You can not use a single screwdriver for every type of show. The same principle applies to outlet timers. You can not use a single type of outlet timer for everything around the house.
Some tasks would require a more accurate outlet timer like cooking etc and some tasks won’t. That is why it’s important to know are mechanical outlet timers better than digital ones.
No, they are not better than digital outlet timers. Because they are not accurate, nor are they reliable, they break down easily, and they do not offer much when it comes to control. Mechanical outlet timers use gears and springs. After extensive use, the gears either break or the springs develop rust which over time makes the outlet timer more and more imprecise.
In this article, we will discuss what mechanical and digital outlet timers are and why mechanical outlet timers are not better than their digital counterparts.
Are Mechanical Outlet Timers Better than Digital ones?
I think overall digital outlet timers are better than mechanical outlet timers. They offer many more features and modes.
The prices are relatively the same. Although digital outlet timers cost more, it is worth every penny. They are the best bang for buck outlet timers than mechanical outlet timers.
Below are the factors that prove why digital outlet timers are much better outlet timers than mechanical timers.
1. Applications
Due to the inaccuracy of outlet timers, they are not suitable for tasks and applications that require accuracy. Such as baking and some cases of cooking where timing is everything. You can also not use it originates in the aquariums.
I little bit of error can have huge consequences. That is why you need the accuracy and reliability of a digital outlet timer which would make sure everything is done on time with no errors and malfunctions.
2. Not Accurate
Digital outlet timers have fewer moving parts and they use electronic circuits which are far more efficient and accurate than mechanical outlet timers which makes them extremely accurate.
Mechanical outlet timers use gears, springs, and electromagnets which means there are a lot of moving parts so inconsistencies are bound to happen which makes them inaccurate.
In terms of accuracy digital outlet timers are the winner.
3. No Control
Digital outlet timers offer much more control meaning there is no limit to how short or how long the time interval is. This makes it very versatile because you can use it on tasks that require either a long interval or short.
Mechanical outlet timers have a special set of time on each pin which is either 30 minutes long or 15 minutes long which makes them useless for tasks that require short intervals.
4. Lack of Additional Features
With mechanical outlet timers, you have to do everything yourself. It does not give you much regarding additional features and modes. You have to program it yourself which can be pretty annoying especially when the power goes out.
Digital outlet timers offer much more, it offers energy-efficient programming which would turn the appliance on when energy costs the lowest to save you money in the long run.
It also provides you security feature that protects your home by turning the lights on and off at random times of the night to give an illusion that the home is occupied.
5. No power backup
Having no power backup means the timer will stop working in case of a power outage. This means you have to recalibrate the mechanical outlet timer to work properly which can get frustrating if you live in a place where electricity is unstable.
Digital on the other hand remembers your sittings and when the power comes back, it just continues to work as usual. It’s a much more convenient option than mechanical outlet timers.
Mechanical Outlet Timers vs. Digital Outlet Timers
We are now going to talk about the pros and cons of mechanical and digital outlet timers to give you a full picture of the differences between these two types of outlet timers so that you can decide for yourself which one of them is better.
1. Mechanical outlet timers
Mechanical outlet timers are some of the most versatile and widely used outlet timers. They use old analog technology with very little electronics and a lot of gears and springs. They are widely available.
There are lots of pros and cons about mechanical outlet timers but we have tried our best to get together the most common and widely documented benefits and issues of mechanical outlet timers.
Below are some of the pros and cons of mechanical outlet timers.
Pros
- They are straightforward to set up. Just pick a convenient power outlet timer plug the timer, plug the appliance into the timer, set the timer and you are set.
- Mechanical outlet timers are easy to program. You just have to set the time wheel to the current time of the day and push the pins to set the timer to your desired timer and that is it.
- They are very affordable and easily replaceable. You can find mechanical outlet timers in any hardware store. They are everywhere and the prices are low.
- Protects your home from the bad guys by turning the lights in your home on and off at random intervals during the night to give a sense that someone is living there.
- It also saves you money in the long run by using electricity efficiently. It would turn off devices that consume electricity even when they are idle.
- Make efficient use of electricity. You can turn your mechanical outlet timer to turn off heavy-duty appliances during off-peak hours to make efficient use of electricity and save some money.
Cons
- Mechanical outlet timers are not accurate. Because they have gears, wheels, and springs. This means there are a lot more moving parts inside outlet timers making them inaccurate.
- They are not reliable for long-term use. Sometimes the gears chip away or the springs develop rust. In some cases, the internal clock stops working which makes them not suitable for long-term use.
- Due to its accuracy, you can use it for something where timing is important like baking. You can also not use it on dish tanks to deoxygenate the water for the fish and much more.
These were some of the pros and cons of mechanical outlet timers. Keep in mind these cons would not affect the outcome of most of the daily tasks around the house. It would only affect tasks where time is of the essence
2. Digital outlet timers
Digital outlet timers are the most value-for-money devices. They are a little bit on the expensive side of the spectrum but they are worth every penny. They are accurate and do their job with the utmost precision.
Although there is a lot we can say about digital outlet timers. If you are talking about the best then the pros and cons will tell you exactly why digital outlet timers are some of the most value-for-money outlet timers on the market.
Here are some of the pros and cons of digital outlet timers.
Pros
- Digital outlet timers are accurate because they consist of electronic circuits which has fewer moving parts. Meaning fewer variables can be wrong, making it very accurate.
- They are durable because they are made out of PVC plastic. PVC plastics are the most common type of plastic used in industrial-grade equipment, making outlet timers very durable.
- Reliable because they use electronics. Electronic means fewer moving parts which means fewer weak points which makes it not only accurate but also reliable for the long run.
- They are very versatile because you can use them on a variety of different products. You can use it on lights, lamps, humidifiers, and much more. It would work on all of them.
- Comes with a lot of modes and options. This means you have more options in terms of how you use these outlet timers. You can use it to protect your home or enable efficient energy scheduling mode to automatically turn appliances on and off on off-peak hours when electricity costs less.
- They are easy to set up. All you need to do is plug the timer into a normal outlet timer, plug your appliances into the timer, and set the timer. That is all you need to do to set a digital outlet timer.
- Makes efficient use of the electricity. With the help of an outlet timer, you can rest assured that your appliances are looked after even if you are not there or when you forget which makes efficient use which is good for both you and the environment.
- Saves you money in the long run with the help of efficient energy scheduling. With the help of this mode, you can turn your appliances on and off on off-peak hours when the electricity is less expensive.
- You can use a digital outlet timer on any task that requires sharp timing like cooking and backing along with fish tanks because they are accurate and reliable.
Cons
- Expensive and hard to program. They are a little bit more expensive than mechanical outlet timers and they are hard to program because there are a lot of buttons and screens which can be a bit intimidating at first for non-technical people.
Those were some of the good and bad aspects of having digital outlet timers. They are reliable, durable, and make very efficient use of energy. They are a little expensive but they are worth it in my opinion.
Conclusion
Mechanical and digital outlet timers are good at their respective jobs and they both play well to their strengths. Still, when it comes to who is the best I think digital wins because after careful consideration they are best at everything.
So the answer to the question” Are mechanical outlet timers better than digital outlet timers?’ is no, mechanical outlet timers are not better than digital outlet timers.
Mechanical outlet timers are not the best because they are not accurate, they do not offer much control, they are also not flexible when it comes to time, and they also lack backup power which means you have to reset it every time electricity is gone.
If you compare mechanical and digital outlet timers side by side you will notice that digital outlet timers are accurate, they are reliable, offer many more programming options, and are much more flexible.
That is exactly the reason why mechanical outlet timers are not good outlet timers on the market as compared to digital outlet timers. Digital outlet timers are the best value-for-money devices to time your appliances.
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