Polder Digital Timer with Vibrating, Audible, and Illuminated Alarm
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Our Price: $16.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Polder Digital Timer with Vibrating, Audible, and Illuminated Alarm
Customer Review: How a Polder Changed My Life
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this little gadget to help my daughter keep track of computer time. She'd barely had a chance to use it before I swiped it.
Why would I do that when I already had a bunch of timers -- stove clock, Palm Pilot, bedside alarm and even a stopwatch? As it turns out, the Polder is everything the others are not. It doesn't require that I read a manual to figure it out. It's much more accurate than those spring-wound kitchen timers that routinely run a minute or two off. Still other timers have alarms that give just a single, demure little "plink" which I often don't hear. Not my Polder: with its three signal modes, I can hear and/or see and/or feel it, so it always gets my attention ... even when I'm asleep. (In fact, I've started using it instead of an alarm clock -- at home and when I travel; it's easier to set/re-set, its alarm tone is audible without being grating, and its signal continues long enough that it's hard to miss.)
Being able to combine alerts -- sound with vibration, for example -- can be a boon. The ability to change from hours/minutes to minutes/seconds is also handy. Its small size and flat-ish shape make it extremely portable, so I usually just slip into my pocket when I'm wandering around. (The clip-on piece never worked for me. It regularly unclipped and sent the timer flying.) It uses its two AAA batteries gently so I don't have to replace them often.
All these features are translate into a real asset to someone like me with a serious tendency toward absent-mindedness. I burn fewer dinners, show up late to fewer appointments and oversleep less often.
The reason I gave the timer four instead of five stars is that it died yesterday, after about a year. But it was a hard-working year. And because I've come to rely on the timer, and because the price is so reasonable, here I am back at this page, ordering another.
Customer Review: Terrific timer.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought one in January, 2006, and in March, 2010, it still works like new. I bought another one in December, 2007 as a stocking stuffer for my daughter and son-in-law. When I asked my daughter how they liked it, she said, "Um, er, we don't really have much need for a timer, our oven has a built in timer..." But the next Spring, I noticed that my son-in-law was walking around with it clipped to his clothing as he timed steaks on the grill, and when I asked, they said that they got pretty constant use out of it (when barbecuing, baking cookies or pizza while watching TV in another room, etc.; turned out that the oven timer, in the kitchen, of course, couldn't always be heard above the sound of the TV), and that it turned out to be a great deal more useful than they initially thought it would be, and was definitely a keeper.
The one AAA battery that powers it lasts a long time. The timer (when set to the audible or sound setting) is louder than some electric alarm clocks I've used, and I've used the timer as an alarm clock, e.g., when taking a nap. I've used it on the vibrate setting when mowing the lawn, riding a tractor mower, and working with a chain saw, and the vibration is strong enough that the vibrations of the tool I'm using doesn't "drown it out." The flasher comes in handy when watching TV & DVDs, etc.; I set the timer on the coffee table, and the flashing doesn't interfere with TV or movie dialogue.
It is also a great as a meditation timer. Set it to vibration mode and even if it's not touching you, the vibration is audible enough to be heard yet quiet enough that it's not jarring like an alarm clock or the timer when it's in the audible mode. (And it's a lot cheaper than buying a timer that is specifically marketed as a meditation timer.)
Extremely easy to set, and it only takes seconds. Does not look or feel cheap.
Customer Review: not good as a vibrating alarm clock
Summary: 3 Stars
i bought this specifically to use as a vibrating alarm clock. i wear quite effective earplugs, and can't hear regular alarm clocks, and so need vibrating ones. i had been using a great oldschool nokia phone for that purpose, but then i lost it.
this item did not work for me as a vibrating alarm clock for these reasons:
1) the vibrating is very weak, meaning, not strong enough to wake a person, especially not if it's placed near the pillow. i think the only way you could remotely feel it is if it were actually touching your body. but see point two
2) the on/off button to turn the alarm off/on is right on the front of the device, and it is very, very easy to accidentally switch it off during the night. it'd be helpful if it had a little slider switch to turn it on and off
3) the fact that it's a digital timer (rather than a traditional alarm clock) means rather than simply setting a time for it to go off, you have to calculate in your head what time you'll be waking up, how many hours that is, do the math, and then set the timer to countdown by hours to that time. too complicated to do every night, especially when the times you go to sleep are at varying times
i want to qualify this review by saying that i bought this item for a purpose it was not designed for, and i never have used it as a hand-held timer. it looks pretty nice, and is easy to set times, very intuitive buttons. however, i was a little disappointed with the display, it's hard to see unless you're staring directly at it and the lighting is good. i'm writing this review just in case anyone else has the idea to try it out and see if it'd work as an alarm clock.
Customer Review: perfect
Summary: 5 Stars
I've only had this a few weeks, so this is an initial impression review, not a long term user review. I'll try to remember to come back and do that in a year or so.
My usage for this was to record tv shows while I was in another room with the computer writing. I wanted to be 'notified' when a commercial was about to happen so that I could record without the commercials. Most regular programs on tv have a 'formula' of either 6 or 8 minutes between commercials, so by figuring out which formula a particular show uses, I set the timer for 5 or 7 minutes and I'm able to bypass the commercials.
This thing has a lot of other uses.
It's about 2 3/4" long x 1 1/2
" wide and 1" thick. It has a 'spring clip' on the back so you can attach it to something that way and it also has a magnet on the clip so you could attach it to your refrigerator, tablesaw etc. It times in hours and minutes or minutes and seconds. It can count up or down, your choice. It has 3 alarm modes, vibrate,light and noise, so you can use it almost anywhere. Kind of reminds me of the old Volkswagon ads 'it goes uphill, downhill, forwards and backwards...isn't that nice?!'
Yes, it seems to do it all, well thought out and it feels really solid.
editing a month later: the vibrate function is now verty loud. The whole purpose of a vibrate function is not to disturb others at a movie, play, etc. This function is no longer workable, it;s louder than the actual alarm! Still good, but has problems.
Editing again: Nw it's all gone in the exact opposite direction! Buzz and sound alarm make virtually no noise or vibration, the only thinig that works now is the light! What a shame.
Customer Review: Thank Goodness
Summary: 5 Stars
I pick up my granddaughter after school and one day I was out and got busy and lost track of time. The next thing I knew it was 1/2 hr past the time I was to pick her up. When I am at home I set the timer on my microwave so I don't forget to go get her, but was clueless how to remind myself when I was out. At first I considered getting a watch with an alarm on it but they were more costly and one more thing I had to learn how to work so I set out to find something else.
With no idea what kind of store would sell something that would suit me, I googled it and saw this one and some others but only this one had what I needed and wanted, mostly that is keeps hours, not just minutes. This was exactly what I was looking for plus a bonus. It has a light alert timer feature as well. I do public speaking and many times there isn't a clock on the wall for me to keep track of my time. A watch doesn't work because I can't see the time without my glasses and even if I could, I can't remind me of the time when I get carried away talking. I can set this timer to a pager/flashing light. I read the reviews and couldn't order it fast enough.
It couldn't be easier to use, self explainatory and has a clip on the back which even has a magnet on it if you want to attach it to something metal. I carry it in my purse and I have found I am using it more and more to remind me of all kinds of things. I am wondering if I should order a second one incase I loose this one, never fails when I really like something, they stop making them.