- Bedtimeeyes closed and a moon on the display
- Before wake-upyellow, 5, 15 or 30 minutes before (you choose)
- Wake-up timegreen with eyes open and a sun
- Bedtimeeyes closed and a red light
- Before wake-uporange 30 minutes before, as 12 stars count down; eyes still closed
- Wake-up timeeyes open and green
Both have one daily schedule and a nap timer you start
MELLA’s nap timer offers 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150 or 180 minutes, its Version 2.0 manual says. Sam’s runs from 30 to 180 minutes.
Neither keeps different weekday and weekend times. Their wake-up, bedtime and nap settings are all set with the clock’s own buttons; once set, both run bedtime and wake-up every day by themselves, and you start a nap at the clock.
Sam runs on AA batteries; MELLA’s coin battery only saves the settings
Sam runs on four AA batteries when the USB power stops, and keeps its settings. The batteries are not in the box, and ZAZU does not say how long they last.
MELLA needs the plug for its display, light and sound. Its CR2032 coin battery keeps the basic settings, but does not keep the clock running.
MELLA includes sounds and a wall adapter
MELLA comes with sleep sounds, a four-foot cable and a wall adapter. Sam has no sleep sounds and comes with a USB cable; ZAZU’s page does not clearly say a wall adapter is included.
Both can show a silent light or sound a separate alarm, so the difference in sleep sounds is about background noise at night, not whether the morning has to be loud.
Which one
- Choose MELLA for built-in sleep sounds, a wall plug in the box and a yellow light you can set for 5, 15 or 30 minutes before wake-up.
- Choose Sam for a light that keeps working on AA batteries in a power cut, and a nap timer from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
- Sam’s maker does not say how long the batteries last, and they are not in the box.
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LittleHippo MELLA
Version 2
Prices and stock are set by the retailer and change without notice. We print no price of our own.
LittleHippo MELLA on the maker’s own site
ZAZU Sam the Sheep on the maker’s own site
At a glance
“Not in the manual”: the maker doesn’t mention it, so we don’t count on it.
| Feature | LittleHippo MELLA Version 2 Check price on Amazon | ZAZU Sam the Sheep 2024 version ZAZU product page |
|---|---|---|
 How you set it | Set on the clock | Set on the clock |
| Switching it on | Runs by itself every day once the sleep trainer is on: look for a sun or moon next to the time, and press SLEEP/WAKE if it is missing | Runs on its schedule, and you can also start it by hand |
| Change the times without Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
 Another grown-up in the app | Anyone can use the buttons on the bottom of the clock; there is no app to share. Show the next grown-up how to change the times and how the lock works: a slider on the bottom stops changes to the settings, while the volume, the display brightness and the hat still work. | Anyone can use the buttons on the clock; there is no app to share. Show the next grown-up how to change the times, how to switch the light on and how the lock works. |
 Runs on battery? | Needs to stay plugged in | Runs on battery |
 In a power cut | MELLA stops when the power goes off: its coin battery keeps the settings, but the display, light and sounds go off until the power is back. | Four AA batteries (not included) keep the clock running and keep its settings if the USB power stops. |
 Bedtime light at a set time | Yes | Yes |
 Nap timer | Yes | Yes |
| Nap wake-up time | Not in the manual | Not in the manual |
 Weekday and weekend times | No | No |
| Several light or sound changes a night | No | No |
| Keeps working without Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| What stops without Wi-Fi | Nothing: it needs no network. | Nothing: it needs no network. |
 Alarm sound | Yes | Yes |
| Sound machine | Yes | No |
| Silent wake-up light | Yes | Yes |
| Time display can turn off | Yes | Yes |
| Child lock | Yes | Yes |
| Subscription needed for the light | No | No |
| In the box | MELLA clock, 4 ft cable, AC wall adapter, Instruction manual | Sam sleep trainer, USB cable |
The makers’ pages
Details can differ between versions and countries. Dates show when we last checked something that changes, like stock or a recall. Every source we use