Best Gym Timers in 2023

Counting yourself up or down during a workout doesn't have to be a chore - employ a top gym timer, instead.

Performing intervals during workouts are gruelling enough without worrying about counting yourself up or down, which is why dedicated gym timers are an essential item for home gyms.

Having a clock on your wall provide time alerts can really help you focus on blasting out those final few reps, with most modern wall options able to be programmed for your specific session through remote control or a smartphone app.

If you prefer to keep things old-school, there are also more classic stopwatch-style or even sand timers to explore, as well. Really, it's all about what your setup requires and what fits your budget.

So, in order to help you level up and do away with the timer app on your phone, we've compiled some of the very best gym timers to centre your workouts around. Time to explore your options.

Best overall

Customise your intervals with ease, thanks to this top LED gym timer.

Synergee's wall-mounted gym timer is one of many LED, rectangular options you'll discover when perusing this area, but it's important to know that some are more functional than others.

Thankfully, this is a great option to consider for those who need the ability to tweak for HIIT and EMOM workouts. With the included remote, users can customize the number of intervals and the time of each round down to the second, with reminders and counting up or down also available.

For what it's worth, it's also a very clear display - and the unit itself is available in a number of different sizes, making it easy to match to your space.

Superb smarts

This smart timer provides easy control over sessions and even music playback integration.

GymNext's Flex Timer is the option to zero in on if you want to easily control your device from a smartphone or tablet.

The 2.3-inch display offers a really clear look at the timer function you've set, and you can even sync it up with your music and have the external speakers fade towards the end of each round.

Naturally, those speakers can also give you a buzz at the end of each interval, with the format for your sessions able to save through the app.

Clip-on option

A simple but effective timer that can clip to your waist and buzz or sound you down from intervals.

If you're less interested in mounting something to your wall, this tiny Gymboss timer is a great alternative.

Able to keep track of intervals ranging between 2 seconds and 99 minutes, and repeat up to 99 in total, there's no compromise in timer functionality here.

Really, this is the pick for those who like to have the time clipped onto their waist as they work out. With chimes and vibrations able to bet set for countdowns, as well as a stopwatch and clock view, it's simple but does everything most users need.

Expert control

This medium-sized pick is ideal for those who want expert control over their interval training.

For those who want a medium-sized timer for their home gym, BTBSIGN's pick is a great option to consider.

The 10.98 x 3.58 x 1.61-inch unit is able to give you 12-hour or 24-hour time, count-ups or countdowns and custom intervals that you can easily return to. Plus, the remote even has pre-programmed options for Tabata and FGB CrossFit workouts.

Like all good timers, you can receive buzzes and beeps to signal new intervals or countdowns, too.

Perfect for intervals

A top medium-sized pick that lets you build handy pre-sets and take your workouts outdoors.

Seesii's gym timer is another that won't take up an entire wall, making it a neat wall-mounted option for home gyms.

The overall dimensions rest at 11 x 4 x 1.5-inches, with plenty of the typical functionality you would expect from a gym timer. Through the remote, users can set custom intervals, set countdown or count-up times or have it act as a stopwatch. Up to 10 pre-set interval sessions can be saved, too, meaning you won't have to go through setup every time.

What's more, for those who want to train outside, hooking up a power bank via the USB slot will allow you to time yourself in the great outdoors.

Stylish pick

Retro charm combines with casual functionality in this tiny timer.

If you require a tiny gym timer with a bit of character, look no further than Seiko's QHL062Y - modelled on the brand's iconic clocks that sit on the edge of the running track.

Instead of logging you smashing world records, this mini timer can instead be used to provide a stopwatch or countdown timer during your workouts.

We wouldn't say it's the most advanced option on this list, but it's certainly got the most retro charm - and it's a really great pick for casual use.

Retro option

Take your interval training and countdowns back to basics with this charming sand timer set.

There are undoubtedly more advanced options on this list, but, depending on who you ask, the old ways are still the best.

So, if you're the type to record your personal bests and reps with a notebook and pen, you might also enjoy timing your intervals with sand.

There are six pieces in this affordable and old-school set - giving you options for countdowns of one minute, three minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes or a half-hour.

Conor started life in journalism at Digital Spy as a technology reporter, covering everything from Tim Cook's hypnotic dancing to the latest phone launches, before moving to Wareable Media Group in 2017.

As an associate editor of the group, Conor was responsible for the granular testing of every wearable, smart home and fitness device to grace store shelves — even being known to cycle the streets of East London in a wearable airbag — before moving to Pocket-lint in 2020.

Conor is a sport and fitness enthusiast in his spare time, and has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, The Daily Mirror, Metro and The Independent.