They cite Terman that dawn simulation is not quite as good as light box therapy but better than placebo (true!), however..
They also claim that dawn simulators are "really nothing more than a timer and a rheostat (a device to slowly change electrical current) hooked to your bedside lamp." This is FALSE, and Terman himself hates such devices, explicitly calling them out in the 2013 review I detail in my main reply. The devices used by Terman in his trial that demonstrated dawn simulation efficacy were on tripods so that they projected light downward, from a meter above the bed [1].
This is exactly the sort of misinformation that enables the snake oil the OP complained of. But I don't mean to make you feel bad; the presentation is of high enough quality it would've fooled anyone who hadn't actually read the original research. Your recommendation of the Daylight by Carex/Uplift is terrific; it has indeed been used in studies and is probably the most reasonably priced of the reputable light boxes.
[1]: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6648580_Controlled_...