La Crosse Technology 616-143 review

The La Crosse Technology Projection alarm clock is the only model we tested with an outdoor temperature sensor.

La Crosse Technology 616-143 review

Early Verdict

The Lacrosse Technology 616-143 displays useful and unique information, but it’s lacking the alarm options and newest features of the best clocks we tested.

Pros

  • +

    The projector displays the time and outdoor temperature.

Cons

  • -

    The alarm buzzer isn't very loud.

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The La Crosse Technology Projection Clock is the only model we tested with an outdoor temperature sensor. Place the sensor up to 300 feet away from the clock, and it sends temperature information wirelessly. There's no sunrise function here though, as found on the best sunrise alarm clocks.

It also has a projection feature to display the time and temperature on a wall or the ceiling in your bedroom. This is distraction for some people, but you can turn the projection on and off by pressing a button on the back panel. The Electrohome alarm clock also has a projector, but it only displays the time and indoor temperature information.

This alarm clock automatically syncs to the atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado, so once you select your time zone, you never have to set the time or adjust for Daylight Saving Time. If you live in a state that doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time, you can turn that adjustment feature off.

We pressed the alarm clock’s snooze button more than a hundred times with varying amounts of force, and this is one of the few clocks that suffered some physical damage in that test. The button got stuck and stopped snoozing the alarm. We did, admittedly, press the button harder than most people would, but we conducted the same test on all the alarm clocks in our test group and this was one of only two clocks that sustained functional damage.

This alarm clock only has one alarm tone, and its progressive buzzer’s maximum volume is only 57.8 dB, making it the second-quietest alarm we tested. The alarm shuts off after two minutes of buzzing if you don’t hit the snooze button before then. The combination of a quiet alarm and automatic shutoff makes it a bad option if you have a hard time waking up.

The La Crosse Technology alarm clock has a projector that displays both the time and outside temperature on your wall or ceiling. While it’s missing convenience features like a dual alarm, adjustable snooze and weekend mode, it helps you wake up and start the day right with all the information you need to prepare.

Billy Bommer

Billy Bommer is a former Top Ten Reviews writer who now works as a technical advisor at Best Buy. He's a keen sax player, and lives in Utah. Billy also has a BS from Weber State University in Communications and Media Studies. His areas of expertise are diverse, and he has a particular passion for AV and audio tech.