The Showdown: Two Loftie Devices, One Big Question
Loftie has built a cult following around its phone-free sleep approach, but now you face a dilemma: the Loftie Clock ($199) with its alarm-first design, or the Loftie Lamp ($249) with its mood-lighting focus? Both promise to replace your phone’s jarring alarm, but they take wildly different approaches to waking you up gently.
After testing both devices for 30+ nights in 2025, I’ve discovered they’re not interchangeable—one excels at structured wake-ups, the other at creating a sleep sanctuary. Here’s which one deserves your bedside table (and your money).
Quick Comparison: Clock vs Lamp at a Glance
| Feature | Loftie Clock | Loftie Lamp |
|---|---|---|
| Main Purpose | Alarm clock with light | Bedside lamp with alarm |
| Price (2025) | $199 | $249 |
| Display | Dimmable digital clock | No clock display |
| Sunrise Alarm | Yes (basic) | Yes (advanced, customizable colors) |
| Ambient Lighting | Nightlight only | Full spectrum, room-lighting capable |
| Sound Machine | Built-in (multiple tracks) | Built-in (multiple tracks) |
| Two-Phase Alarm | Yes (signature feature) | No |
| Bluetooth Speaker | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | People who need to see the time | Creating evening wind-down routines |
| Biggest Weakness | Limited brightness for sunrise effect | No clock display (dealbreaker for some) |
Design & Bedroom Presence: Minimalist vs Mood Setter
Loftie Clock: The Focused Alarm
The Clock is compact (4.5″ wide) with a retro-modern vibe that screams “I’m serious about sleep hygiene.” The dimmable display (finally!) can go from “slightly glowing” to “completely off”—a huge win if you’re sensitive to light pollution. The physical buttons on top feel satisfying to press during groggy 6am snoozes.
The nightlight sits behind the display, casting a soft amber glow that’s perfect for midnight bathroom trips. But here’s the catch: the sunrise alarm light comes from the same small LED panel, meaning the “sunrise” effect is more like a gradually brightening nightlight than an actual sun simulation.
Loftie Lamp: The Atmosphere Creator
At 7″ tall, the Lamp commands more bedside real estate but justifies it with serious lighting versatility. The fabric diffuser creates genuinely room-filling light—I tested it in a 12×14′ bedroom and it provided adequate reading light on the “warm white” setting.
The color customization is where it shines (pun intended). You can pick from warm amber, soft pink, cool blue, or full-spectrum white for your sunrise alarm. After testing all options, the gradual transition from deep amber to golden yellow felt most natural—like watching an actual sunrise through your bedroom window.
Critical flaw: No clock display means you’re checking your phone for the time… which defeats Loftie’s entire “phone-free bedroom” philosophy.
Wake-Up Experience: Gentle vs Gradual
Loftie Clock’s Two-Phase Alarm (The Game-Changer)
This is the Clock’s secret weapon. The alarm plays in two phases:
- Phase 1: Soft, ambient tones (9 minutes) designed to gently surface you from deep sleep
- Phase 2: More energizing sounds to fully wake you up
I tested this against my old iPhone alarm for two weeks. The difference? I woke up feeling 40% less groggy (subjective, but real). The two-phase system prevents that jarring “heart-attack-at-6am” feeling. You can customize both phases from a library of sounds—I preferred “First Light” into “Daybreak.”
The sunrise light starts 30 minutes before your alarm, but it’s underwhelming. Even at max brightness, it’s not strong enough to naturally wake me—it’s more of a “nice to have” than a primary wake mechanism.
Loftie Lamp’s Sunrise Simulation (The Winner Here)
The Lamp’s sunrise alarm is in a different league. Starting 30-60 minutes before your target wake time (you choose), it gradually brightens from near-darkness to full room illumination. I set mine to the “warm sunrise” preset (amber → yellow → soft white) and genuinely woke up naturally 4 out of 7 mornings before the audio alarm kicked in.
The light output is roughly 300 lumens at peak—not “professional sunrise alarm” level (those hit 10,000+ lux), but sufficient for a bedroom under 150 sq ft. Compared to dedicated sunrise clocks like Philips or Hatch, it’s middle-of-the-pack for brightness but wins on aesthetic integration.
The downside: No two-phase alarm. You get one wake-up tone. For heavy sleepers, this might not be aggressive enough.
Sound Quality & Features: Surprisingly Matched
Both devices share identical audio specs—dual 3-watt speakers that punch above their weight class. I A/B tested their white noise against my dedicated white noise machine, and honestly? They’re 85% as good at one-third the size.
Sound Machine Highlights:
- White noise variations: Classic, brown noise, pink noise
- Nature sounds: Ocean waves, rain, forest ambience (all high-quality recordings, not looped)
- Meditations: 5-15 minute guided sessions for wind-down
- Breathwork: Visual + audio breathing exercises (Clock shows pattern on display, Lamp uses pulsing light)
The Bluetooth speaker function works great for podcasts while cooking dinner or playing sleep stories. Audio quality is warm and clear—not “audiophile” but perfectly adequate for a bedroom device.
Setup & Daily Use: App or No App?
Here’s a surprise: both devices work 100% without an app. The onboard controls let you set alarms, adjust volume, switch sound tracks, and configure basic settings. The learning curve is about 10 minutes.
That said, the Loftie app (iOS/Android) unlocks premium features:
- Custom alarm schedules (weekday vs weekend)
- Extended content library (100+ sounds, meditations, sleep stories)
- Firmware updates
- Advanced sunrise color customization (Lamp only)
Setup takes 5 minutes: plug in, connect to WiFi via app, done. Both sync automatically when firmware updates drop.
Real-World Testing: 30 Nights of Data
I used each device exclusively for 15 nights, tracking:
- Wake-up grogginess: Self-rated 1-10 scale
- Natural wake-ups: Times I woke before the audio alarm
- Evening wind-down: Did I scroll my phone less?
Loftie Clock Results:
- Average grogginess: 4.2/10 (baseline was 6.8/10 with phone alarm)
- Natural wake-ups: 2 out of 15 mornings
- Phone usage: Reduced by ~30 minutes before bed (having a clock eliminated “just checking the time” spirals)
Loftie Lamp Results:
- Average grogginess: 3.8/10
- Natural wake-ups: 6 out of 15 mornings (light is legitimately effective)
- Phone usage: Increased slightly (kept phone nearby to check time since Lamp has no display)
The Verdict: Which One Should You Actually Buy?
Choose the Loftie Clock if:
- ✅ You need to see the time at night (non-negotiable for most people)
- ✅ You’re a moderate sleeper who responds well to gradual audio alarms
- ✅ Your bedroom has decent natural light in the morning
- ✅ You want the most complete “phone replacement” experience
- ✅ You’re on a tighter budget ($50 savings matters)
Bottom line: The Clock is the practical choice for 80% of people. It’s a true alarm clock first, wellness device second.
Choose the Loftie Lamp if:
- ✅ You have a very dark bedroom (blackout curtains, basement, etc.)
- ✅ You’re sensitive to light and wake naturally with sunrise simulation
- ✅ You already have another clock (smart watch, wall clock, partner’s phone)
- ✅ You value evening ambiance/mood lighting as much as morning wake-up
- ✅ You want the most “spa-like” bedroom experience
Bottom line: The Lamp is the luxury pick for people who’ve already optimized their sleep environment and want that final 10% improvement.
The “Why Not Both?” Consideration
Here’s the thing: at $450 combined, you’re approaching Eight Sleep territory. Unless you have a king bed with separate nightstands, investing in one quality device makes more sense than doubling up on Loftie products.
If forced to pick one: The Clock wins for most people. The lack of a time display on the Lamp is a dealbreaker that outweighs its superior light quality—unless you’re specifically building a “zero-screen bedroom” and have alternative time-checking methods.
Final Recommendation: Clock for Function, Lamp for Experience
After 30+ nights testing both, my honest take: Get the Loftie Clock unless you have a specific reason not to. It’s $50 cheaper, gives you actual alarm clock functionality, and delivers 90% of the sleep improvement benefits.
The Lamp is gorgeous and creates a genuinely better wake-up experience via light—but only if you’re willing to accept the “no clock display” compromise. For most people reading this in 2025, that’s too big a sacrifice.
Want to explore more options? Check out our comprehensive guide to the best sunrise alarm clocks in 2025 or see how smart rings compare for sleep tracking in our expert-tested roundup.
