Jumbo Digital Numbers – And Snooze Bar Alarm Clock
Written: Mar 06 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: jumbo digital display, snooze bar, alarm, 9-volt battery back-up
Cons: digital display dims in bright sunlight
The Bottom Line: The Bottom Line has once again hit the snooze bar.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Westclox Commander Alarm Clock 22705 |
I saw the WestClox Commander Alarm Clock (Model # 22705) in my local pharmacy and had to buy it for my 70-plus year old father. He has been wanting a clock with large LED digital numbers so that he can easily see the time in the middle of the night.
Description
This clock is constructed from black plastic and has jumbo-size red digital numbers. It measures 7 3/4" wide x 3 3/8" high x 3" deep. The front of the clock is rectangular and curves at the back. The digital display is large with the numbers measuring 2" high x 4 1/4" across.
A large snooze button (3" wide x 3/4" deep) rests atop the front edge of the clock. The bar has small bumps across it. The clock controls are located behind the snooze bar and recessed so that they sit 1/2" lower than the snooze bar.
The hard plastic control buttons from left to right are: Hour, Minute, Alarm (on/off), Dimmer (hi/low), Time, Alarm. The buttons are stiff, requiring a bit of pressure to use them.
At the back of the clock is a removable panel where a 9-volt battery can be inserted. The battery is not included with the clock. There is also a 5-foot electrical cord with a polarized plug (one prong is larger than the other).
Our Experiences
I wanted to make sure this was a good clock for my father before giving it to him. So I pulled out the three staples that held the stiff plastic blister package top and bottom together. The packaging is in English and French. The instruction pamphlet is printed in English, French and Spanish.
A great feature of this clock is that is takes both a battery and plugs into the wall. That way if the electricity is interrupted, the battery acts as back-up power insuring that the clock remains working. No missing work if the power goes out!
When I gave this clock to my father, he immediately set the time without trouble. He loves the battery back-up feature and the jumbo digital number display. One thing we both noticed is that the digital numbers tend to “dim out” in bright light. Since my father uses this clock as a bedside time keeper, this is not a problem.
Setting the Clock
When the clock is first plugged into the wall, the digital display blinks, indicating that the time is incorrect. By holding down the “Time” button and holding down the “Hour” button, the hour advances. A light at the left of the digital display will go on if the clock advances into PM hours (there is a printed PM on the display where the light should appear). Once the hour is set, press the “Minute” button to advance the minutes. When finished, release the buttons and the time is set.
Setting the Alarm
The Alarm has an on/off button to permanently turn off the alarm if desired. My father will rarely use the alarm, but I tested it to make sure it worked before giving him the clock. To set the alarm, press the “Alarm” button and then the “Hour” button and the “Minute” button. When finished, release the buttons. A red light will appear at the left of the digital display next to the word “Alarm” when the alarm is activated. When the alarm goes off, it produces a fast repeat electronic beeping. It’s loud enough to wake one up without lifting them off the bed in fright. Once the alarm time is set, it remains in the clock. To activate the alarm each time, just press the “Alarm” button. The “off” Alarm switch is a good feature for when you want to deactivate the alarm for periods of time (days, weeks, years).
The Snooze Bar
This is a nice snooze bar that allows an extra nine minutes of sleep before the alarm sounds again. The snooze bar can be pressed six times during a one hour time frame. It is 3" long and has small raised plastic bumps for easily locating it with eyes closed. The snooze bar is also located on top of the clock. Since the snooze button is the highest point on the clock (with the controls recessed 1/2" lower behind the snooze bar), it is easy to hit the snooze bar without touching other controls.
Dimmer Switch
The clock comes with an hi/low dimmer feature. When the dimmer is set to “hi”, the digital clock numbers are at their brightest. The “low” setting really dims the numbers, which might be helpful to nighttime sleepers who dislike bright digital readouts. My father keeps the clock at the brightest setting.
Purchasing
I bought this clock at my local pharmacy for $14.99 as an impulse purchase. Looking online, I see that Amazon.com offers this same clock for $12.99.
Summary
I like the appearance of the WestClox Commander Alarm Clock. Since the controls are recessed in the back, it appears less bulky. The large digital display also means that if I were to use it as a clock (without the alarm feature) that I could place it somewhere else besides the bedside table. The battery-back up is also an excellent feature so that if the power goes out, the clock still keeps time. The downside is that this clock is 7 3/4" wide, which uses a lot of table space.
My father loves this clock. He would not use it as a daytime clock since bright sunlight sometimes dims the display too much for him to read. However, he wanted the clock as a bedside clock so that when he awoke during the night (which he often does), he would easily be able to see the time. This clock perfectly fits his needs.
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Information
General Time Corporation
Norcross, GA 30092
WestClox Canada
Peterborough, Ontario K9J 6X6
www.westclox.com
Please read my other reviews.
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Ott True Color Flex-Arm Plus Lamp
Ott True Color Floor Lamp
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Canon PowerShot A400 Digital Camera
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JVC DVD Player
Liteon DVD Player/Recorder
Copyright 2005 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
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