Kitchen timer
Cooking presetsAlarm at zeroScreen stays on
Time's up
Space to start or pause, R to reset, F for full screen.
Set the minutes and press Start when the food goes in. While the timer runs, it asks your phone or laptop to keep the screen on, so you don’t have to unlock it with flour on your hands. At zero it plays three short bursts of beeps and the tab title says the time is up.
Presets
Typical cooking times
These are common ranges, not rules. Stoves, pans and packages differ, so check the package or your recipe and treat these as a starting point.
- Pasta: what the package says, usually 8 to 12 minutes for dried pasta.
- White rice: about 15 to 20 minutes at a simmer, covered, then 5 to 10 minutes off the heat.
- Eggs: about 6 minutes for soft-boiled and 10 to 12 for hard-boiled, starting in boiling water. The egg timer has the full breakdown.
- Chocolate chip cookies: usually 8 to 12 minutes at 350 to 375°F, until the edges turn golden.
- Steak: let it rest about 5 to 10 minutes after cooking.
- Tea: black tea 3 to 5 minutes, green tea 2 to 3, herbal 5 or more.
Questions people ask
How long do you boil pasta?
As long as the package says, usually 8 to 12 minutes for dried pasta like spaghetti or penne. Start the timer when the pasta goes into the boiling water, and taste a minute early if you like it al dente.
How long does white rice take on the stove?
Long-grain white rice usually simmers covered for about 15 to 20 minutes, then sits off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes before you fluff it. Brown rice takes longer, often 40 to 45 minutes. The package is the best guide.
How long should a steak rest?
About 5 to 10 minutes for a typical steak, a little longer for a thick cut. Set the timer when it comes off the heat.
How long do you steep tea?
Black tea usually 3 to 5 minutes, green tea 2 to 3, and herbal tea 5 minutes or more. Black tea gets more bitter the longer it steeps.
Will my phone screen stay on while it counts down?
While the timer runs, it asks the device to keep the screen on, where the browser supports it. Either way, at zero it beeps and phones that allow it vibrate.
For any length up to 24 hours, use the countdown timer. Counting down to Thanksgiving dinner instead of the turkey? Make a countdown to the date.