Favorite kitchen timer and why?
- Thread starter pgleason
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
AuntieV
Cook
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2008
- Messages
- 96
I use the alarm function on my cell phone because it goes everywhere I go.
RPCookin
Executive Chef
I use the one on the stove. If I need a second one at the same time, my Thermoworks probe thermometer is always in the drawer next to the stove, and it has both a timed alarm and a temperature alarm, so it can do double duty... for $25 it's pretty good deal.
ChefJune
Master Chef
LadyCook61
Master Chef
I have a GraLab dark room timer.
Why?
Because I already had it, it's very easy to see, it's very easy to use, and when it sounds it makes a noise that can't be ignored anywhere in the house.
I have one of those
but only used it for darkroom work , when I lived in NJ and had a darkroom.mikel18
Assistant Cook
I use the timer on my stove.
My Microwave has a timer. Works great. You can hear it all over the house.
Bingo, me too.
MostlyWater
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2008
- Messages
- 997
A windup that's magnetic. Am in the market for one now !!!!
Maverick2272
Washing Up
The only timer I have is the one built into my stove. There was the one on the microwave but when that went it went too LOL.
AllenOK
Executive Chef
I'm "in the market" for a good, preferably magnetic, digital timer. But, it gets even more complicated. Where I work, we have a 4-way programmable digital timer. I'm spoiled by that thing. I'd love to have one, but they run $50US or more. Plus, it's HUGE, about the same size as the Gralab that Wart posted (I know, 'cause I have one of those on my station, just in different colors).
I would like to have a 3-way digital, magnetic, count down / count up, with a memory funtion. I used to have a couple, but freaking Wally-world quit carrying them! And, they only cost like $9US when I bought them. The best I've seen are some two-way digitals. The magnets come off in about a month. My kids break them easily. I'm totally fed up.
Luckily, my microwave has a timer. I'm pretty good about setting the time for the longest item, and starting the second item at the right time so that it will be done at the same time as the first. I also have a watch, and can mentally keep track of how long something has cooked. And, like some folks have mentioned, use your nose!
I would like to have a 3-way digital, magnetic, count down / count up, with a memory funtion. I used to have a couple, but freaking Wally-world quit carrying them! And, they only cost like $9US when I bought them. The best I've seen are some two-way digitals. The magnets come off in about a month. My kids break them easily. I'm totally fed up.
Luckily, my microwave has a timer. I'm pretty good about setting the time for the longest item, and starting the second item at the right time so that it will be done at the same time as the first. I also have a watch, and can mentally keep track of how long something has cooked. And, like some folks have mentioned, use your nose!
dave the baker
Sous Chef
QSi's - THANKS! I've been looking for a timer I could hear for years. All these ****ed electronic things just ding and I never hear them. Same goes for my phone. I just never answer it - probably a telemarketer (pardon me - a "surveyer") anyway. Grumble, grumble, grumble.
Maverick2272
Washing Up
OK, so what is the benefit to having a stand alone timer as opposed to the one built into my stove? What is a two way or three way digital? And why counting up and counting down?
AllenOK
Executive Chef
I don't have one built into my stove. I'm lucky to have one built into my microwave. I prefer to have a stand-alone, battery-powered timer, for those rare times when we don't have power for several days and I have to cook (I'm still applying lessons learned from last winter's ice storm).
"2-way" means that it can hold two different times, and count down to 0 on both times at the same time. "3-way" can hold three different times. I've found that for most household uses, a 2-way timer is good. Since I'm used to cooking MANY different things at once, I can utilize a 3-way timer. Where I work, when it's busy, I've seen ALL FOUR times on the 4-way digital in use, the Gralab on my station in use, and people manually keeping an eye on stuff using a clock or their watch, all at the same time.
"Count-down/Count-up" is a handy feature for those things that have a given cook time like 18 - 21 minutes. Normally, on a regular timer, I try to shoot for something in the middle of the two times listed. With a "Count-down/Count-up" , you could set the timer for 18 minutes, and when it starts to beep, it automatically starts to count up, so that you know how long it's cooked AFTER the 18 minutes were up. This feature is not necessary, but does come in handy.
I will admit that while I want a timer that most folks just don't seem to carry, I am making do without. I accredit that to lots and lots of practice in my career, and the fact that I seem to have a "built-in" timer in my head. I am always catching myself wondering, "how much longer is that timer going to run?", and when I look at the timer, I've got about a minute before it goes off. I do not rely on this, however.
Maverick2272
Washing Up
Ahhh I see, thanks for the info!
SierraCook
Master Chef
Ditto, I have a Lux timer and a digital timer. I prefer the Lux timer, it does not require batteries.
LOL!!
I made some apple walnut topping for ice cream last night.
The above is the timer I used.
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