Kitchen timers

Kitchen clocks, timers and wind-up timers

A kitchen timer is the simplest way to make sure you never overdo a rice dish, a sponge cake or a spot-on cooking time: set the time and it alerts you with its alarm. At Hiperchef you'll find digital timers, battery-free mechanical timers, sand timers and wall clocks from Ibili, Lacor, Gefu, Pujadas, Tellier, Joie, Kitchen Craft and Kook Time, most with a magnet on the back so you can keep them to hand on the fridge, oven or cooker hood.

Digital kitchen timers

Digital timers are the most precise and versatile. The digital stainless steel timer from Ibili counts up or down to 99:59, with a large LCD display, an audible alarm and three ways to position it: rear magnet, fold-out stand for the worktop and a slot for hanging (it runs on one AAA battery, not included). Its touchscreen sibling from Ibili adds on-screen operation and is powered by two AAA batteries.

Three Lacor models stand out: the magnetic kitchen timer with alarm, with a count-up of up to 4 hours, a countdown of up to 23 h 59 min 59 s with memory, LCD display, battery included and two mounting options (fold-out stand and magnet) in a compact body of 7 x 1.4 x 5.1 cm; the water-resistant kitchen timer with alarm, with 24-hour format, memory and countdown, designed for working without fear of splashes; and the simple timer with a programmable magnetic alarm. Rounding off the digital family is the kitchen timer from Pujadas, highly compact (6.8 x 6.8 x 2.8 cm).

Mechanical timers and sand timers

Mechanical timers are wind-up and battery-free: turn the dial all the way to the 60-minute stop, then set it back to the time you need. The Retro timer from Gefu pairs that precision mechanism with a sixties look: lacquered metal, chrome-plated adjustment wheel, rear magnet and a size of 3.3 cm high by 7.3 cm in diameter. More options: the mechanical worktop timer from Tellier, 60 minutes with alarm; the 60-minute magnetic timer from Lacor; and the most playful of the bunch, the cat timer from Joie, shaped like a cat, 60 minutes and BPA-free.

For traditionalists, the sand timer from Kitchen Craft measures exactly 3 minutes: the time for a soft-boiled egg or for tea to brew, with a traditional style that looks the part in any kitchen.

Wall clocks for the kitchen

If you want the time always in view as well as your cooking times, the retro square wall clock from Kook Time (28.5 x 28.5 x 5.2 cm) has a continuous-sweep second hand and is available in white and in red, a perfect match for vintage-style kitchens.

How to choose your kitchen timer

Think first about the kind of alert you need: for long cooking times and to-the-second precision, a digital timer with memory such as the magnetic Lacor; for everyday use without relying on batteries, a 60-minute mechanical timer; for short fixed times, the sand timer. Then think about placement: a rear magnet is the most practical option in kitchens with an accessible fridge or oven, and a fold-out stand takes care of the worktop. In professional kitchens, look for water resistance and long countdowns with memory.

Frequently asked questions about kitchen clocks and timers

Digital timer or mechanical timer?

Digital timers are more precise, count both up and down and reach long times (up to 23 h 59 min on the magnetic Lacor with memory). Mechanical timers are wind-up, battery-free and cover up to 60 minutes: less precision, but zero maintenance.

How does a mechanical kitchen timer work?

You wind it by turning the dial clockwise all the way to the 60-minute stop, then set it back to the time you need. When time runs out, the alarm sounds. That's how the Retro from Gefu, the Tellier and the cat timer from Joie all work.

Do kitchen timers take batteries?

Only the digital ones: the Ibili uses one AAA battery (not included), the Ibili touchscreen two AAAs, and the magnetic Lacor comes with its battery included. Mechanical timers and sand timers work without batteries.

Where do you put a kitchen timer?

Most have a magnet on the back to fix them to the fridge, oven or cooker hood. Many digital models add a fold-out stand for the worktop and a slot for hanging, like the stainless steel timer from Ibili.

Are these timers suitable for professional kitchens?

Yes. For hospitality, the most useful options are the digital timers with a long countdown and memory, such as the magnetic Lacor, and the water-resistant models, which shrug off splashes during service without a problem.

Complete your cooking control with our kitchen thermometers and kitchen scales, and discover the full catalogue from Ibili, Lacor, Gefu and Kitchen Craft.