We also preferred screens with big, easy-to-read digits. Tilted Display with Large Digits: Timers with tilted displays were the easiest to read the best models were wedge-shaped or had kickstands.Accuracy: Fortunately, you don’t have to look very hard to find an accurate timer.It’s also common for timers to have adjustable volume settings (sometimes including a silent setting) and flashing lights so that there’s a visual alert, too. Most can count up (like a stopwatch) in addition to down.

Many are “multiple-event,” which means they can track multiple times simultaneously. The simplest digital models track a single set time and beep when that time is up. We prefer digital models to old-fashioned dial-face timers because they tend to be more precise, easier to set, and easier to read. A kitchen timer is also often easier to set than the timers on appliances, and you don’t have to worry about dirtying your phone with food. Unlike most of the alternatives, a timer can be carried into another room so that it’s always visible and within earshot.

You can use the timers on your smartphone, smart speaker, oven, or microwave-but there are good reasons to have a dedicated kitchen timer. For cooks who want the ability to track multiple things with one timer, we recommend the OXO Good Grips Triple Timer. The ThermoWorks Extra Big & Loud Timer is our top pick for cooks who want to track only one thing at a time.

They often have extra features (such as stopwatch functions and memory settings) or adjustable settings to increase their usefulness. The best kitchen timers are simple and easy to read and hear, with clearly labeled buttons, big digital screens, and alerts that are audible and/or visible from across the room.

Oxo timer clock instructions