Side by Side Comparison of: Westclox vs Marathon

Have used this product for a number of years and this is only the third time for replacing it in that long length of time. Unlike many manufacturers who constantly replace a reliable product with others that do not meet the customer's needs or which are not as good, Westclox continues to make this reliable, convenient alarm clock. Thank you Westclox!

I like the size, the weight, and the ease of setting the time and the alarm. I WAS alarmed when I did a test set and the alarm didn't go off, so I was going to return it. But just in case, I set the alarm for morning and it DID go off right on time, so maybe it needs a gap of some hours between setting and alarm? Whatever, I'm glad I could keep it. It's exactly what I need for travel. I'm a little concerned about the battery. There were NO instructions or box with the clock. I asked how to remove & put it in on this forum and received helpful replies.Results: I used it for 2 full weeks on my trip and it couldn't have been better for what I needed it for. Very lightweight, kept the correct time, alarm rang when set.

I've had one of these for about 6 years. The same one. In daily use as an alarm clock at home, as well as going with me when I travel. It's durable enough I often put it in checked luggage. Some of the writing around the buttons is starting to rub off finally. About a decade ago I dropped it in a parking lot (with the case open) and one of the two little plastic ratchet tabs that holds it open or closed broke. The other one has held it open or closed fine ever since. The alarm sound is quite nice, pleasant to wake up to but (importantly) loud enough to wake up to. It keeps very accurate time, much better than a far more expensive one I won about 5 years ago. The backlight starts to get dim and the alarm sound weak when the battery gets low, but that's not often. I replace the battery every 5 years or so, fairly common watch battery and easy to find. You'll get plenty of warning before it winds up running so low it won't alarm, so it's very trustworthy to rely on when you need to be up. If mine ever does die I'm glad to see they're still available.

Confession: This caught my eye because it was cheap and not blatantly ugly. I regularly destroy alarm clocks by sweeping them off the bedside table in sleepy retaliation for doing their job, and two fairly expensive ones had bitten the dust in just the last month. It was time to downscale.This little plastic Westclox is definitely not a budget-buster, and it's just as lightweight and insubstantial as you'd expect. It has basic alarm clock functions and little more. Nevertheless, it does the job to perfection. Its design is simple, even elegant. The controls are models of simplicity and logic. So far, it's been accurate to the minute. Its alarm is reliable. Like the snooze features on all the expensive clocks, this one never gives you quite enough snooze time. Its night light lights. In fact, I'm so happy with this little champ that I've weighted it down with a great big tube of hand cream,have so far managed not to swat it off the bedside table and am keeping my fingers crossed.

I really was nervous to order this clock because there really are a high proportion of negative reviews. And some people have had really disastrous results with these things. But I guess it's the luck of the draw. If you luck out and get a good one, it's a good little clock for around $7, so I guess what you are paying for is partially the risk of getting a clock that doesn't work. :) This little alarm is unique because it uses those weird little button batteries. I am trying them for the heck of it because I theorize they will give off less emf rays in my room than regular like AA batteries. I could be totally wrong about this. Mine does happen to be a neat little clock. What you might not like: The display screen really is tiny, and the so-called flashlight hardly works at night for you to see the numbers (it is really weak). But if you look really close, sometimes you can make them out. :) Also, I wish they would make a pocket alarm with a pleasant little wake up sound. I don't like the loud beeping and I wish it didn't last for a whole minute. However, I don't think you have your choice in alarms on this feature. If the hardness of reading the display in the middle of the night doesn't bother you, it's a good little clock :).

Finding a good travel alarm with a digital display shouldn't be difficult, but I've gone through a number of other clocks that were unsatisfactory. One had a design very much like this one, but the switch was flaky; if you tried to set the alarm, it would irregularly oscillate between displaying the alarm and the time. Another had a folding cover but left buttons exposed in back; when I arrived at my destination, I often found that the buttons had been depressed in transit and the time had been reset.The Westclox #47508 travel alarm doesn't have these problems, and has worked perfectly so far. As others have noted, the light is dim and remains on only so long as you press the button.The alarm rings for one minute, and you can snooze indefinitely for four-minute intervals (although I wish the snooze were a bit longer). The buttons and switches are simple and intuitive. It runs on a single L1154 button battery. This battery type goes by various names (alkaline A76, LR44; silver oxide E357, 10L14, MS76, SR44), and is one of the easier button batteries to find in stores. The clock is compact and appears sturdily made.

Good features, but mine was missing an instruction manual. Set up was easy enough without the manual. However, it took me a while to find out that to illuminate the dial I have to push down the center silver button. It features temperature readings in centigrade and Fahrenheit, and this is very helpful when traveling in Europe. it runs on one small AAA battery located in the black base of the clock, removing the battery will erase the settings, and the information will have to be reentered.

A very economical, nice looking, compact, battery-operated alarm that is perfect for travel. You can never fully trust the alarms that are provided in hotel rooms, so having this gave me real peace of mind that I would not sleep through early morning meetings of early-ups to get to the airport on time. I liked it so well, that I now use it on my desk in the office as a quick reference for the date, time and temp. It takes us so little space, it makes a great desk-top clock also. The only issue for some might be that the screen is not illuminated at night, and you have to touch the center button to see the time. The button is large and easy to find in the night, but not being able to see the time in the darkness may be a problem for some.

I like this clock for use as a night table clock as well as a travel clock. It is really very simple to set up if you read the instructions. I recommend it to anyone looking for a very small digital clock. The fact that it also has a calendar and tell the temperature are nice extras.

We had a pair of Brookstone travel clock/thermometers in our bathrooms for many years. They started to fall apart after a long life so we went looking for new ones. Didn't need anything fancy, just time and temp. We decided on these because they are compact, inexpensive, and fit our exact need. They fit nicely on the shelf, the display is easy to read and gives us the info we want. The light is bright at night and it was easy to set everything. Overall, we are very happy.

This is a great travel or at home alarm clock! It is easy to set up, has big numerals and the alarm is easy to set. I like the temperature display. It is also easy to fold up for travel. The base is also sturdy unlike other small travel clocks and the price is very reasonable. I would highly recommend this clock!!

After my old travel clock died I bought a new one, which was worthless because the buttons were on the outside when folded and got pressed by contact with my luggage. It seems that nearly all the travel clocks have that inexcusable design flaw!But this Marathon Atomic Travel Alarm Clock has the buttons on the front, making it much easier to reach them if needed, and when folded the display is still visible but the buttons are covered.When I first got it I pressed the button to get it to set itself, and nothing happened. So I read the instructions (I needed powerful magnifying glasses as the little leaflet is printed in teeny tiny print) and it said the automatic set can take a day, so I put it on a windowsill overnight, as suggested, and this morning it's got the right time and date! Apparently the auto-set feature, which uses a radio signal, will not work outside the U.S. & Canada, but it can be set manually. The backlight can be turned on or off, and it uses two AAA batteries (included) so there's no searching for just the right button battery.I think it's silly to call it an "Atomic" clock. There's nothing atomic about it. But as Juliette said, "What's in a name?"

This may very well be the best travel alarm clock available. It's small (but not too small to see and operate easily), compact and loaded with features. The auto illuminate should be required in all alarm clocks. Just two caveats: 1. The DST indicator does not show unless the clock is auto synced with the "RC" beacon. This is true even after manually setting the clock for the time of year that would include Daylight Savings Time. The instructions do not mention this. Secondly, even when auto-synced with RC, it is necessary to set the time zone manually. Once this is done, however, you're all set until you next change the batteries or press the reset button. Not exactly clear in the instructions either. Note that both of these criticisms/caveats have more to do with the instructions than the product itself.

I normally like to spend a little time with a product before posting a review but, upon opening the box, I am so impressed with this little jewel that I can't wait. If time proves me wrong, I will come back and update.I do a lot of travelling. Hotel clocks are a source of frustration for me that goes something like this:1) Figure out how to set the time.2) Set the time.3) Figure out how to set the alarm time.4) Set the alarm time.5) Figure out how to set the alarm mode (buzzer, radio, volume, etc)6) Set the alarm mode.7) Figure out how to arm the alarm.8) Arm the alarm.9) Reattach power cord which came loose while setting up the clock. Clock now flashing "12:00".10) Repeat steps 1 - 8. (should go faster this time).11) Choose between clock and lamp since I need to charge my phone.12) Accidentally unplug clock.13) Repeat steps 1 - 8.14) Unplug lamp and realize clock time display is unlit. Live without it.15) Wake up to my watch alarm only. Reason: clock's lack of AM/PM indication meant the opposite assumed.Thinking there might be a better way, I started looking around for a small, light, simple, battery powered clock with, and this is the tough part, a display that can stay lit at night.In addition to meeting my requirements, I like that the CL030036 syncs to atomic time. This makes the clock a little more expensive but it's worth it to me.Two minor criticisms:1) The location of the display OFF/AUTO light switch. It's in the battery compartment. Since I don't want the light wasting the batteries while the clock rides around in the darkness of my overnight bag, I'll be switching it from AUTO to OFF whenever it's not sitting on a hotel nightstand. Having to open the battery compartment for such a frequently changed setting just doesn't make sense. Incorporating it into the foldout stand, switching the light off whenever closed, would have been the slickest way to do it. At the very least the switch should be easily accessible somewhere on the outside of the clock.2) I agree with what others have said about the hole in the stand/cover. I really don't need to see the display through the cover and would rather have it fully protected. That said, if it's really a concern, a piece of tape over the hole should easily solve that problem.Other than that, it should be perfect for my needs and I couldn't see withholding a star for such small items.Now when I get to my room, I'll unplug the room clock and set it aside. I'll then plug my phone charger into the now-vacant 110 receptacle. Last, I'll pull out my CL030036, quickly and confidently set/arm the alarm, and place it on the nightstand. Ahhhh, life just got a little easier. Good night :)

It's the perfect clock for travel. Time is always correct, doesn't have any buttons sticking out to be activated in your luggage, gives ambient room temp, day and date with and easy to read display. Alarm is easy to set also. I wish I had had one of these when I was flying 75K to 5K air miles a year.

Perfect size and lightweight. The stand flips forward to cover the function buttons below the clock display and make the clock flat for packing. I like the "atomic" feature - that I know the time is always accurate. I had no trouble at all setting it. Read the directions. Follow the directions. The backlight can be set to always on or only on when you press the snooze button. The alarm is effective but not annoying. Great purchase!

I have used many alarm clocks in the past and in my opinion this is the best of them all. Right size for travel, easy to setup and use. Specifically I like the auto night light feature. I have seen this feature in many table clocks that are plugged in but this is my first battery operated alarm clock that has the auto night feature. I am very happy with the purchase and it's worth every penny I spent.

Works well, but not very loud (if you need a loud alarm, skip this one). The alarm on-off switch is small and can be easily confused with the setting switch (especially in the dark). Having a larger snooze button would make it better. I put a sticker on the snooze button to make it easier to find by touch.

Very compact and easy to use. The alarm is just at the right volume. For those that hate the bright illumination of an alarm clock, this is for you. The only light is when you hold the light button. You cannot see the clock at night in a dark room. In order to check the time at night you have to press and hold the light button, and then it's not very easy to read. This works better than the GE travel alarm I bought at Walmart. It's alarm didn't work and it randomly changed it's time. Awful. This Westclox uses a button battery, not AAA's or AA's. I don't know how long the included button battery will last or cost. The clock keeps good time and it's alarm worked fine the one time I used it.

Sharp used to make our fave travel alarm: small, light, full features, modestly rugged, and inexpensive. That model has disappeared, to be replaced by the Sharp SPC445. I bought that unit, this Westclox Travelmate 4708/47533, and the Marathon Night-Owl as possible replacements as our last Sharp's display is breaking up (that's the way they die.) You might want to see those other reviews.The Westclox is clearly the bottom of the pile. Though it is the lightest by 0.1 oz, and has a cover for protection, it is your basic, basic alarm clock: no day/date, no temperature, no 12/24 hr setting. Its display is easily legible by day, but poorly lit for use in the dark. Control size and location is the best of the three. The alarm is the usual beepedy-beep at a good volume. It uses one L1154 button cell.UPDATE - Our unit now has many thousand miles of use, and continues to work fine. I'm moving it up to four stars, and into second place. The only drawback I've found (other than the above-mentioned night lighting) is that it was a bear to get the battery out for replacement: needed a tweezer to grab it.

I bought this after much searching for a replacement for my old Westclox alarm which had a different format but the identical display. I agree with others that it is not as good as earlier models, but overall it is a decent travel/bedside alarm. It is compact and I like the quiet beeping with escalating beeps/volume. The nighttime light is quite dim but I have to peer at it anyway so it isn't a problem. Two minor things I've noticed:1, The alarm on/off switch seems to be a bit sensitive when it's turned on. I've found a few times that if I accidentally touched that instead of the snooze button, the alarm actually got deactivated even though the display still shows it's on. So I developed the habit of resting my hand on the top edge and brushing my thumb upward from the bottom, because the snooze button is larger and lower so that way I touch it first. (It's amazing what the semi-conscious brain can be trained to do in the interest of a few minutes' more sleep.)2. It gains about a minute per month. This is a little annoying, but better that than losing time even though it's more of a pain to correct (because the minute setting only goes one way).

I previously owned a Westclox clock like this one. It served me well for many years until I lost it. So I was quite pleased when I came upon this model again in my search for a new clock. The new clock received seems less robust than the earlier version, but functions reliably the same except for the dial light which is so weak it may as well not be there. Have to use a flashlight to read the time in the dark. Otherwise, five stars instead of four. I considered returning it for another, but the return shipping on an inexpensive item is prohibitive. We'll see how it holds up to the inevitable drops to the floor. The old one took a licking, but kept on ticking. Hope this one will, too.

Left my previous travel-size alarm clock in Paris and went through a couple different ones (slight more expensive) before I got this guy. I am very satisfied. It is very compact (travel+++), cheap (always a +), and pretty simple. Everything has dedicated controls. My only issue is the same "feel" of the display and alarm on/off control, so I have missed alarms occasionally because I simply slid the wrong slider (display control instead of setting the alarm slider to ON). Still like it a lot after about six months.

I needed a travel clock, something that was compact, readable in the dark, and easy to operate. The Marathon travel clock delivers. It delivers on all counts. As with all digital products, the Marathon travel clock requires some study to operate with ease (I am a baby boomer), but this is the case with all modern electronic equipment. If you can do, then do it even if you are providing a solution for which there is no problem. (This opinion should be taken as a comment more on me than the clock.) One final note, I do not downgrade the Marathon clock with four stars. I give four stars to all products that operate as advertised, reserving five stars for the rare instance when a product or a vendor goes above and beyond reasonable expectations. In all fairness, Marathon has had no opportunity to do this because it delivered all that it promised as promised.

Just received this so review is based on limited experience. Seems to be a nice quality product, well made and with nice features. My only gripe is that there is no "off" switch so it remains powered up at all times. Since this is a travel clock and used infrequently you would probably want to remove the battery between trips. Not the end of the world so in total I'd rate it as a keeper. The company emails you asking for feedback, so that's a good sign as well.

I have had this little clock for a few days now, and so far I like it. It was very easy to set up the time and date, and I do like the sound of the alarm. It's not too loud and obnoxious, but a nice beep that wakes me up. I'm a pretty sound sleeper, too! The snooze is easy to find and sets off the alarm again in 5 minutes. It's also a nice compact size and will fit nicely in my suitcase for travel. I also like the fact that it only requires one AAA battery. There are a lot of nice features packed into this little clock. Now I'll see how long the battery lasts!

I haven't had this product for very long, a couple of months maybe, but it is nicely designed and performs as billed. It is very functional, and one 'bonus' feature I like is the thermometer.

I do have one concern that may affect battery life - that is the 'snooze button'. This is the round chrome button that located at the bottom of the clock when it's in the open position (this is very handy for alarm clock purposes). This button also activates the light that illuminates the clock. But when the clock is folded for travel, the button is exposed. My concern is when its sitting in a packed suitcase - will it be activated from time to time and drain the battery prematurely?

I called the manufacturer about this issue and they were helpful. They advised that they had not heard of this issue, but also advised that the warranty is for a year. All that said, at this point - so far so good!

I was not sure about ordering this clock as there was only one review of it, but I just received this clock and so far it is great. It was easy to set, the temperature reading was accurate to 0.5 degrees F (when compared to a calibrated source), the back light is even and the right brightness, and the alarm is the right volume for me (but might be quiet for some). Other things I like are it takes a standard AAA battery, it is very stable when unfolded, the display is readable from all angles with the light on (REVISED--see below) and off, and it folds to protect the screen when traveling. There are no beeps when the buttons are pushed like another popular clock. The side buttons are not covered by the folding case but I don't think they will move when traveling.

Two complaints when folded: it does not snap in place (but is spring loaded in place) and seems a bit weak and wobbly at the folding pivot point, and the light button is still exposed and active, and can easily be pushed when packed away for travel--if this happens, the battery would wear out quickly (thus only 4 stars).

Overall, much better than most of the others I read about. After I use it on a couple of trips, I'll revisit my review and updated it if necessary.

UPDATE: This appears to be the identical electronics as the Brookstone travel clock I was replacing (it never returned from a Caribbean trip--not sure what happened to it!) Compared to the Brookstone clock:
- The Brookstone clock snapped closed (more secure). I added a bit of Velcro to this clock to ensure it stays closed when folded
- This one is easier to set time/alarm than the Brookstone one (don't have to remove the battery cover)
- For both, the snooze/light control is still active and can be accidentally hit when folded
- When unfolded, this one is more stable
- Both are difficult to read when the light is on in the dark when viewed straight on or from below (like from a nightstand)
- The alarm volume and sound is identical for both

Overall I still like it--best one I've found so far.

Seems to be exceptionally good quality for this type of product, but I'd like it better with: higher contrast, a wider viewing angle, more of the surface given to the face so the numerals would be bigger, the option to set the auto-backlight a bit brighter, and easier setup. While the atomic clock feature means it is supposed to auto-setup, I waited hours before I gave up on that working. I set it manually, and then the next morning, it must have done the atomic thing because it was off by an hour. I fixed that and it seems okay now. I am willing to believe this reflects error on my part, but that just brings me back to saying setup should be easier.

This is a good clock for my purposes (setting a wake-up time for my afternoon naps); however, the display's contrast is poor unless you look at it at a specific angle...then it's great. Same with the snooze light. The ideal angle seems to be about 30 degrees above the display; looking at it head on is difficult, and from 30 degrees below, it's pretty terrible. I do like the snooze light, though, partly because of its amber color and partly because of its brightness...and also because it only stays on for 5 seconds unlike many other clocks where it stays on 20 seconds. The one annoying thing is that the stand folds down from the back and up over the face, covering the snooze light. Also, the stand is some sort of plastic that I don't think will hold up to lots of folding/unfolding; however, since I've had it less than a week, I could be totally wrong about that.

I bought two of these for use on a long road trip. One for us and one for the couple that we were traveling with. They seemed to work well except the automatic time updates from the Navy Atomic clock didn't seem to work. Otherwise I would have rated this with 5 stars. I like the nice glow in the dark feature and I also like the ability to easily change the time zone, e.g. PST to MST, etc. It is pretty rugged and the batteries seem to last a long time. For me the alarm was loud enough to be effective but for some it might not be enough to wake you. Given the small size though, this is understandable. The glow in the dark feature is nice but not too bright.

Great little travel clock. The numbers are clearly readable, although as is the case with a lot of LCD displays of this type, it is at its clearest when viewed from a higher point (so looking down at it).It has a light you can bring up by pressing the snooze button but it also has a light that can turn on automatically whenever the room is dark (this option can be turned off to conserve battery life). I got the atomic signal quickly and the clock set the correct time with no issues.Make sure you read the manual though because if you set the time zone manually it can cause the automatic sync to be disabled. If you already did that just push the button on the back to reinitialize the sync process.The ringer starts off slowly and then builds up. It is not super loud but it works. The only thing that I would say appears to be pretty flimsy is the cover, which must be flipped and becomes the stand. That is my reason for the 4 stars for what is otherwise an excellent clock. As long as you are very careful with it, I can see it lasting but I would prefer a more sturdier material or design. The good parts about the cover is that when it is closed, you can see the clock display but not press any buttons by accident. This is great if the clock is in your luggage.

I was looking for an digital clock that meets two criteria: It had to be "atomic" and it had to be readable at night without the need to push any light button. Turns out that there actually aren't many available that meet both of these criteria. So I was happy to find this one.Pros:- "Atomic" feature works great- Night light feature works great- Small and slim- Reasonably pricedCon:My main issue with this clock is that if you look at the display from below it becomes unreadable. If your nightstand is at the same level or above the level of your eyes, you will need to raise your head in order to decipher the display at night.Other minor cons:- No holes for wall mounting- Overall design and materials leave a bit to be desired. Particularly, the big and rather ugly company logo is a bummer.- Setup and instructions can be a bit confusingThe pros clearly outweigh the cons as far as my expectations are concerned, so overall this was a good purchase.

I like this clock. It has all the features that you would expect from a portable atomic alarm clock. The two bad sides are that this does not take rechargeable batteries, and that the screen is difficult to see from some angles.The alarm is progressive so that it doe snot wake you with an annoying blasting blaring sound. I will be using this on my cross country backpacking trip next year, so the weight of it is perfect for what I need.

Purchased this alarm clock for night-time and wake up use. However, the light-up function to see the time in a dark room is worthless. I would return it for a refund but not worth the trouble. I now just use the clock as a time piece on my desk. I am surprised at the cheap quality as Westclox usually makes better products than this. The clock is very easy to set and use, keeps accurate time, fairly loud alarm. Too bad the "light up" function is so poor, I would have given this little clock 5 stars. I would NOT buy again.

Bought this from my kids to use on upcoming trip and was seeking clock similar to a Timex travel clock that I've owned for 20 years.The Westclox meets all my requirements and is very similar to the folding Timex I have except for the light. The Westclox has two small dim bulbs - one on either side of the number display that light when you push the light button. Unfortunately the bulbs are so dim you can barely read the numbers on the clock even when eyes are fully adjusted to the dark such as when you wake up in the middle of the night. I also purchased an Elgin travel clock for same purpose. I like the Westclox form factor better than the Elgin but the Elgin glow from behind numbers light that works perfectly - however the Elgin is fatter and the folding cover/stand base is very flimsy.

You get what you pay for -- and this little clock is just that. It works fine (so far), has a nice big display, folds compactly, and has simple, easy-to-use setting buttons. But it is also lightweight (in a cheap sense) and lends the impression that it won't hold up very long. The plastic is flimsy, and I have a feeling that it has a finite number of opens and closes before the plastic hinge breaks.There are only two things that I really don't like about the clock at this early point: 1) The internal light, which is basically worthless, at least on my unit. When you press the snooze button, it does light up -- sorta. Not enough that you can actually SEE it in the dark; just the suggestion of illumination. I thought it was probably a stale battery (provided with the clock), so I spent $5.99 on a new battery, and the light is no brighter. 2) Related to this, the fact that it doesn't take standard (AAA or AA) batteries but expensive little watch batteries.I'd send it back for all these reasons, except that postage (plus what I paid for the new battery) would probably exceed the cost of the clock. And honestly, it DOES work great. Who knows? It might work for years and years!

I was never too keen on this clock: I couldn't see the time and didn't want to be fiddling around with buttons in the night. But it woke me up when I should until a few months ago, and then it became erratic.There was no problem with the time, but the alarm didn't go off at the time I'd set it to. I think I'd had it for 2-3 years at that point. I was glad to toss it and replace it with a little red Casio number with a piercing alarm that is easy to turn off. I can usually read the numbers, too.

my 10 year old travel alarm finaly died :(This one seem to foot the bill and it very well may.The description did not share the battery type.How many of you carry around watch type batteries ?My old one used a single AA battery which iscommon to my camera and available anywhere.

I have some positive things to say about this clock, but it has one "glaring" problem. I have had it less than a year, but my next trip will probably be the last I can squeeze out of it. I'll be looking to another brand to replace it. Even fresh out of the box, the light was so weak as to be useless. In full dark, you can barely see the side of the screen. One of the most important features in a travel alarm for me is to see what time it is in the middle of the night, without fumbling for the hotel lamp. I'm constantly replacing travel alarms because the light burns out. This one was weak from the start and I believe it's gone further downhill. As for warranty, the fee Westclox charges for warranty service and shipping is greater than what I paid for the clock.That being said, if you can get over the light, this clock does well to correct some common travel alarm flaws:Sturdy folding case will take reasonable abuse and drops.Alarm set goes to the left and time set to the right on a snug button - much harder to accidentally reset the time than on other models.Alarm on/off clearly indicated on screen, with a large icon.Snug slider button for the alarm makes it hard to accidentally turn it on (but you have to work to turn it off, too).Easy to see if your time/or alarm is in AM or PM.I just can't give it a higher rating when the light is so poor.**Note - the alarm is LOUD and increases in tempo if you do not shut it off right away. Others in the room may be unhappy if you are a slow riser.

Product exactly as described. However, I did not realize there is no way to keep the light on, even dimly. This means there is no way to easily check the time at night without pressing the small button under the center of the clock. This task requires more than enough concentration and effort to wake me up. Clock is difficult to read in daylight from more than about 6 feet.

It is nice watch, but pictures on screen are deceiving wooden color part of the watch is much smaller compare to base in real life. I also do not like location of snooze button, it is hard to find in a dark. I will probably return it.

I look at these cheap clocks and try to figure out if I'm going to be able to read them. Since so many were raving I figured I was in luck. Nope. The nightlight doesn't improve anything at night or during the day. Unless this beast is under a lamp and I have my glasses on I cannot read it. Bummer. So be warned or be disappointed.

I returned one travel clock because it did not light up. Then ordered this one. It does light up, but you have to punch the button down to do so, and it only stays lit briefly. I will most likely give this as a gift or use in the bathroom while continuing to search for the perfect bedside clock that takes up minimal space. I am retired so I just want to glance over and see the time, date, and weather.

I really like the design, BUT when the unit is closed the night light button can still be depressed. Just worried that when its packed in the suitcase it will be turned on so much the battery will wear down quickly. I wish the cover would protect that portion. If I had paid more attention I would have chosen another travel alarm clock.

This is the same shape and product description as my trusty, but old, Radio Shack travel alarm so I purchased it as a replacement. It took days before connecting with the atomic clock, using it isn't intuitive (I'm still travelling with the directions), and the display saying which time zone you've selected is really tiny. As a result, I've spent the last couple of months carrying both alarms because I still don't trust this one.

I wanted a clock with a night light for the bathroom counter which actually gives enough light to read the time and light up the bathroom. This one has it but it isn't bright enough to easily read the time. I think the manufacturer is trying to preserve the battery life. If you pick it up and press the top bar the light will brighten for a moment but resume to normal when you let go. The size is good and would be perfect for traveling. Today's shopper

Mostly functional, but I really hate the design (unless I'm missing something) that the only way to turn off the alarm is to shut the switch off and then you have to remember to switch back on. In just a few weeks of owning it had several days of no alarm because I didn't switch it back on. I'm used to an alarm where you can just hit a button to turn off the alarm for the day, but the alarm is still functional, so I find this alarm design strange. Maybe it's nitpicking but when I'm half asleep, the last thing I'm good at is turning a hard switch button off and back on. Otherwise, it's functional, backlight works well, no huge issues getting the radio sync to work, but having an alarm that I have trouble consistently getting to work means I'll likely be looking elsewhere soon for a different alarm.

Although the clock works fine, the frame that holds the clock in a upright position broke within 2 weeks. It is flimsy. Additionally, the temperature display is not even close to accurate so that feature is totally worthless. It does what I need it to, which is keep time to the second but I am irritated that the flimsy frame to hold up the clock broke so quickly.

This is a very nice clock ... I liked the first one that I bought so much that I bought two more, so I now have one for each of two home locations and one that resides permanently in my travel kit. HOWEVER I rated it only "okay" because radio-synchronization has stopped working on all of three clocks. I suspect the receiver is of a marginal design that uses a short-lived component, or maybe there has been a small change in the transmitted signal coding that proved big enough to confuse the receiver's decoder. Also there is an undocumented feature: a settable number of offset hours, which can be very useful when on-the-move, but unfortunately there is no display icon to indicate that an offset has been set; its absence is a design oversight that I can imagine could be dangerous.

This may be, in part, my fault for not doing better research but this alarm clock has one huge fault. It is the alarm OFF switch. Every previous travel alarm I have owned, and they were virtually all from Radio Shack, allowed you to press the top of the clock to silence the alarm. This clock has a slider switch. In the light of day and fully awake it is a no brainer. Sound asleep, waking up in the dark without all your cognitive functions it is a pain in the neck. I have struggled with this since I purchased the clock, and I get up during the work week at 4:20 am. That is my only knock on this clock, otherwise I have been reasonably pleased.

Very hard to see the time in the middle of the night when you press the "light on" button. The light comes in from each side and barely shows the time--I have to pick it up and hold it a few inches from my eyes. The older version that was backlit and then the light faded away was much better. Brookstone has one with the backlight which makes it much easier to see in the dark--and it quickly fades off, too, so the light doesn't keep me awake. Also, the previous version ran on one AA or AAA battery--much easier to replace than the current model's button battery. And the battery door on this latest one isn't very secure. Too bad--I really liked my old Westclox, but not this new version.

I like the look and size of this clock. I like the way it folds. It also stands well. I would not buy it again though. It does not light up at night; which I knew in advance of buying it. But when I try to push the light-up button in the middle of the night, I have quite a hard time with it. First of all, the button is hard to find. Second of all, the button is awkward to push. And third, when you push the button you can barely see what the time says. The lighting is horrible! If you only want to use this clock in the daytime, it is fine; and even cute. If you plan to use this clock at night too, choose something else.

I have had similar Timex travel alarm clocks but was not able to find them in stores or on line. I bought five of these and wish I hadn't. It is NOT backlit as advertised. The light is coming in from the sides so the middle is very dim. Also the display is about 3/4th the size of the Timex I was hoping to find. I will keep them and use them where I have no other time pieces. I will pass on giving this to the graduating High School students.After these clocks came in, I did find an Elgin when I was looking for a different travel alarm and it looked like it may have been the one I should have purchased.I did not have a problem with the supplier. The clocks arrived on time but not what I was expecting.

Pros: super easy to set time and alarm. Very compact and has its own protective shell for packing.Cons: alarm isn't very loud and shuts itself off after 1 minute so it might not wake you up. The light barely illuminates the face so you may not be able to read it even while the light is on.Info: the clock is not lit/illuminated so if you want to see the time you'll have to reach out and push the light button. Lack of illuminated dial saves on batteries but sometimes is a hassle when you just want to peek out and check the time.I own another one of this exact model, and I really like it, but something is wrong with the one I purchased through Amazon. Now I have to deal with the return process.

I had a Westclox Travelmate fort about 10 years that I unfortunately left in hotel room. It was a great clock. I was expecting about the same level from the new clock. However, the new clock is not good at all.The new Travelmate has several serious problems. First and foremost, the background night light is extremely poor. If you wake up in the middle of the night and want it to see the time, it is not possible without turning on the room lights. The background light is just a flicker. It's like a candle where you can't see the full time display.Also, the controls make it really difficult to snooze in the morning or make adjustments at night without a room light.Net, I would not buy this product again.

I was looking for a replacement digital travel alarm clock. This particular one was similar to a Timex clock I have had for years. When the alarm system is activated and set, the alarm goes off as advertized. However, the activation switch has some sort of defect in that if you put slight pressure on the alarm switch the "alarm on" icon will appear indicating that the alarm is "on" even if the switch is set to the "off" position. The "Alarm indicator" (the symbol AL) does not come on when this happens. I believe the actual alarm (the beeper sound you hear when the alarm goes off) can activate w/ the switch in the off position in other words. I can make the alarm icon come on just by putting slight pressure on the surface of the clock near the right side of the switch. There is either a defect in the switch or the circuit board that goes to that section in the alarm clock. If let sit, the alarm icon eventually goes off most of the time after several minutes. Interesting defect.

I bought one of these several months ago and love it. Use it on my bedside table. I like that the display is not illuminated unless you press the button. So I ordered another one for my camper. It worked for a few minutes then quit. I have tried replacing the battery but still getting nothing. Very disappointing, and the return window has already closed.

I love the style, however, the backlight quit working within 2 days of using it. Disappointing.

When you push the silver button to turn on the light so you can see what time it is in the dark, it emits light, but ALSO a high-frequency WHINE that stays on the entire time the light is lit. SO annoying! Horrible sound. Whose idea was it to add that feature?

There are several annoying problems with this clock, but the fatal flaw is the snooze. You can only hit the snooze button for up to 15 minutes of extra sleep, and then the alarm inexplicably just stops. Yes, I know I shouldn't hit snooze for long periods of time, but some mornings can be rough getting up on short sleep. After accidentally sleeping in late because this alarm stopped, I had to set a backup clock. I gave this one a good try, but can't get past the snooze limitation.

Aside from that, the alarm sound itself quickly goes from a calm alarm into a panic sound, waking my wife before I can shut it off. As other reviewers have noted, there is also an annoying electronic buzz after you hit the snooze button, and the display is hard to read at an angle.

It's a shame, because this clock looks nice & is well built, but some simple design decisions have caused me to return it and look for another.

I'm primarily disappointed in this clock because of how loud it chirps from the outset...very jarring. I much prefer a softer chirp, gradually getting louder. Also, in the snooze position, it activates only two additional times after the initial blast, five minutes apart. So, one can only snooze for a total of an additional ten minutes. Often, I'm not ready to get up in ten minutes after the first blast. Also, the back light doesn't stay on but a couple of seconds, making it hard to focus and see how to set it or read the various pieces of info that it provides. I would not purchase it again or recommend it to a friend.

Big problem with this clock is the display. In the dark with illumination on, you can only read it standing over the clock, looking down on it. As you start looking at the display directly at eye level, it becomes very dim, and if you look at the display even slightly from the below the clock, the display vanishes and becomes blank. NOT clear and sharp in the dark in its own illumination as the picture suggests. So if you're in bed looking at the clock on your nightstand (where it is close to eye level) it will be close to illegible unless you have 20/20 razor sharp night time vision. It also seems to me that the display area could have been made larger -- notice how much wasted plastic there is in this design, and it's already small to begin with. That being said, clock works well otherwise, in the particular the 'auto-set' feature using the radio -- although in my area the signal is only strong enough after dark to use it. I may return the clock, I've ordered another from a different manufacturer to see if anyone makes a better display on a small self-setting alarm clock.

Real pain to set the time manually; not intuitive at all. Sub-par instructions. Had it in a tropical climate for 3 months, batteries started leaking in the compartment; fortunately saved it on time. Disappointed. It's ok if you use it in the Western hemisphere, in temperate climates, and where there is always access to WiFi so it can automatically set the time. Not applicable to my situation.

I am on my second one. The first one never could receive the radio signal no matter where I placed it. I took it to several cities on the east coast and Cabo in western Mexico. Nada. However it keeps time reasonably well and I needed a travel clock. I recently purchased another one for my office. This one can't receive a radio signal either. On top of that, DST can't be set. The choices are "off" or some unintelligible word. Bottom line if you want an atomic clock don't waste your money. If you want a travel clock, there are cheaper alternatives.

Returned it because lighted numbers can be seen at eye level or from above but not from below and my bed is lower than the nightstand on which I have my clock. The clock itself seemed to be a satisfactory product in other respects although setting it up was cumbersome and a bit of a bother.

Really wanted to like it, given all the research I did before making the purchase. However, the temperature was off by more than 10 degrees and the clock was not able to connect to the signal. I took these as signs that these tiny micro buttons were destined to fail as well. I will go for something with fewer features.

For seven months this clock was great. Easy to set, alarm loud enough, lightweight, glowed in the dark when button pressed, accurate, folded up flat, etc. While it was in my travel kit between trips, the batteries went dead. Replaced the batteries but now when folded for travel the back light stays on thus running the batteries down. When sitting upright on the bureau sometime the light is on and sometimes it's not. Weird. I could just remove the batteries and put them in at night on my trips, but I'd need to take a mini Phillips screwdriver with me because screws keep the batteries in place. I thought this product would last longer than it did.

The clock I wanted (pictured) is NOT the clock I received. Just like Colette, who reviewed this product on June 10, 2017, I received a nice looking but difficult to set travel alarm, also made by Westclox (model 72028). I tried that clock but the alarm volume was much too low. I'd REALLY like to buy the clock pictured in the ad. I had one for many years and I really like it. It's very easy to set, the alarm volume is adequate, it keeps good time and the button battery lasts a long time.

The controls for setting the time and alarm time are not as pictured. The clock I received had different buttons, so setting the time and alarm were much more trouble to figure out. So, I returned the clock.

I purchased this travel clock right before I was leaving for a trip to China. It was so inadequate that I decided not to take it. The clock did not stand up as shown in the photo. Everytime I tried to do that, it collapsed. Also, the clock has black numbers on an almost charcoal colored screen and it is very difficult to read. The clock is very cheaply made and I thought the workmanship was totally shoddy. Although it didn't cost that much, I thought any amount of money would have been too much.

This product is either broken or just flat stinks. I bought it since I'm on a six month road trip and half the time the alarm clock is on the wrong side of the bed so I don't know what time it is. So I needed a clock that would light up. Well when I press the button to light it up in a dark room there is a little bit of light on either side of the display and absolutely zero where the numbers are. So I noticed there is a K-Mart across the street from my motel so I'll go buy a small $5 LED flashlight that I can use to shine on this worthless clock to find out what time it is. Normally if there are more than 10% 1 star reviews as compared to 5 stars I won't buy it. Well I should have listened to my inner self because there are almost 40% 1 star as compared to 5 star. So yep a real piece of junk and a waste of $10!

The "built in display lght" is useless - it shows a very dim bit of light at each end BUT in a pitch dark room one can not make out the display - I tossed it - not worthh returning - I bought it since I needed a illuminated display for when I wake up at night when I travel - tghis did not do the job - I guess that all they (the promotors) wanted was to be able to discribe the item as having a lit display. A" useless lit display" would have been more accurate.

I feel like I really didn't need much from this product. It seriously only had to keep the time, have an alarm, and be visible at night when the lights were off. I even checked the product description to make sure that it could manage that. And I was so sure that no one could screw up something that simple so badly (we have the technology!) that I didn't even really bother to read the reviews. How bad could it be? Maybe the people writing the few reviews about this have bad eyesight.But no! The designers of this silly little alarm clock were actually that incompetent! It's impossible to read the display in the dark with their stupid little side lights (and I'm 27 with great vision). Sometimes I try to imagine the person who thought about how it is useful to be able to read the time without turning the lights on and then came up with this as a solution, and I laugh. FAIL.Do not buy this product.I'm flabbergasted that something so useless could be made when it is so easy to have a display that lights up. I'm also heavily censoring the cursing; I'm outraged.

Clock does not work. Replaced batteries... nothing. Poor quality product.
Would not recommend...Is beyond return window
Left our home in the trash

Setting it up fresh out of the box was easy. Setting time, date, 24-hr, etc. was intuitive. However, its main function as an alarm clock was a dismal failure. I could barely hear it arm's length away, set 2 mins in advance. The snooze function worked once or twice with each of 6 trial runs. My phone alarm snooze function responds for up to an hour. This clock is worthless to me - I'll send it back right away. Particularly disappointing as this technology has successfully been around for decades. My 20-year- old generic version is just now getting iffy with the snooze, yet is much better than this Marathon brand.

Not really a good product for the price I paid. There are better choices under $10. Unfortunately can not return because amazon charges return shipment cost.

Impossible to see from the bed because if you put the watch on a bedside table with the same hight with the bed , numbers fade... You must look at the watch from above.. Thus, it is very unuseful if you are going to use it by the bed.. Thanks.

This clock was great until it stopped working properly two months after purchase. It seems the lock position is defective. Unfortunately it was too late to return it

This was returned product that end up with me. I was going to send back, I don't want somebody else to suffer. I will use it for target.

ONLY WORKS NEAR A WINDOW NOT WORTH THE MONEY.

Haven't even put batteries in yet-plastic case is still outgassing a perfumy smell after a week-smell still on its enclosed papers, too. Odor was not on other items in shipping box, so can't claim anything spilled on it. Cheap enough to keep as a backup, but will be used across the room instead of next to me on nightstand.

It doesn't work. I took it on a 3 week trip & it never worked. I would return it, but I must have thrown away the box. I was in a hurry to pack and just assumed it would work. Will still try to return.

the clock would not stay on the hour. it would gain or loose an hour over night. would not stay connected to the radio wave to reset at 2am. It was a piece of junk..

Did not work. I returned it