Screaming Meanie TZ-220 Alarm Review - Summary
Quality
A well made, light weight design, makes this alarm stand out from the crowd.
Functionality
Unique disable features stops you from just randomly turning it off in your sleep. Comes with emergency alarm feature.
Cost
Considering how loud, build quality and the unique features, the cost is a steal.
Overall rating : 4.5/ 5
Pros
Cons
Lightweight, compact and for once, battery operated. This unique and very loud alarm really does the job.
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This particular little beauty caught our eye as one of the promoted items appearing on Amazon, we quickly realised that it had lots of reviews and lots of happy customers, so we had to do a Screaming Meanie review to understand what the hype was all about!
With a total output of 120db, we can understand why they have named it the screaming meanie, and why this brand is one of those that are recommended to those who have trouble waking up from their deep slumber, this pocket rocket could basically wake the dead if it had to.
With a number of different features, that we will get into below, as well as back-lit functionality for those who set their alarms in the dark, it may be the contender for the number one spot.
Screaming Meanie Alarm TZ-220
Screaming Meanie TZ-220 Features
This device comes with a number of standard, and some less standard features that make it stand out from the crowd, but also make it perfect for deep sleepers.
We What Like About The Screaming Meanie
As we have already mentioned, the first thing you notice about this item, or at least will soon notice, is the unique way in which you have to turn the alarm off. It's not as simple as pressing one button, or clamping your hand over it, no way! You have to press 3 separate buttons, simultaneously. This means you actually have to stir from your slumber to find the buttons to switch off, no easy task.
Next up, is how loud it is. Even if you manage to activate the snooze function, hearing this alarm more than once is going to really get through those pleasant dreams of clouds you are having. It has a 120dlb rating, that is not a dinky noise coming from a tin alarm.
For those who like to travel, or may be away from home a lot and as such need to take their alarms with them, the Screaming Meanie is actually portable, and battery operated. We loved this, because it means we are not having to have 2 or 3 of these. Plus the inbuilt battery tester allows us to see if it needs a quick change before we go. Quick press of a button and you know if you need to run to the local shop or get a next day delivery from Amazon.
Another thing that we felt added favour, was the countdown timer. As this is not a true clock, you will need to set each alarm as you go. Using the countdown timer you can say you want to sleep for a certain number of minutes, hours or maybe days? When the countdown is done, bam you will hear the next air-raid siren.
Finally, the Screaming Meanie can also be used as an emergency alarm. As we get more conscious of personal safety, it can be reassuring to know that if anything where to happen, you can press this alarm and the whole street would know something is happening.
We What Didn't Like About The Screaming Meanie
To be honest, there is very little we didn't like about this particular alarm, other than the fact it's not an alarm clock, it is very much a timer and an alarm.
You are also limited to having one alarm set at a time, so if you are like us and have an alarm set normally at 6.40, 6.45, 6.55 and so on, you won't be able to do that with this. Not that you should need it...
Conclusion
For the price, it really is a great product for those who do find it difficult to wake up in the morning or may fall asleep straight after hearing the house falling down around them.
Combined with the light weight nature, the seriously loud alarm and the need to actually think about what you are doing to turn it off, this product is a great purchase.