1. In an Era of 'Smart’Things, Sometimes Dumb Stuff(4)

A kitchen timer vs. Amazon Echo

One of the most common uses of Amazon’s Echo is to set a kitchen timer. Just say “Alexa, set a timer for 80 minutes” while you’re busy chopping vegetables.

But there are reasons a cheap kitchen timer can be superior.

Cooking timing can vary depending on your heating element, among other factors. So if you have to check your food for doneness and change the kitchen timer, an old-school timer — either the analog variety or the type with a digital time display and two or three physical buttons — can be easier. It simply dings or beeps when the time is up and it’s quicker to add or subtract a few minutes by turning a dial or pressing a button or two.

You can also constantly see how much time is left on the timer, whereas with the Echo, you have to open a smartphone app to see the remaining time or ask Alexa to tell you how much time is left. Over the long term, using a smart speaker as a timer gets tedious.

A piece of paper vs. a tablet

When people buy new iPads or Amazon Fire tablets, they often give their older tablet a second life by designating it for the kitchen. There, the ancient tablet gets mounted to the refrigerator with a magnet and becomes a glorified recipe reader.

Having tried this experiment, it’s a hassle. You often have to clean the tablet after smearing food on the screen. The battery eventually needs to be recharged. And if you want to double or halve a recipe, you have to do some

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