The stove turns itself off,whether or not anyone remembers.
Automatic shut-off timers and key-operated gas isolation for gas, electric, and dual fuel cooking appliances — installed by a licensed electrician, and a plumber where gas is involved.
The hotplate left on is the reasonfamilies start these conversations.
A stove timer is rarely the first thing anybody asks about. It comes up after something happened — a pot boiled dry, a tea towel scorched, a smell in the hallway — and the conversation that follows is about whether somebody can keep living in their own house.
That is a large question resting on one small risk, and it is a risk a device removes completely. The timer cuts power or gas to the appliance after a set period, every time, without the person having to remember anything or press anything different from what they already press.
It is one of the least expensive things on this site, and one of the very few that changes an answer about somebody’s independence rather than their comfort.
The kits, and whateach one is for.
Which one is right depends on the appliance and on whether the person should be cooking unsupervised at all.
Kit 1 — gas stove and gas cooktop timer
An automatic shut-off for gas stoves and cooktops. The appliance turns off after the set period. For somebody who cooks perfectly well but is at risk of forgetting to turn the gas off.
Kit 2 — electric cooktop and upright cooker timer
The same automatic shut-off for electric cooktops and upright electric cookers. No gas line is involved, so no plumber is required — an electrician installs it.
Kit 3 — dual fuel timer
For a gas cooktop paired with an electric oven. One timer controls both appliances, so there is a single period to set and a single thing to explain.
Kit 4 — gas valve isolation switch
Isolation only, with no timer. A key-operated switch marked on and off; turn it off, remove the key, and there is no gas to the appliance. For somebody who should not be using the stove without supervision.
Kit 5 — gas timer with isolation combo
Both functions together: automatic shut-off after the set period, plus the key-operated switch to isolate the gas supply entirely. The option carers most often ask for.
Kit 6 — dual appliance combo
Two independent timer units for a home with a separate oven and cooktop that each need their own shut-off — a Kit 1 unit for the gas appliance and a Kit 2 unit for the electric one.
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The bypass key switch,and why it exists.
An optional add-on rather than a kit of its own, available with the timer kits.
What it does
It temporarily overrides the timer so the cooktop runs as a normal cooktop. The switch is marked "timer" and "bypass", and the key is removable only in the timer position — so it cannot be quietly left in bypass and forgotten, which is the failure mode an override usually introduces.
Who it is for
Households where a family member or carer also cooks — a Sunday roast does not fit inside a safety timer. It gives the second cook the appliance back without removing the protection for the person it was fitted for.
Which kit,in two questions.
What is the appliance, and should the person be cooking unsupervised? Those two answers pick the kit.
First — what is the appliance?
Gas cooktop or stove, electric cooktop or upright cooker, or dual fuel: a gas cooktop with an electric oven. Dual fuel needs one timer across both, which is Kit 3 rather than two separate units.
Second — timer, isolation, or both?
A TIMER lets them cook and switches the appliance off after the set period — Kits 1, 2, and 3. ISOLATION is a key switch that controls the gas supply, for somebody who should not be cooking unsupervised at all — Kit 4. BOTH is Kit 5.
Two separate appliances?
A household with a separate gas cooktop and electric oven that each need their own shut-off takes Kit 6 — a Kit 1 unit and a Kit 2 unit, working independently.
Then decide on the bypass
Add the bypass key switch if somebody else in the house also cooks. It is an add-on to a timer kit rather than a kit of its own, and it is the item most often forgotten at the quote and asked for afterwards.
How the timer isset, and by whom.
The shut-off period is set by the installing electrician, not by a dial the resident can turn. That is deliberate: a timer somebody can extend is a timer that gets extended, and the protection quietly disappears.
A short period is the point of the device. It is long enough for the cooking most people actually do at the stove, and short enough that an appliance left running stops being dangerous. If the setting turns out to be wrong for the household, a qualified electrician can change it — it is not fixed forever, it is simply not adjustable by accident.
There is an indicator light on the timer switch that stays lit while the timer is running, so it is possible to see at a glance that the appliance is live.
What the installationinvolves.
Worth knowing before you specify one, particularly in a rented property.
This is fixed electrical work
A stove timer is installed much like a power point, which means a small opening cut into the wall and a connection to the fixed wiring. It is not a plug-in device and it is not removable by the resident — only a qualified electrician should take one out.
The existing appliance and switchboard have to be compliant
The stove and the switchboard must meet current regulations before a timer goes on them. Occasionally that turns a simple job into a larger one, and we would rather find that at the quote than on the day.
Renting changes the answer
Because this alters the fixed wiring, it needs the property owner’s permission. Ask the owner or the managing agent before the work is specified, not after it is approved.
Gas work needs a plumber as well
Anything that isolates a gas supply involves a licensed plumber alongside the electrician. We organise both rather than leaving the coordination to the household.
How the installationruns.
Quoting
We quote to the occupational therapist’s specification, against the photographs of the stove and the switchboard. Where a funding body is paying, the quote is approved before anything is booked.
Onsite installation
A licensed electrician attends, and a licensed plumber as well where gas is being isolated. The timer goes in much as a power point does, and the period is set at this point.
Handover and warranty
We show the resident and the carer how it behaves — including what the indicator light means and, where one is fitted, how the bypass key works. The work and the product are covered by the relevant warranties.
Brochuresand guides.
The kit comparison and the quote requirements, for specifying and approving this work.
Product brochures
- Stove timer brochure — kits 1 to 6 and the bypass switchComing soon
Quote request requirements
- Minor modifications — quote request requirementsComing soon
Questions
What people ask aboutstove timers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the stove timer settings be changed after installation?
What is a gas isolation key switch?
How does the bypass key switch work?
What happens if the gas flame goes out while the timer is running?
Can both the bypass switch and the gas isolation switch be fitted with a timer?
Do you supply stove timers as well as install them?
What do you need in order to quote a stove timer?
Can’t see your question? Call us on +61 3 8658 1358 — we’re happy to talk it through.
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