The best outdoor timer switches, compared.
Top pick: HanOaki 20 A mechanical Best value: HBN 24-hour plug-in – About £12.99 for a plug-in 15-minute dial, with 4.2 from 217 reviews. Score 76. No IP code or amp rating is printed, and some lids will not close over the clock. Updated October 2026.
An outdoor timer switch turns a garden light, a pond pump, a patio heater or seasonal decorations on and off on a UK 230 V supply. A plug-in unit has to suit a BS 1363 socket. The same search also covers a fixed weatherproof socket, a wired programme switch, a run-on button and a dusk photocell. The job comes first. A daily repeat, a different weekday programme, dusk control and a heater run-on need different hardware. The [outdoor timer switch buying guide](/hub/electrical-equipment/outdoor-timer-switch/sub/outdoor-timer-switch-buying-guide) puts connection, the printed IP code and the current rating in that order. Prefer a printed IP code. IP66 is a higher water-jet claim than IP55. Waterproof with no number is incomplete. A 13 A socket is about 3 kW. A resistive watt figure is not the pump, cable or breaker rating. Battery backup holds the programme, not the load. In England a new circuit is notifiable under Approved Document P. A plug-in timer on an existing socket is not a new circuit. Scotland uses building standards, not Part P. These switches are not RCDs.
An outdoor timer switch turns a garden light, a pond pump, a patio heater or seasonal decorations on and off on a UK 230 V supply. A plug-in unit has to suit a BS 1363 socket.
44 products checked · 57 hrs invested · +21,300 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Do you need a time of day, or dusk?
The HanOaki listing is a wired 20 A 24-hour mechanical timer at £16.99, with 15-minute steps and a waterproof claim that has no IP code. The star line is 5.0 from 2 reviews. The one UK review written out says the unit had arrived the day before and was not installed, so that score does not describe outdoor use. Voltage lines disagree: the title says 100–250 V AC and a bullet says 100–240 V AC. Consumption is printed as 1 W, which is the timer’s own draw, not the load it can switch. There is no weekday programme and no battery line. A 20 A daily dial on paper is worth noting beside the 13 A BG socket. It is not a timer you can judge from people who have fitted it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are comparing a 20 A mechanical claim on paper and you will wait for reviews from people who have fitted it.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants a proven outdoor clock, a printed IP code, or a different programme on Saturday.
Specifications
Common questions
How many reviews describe it in use?
The star line says 5.0 from 2. The one UK review written out says the unit had arrived the day before and was not installed.
Is an IP rating printed?
No. The title and a bullet say waterproof. They do not print an IP code.
What voltage does the listing print?
The title says 100–250 V AC. A bullet says 100–240 V AC, and another says consumption of 1 W.
The Flylin timer is a wired digital switch at £17.37, with 30 A in the title, 85–265 V AC, up to 28 on/off programmes and a built-in battery that holds the settings. The star line is 5.0 from 1 review, and that review says the unit was easy to wire and worked. One successful fit is not a durability result. The bullets describe a waterproof polycarbonate box with two outlet holes and do not print an IP number or a minimum step. They name pool pumps, but the single review is not a pond trial you can copy. A daylight-saving mode is listed, and the battery holds settings through a power cut without running the pump or heater. At this price the programme count looks generous, but the evidence behind it is one person.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are noting a 28-programme wired timer at £17.37 and you will not treat one review as a result.
Less suitable: A pond filter you are about to leave on a schedule, or a buyer who needs an IP code and a larger UK sample.
Specifications
Common questions
How large is the review sample?
The star line says 5.0 from 1. That review says the unit was easy to wire and worked.
Does a power cut wipe the programme?
The bullets say a built-in battery holds the settings. They do not say the battery runs the pump or heater.
Is an IP code printed?
No. The bullets describe a waterproof PC box with two outlet holes. They do not print an IP number or a minimum step.
The TiFFCOFiO TF-1703 is a twin-outlet mechanical timer at £67.08, with 30-minute pins, a 15 A title rating, a 1/2 HP line and a CSA listing. Across 6,570 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.4, which is the largest star count in this set and the wrong reason to buy it for a British socket. The first UK reviews on the listing say it needs an American plug and socket and does not fit UK sockets. In the first 50 reviews on the listing, the opening three are from the United Kingdom and most of the rest are from the United States. No IP code is printed, each pin is 30 minutes, which is coarser than the 15-minute dials on the BG and HBN units, and the bullets add a 6-inch cord and two outlets. It is relevant only if you already have a North American outlet, and a poor UK pick if the review count is what drew you in.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have a North American socket and you want a 15 A pin timer with two outlets.
Less suitable: A BS 1363 outdoor socket in the UK, or anyone using the star count as a British recommendation.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it plug into a UK socket?
The first UK reviews on the listing say it needs an American plug and socket and does not fit UK sockets. The listing says CSA listed.
Are the 6,570 reviews from the UK?
No. In the first 50 reviews on the listing, the opening three are from the United Kingdom and most of the rest are from the United States.
What is the shortest step?
The bullets say each pin is 30 minutes, with 48 on/off options in 24 hours. An IP code is not printed.
The BG WPDD is an IP55 photocell at £24.29, and it is not a clock. It switches from light level between 3 and 1,000 lux, either dusk to dawn or off 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours after dusk. Across 241 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.4. The technical details say 500 W and 220 V, and a current in amps is not printed. A UK review says the timed settings stop at 8 hours, so a winter evening that starts at 4pm is off by midnight, even though the bullets also list a separate dusk-till-dawn choice. Dimensions are printed as 2 × 2 × 2 cm, which is not a credible size for a wall-mounted switch, so treat that line as a data error. Batteries are not required. A 25-year materials claim appears in the bullets and is a listing claim, not a test. It is the row for lights that should follow dusk, and the wrong row when you need 7am regardless of the sky.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want outdoor lights to come on at dusk, and you will choose dusk-till-dawn if the night is longer than 8 hours.
Less suitable: A pump at a fixed hour, a load above the 500 W line, or a schedule that ignores the weather.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this hold a time of day?
No clock programme is printed. It switches from light level: dusk to dawn, or off 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours after dusk. Sensitivity is 3–1,000 lux.
What load is printed?
The technical details say 500 W and 220 V. A current in amps is not printed.
Why do some reviews dispute dusk till dawn?
A UK review says the timed settings stop at 8 hours, so a winter evening that starts at 4pm is off by midnight. The bullets do list a separate dusk-till-dawn choice.
The LOWENERGIE digital timer is a wired 7-day switch at £22.49, with 1-minute steps, IP55, 30 A and battery backup in the bullets. Across 24 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.4. The bullets say up to 20 programmes a day or 140 a week, while another field says 10 settings, so you should not quote one programme count as settled. A UK review says the unit needs to be left in Auto Off before it turns the load on and off by itself. The battery line holds the programme through a power cut. It does not power the load. One review mentions a pool filter and a Heatstar. The same 6,500 W resistive headline appears, with lower lamp caps, and no inductive amp rating is printed. It is the row to look at when weekdays must differ, if you follow the leaflet’s mode and treat 24 reviews as a short sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need different days of the week on a wired IP55 switch, and you will set the automatic mode from the leaflet.
Less suitable: A plug-in lamp, or anyone who wants the battery to keep a pump running through a power cut.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say the programme survives a power cut?
Yes. The bullets say battery backup. They do not say the battery powers the load.
How many programmes are printed?
The bullets say up to 20 a day or 140 a week. A later field says 10 settings.
What mode did a reviewer have to use?
A UK review says the unit needs to be left in Auto Off before it turns the load on and off by itself.
Across 1,251 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.2, the British General WP23TM24 is a fixed outdoor socket at £19.28 with a 24-hour mechanical dial in 15-minute steps. The title prints IP66, 13 A, 3,120 W and 250 V, and reviewers use it on garden lights and pond pumps. Several reviews describe the clock losing about an hour a day or sticking after months, so the dial is the recurring fault rather than the enclosure. The amazon lines say Type A, a 2-pin plug and two outlets, while a review is titled 'Only 1 outlet' and trade pages describe one BS 1363 gang, so the Type A line is not settled. The listing does not call this unit an RCD, and Screwfix lists the same model without one. It repeats one day only. It is the top pick here when you want that same on and off time on a wired 13 A outdoor socket and an electrician is fitting it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a fixed 13 A outdoor socket on the same times every day, and an electrician is wiring it.
Less suitable: A different programme each weekday, a plug-in Christmas-light timer, or anyone treating the Type A line as a UK plug.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this sold as a plug-in timer?
The bullets describe cable entries and a hinged outdoor socket. The same listing also prints connector type Plug-In and power plug type Type A (North American).
What IP rating and load are printed?
The title says IP66, 13 A, 3,120 W and 250 V. The listing does not say this unit is an RCD.
How fine is the schedule?
The bullets say a 24-hour mechanical timer with 15-minute segments. They do not describe a different programme for each weekday.
The HBN 24-hour plug-in timer is £12.99, with 15-minute steps and up to 48 on/off events a day. Across 217 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2, and reviewers use it on Christmas lights. Several say the body is too deep, and that a lid hinged at the top hits the clock above the pins, so the outdoor socket never quite closes. The item highlight says UK, while separate reviews say a unit arrived with a Euro 2-pin plug and was returned. No IP number, current or watt rating is on the listing. The bullets say water resistant and raintight, and they mention a child protector and a protective cover. It is the best value plug-in dial here when your socket lid can close over it and the plug in the box is a BS 1363 3-pin. It is a weak choice beside a pond, where a printed IP code matters more than the price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have an outdoor socket, the lid can close, and you want the same light times every day.
Less suitable: A pond, a heater you must rate in amps, or a socket lid that cannot clear the clock.
Specifications
Common questions
Is an IP rating printed?
No. The bullets say water resistant and raintight. They do not print an IP number, a current, or a watt rating.
Will it fit under an outdoor socket lid?
Several UK reviews say the body is too deep, and that a lid hinged at the top hits the clock above the pins.
Do the reviews all describe a UK 3-pin plug?
The item highlight says UK. Separate UK reviews say a unit arrived with a Euro 2-pin plug and was returned.
The Pro Elec PEL00590 is a wired push switch at £20.99, with IP66 and 16 A in the title and a run-on you set between 2 seconds and 2 hours. It does not print a daily on and off programme, so it will not turn a pump on at the same hour every morning. Across 38 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2. A UK review says pressing the button during the cycle pauses the timer and does not reset it to the start. The listing does not print a resistive watt figure, and the technical details say batteries are not required. The bullets say units can be paralleled. It suits a patio heater or a light you want to die after a press, and it is the wrong row if the job is a repeating clock.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a heater or a light to run for a set time after a press and then switch itself off.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs the same on and off times every day, or a different programme on Saturday.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this repeat a daily on and off time?
No daily programme is printed. The listing is a push switch with a delay from 2 seconds to 2 hours.
What current and IP code are printed?
The title says 16 A and IP66. A resistive watt figure is not on the listing.
Does a second press restart the full delay?
A UK review says pressing the button during the cycle pauses the timer and does not reset it to the start.
The LOWENERGIE Wi-Fi timer is a wired 30 A switch at £28.99, with IP55, 1-minute steps and up to 15 programmes a day. The bullets name Smart Life, Alexa and Google Home, and they do not mention a radio band. Across 26 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.0. Reviews from the UK and Ireland say it only joins 2.4 GHz. One unit stopped appearing in the app after about a week. There is no battery-backup line, unlike the digital LOWENERGIE listing, so you should not assume the programme survives without the app. The technical details print a weight of 20 g beside dimensions of 5 × 12 × 17 cm, which cannot both describe the same body. The 6,500 W figure is again a resistive headline. It is for someone who already uses Smart Life and can reach 2.4 GHz at the box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want app schedules on a wired IP55 switch, and the Wi-Fi at the box is 2.4 GHz.
Less suitable: A 5 GHz-only router, or anyone who needs the programme to keep running when the app cannot see the unit.
Specifications
Common questions
Which app does the listing name?
Smart Life, with Alexa and Google Home. The bullets do not mention a radio band.
What do reviews say about Wi-Fi?
UK and Ireland reviews say it only joins 2.4 GHz. One unit stopped appearing in the app after about a week.
Is battery backup printed?
No. The digital LOWENERGIE listing states battery backup. This Wi-Fi listing does not.
The LOWENERGIE mechanical timer is a wired 24-hour switch at £18.99, printed at 30 A, IP55 and 6,500 W maximum resistive, with 15-minute steps. Across 38 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.9. Several UK reviews say the internals rattled on arrival or that the timer mechanism would not stay clipped to its base. The 6,500 W line is resistive: the bullets cap metal halide at 6 × 600 W or 3,600 W total and CFL at 4,500 W, and they do not print a motor rating. There is no 7-day programme and no battery line, so a power cut leaves the dial at the wrong time of day until you reset it. It is a daily wired option when you need a higher current print than a 13 A socket and you will check that the mechanism is clipped before you close the box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the same times every day on a wired IP55 switch, and the load sits inside the printed resistive or lamp caps.
Less suitable: A pond motor you are rating from the 6,500 W line, or a Saturday programme that differs from Monday.
Specifications
Common questions
Is 6,500 W the figure for every load?
The bullets say 6,500 W maximum resistive. They also cap metal halide at 6 x 600 W or 3,600 W total, and CFL at 4,500 W.
Can each weekday have a different programme?
The listing is a 24-hour timer with a 15-minute minimum. It does not print a 7-day programme.
What do the reviews say about the mechanism?
Several UK reviews say the internals rattled on arrival or that the timer mechanism would not stay clipped to its base.
The Cloudpower KG316T-F is a small wired digital timer at £13.79, printed at 10 A, 220 V and 50 Hz, with 16 on/off cycles in the title. Across 14 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.6. The title says waterproof and does not print an IP code, and a page question about a memory battery is left unanswered. Reviews mention a fountain, a UV clarifier and a pump. One reviewer’s attempt to run an air pump for 15 minutes every hour did not hold as a schedule. The body is about 6.2 × 7.5 × 6.2 cm, which is compact for a wall box and still not a weather rating. Ten amps is a low ceiling next to the 30 A LOWENERGIE boxes, and 220 V is what the listing prints rather than a tested UK mains figure. It is a small-load timer only if you ignore the missing IP code.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are wiring a small load that stays inside 10 A, and you will not treat 'waterproof' as an IP code.
Less suitable: A pump whose start current may exceed 10 A, or a pond-side box where you need a printed IP number.
Specifications
Common questions
Is an IP rating printed?
No. The title and a bullet say waterproof. They do not print IP55, IP66 or any other code.
Does the listing confirm a memory battery?
A question on the page asks about a memory function. The bullets do not answer it.
What current is printed?
The title says 10 A at 220 V, 50 Hz. A watt figure is not on the listing.
The Jectse listing is a wired 7-day timer at £17.61, with up to 28 on/off programmes, 85–265 V AC and a battery the listing says lasts 15 days. Across 9 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.3. No amp or watt figure is printed, and the waterproof-box wording has no IP code. One UK review says the timer works but the terminals only take thin wires, which is a poor match for typical mains cable. Another review mentions a pond pump, which does not make the missing current rating into a pump rating. The battery holds settings through a power cut and does not power the load. The item-type line says combination switch and outlet plates, which does not match a plain timer box. A temperature range of −10 °C to +55 °C is printed. It is a low-price 7-day claim only if your cable fits and you can live with nine reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap 7-day wired timer and you have already checked that the cable will fit the terminals.
Less suitable: A mains pump on typical twin-and-earth, or a pond-side box where you need a printed IP number.
Specifications
Common questions
What current is printed?
None. The title gives 85–265 V AC, a 7-day programme and battery backup. It does not print amps or watts.
What do the three reviews say about the terminals?
One UK review says the timer works but the terminals only take thin wires, which is a poor match for typical mains cable.
Does the battery run the appliance?
The bullets say the battery holds the settings through a power cut. Battery life on the listing is 15 days. They do not say it powers the load.
Twelve amazon.co.uk outdoor timer listings were compared from the product pages, star lines and review notes in this set. This is not a lab test. A printed IP code, amp rating or watt figure is a listing claim. The weights below follow the buying order: job and schedule, then whether the connection suits a UK socket, the printed ingress protection, the load, and the review sample. The number on each product is the comparative score from that table. A 5.0 from one or two reviews does not outrank a larger UK sample.
Job and schedule
25%A daily repeat, a different weekday programme, dusk rather than the clock, and a heater run-on need different hardware. A 15-minute mechanical step, a 1-minute digital step, or no clock at all, is part of that job.
UK connection
20%A plug-in unit has to suit a BS 1363 socket. A fixed socket or a wired switch is installation work. A North American plug, or a Type A line that conflicts with a UK socket description, lowers this part.
Ingress protection
20%Prefer a printed code. IP66 is a higher water-jet claim than IP55. Waterproof with no number is incomplete, and it does not cover a lid held open by a deep plug-in body.
Load
20%A 13 A socket is about 3 kW. A 6,500 W resistive print is not the pump, the cable or the breaker rating. Where no amp or watt figure is printed, this part stays low.
Review sample
15%A large UK review set outweighs 5.0 from one or two people, including a unit that was not installed. Reviews from another country do not count as British outdoor use.
Start with the job, then the connection, the printed IP code and the current. Price comes after those. The notes below follow that order for these 12 amazon.co.uk listings. None of the scores is a lab test.
An outdoor timer switch on a UK mains supply is one of several devices. It may be a weatherproof 13 A socket with a daily dial, a plug-in pin timer for an existing socket, a wired programme switch, a push button that runs on for a set time, or a photocell that follows dusk. UK buyers use them for lights, Christmas decorations, pond pumps and patio heaters on 230 V, with BS 1363 plugs where the unit is plug-in. Judge the job before the price.
A 4.4 from thousands of reviews can be a United States sample. UK comments on that twin-outlet timer say it does not fit a UK socket. A 5.0 from one or two reviews, including a unit that was not installed, is not a durability result.
IP66 and IP55 are printed codes. Waterproof with no number is incomplete. It also does not cover a socket lid that a deep plug-in body holds open. Decorative lights still want weather protection and a 30 mA RCD.
A 13 A socket is about 3 kW. A 6,500 W resistive print is not the pump, the cable or the breaker. Battery backup holds the programme through a power cut. It does not keep the load running. A photocell does not hold a clock time.
Decide the job before you compare prices. A daily repeat, different weekdays, dusk and a heater run-on are different devices. Plug-in uses an existing socket and must suit BS 1363. A fixed socket or a wired 30 A switch is installation work. In England a new circuit is notifiable under Approved Document P. A plug-in timer on an existing socket is not. Scotland uses building standards, not Part P. A CSA-listed 15 A timer with North American outlets is the row UK reviews say will not fit.
Read the printed IP code. IP66 is a higher water-jet claim than IP55. Waterproof with no number is incomplete, and a lid that cannot close removes the protection of the socket behind it. A 13 A socket is about 3 kW. Where a listing prints 6,500 W, that figure is resistive, with lower caps for some lamps, and it is not an inductive pump rating. A 10 A title is a low ceiling for a motor. Prefer a large UK review set.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a fixed 13 A outdoor socket and the same on and off time every day, with an electrician doing the wiring. The BG WP23TM24 is about £19.28, with 4.2 from 1,251 reviews and IP66 in the title. It is not an RCD, and the dial repeats one day only.
You already have an outdoor socket and you only need the same times each day. The HBN plug-in timer is about £12.99, with 4.2 from 217 reviews. Check that the lid can close over the clock, and that the plug in the box is a BS 1363 3-pin.
You need different days on a wired switch for a pump, a filter or a heater. The LOWENERGIE 30 A digital timer is about £22.49, with 4.4 from 24 reviews, 1-minute steps and battery backup in the bullets. The sample is short, and the battery does not run the load.
In this set of 12 amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the BG WP23TM24 13 A outdoor socket at about £19.28, with 4.2 from 1,251 reviews and a score of 86. The title prints IP66, 13 A, 3,120 W and a 15-minute daily dial. The best value is the HBN 24-hour plug-in at about £12.99, with 4.2 from 217 reviews and a score of 76, when the outdoor socket lid can close over it. Neither score is a lab test. A new circuit is work for a registered electrician, and none of these listings is an RCD.
HBN 24-hour plug-in
About £12.99 for a plug-in 15-minute dial, with 4.2 from 217 reviews. Score 76. No IP code or amp rating is printed, and some lids will not close over the clock.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources are listed below. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the listings for this comparison.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the figures on the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. We did not lab-test these outdoor timer switches.
