Nowadays, there are no shortage of stories on the news about people trying to steal packages from other people’s houses or trying to break in and rob them. There’s a reason home security systems and video doorbells are so prominent. But there’s also a good way to make it seem like you’re home even when you aren’t. Using an outlet timer and setting it to have your lamps, fans, or even decorations turn on will give the impression that you’re at home, hopefully scaring off any intruders. But it also helps your home feel more like a home, as who wouldn’t want to come home to a house that wasn’t dark and cold? With just a simple timer, you’ll be able to set up different areas of your home to turn on different appliances and devices. We’ve highlighted three of our favorites, so you can have peace of mind even when you’re away.
Best Outlet Timer Two-Pack
It doesn’t get much easier than utilizing the Century Mini Indoor 24-Hour Mechanical Outlet Timer. You’ll be able to automate your home in no time, thanks to the double pack of two-pronged timers. Want your coffee machine to start brewing so you can come down to a fresh cup every morning? Just set it to start by plugging it into one of these. If you push the main pin up, it means the timer is off. If you push it down, it means it’s on and is ready to be set. You’ll be able to design your own schedule for your home appliances, making it the perfect thing to use when you are wanting to enjoy as much of the holiday season as you can by plugging in your Christmas tree to automatically turn on and off. You can set up to 24 different settings each day and can have devices turn on and off in as little as 30 minute intervals. The settings will repeat daily once programmed and plugged in. These timers don’t have to be near each other as you can set multiple different areas of your home to go off. This is compatible with most fluorescent lighting and LED bulbs.
Best Value Timer
For a cost-effective option for keeping your home safe, settle for the GE 24-Hour Heavy Duty Indoor Plug-In Mechanical Timer. It has a turnable dial in the middle that makes for easy usage and it has 48 separate on/off settings. You can set them for 30 minute intervals and this will help you schedule your fans, lamps, seasonal lighting, AC unit, appliances and just about anything you want to automatically set to turn on. This will deter crime at your home and will cycle daily without you have to reset it. So you can choose your schedule for the week or month and it will adhere to that. This features one grounded outlet as well as an override switch at the top of the timer that allows you to use your lights and devices manually rather than sticking to the schedule. This is used for indoor use only and will help you save energy and money in the long run.
Best Digital Timer
Allowing you to plug in two different appliances in order to program and schedule them, the BN-LINK 7 Day Heavy Duty Digital Programmable Timer is a great pick for any household. It is versatile and customizable, as it has grounded outlets on either side of it that you can plug into a wall outlet. The settings can be as short as one minute long and the outlets are controlled simultaneously. This is easily set up to eight on/off programs and lets you choose your own individual days or one of the pre-programmed settings. The digital screen shows you exactly what you’re choosing and, as well as the time and makes setting it up very simple. It also has a Daylight Savings mode that can be chosen with the push of a button. It also features a battery backup that will keep your settings saved in case of an emergency outage. The timer is UL listed and rigorously controlled for quality and safety. This will help your home look lived in whenever you aren’t there.
