How to Set, Name and Check Kitchen Timers by Voice on Your Alexa Echo

Set your first timer with a name

Stand where your voice carries well, then say the wake word (by default, "Alexa") followed by the timer request. Speak naturally, in one short sentence, and include a name such as "pasta" or "rice." Your Echo's light ring usually lights up when it hears you, and it answers out loud with a confirmation like a timer set for a certain number of minutes. If your Echo has a screen, a small timer card often appears too. If it only asks which timer you mean, repeat the request with the name at the end.

Naming the timer matters later, because it's how you'll find it again when several are running. Many people find that naming a timer after the dish works better than generic names like "timer one."

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Add a second timer while the first one runs

Keep the first timer running, then give Alexa another named request in the same way. The point is to avoid guessing which pot is which. Alexa keeps each timer separate, so the second request doesn't cancel or replace the first one. Give the second timer a clearly different name, like "rice" or "sauce," so you won't confuse them when they finish.

If Alexa asks whether you want to replace the existing timer, it's usually because the names are too similar or the request was unclear. Say "No, keep it" or simply repeat the new request with a distinct name. If your Echo doesn't allow a second timer at the same time, you'll hear a message saying so. In that case, you'll need to cancel one first, which is covered in Step 4.

Your Echo will alert you separately for each one when its time is up.

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Check how much time is left on each timer

Whenever you're unsure, ask. You can check one timer by name or ask Alexa to list what's running. Speak in a normal voice from wherever you are in the kitchen. Alexa answers with the time remaining, such as minutes and seconds left on that one timer. If your Echo has a screen, the timers may also appear on it, though you don't need the screen to hear the answer.

This is a helpful habit when you step away from the stove to chop vegetables or check the oven. You don't have to remember the start time in your head, because Alexa keeps track of it for you. If Alexa answers with a timer you didn't expect, check the name. It may be the one you set earlier with a similar name.

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Cancel or replace a timer by name

Sometimes plans change. The water boils faster than expected, or you decide to bake instead of simmer. You can stop a timer by name, and then set a fresh one with the new time. Say the cancel request clearly, including the name, so Alexa stops only the timer you mean. Alexa will usually confirm that it has canceled the timer.

Some Echo devices and Alexa+ may also let you adjust a running timer, such as adding a minute, but that wording varies. If you aren't sure, the safest approach is to cancel the timer and set a new one with the right length. Doing so takes only a few seconds and keeps the names and times accurate.

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Turn a recipe into a timer list

This is where Alexa+ is most useful for a more advanced kitchen workflow. Instead of working out every time in your head, you describe the dish and ask Alexa+ to list the steps that need a timer, in the order you'll reach them. You then set each timer yourself using Steps 1 and 2. Alexa+ can answer in a conversational way, so you can follow up with questions like "Which of those can I start at the same time?"

Treat the list as a rough draft. Compare every number with your own recipe or the package instructions before you rely on it. Alexa+ cannot see your pot, your oven, or the food itself, so it can't tell you when something is actually done. Use your recipe and your own checks, such as a food thermometer for meat, to decide when food is ready.