A digital outdoor outlet timer is a simple device that takes care of things for you without your presence. It makes sure your lawn is green, the house is well-lit, and your plants stay hydrated throughout the day.
Some other side benefits of using outlet timers are lower electricity bills, automation, and home security. It is a smart and cost-effective way to keep your home safe, bills low, and automate your home.
It sounds delightful.
However, the buying process is not that straightforward as there are many parameters and guidelines that you have to keep in the back of your head for the best digital outlet timer for your outdoor home.
Let’s get started.
Choosing the best digital outlet timer
I want you to think of the timer plugs as small electronic helpers that would automate things in your home to make your life much easier and better.
After doing a lot of research and reading through a lot of reviews. I have found that the BN-LINK Digital Timer is the best digital outlet timer in terms of brand reputation and capability along with very affordable price tags.
Below are the parameters that you should keep in mind and I also kept them in mind before I selected the product that I mentioned above.
a. Outdoor appliance compatibility
Make sure the outlet timer that you are purchasing is compatible with your outdoor appliances. That is the only part that is going to have a bigger impact than the rest of the parameters.
Get this part right and you are 50 percent there.
Buy a timer with high outdoor appliance compatibility. It should have a protective cover that protects it from rain, snow, and dust. Also, make sure it has a high voltage rating because pumps and sprinklers usually require higher voltages to work.
b. Load capacity
Load capacity is the maximum load a device can operate on without burning to death or malfunctioning in any other way. The higher the load capacity the better.
Seek out and look for an outlet timer with more than 1800 watts load capacity because most outdoor equipment operates on high loads and voltages.
c. Voltage rating
You should look for a voltage rating of at least 120 volts because most American appliances are designed to operate on either 120 or 125-volt AC.
d. Scheduling flexibility.
Having the flexibility to set the timer to whatever time interval you want is important. It gives you freedom. Being able to control the outlet ports independently can be very useful as well. You can set appliances to different timing from one outlet timer.
Having that two factors greatly improves the flexibility of the device and it’s something that you should keep in mind. Look for a digital timer that gives as many time sittings as possible and independent port control.
e. Built quality
Excellent build quality can beat functionality when it comes to outlet timers because the main function of an outlet timer is to turn things in your home on and off on a schedule.
Other functions such as security and extra ports can be solved. So the only thing that matters is the quality. Look for Polyvinyl chloride or PVC plastic. It is used all over the world in industrial pieces of equipment.
f. Number of ports
The number of ports in an outlet timer is like adding sugar to a cooky dough. You don’t want it too sweet but not too bland either. It’s the perfect balance that makes the best cookies.
For an outdoor outlet timer, 6 outlet ports are good. If you combine the sprinklers, pumps, light, irrigation, and garage appliances you can hook it up easily without having any issues.
g. Display
The display is the only part that would allow us to communicate with the circuitry inside to perform our desired task. It needs to be clear, concise, and easy to navigate.
Always look for a multiline display with backlight functionality because those types of LCDs will be the easiest to navigate and see through.
List of the top digital outlet timers
Making a list is always challenging because there are so many things that we have to keep in mind filter through, talk to other people, read reviews, and make sure the facts align with the truth.
After all of that, below is the list of the products we selected that we think are best on the market in terms of quality, brand recognition, and affordability.
1. Our Selected: BN-LINK Digital Timer
Founded in 2018. BN-Link is a fresh company that promises to automate your house and workspace and make your life more convenient without breaking the bank.
Their BN-LINK digital timer (Amazon link) is one of the best outdoor digital outlet timers because the functionality that this device offers us is simply unbeatable when you consider how affordable they are.
The Good
Here are some of the good aspects of this outdoor plug timer.
It is compatible with the outdoor environment: It comes with a high voltage rating and the protective cover provides excellent protection against water, snow, and dust. This means it is not doing to stop working in heavy weather or snow.
It has a high load capacity: This device comes with a load capacity of 1875 watts. Most American appliances have a load capacity of 1800 watts. which is very good.
A load capacity of 1875 watts means you don’t have to worry about overloading as this outlet timer can easily handle appliances with wattage much higher than 1800 watts.
The voltage rating is very compatible: This is something that I like about this heavy-duty outlet timer. It has a voltage rating of 125 volts AC. It is the standard rating for all American appliances.
This implies the fact that you can use this timer on literally everything around your house. It would work on all of your appliances. From pumps, and sprinklers, to irrigations or even conditioners.
It gives you flexible scheduling settings: This device gives you 8-time sittings which are plenty enough for your daily sprinklers, pumps, fountains, irrigation, and much more.
It is made out of polypropylene: It is a very durable and robust type of plastic used mostly in industrial products to withstand environmental abuses of any kind and shape.
There are 6 outlet ports on this device: The abundance of outlet ports will allow you to attach 6 different appliances to this timer which are plenty enough for most outdoor appliances.
Please don’t attach a normal power strip to the timer to get more ports because the outdoor environment usually involves water and if the power strip is not waterproof then it can be harmful for you.
The display is nice and clear to navigate: It uses a multi-line LCD which is very easy to read and navigate. That means you want to have a hard time taking a reading or setting up.
Although the display is nice and clear. It is not backlit and that is something I will be talking about later in this article.
It comes with 8 on and off programmable settings: This device comes with one of the settings which is plenty enough for most outdoor appliance cycles like sprinklers, pumps, and irrigation systems.
The Bad
Here are some of the bad aspects of this outlet timer.
- The buttons are a little bit flimsy. They feel like they are about to break
- It has no backlight which makes it hard to program in the dark.
These were some of the bad aspects of this device. Other than these two bad qualities, this is a solid device.
The Downright Ugly
The ugly fault about this timer is that it has 6 outlet ports. They are not independently programmable. This means all 6 outlet ports run on the same time settings.
2. Also Great: Dewenwils digital timer.
Dewnwils is a company that produces technologically superior products when it comes to its product line, even though it’s a relatively new company which is founded in 2016.
Their digital outlet timer is a very good alternative to the above option. It can offer you impeccable functionality, reliability, and durability without putting a serious dent in your pocket.
Important features:
- Yes, it is compatible with the outdoors because it has a protective cover that protects it from water, snow, and sun damage.
- The voltage rating on this digital outlet timer is a 125-volt AC. It is perfect for American appliances. It is the standard that is rated across America.
- This plug timer is made with Polycarbonate. Which is a strong and durable plastic that protects from outside environmental abuse.
- This device promises to give you 20 time settings which you can use to time it to whatever your situation requires
- There are 6 outlet ports on this timer. You can collect six different outdoor appliances without having any issues.
- It comes with a multi-line display. Which is perfect for reading and easy to navigate.
- Lastly, the outlet ports are not independently controlled. They all run on one schedule.
In summary, the Dewenwils digital timer (Amazon link) is a great digital outlet timer. It has a protective cover that protects it from snow water and dust along with solid built quality and voltage rating. It also has 6 outlet ports and a very easy-to-navigate display.
These features make it a solid candidate for an outdoor plug timer design for outdoor appliances like pumps, sprinklers, Halloween and Christmas light decorations, etc.
3. Also Great: SURAIELEC USTD16A
Suraielec is a company that promises to make your life as convenient and hassle-free as possible. They are a leading electronics company and specialize in home automation.
The USTD16A is a very capable and reliable outdoor digital plug timer with unmatched features which makes it worthy to be selected among the very best when it comes to outdoor automation.
Important features:
- It has a protective cover that protects the outdoor outlet timer from dust and moisture. It also protects it from Sunday image
- The voltage rating of this timer is 125 volts AC which means this device can operate on a variety of outdoor appliances such as pumps, sprinklers, and irrigations.
- This timer is made from an insulating flame retarded material which would protect the plug timer from environmental abuse of any kind.
- Offers 7 timer settings which are more than enough for your outdoor appliances.
- It comes with six outlet ports with the help of which you can control 6 different outdoor appliances at the same time.
- The display is multiline. It is clear for reading and excellent for navigation.
- This outlet timer also does not allow you to control the 6 outlets independently.
In summary, the USTD16A (Amazon link) is also a great digital outlet timer for the outdoors. It functions as intended and delivers on the promises it makes on the label.
It has a protective cover that protects it from outside environmental abuse. It also has a high voltage rating of 125 volts AC. The build quality is on point and the display is nice and clear. Overall it’s a solid option.
Conclusion
No one likes a patchy lawn and a housefront that looks straight out of a horror movie. We know how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lawn and a well-lit house. The main reason people forget it is because they are busy. An outlet timer can help you there.
Good good-looking home not only makes you happy and feel better but it can highly impact its selling value. Along with that. It saves you money and helps keep your home safe from uninvited guests.
That’s where a digital timer can help you. But how do you buy a digital outlet timer? Well, There are certain parameters that you should keep in mind to get the best deal possible.
- Outdoor appliance compatibility
- Load Capacity
- Voltage rating
- Scheduling flexibility
- Build quality
- Number of ports
- Display
To cut it short, the BN-LINK digital timer (Amazon link) is the best digital outlet timer on the market right now. It is very capable and reliable along with excellent price tags.
The cover protects the timer from environmental factors, and the voltage is high enough to work on all outdoor appliances. There are six outlet ports to which you can attach different appliances along with a nice and clear display.
Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about heavy-duty digital outlet timers.
Q1. What is a digital outlet timer?
A digital outlet timer is a digitized version of traditional outlet timers that uses modern circuits and electronic components to do the function of turning appliances on and off on a schedule.
Due to fewer moving parts and sophisticated modern circuitry. Digital outlet timers are more precise than their ancestors. They are more reliable and offer a lot of flexibility.
Q2. Is a digital outlet timer more accurate than a mechanical timer?
Yes, it is more accurate than a mechanical heavy-duty outlet timer.
Digital plug timers use electronic circuitry to do the intended job. That means it has many fewer moving parts which makes it very efficient and due to high efficiency, it becomes very accurate.
Q3. Can I use it on incandescent lights outdoors?
Yes, it can be used on any sort of light and it would work on all of them. It would work on fluorescent lights, LED strips, Halloween lights, and Christmas lights as well.
Q4. How do I set up my digital timer?
There are a series of steps that you need to follow to get the timer to work. Follow this set of instructions.
- Attach your timer to a normal outlet.
- Then attach your appliance to the outlet ports on the timer.
- Program the timer to your desired timing.
- You are all set and ready to go.
Follow these steps in sequence to get the desired outcome.
Q5. Can an outdoor timer plug save energy?
Yes, it can save some energy.
Energy waste usually occurs when we forget to turn on appliances such as air conditioners pumps, coffee machines, or fans. Having a heavy-duty outlet timer turns the appliances off when they are not needed which results in low energy waste.
Other useful posts
