Ticktime review: A simple idea that changes count-down timers forever

There’s two primary uses for timers in my home. Cooking and Screen time.

Now while Apple’s actual Screen Time app has helped with the latter there are times when you want to put a limit on watching TV or other activities, and when it comes to cooking, those old school twist and start bell timers are a bit naff really.

Enter Ticktime – a new idea that hasn’t yet launched, but I’m all in.

They sent me one to have a play with before they even start taking orders – or set a price!

The idea is pretty simple – its a timer that starts as soon as you sit it down on the relevant side. As a hexagon, it has six sides, each of them has a number on it – 3, 5, 10, 30, 25 and 15 minutes.

So if you want a timer for 15 minutes, lay the Ticktime flat with the 15 pointing up. Immediately the timer starts and you can see the countdown on a fully digital display on one end.

Flick it over to another number and the timer starts on that length of time.

You can set your own times too with minute and second buttons on the top of the device either side of the display.

Now there are two things about it that I don’t think work as well as the makers might have hoped. Firstly, it should count up too – if you put it screen down it will count upward, but whenever you go to look at the screen you set off a timer to start.

Then there’s the magnetic coating. It should stick to your fridge. But whenever I did that it just slid down the surface. So a bit more magnetic power is required me thinks.

But leaving that aside, it’s really cool! Requires a Micro USB charge now and then and you’ll want to keep it near you if you’ve got it timing the kids – because those little brats will pick it up and put it down again – restarting the timer:) Basically when it’s timing – you need to keep it still:)

Fun – not worth more than $30 though, so I suspect that might be an issue when they announce pricing. If it does come in at a good price – it’s a great gift idea.

Update: Pricing has been decided – One Ticktime is $39, three ticktime devices will set you back, that is $23 per timer – USD – so it’s not cheap, you’ve gotta have two mates to share the price with.

Web: Ticktime