PickMetric
LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise Sleep Trainer Clock
Sunrise Alarm Clocks

LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise

#1 · Best Overall
7.2 /10 Our score
Lowest verified price $54.99 Amazon
Our verdict
The best all-around choice for parents who want a proven, phone-free clock that a toddler understands right away. Its flaws are real but manageable.

Pros

  • Face plus color cue that toddlers read quickly
  • Yellow pre-wake glow up to 30 minutes
  • No app, Wi-Fi or subscription
  • Sound machine, nap timer and alarm included
  • Child lock

Cons

  • Night light has no dimmer and some owners find it bright
  • Only one wake schedule
  • Setup is convoluted; slide lock is easy for older toddlers to bypass
  • Settings can be lost when unplugged

Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you purchase through links on this page. This does not affect our editorial rankings.

View best price at Amazon
Last reviewed November 2, 2026
Review

What to know about LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise

A standalone OK-to-wake clock with a changing face: its eyes close at bedtime, it glows yellow up to 30 minutes before wake time, then green. It also has a night light, sound machine, nap timer and a real alarm for older kids. It's the most widely recommended non-app toddler clock and needs no phone.
Editorial notes

Why it stands out

Why we like it

Mella has the broadest backing of any toddler clock we looked at. BabyGearLab, Reviewed, Babylist, Lucie's List, Mother.ly, Fatherly, Today's Parent and The Everyday Mom Life all recommend it. The face's eyes close at bedtime, it glows yellow up to 30 minutes before wake time, then turns green and stays green for an hour.

That pre-wake stage and the face make the signal easy for a young child to grasp. There is no app, no Wi-Fi and no subscription, and the clock grows with your child thanks to a real alarm for older kids.

What to know

Skip it if you need separate weekday and weekend wake times, or a night light that dims low. Setup instructions are also fiddly.
Performance

Score breakdown

Sunrise light quality

Measured brightness at pillow distance, smoothness and warmth of the ramp, and range of sunrise durations

7.9
Face expressions plus a yellow pre-wake stage and green wake light give the clearest toddler cue, but the night light has no dimmer and testers found it bright (The Everyday Mom Life).
Alarm & sound

Alarm reliability and loudness, quality and variety of wake and sleep sounds, ability to wake heavy sleepers

6.5
Optional alarm and about 3 sleep sounds; BabyGearLab found the ocean and white-noise sounds loud or jarring.
Ease of use

Setup, on-device controls, readable display that dims at night, how much it depends on an app or Wi-Fi

6.3
No app needed, but the instructions are convoluted, there is one schedule, and settings can be lost when unplugged.
Features & versatility

Sunset/wind-down, reading lamp, night light, radio, Bluetooth, sound machine, smart integrations

7.5
Night light, sound machine, nap timer and an alarm, so it stays useful past toddlerhood.
Reliability & build

Build quality, firmware and Wi-Fi stability, warranty length, owner-reported failures

7.0
ABS and silicone shell with a long track record; the slide lock can be bypassed.
Health & materials

Flicker, low-blue evening light, medical-device registration, battery chemistry, recalls

6.5
Lists CPSIA, RoHS and REACH compliance; the CR2032 coin cell needs a secure battery door.
Value

Performance per dollar including any required subscriptions

7.8
$54.99 with no subscription for the best-evidenced standalone trainer.
Specifications

LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise specs

Light

Sunrise duration options
No timed sunrise; optional yellow glow up to 30 min before green wake light (green stays 1 hr)
Sunset / wind-down light
No
Pre-wake 'almost time' cue
Yellow, up to 30 min

Sound

Built-in sounds
3 sounds
FM radio
No
Bluetooth audio
No

Smart

App required for setup/core use
No
Subscription
None

Hardware

Power source
AC adapter (5V USB); CR2032 coin cell keeps settings only
Warranty
1 years

Kid-proofing

Child lock / hidden controls
Yes

Features

Nap timer
Yes
Shopping

Compare prices

Prices are checked periodically. Older amounts are labeled with their last verification date.

Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you purchase through links on this page. This does not affect our editorial rankings.

Prices and availability may change. The retailer's price and availability at checkout govern the transaction.

RetailerPriceAvailability
Walmart $49.99
Last known price — verified Nov 2, 2026; may have changed
 Check at retailer Check at retailer
AmazonLowest $54.99 $64.99 In Stock View deal
Target $54.99
Last known price — verified Nov 2, 2026; may have changed
 Last reported: In Stock Check at retailer
Lowest verified price $54.99
30-day low $49.99
90-day average $53.74
90-day low $49.99

Based on 4 retailer price observations captured during the last 90 days.

More coverage

Guides featuring LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise

The Best OK-to-Wake Clocks for Toddlers of 2026 Best Overall · #1
Head-to-head

Compare the LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise with

LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise vs Hatch Hatch Baby (successor to Rest 2nd Gen) LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise vs Windflyer Little Teddi OK to Wake Clock LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise vs Tommee Tippee Groclock 499051 LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise vs Novo123 Ooly Owl