Expert review Philips Somneo HF3672/01
In short
- Helps you fall asleep and wake up relaxed
- Easy to use
- Completely customizable
- Can be operated with the accompanying app, including bedroom conditions
- Charge function for your phone
- The Somneo does take up some space on your bedside table
First impression
Personally, I've always just set an alarm on my phone, so I've never had an actual alarm clock. What I have now is an alarm clock 2.0. The Philips Somneo actually looks more like a designer lamp. I must admit it looks great on my bedside table.
I've found a good spot for my alarm clock and get started with the manual. The manual is clear and I can easily set the alarm clock. The accompanying app is easy to download as well. I can also use the alarm clock as a reading and I can charge my phone with it. This is useful, as it saves some space on my bedside table.
Falling asleep and waking up
Falling asleep
To fall asleep extra comfortably, I turned on the sunset. It slowly darkened my room, which is very pleasant. I also turned on ambient sea sounds. By breathing along with the sea sounds, I quickly relaxed. Very pleasant.
Waking up
I set the Somneo so it would start emitting lights 20 minutes before the actual alarm would go off. As the wake up time approaches, the lamp gets brighter. As a result, I'm already fairly awake before the alarm goes off and I don't even have to use the snooze button.
Relax
I must admit, I'm not always a great sleeper. I sometimes tend to think in bed when I'm busy, for example. I've read in the manual that you can use the Somneo to relax as well. I chose the sound-driven relaxation exercises, as I'm lying in my bed with my eyes closed anyway. This is pretty nice. I still think I prefer falling asleep to sea sounds, because I can breathe along with the rhythm then.
Bedroom conditions
The sensors for bedroom conditions are what set this Somneo model apart from other models. These sensors measure the temperature, humidity, brightness, and noise level in your bedroom. The app notifies me it's too warm in the bedroom. Good to know, so I open a window right away. This is pretty useful and really adds value to your alarm clock in my opinion.
Verdict
In my opinion, the Philips Somneo HF3672/01 really works. I feel like I wake up more naturally, I'm more alert when I wake up, and I don't snooze as often I used to. Gaining insight into your bedroom conditions is a useful addition, but it's not essential for a good night's rest. If you're looking for a wake-up light with all the trimmings, the Philips Somneo Connected is a good choice. If you mostly care about the wake-up feature and you don't need all the other functions, a basic Philips Wake-Up light is a better choice.
