Sony ICF-C1 FM/AM Clock Radio Review

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The Sony ICF-C1 is a stylish cube-shaped clock radio that comes in a choice of either black or white. It’s a no-frills product with AM/FM radio, an alarm and not much else. Let’s find out more…

Features

AM/FM radio
Snooze function
Alarm which can be used with the radio or a buzzer sound
Projector mode for projecting the time onto a wall
Automatically adjusts the time when the clocks change

Technical specifications

Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 10 cm
Weight: 480 g
Model number: ICFC1W.CEK
Clock format: 12 hours
Power output: 100 mW

Alarm

The Sony ICF-C1 works very well as an alarm clock. It’s well designed with some really useful features.

The alarm gradually gets louder so you won’t wake up to a stressful loud sound. It also has a snooze button that lets you extend the snooze period.

The display’s brightness can be adjusted so it shouldn’t disturb you at night. You can also project the time onto the wall so you don’t need to look at the radio itself to see the time when you’re in bed.

Ease of use

The Sony ICF-C1 has a simple design with just a few buttons on the top. Most importantly, setting the alarm is straightforward, unlike on many other clock radios that require you to press a complex sequence of buttons.

This clock radio is quite simple, which is good if you just want a basic clock radio. On the other hand, you might feel this product is overpriced given the limited range of features.

Radio

The Sony ICF-C1 has an AM/FM radio. If you’d like a clock radio with DAB, you could consider the Pure Siesta Rise. The ICF-C1 uses a wire aerial rather than a telescopic aerial, and generally has good radio reception, buyantibioticshere.com/ though it can pick up interference from phones.

The Sony ICF-C1 is a small, inexpensive clock radio, and as you’d expect the sound quality isn’t very impressive. The speaker sounds quite tinny, and while it is fine for listening to briefly in the mornings and evenings, it isn’t a good choice if you want to use it to listen to the radio for a long period of time.

Pros

Good value for money
Easy to use
Stylish design
Sturdy and durable
Display can be dimmed
Time stays correct even when the clocks change or you accidentally unplug it

Cons

Sounds quite tinny
Can produce a quiet humming noise
No USB charger
Alarm volume is quiet
Mobile phones interfere with the radio

Verdict

Overall, the Sony ICF-C1 is a good clock radio that does what it says on the tin. It has a nice design and an intuitive layout that makes it easy to use.

However, this clock radio isn’t perfect. The fact that mobile phones can interfere with the radio reception is a serious flaw if you keep your phone next to the radio. It also sounds quite tinny, and lacks useful features like USB charging and DAB radio.

Similar clock radios

For a similar price to the Sony ICF-C1, you could get a Majority clock radio like the Madingley Hall, which offers DAB radio and a USB charging point for charging your smartphone overnight.

If you’re not interested in DAB radio, you could consider the Roberts Radio CR9971, which is a very popular AM/FM clock radio from well respected British radio brand Roberts.

For more options to consider, check out our roundup of the best alarm clock radios.