both alarms to play the radio instead of the typical buzzer sound. When set at maximum volume, the Sony ICFC1T’s buzzer is quieter than the radio alarm at the same setting. When we measured using a decibel meter placed two feet from the clock, the radio alarm played at 64.1 dB, and the progressive buzzer maxed out at 60.4 dB.
It also has a progressive snooze function. This means the first snooze period is 10 minutes and the snooze time increases in 10-minute increments every time you hit snooze until it maxes out at 60 minutes. It quickly displays the length of the snooze on the front panel when you hit the button, so keep that in mind when you consider snoozing your alarm more than a couple times.
The Sony ICFC1T is a durable alarm clock with most of the important features we looked for, including dual alarms, automatic Daylight Saving Time updates and a power failure alarm backup. It’s missing some of the newest features, like Bluetooth connectivity and a USB charging port, but it can withstand many years on your nightstand and wakes you up, even when the power is out.
