Do You Set the Timer or Trust the Internal Clock?

[eunny jang]

No timers. I don't even have a clock in my apartment, aside from the clock radio by my bed. I usually glance at the time on my cell phone every once in a while.

[lala]

I only use a timer if it's a long cooking dish and I'm stepping out of the kitchen, usually on one of those days where I'm on a cleaning whirl, with something in the oven for dinner. And baked goods.

Otherwise, it's all instinct, and my nose that tell me when something's ready.

[alexw]

i only ever use a timer for boiling eggs as have no sense of elapsed time, otherwise i eyeball, some things though I need the temp probe for as most of my lamb is cooked in a modified yogurt maker, (I set the temp to 58C), also when cooking pork belly confit or duck confit then I have to set the cell phone alarm cos I cook these for up to 60 hours.

I notice a lot of toaster comments, can someone please answer why most toasters have a setting to burn the damn toast, Hmm maybe I should start a new thread on this one.

Alex

[lovebenton0]

My internal timer is pretty good. But when food needs strict, specific timing I have to watch the clock, or my watch. Can't hear a timer going off. Or food boiling, sizzling, etc., so if I'm going to be involved in something else and can't watch the food I make a note of time and always check earlier than I expect it to be done. (Of course this means I have to remember to do that when I start it. ) I go by smell, feel, and taste to back me up. And I always feel like I have accomplished something when the garlic toast is perfect. Horrible waste to burn toast of your homemade bread!

[andiesenji]

Timer?  You get by on one single timer?    Sheesh!  I have three of them often all set for different times and my biggest problem is remembering which is set for what.

←

---------------------

This used to be a problem for me, because so often I would have multiple things going at the same time.

Then it occurred to me that I could use color coding.

I bought the inexpensive Taylor long-ring timers. Along with them I got clips with magnets on the back which are different colors, red, blue, green, yellow. On each timer I covered the top with colored tape, about the same color as the clips.

Something goes in an oven or on the stove it gets one of the magnets stuck next to it or on the door of the oven and the matching color timer set for the proper time.

And for those of you that have trouble with toaster ovens. Check your local thrift stores and see if you can find one of the original General Electric Automatic toaster ovens. These were made from the late 60s to the late 70s. They are the best toaster/toaster oven ever made. It is worth your while to find one in fair condition and take it to a small appliance repair place and have them check it and put on a new cord.

You set it for how you want your toast or bagle or whatever and when it is done the door pops up to open and the shelf slides out.

I have three, two purchased new way back when and another picked up at a garage sale and refurbished, "just in case", because I love them. I have a large collection of toasters, I buy quite a few on ebay. I have yet to see one of these show up on ebay. Everyone I know who has them is hanging on to them because they work so well.

[sparrowgrass]

I once melted an aluminum pot all over an electric stove, while making iced tea.

I use a timer.

[Anna N]

---------------------

This used to be a problem for me, because so often I would have multiple things going at the same time.

Then it occurred to me that I could use color coding. 

I bought the inexpensive Taylor long-ring timers.  Along with them I got clips with magnets on the back which are different colors, red, blue, green, yellow.  On each timer I covered the top with colored tape, about the same color as the clips. 

Something goes in an oven or on the stove it gets one of the magnets stuck next to it or on the door of the oven and the matching color timer set for the proper time.... 

←

Great idea for anyone with commonsense - but I lack that. Everytime I set more than one timer I am absolutely confident I will know which is which.

[Suzanne F]

I've got, oh, let's see: four timers in the kitchen -- built-ins on the stove and nuker, a manual twisty kind, and an electronic one received in a conference goody bag. I mostly use the stove and nuker ones, because I get distracted when I am 2/3 of the way across the apartment at my desk (on eG, usually ). Always for pasta and baking, not much else.

Then at my desk I have a Polder 3-way timer-plus-stopwatch-plus-clock. But that I use more as a clock, for timing breaks, and when I'm doing laundry.

[bloviatrix]

Timer on the stove, a 3-way, and the probe thermometer can also be used as a timer.

Can you say I'm anal? But then, we use the timer for other things such as reminding us to go down to the laundry room and that we have to go out and move the car because of alternate side of the street parking. Occassionally, we even use them for food.

[NeroW]

Internal clock at home, timers at work.