Tronic Mechanical Timer Socket, 3200W, 220-240V

Our review

This is a plug-in mechanical timer socket from Tronic, rated at 3200 watts on 220 to 240 volts and finished in white PVC. Because the dial is mechanical rather than digital, it keeps working through power cuts without needing to be reprogrammed, which suits households and small businesses where the supply is not always steady. It is a reasonable fit for lamps, fans, water pumps, signage, phone chargers and similar loads you want switched on and off on a repeating daily pattern. Setting it is straightforward: push the pins down for the periods you want the connected appliance to run, then rotate the dial to the current time. The smallest interval you can set is 15 minutes, so it is not the right choice if you need switching accurate to the minute or second. Before buying, add up the wattage of everything you plan to plug in and keep the total comfortably under 3200W, and check that your appliance uses a plug that matches this socket. Compare it with digital timers if you want multiple separate schedules, countdown modes or battery backup, and with simple plug-in timers if you only need one on and one off period a day. Also think about whether the socket's body will block neighbouring outlets on a multi-way extension. It is available on Sokonia.