# How many clocks are in your house? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439 "2013-05-03T18:43:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/1 "2013-05-03T18:43:02Z")
For some reason in a boring meeting I started thinking about how many clocks of any sort, any device that can tell me the time, that I have at home. I jotted down this list: ## LR Mantle clock 1 Fam rm Wall clock 1 Kitchen clock 1 Microwave 1 Office wall clock 1 Squeegee computers 5 MrsSqueegee computers 1 SqueegeeJr computers 2 Kitchen computer 1 iPods 2 iPads 2 Bedroom clocks 3 Cell phones 3 Pool remote control 1 XBox 2 PS3 1 Watches 1 Televisions 3 DVR 1 Alarm panels 3 Heater thermostat 1 Total: 37 clocks! Holy cow! How many do you have? Only devices that will tell you the time count, not some devices that knows what time it is but has no display. Clocks in your car in the garage do not count. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/2 "2013-05-03T18:47:07Z")
Too fraggin’ many, to the point where I leave the microwave clock unset (reducing it to two almost invisible dots) and turn the rangetop clock off (thankfully, it allows this). I am a bit anal about having them all show correct time, to the second if possible. I finally did get the grandfather clock to hold perfect time (within about 10 seconds a week). One of the big problems is that a lot of the auto-setting clocks have old DST logic and jump back and forth an hour over the week or two of changes. (That is, even on manual setting sometimes my manual change gets overridden both directions… VERY annoying.) Clocks are just one target in my goal of having my house go really, completely dark at night; it’s astounding how much all the little clocks, control panels, status LEDs and the like light things up. I call it the “Glow to Hell” project and have been working on it for about a year. OTC: 40, plus or minus 2, not counting dress watches not frequently worn. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/3 "2013-05-03T18:51:17Z")
I counted 16, may have missed a few, but I’m a bit neurotic about it, and get nervous if I go very long without knowing what time it is. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/4 "2013-05-03T18:53:16Z")
Lots. One of my old hobbies was going to yard sales and estate auctions and buying old mantle clocks. Most needed a little work which was often nothing more than cleaning the movement with a good carb cleaner then spraying on some light lubricant. I have a few in various states of repair and others just for parts. I have over a dozen of them around the house and about once a year I wind them all up. Sure makes a racket when they all start chiming. Something similar to the start of Pink Floyds’s Money. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/5 "2013-05-03T19:13:53Z")
Ugh, I picked 1-5, but probably should have picked 6. Iphone, iPad, Ipod, laptop, TV, Microwave ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/6 "2013-05-03T19:22:38Z")
I thought I was going to win this thread, but apparently I’m at the low end of the bell curve. Kitchen wall clock Tide clock Laptop Alarm clock Cable box Cell phone Stopwatch Travel alarm That’s 8. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/7 "2013-05-03T19:23:29Z")
Crap. I misread the OP and didn’t include all my pocket watches in my count. So we have about 20. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/8 "2013-05-03T19:36:42Z")
And I missed the little weather station MrsSqueegee gave me, so I’m up to 38. And two travel alarm clocks in our luggage, that makes 40. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/9 "2013-05-03T19:36:42Z")
Wall clocks 3 Alarm clocks 4 Microwave 1 DVR 1 VCR 1 (it’s not set since I don’t use it to record. I keep around because I have VHS stuff that’s still hasn’t been rereleased in a digital format) TV 1 (although I have to ask for the time) Programmable thermostat 1 Desktop computer 1 Laptops 2 DS 3 3DS 3 Wii 1 Wii U 1 Cell phones 4 Pedometer 1 Landline answering machine 1 Cordless handsets for landline 4 Not sure how many watches are in the house. My older son wears one. These days I usually only wear one at Sea World - you frequently need to know the time to make it to the shows, and it gets annoying to constantly dig my phone out of my pocket. Sprinkler timers. 2 (1 in garage, 1 on side of house - do those count?) So 33 + watches + 2 external to the main house. That means I picked the wrong choice. I had 20-30, but now I’m 30-40 ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/10 "2013-05-03T19:39:53Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Sprinkler timers. 2 (1 in garage, 1 on side of house - do those count?) I’d rule No, because they aren’t actually in the house. But it’s a very good point. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/11 "2013-05-03T19:42:17Z")
Since we’re using a broad definition of “clock”… under ten. iPhone, iPad, oven, microwave, PS3 (which has been chronically off for years and I can’t be arsed to fix it), TiVo, lappy. My TV _may_ have a clock on it, but I’m not sure. There’s the xbox, but I’ve not had that hooked up since moving. And I suppose there’s my running watch and irritatingly broken Garmin running GPS. So: I guess if you count the xbox and the tv, exactly ten. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/12 "2013-05-03T19:45:23Z")
Wall clocks: 1 Watches: 3 Alarm clocks: 3 Bugler alarm : 2 pads, each with a clock iPads: 2 iPhone: 1 Laptop: 1 Cable TV box: 1 Landline phone with answering machine that shows the time: 2 So 16 all total (unless I forgot something). It seems pretty much everything electronic functions as a clock these days, whatever it’s originally designed to do! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/13 "2013-05-03T19:45:55Z")
About eight, not counting watches, computers, and phones. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/14 "2013-05-03T20:20:59Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > My TV _may_ have a clock on it, but I’m not sure. I suppose in some sense, _all_ TV’s are clocks – just tune one to a station like CNN that has a constant time display. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/15 "2013-05-03T22:18:39Z")
35 things here know the time, but they don’t all display it. The answering machine has a clock, but no display, and my camera time-stamps images. It may be a cheat to count four “cable” boxes as they all get their time from AT&T. At Christmastime, we add probably ten timers to turn lights on and off. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/16 "2013-05-04T00:36:59Z")
Clocks are built into many of my appliances. Range, coffee pot and microwave. VCR, plus the actual table clocks I have. It’s close to ten. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/17 "2013-05-04T00:43:30Z")
Damn, coffee pot. Good one. I’m up to 41 with that. ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/18 "2013-05-04T00:55:25Z")
Working clocks which are generally displaying the correct(ish) time: Bedroom clocks - 2 Kitchen wall clock - 1 Computers - 3 Phones - 2 My watch - 1 Clocks which I am not counting in the poll: Microwave clocks (both broken) - 2 Stove clock (for all I know, it’s set to the right time, but I never look at it) - 1 Coffee pot (I don’t bother to set the correct time on it) - 1 Husband’s watch (broken or needs a battery) - 1 Clock near the TV that is currently unplugged - 1 Clock radio in the playroom that doesn’t keep correct time - 1 It’s possible that there are other time keeping devices somewhere in my house, but we don’t use them to tell time. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/19 "2013-05-04T00:58:17Z")
15! I woulda never thunk it. My initial response was four. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439/20 "2013-05-04T02:01:46Z")
My quick count (done sitting here on the sofa) comes up with 2 clocks (that serve no other function) 2 alarm clocks stove clock microwave clock 1 computer 3 laptops 3 smartphones That makes 13 We have a number of watches around the house as well, but I have no idea how many, if any, of them are currently in working order (i.e. have good batteries) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-are-in-your-house/657439.md?page=2)