In these day of increasingly unplugged electronics, it almost seems like the clock radio is a thing of the past. However, I have still not found a better replacement for my "digital time-telling alarm clock" that sits on my bureau. I know that some people have replaces their clock radios with their cell phone, and this is how they wake themselves up in the morning, but I have found that this just doesn't do the trick quite as well. I have had one too many experiences of sleeping through my cell's alarm.

Below you will find the five best clock radios on the market today. These are the ones that have won both rave reviews and are priced affordably. I have personally pored over these five and many more in bringing you this list. So, don't just settle for any old alarm clock; make a conscious and smart choice so that you can enjoy some of the unique features of the following "waker uppers".

For the price, this is the best clock radio in the world. For those who aren’t aware of Boston Acoustics, they are a company much akin to the venerable Bose. (Many people believe that they put out superior audio products than their predecessor, even.) The AM/FM is immediately noticeable for its pristine noise-free reception: one of the major distinguishing factor amongst all clock radios. “No more fuzz” is not just a dream anymore. Furthermore it’s got the amazing speakers of its high-end maker and it is rather small, allowing you to place it on your nightstand with plenty of leftover room.

Play CD’s, mp3’s, and radio with this jewel from Timex. It’s another smaller offering which is due in part to it’s minimalistic but stylistic design. Sound quality is good but not quite on the order of the Boston Acoustic. (Not everyone is looking for a stereo-quality sound to wake them up, I suppose.) For those sensitive to light while going to sleep, you’ll be able to dim it or turn it all the way off if you so choose with this Timex.

I like this Sony clock radio in part because of its slightly eccentric style. It just looks different. The wide back obviously accommodates CD play. It also has a built-in mp3 player cable. If the power goes out, you won’t have to reset the clock; without a source of electricity it temporarily reverts to battery power, a nice little convenience. And its CD player performs better than most other clock radios. It makes a great replacement for previous Sony Dream Machine fans.

No clock radio review would be complete without an ode to the iHome. So what puts this device ahead of other similar iPod-centric offerings? First of all, it’s using the Reson8 speakers, which are a step above many other alarm clock speakers. The iH9 improves upon its predecessor, the iH8, in several ways. There are major improvements in the remote control functions, which can now operate both the clock radio and the iPod menu itself. The design has also been refined; I think for the better. You can even now program the iH9 to dim the music as you get closer and closer to sleep by setting it for anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours. If you want to incorporate your iPod into your sleeping and waking, then this is definitely the way to go.

In some ways, I'd like to put the Aluratek Wi-Fi clock radio up at the top. It is a genius idea to allow users to tap into their home's already existing wi-fi. The only thing is that, just like iPods, not everyone has wi-fi in their home at present. So we'll talk about it down here for a second.

With this offering, you are no longer bound to the dozen or so stations you can (maybe) pick up on AM and FM radio. Instead you have instant access to something on the order of 11,000 Internet radio stations. This is a true revolution, and is one of the first non-local clock radios in existence. Kudos to Aluratek!