Kitchen Timer
- Thread starter FrankZ
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
HistoricFoodie
Senior Cook
It's rare that I time more than one thing at a time. When I do, there's a timer on both the stove and microwave.
For day-in, day-out timing I use small Polder. It was inexpensive, uses one triple A battery (which seems to last two days longer than forever), can be set in minutes and seconds, and has a magnetic back, which sticks to the range hood. All in all, perfect for my needs.
I'd actually bought it, originally, when I got a gas grill a year ago. But I found it so useful it quickly migrated into the kitchen.
For day-in, day-out timing I use small Polder. It was inexpensive, uses one triple A battery (which seems to last two days longer than forever), can be set in minutes and seconds, and has a magnetic back, which sticks to the range hood. All in all, perfect for my needs.
I'd actually bought it, originally, when I got a gas grill a year ago. But I found it so useful it quickly migrated into the kitchen.
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
Turns out there's an app for that!
If you have an Android phone, here is a kitchen timer app that supports three independent timers:
https://market.android.com/details?...xLDEwOSwiY29tLmxlaW5hcmRpLmtpdGNoZW50aW1lciJd
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
Frank, you said "Did I mention I hate that it eats batteries?"
The product page linked in your OP says, "Powered by two LR44 button battery cells (included)." From an electronic point of view that's the problem, that it uses itty bitty batteries. You should shop for a new timer that uses at least one AAA battery or preferably two (if any exist), or AA batteries. This will provide a lot more energy than the button style batteries and is very likely to last much longer.
The product page linked in your OP says, "Powered by two LR44 button battery cells (included)." From an electronic point of view that's the problem, that it uses itty bitty batteries. You should shop for a new timer that uses at least one AAA battery or preferably two (if any exist), or AA batteries. This will provide a lot more energy than the button style batteries and is very likely to last much longer.
OP
OP
The itty batteries do help keep it light. But, yes, that is part of the problem. And those itty batteries aren't cheap to replace every 6 to 9 months, and since I use the timer quite a bit when I am cooking... well...
It really gripes me when I have something like this and I can replace the thing for the cost of just getting new batteries. Ugh.
Oh.. and I just love the whole LR44 thing. That is the industry standard nomenclature for the battery. Every battery manufacturer has a different number/code. For instance Duracell uses A76, but at least they have the curtsey to put the LR44 on the package in really ittsy bittsy letters. Some don't. You can find it online, but it sucks standing in a store trying to figure it out, especially wen they guard the batteries like they are made of platinum.
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
At least weight won't matter to you since you're going to stick it on your range hood. I don't know what LR44s are but I recognized enough to realize they're those little expensive button batteries of some sort. You wonder if they're made of gold, or platinum like you said. I've had reasonable luck finding the damned things at Target, which seems to be in most large towns. But even if you have a ready source you just know the thing is going to crap out just when you begin cooking some afternoon or evening, something complicated enough that you really need three timers.
I've always used a combination of the stove, the microwave, my remote reading meat probe and the clock. The microwave timer resets if I want to nuke something, but unless I'm doing a roast the stove usually suffices. And if I'm roasting I'm going for temperature not time. Of course if I use the stove timer I can't see the stove clock then but who cares? It's always cooking time when I'm in the kitchen. That's good enough for me.
You should look into the old fashioned mechanical timers. No batteries needed. Probably cheaper than electronic timers, if they still make them. Your kids can wonder how the heck it measures time and why it doesn't have digits on it. I probably threw mine out. I probably regret it.
(Q: why did they always make them that yucky green color? A: to go with the yucky green carpet apartments always seemed to have back in the old days, before they invented beige carpet. I remember back when you didn't have to specify appliance colors because they were always white. Not having any choices protected people from pink and chartreuse appliance fashion disasters.)
I've always used a combination of the stove, the microwave, my remote reading meat probe and the clock. The microwave timer resets if I want to nuke something, but unless I'm doing a roast the stove usually suffices. And if I'm roasting I'm going for temperature not time. Of course if I use the stove timer I can't see the stove clock then but who cares? It's always cooking time when I'm in the kitchen. That's good enough for me.
You should look into the old fashioned mechanical timers. No batteries needed. Probably cheaper than electronic timers, if they still make them. Your kids can wonder how the heck it measures time and why it doesn't have digits on it. I probably threw mine out. I probably regret it.
(Q: why did they always make them that yucky green color? A: to go with the yucky green carpet apartments always seemed to have back in the old days, before they invented beige carpet. I remember back when you didn't have to specify appliance colors because they were always white. Not having any choices protected people from pink and chartreuse appliance fashion disasters.)
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Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
Those little button batteries are hearing aid batteries. They just found another use for them. I guess there aren't enough deaf people. 
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
If there aren't enough deaf people they can always start putting them in pacemakers... ("Honey, can you pry off my back and put some new batteries in my heart?")
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
...because they were made in the shape of green bell peppers...
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
If there aren't enough deaf people they can always start putting them in pacemakers... ("Honey, can you pry off my back and put some new batteries in my heart?")
Son #1 just had a pacemaker put in about three weeks ago. I will check it when he comes back from the store. RIIIIIP!
Joshatdot
Senior Cook
I use a Windows Gadget 'Alarm Clock * XL'. For some reason, MS closed down their Gadget gallery, but I kept a backup =)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4751156/alarmclock.gadget
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4751156/alarmclock.gadget
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
That certainly is louder than my stove alarm.
Thanks Josh!
Joshatdot
Senior Cook
no problem DC peeps 
visionviper
Assistant Cook
I have a ThermoWorks I bought over a year ago. Still haven't had to replace the AAA battery that comes in it.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
There was a small news item the other day about an alarm clock that you can't shut off unless you get out of bed and do several things. It was invented by a college kid who was always late for class because he kept hitting the 'snooze' button. It is tied to your coffee maker, and you have to get up, start the coffee maker and do several other things before it will shut off. He now has orders for more than 100 of them. And he is making them all by hand. I see the start of a new business starting up.
When I was that age I used to set three wind up alarm clocks about 10 minutes apart. I put them far from the bed. I still often managed to turn them all off without waking up.There was a small news item the other day about an alarm clock that you can't shut off unless you get out of bed and do several things. It was invented by a college kid who was always late for class because he kept hitting the 'snooze' button. It is tied to your coffee maker, and you have to get up, start the coffee maker and do several other things before it will shut off. He now has orders for more than 100 of them. And he is making them all by hand. I see the start of a new business starting up.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
I normally use the timer on the microwave which works fine unless the DW decides to heat up a cup of coffee while I'm cooking.
Chad
That is what the zapper is for. Heating up coffee. I would suggest that you spend six dollars and buy a separate one. If only for harmoney in the kitchen.
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