Braun BNC015-RC review

Projector alarm clocks have been around for decades, but have a quick browse around the net and it’s hard to find one that doesn’t look like a cheap bit of novelty tat. The Braun BNC015-RC though is plain and stylish in an understated way, plus with global radio control you’ll never need to set the time again. All this comes at a cost though, as at £65 it’s fairly expensive for an alarm clock.

The clock projects the time on your wall or ceiling in pleasingly retro LCD numerals; the time was around 40cm across on our ceiling. There are three brightness settings and at its brightest you’ll be able to read the time no problems, unless you have the lights on. Another button rotates the time 90 degrees at a time, so you can have the clock facing the bed and still read the time easily projected over your head.

In practice we found the projector rather handy, once we remembered it was there. If you’re a couple then it’s easy to read from either side of the bed. It’s motion-activated, you can turn it on or off with a lazy swipe of your hand over the clock. Better still, if you find it hard getting up then you can place the alarm clock on the other side of the room, but are still able to see the time easily.

Others may consider the projector a novelty, and if so you can buy essentially the same device without it for around £30 – the BNC009-RC. Alternatively, you can dump the projector and add an FM radio and speaker, the BNC010-SRC, for around £45.

As well as the projector, there’s a crisp and bright LCD screen. In fact we found it a little too bright at first when the clock was plugged into the mains (via the supplied adaptor). Unplug the mains and run it off three AA batteries (also supplied) though and it turns off the backlight until you press the snooze button. After a few weeks of being annoyed by this we discovered an undocumented control, hold down the snooze button and it switches off the backlight even when its plugged into the mains.

Both the time and the alarm time are shown at all times on the display. The radio-controlled time will work in most countries if you want to use it as a travel clock (though it’s a little large for this at 130x90x49mm). Even at home it will automatically adjust to daylight savings changes and keep the clock accurate forever.

On the downside it’s not the most configurable of alarm clocks. There’s only one alarm noise, no dual alarm settings for couples. On the plus side the controls are simple to use and it’s easy to tell when the alarm is on, as the green-edged snooze button on top pops up.

It’s good to see that someone is putting technology, design and quite a bit of thought into something as essentially simple as an alarm clock. At this price you might expect a few more settings but it’s a still a great and stylish-looking addition to your bedroom (and it’s available in white as well if you prefer).

For more details on the numerous variations available on this clock, head to www.braun-clocks.com.