Budget Flip Clock Flip Out

Flip clocks appear to be back in fashion - are the cheap ones any good? - Click Show More to expand this text box...
Purchasing Links below (all affiliated):
White clock (cheapest)
Amazon US: amzn.to/2e7cBPw UK: amzn.to/2eOuCVS
Large clock
Amazon US: amzn.to/2e7dFTC UK: amzn.to/2eOwz4u
eBay (general Flip Clocks)
UK: goo.gl/6fSFrc
US: goo.gl/CF5otG
CA: goo.gl/Ihve3F
DE: goo.gl/qJIih4
AU: goo.gl/ckjtJD
NL: goo.gl/lHPfS0
Note - the eBay seller I bought my clocks from no longer ships to the UK - so I haven't included a link to them. When buying off eBay - do a bit of research - look at the number of sales and check their recent feedback. Pay with a credit card through Paypal for buyer protection.
Don't worry - I'm working on more retro videos, but these clock boxes were cluttering up the place so I needed to get this out of the way first. I'm also working on dash cams, action cams, mini cams, failed formats, oddities etc etc...it's all in the pipeline. I'm getting straight onto my next video as soon as this one is uploaded - so I won't be around to answer any questions, sorry...but I really do need to catch up.
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-----AFFLIATED LINKS/ADVERTISING NOTICE------
All links are Affiliated where possible.
When you click on links to various merchants posted here and make a purchase, this can result in me earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network & Amazon.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON Sites (including, but not limited to Amazon US/UK/DE/ES/FR/NL/IT/CAN)

[@LGR]

This was very helpful, I've been eyeing a couple of these on Ebay myself.

[@whateverforevermusic]

love me daddy nukem

[@ricardosantos2599]

10:20 AIMING FOR 1.000.000 BLOCKS AN HOUR

[@googleboughtmee]

So if you're friends with Techmoan you're probably getting a flip clock for Christmas

[@faithplus1588]

googleboughtmee Lol

[@timothymn2]

Someone will be getting the mid priced one from me!

[@janfaltynek1498]

googleboughtmee i got the white flip clock on christmas

[@applepinez]

I won't be complaining, that's for sure

[@extrahourinthepit]

So... a flipped clock?

[@twothreebravo]

A man with one clock always knows exactly what time it is, a man with many clocks never knows

[@fabers92]

- old Chinese proverb

[@danmackintosh6325]

If you want the ultimate in accuracy just take the batteries out of your clock (providing it's analogue!). Instead of maybe being within a few milliseconds of the atomic clock throughout it's battery life, it will in fact be EXACTLY right... Twice per day...

[@yakfacts]

A man with his own NTP clock does.

[@skinlizard2251]

@@TomVycital He literally said "(providing it's analogue!)". Analogue clocks do not have am and pm indicators, at least not usually, as someone who has quite a few of them and also collects pocket watches.

[@vivalalvam]

Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day

[@sumosushi7571]

I had a USB card reader delivered from the USA about a month ago after placing the order in 2012.

[@Mrx2002]

Now thats fast service! -_-

[@sumosushi7571]

I AM THE GREAT CORNHOLIO! I know, +++Top seller, super fast delivery. Thank you+++ LOL. The US shipping lable was from about 18 months after I'd ordered it to so what the hell kind of eBay would you call that XD Techmoan should hold on to some hope for his alarm clock arriving sometime before 2020.

[@2010ngojo]

They've probably import it to the US before shipping it directly to you. Was it from California or something?

[@jordanzish]

Sounds more like someone found it in under a conveyor belt after a few months and just tossed it back on it's way.

[@CWINDOWSsystem32]

jordanzish More like a few years...

[@euroshopperbier1337]

The manual of the 6 digit one says about the "seconds"; decorative flips (no for time) you can see it at 3:02

[@dorontsur]

That's just bullshit. A clock is the one thing you'd want to be accurate, dammit!

[@ClaudioMichel]

eagle eyes... wouldn't have noticed that (nor did Techmoan)

[@Smothtiger]

Were recommended by KZbin to watch this again after watching Technology Connections on flip clocks.

[@inactiveytchannel]

We are

[@dukenukem8381]

HOLY SHIT I AM ACTUALLY WATCHING TWO CLOCKS RACING EACH OTHER

[@williamhayden7711]

The primary issue I see with the open flip clocks is the accumulation of dust. It won't be easy to dust them, so perhaps a bell jar over the top of them might help.

[@Muonium1]

air duster

[@BrentBlueAllen]

Would the constantly moving nature of the digits not prevent dust from collecting on them?

[@MrRacerhacker]

no, haven't you seen a computer fan, lots of dust on the fan blades

[@joydime]

+Brent Allen Laminar flow fluid and gas has a velocity of zero at the boundary layer. Car washes owe a good part of their business to this effect.

[@309Littlelion]

Speaking of computer fans maybe some air duster would solve the problem?

[@chubbypapaya]

Features: Cheap

[@azyfloof]

I reckon the chinglish in those first instructions means to set the time one minute ahead of what it is, so that manufacturing tolerances in the gear backlash then take that minute out.

[@oscarmuffin4322]

It does mean that. I have one similar to the one in the middle. When you set it you have to set it one minute ahead and then it takes two minutes until it flips over to the next minute. So if I was setting the clock to 5:10. I would set it to 5:11 when my phone hits 5:10 and then two minutes later at 5:12 it will flip over and be correct. So then both will show 5:12.

[@TyDurr1]

I own the one with the big digits, and I recommend it highly. Mine has gained 30 seconds in about six months, so I can't complain too much. There's a low, quiet hum all the time that's pretty easy to ignore, but otherwise, it's great!

[@gentuxable]

Bad joke: Why did the fourth clock not arrive? It takes its time.

[@rippedtorn2310]

Just clocked this terrible joke . On the face of it a bad pun , it took me a second but i got to hand it too you , one to watch . #timepiecereferences .

[@Simon-ps3oj]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@Max-9632]

🤦‍♂️

[@solomoncisneros6052]

too soon.. get it

[@funnyyylock]

@@Max-9632 if my phone had this i would use it. Thank you.

[@DanChasingTheGlobe]

Techmoan, admittedly I wasn't expecting to get much out of this video about flipping clocks, but again you continue to exceed expectations. Thanks for the information. I think I may be hooked on the postscript puppet performance. Cheers from Texas.

[@BodyKnight]

It's weird, i haven't touched or set a flip clock in maybe 20 years, but the moment you started turning the wheel on the second clock, i had a very tactile memory of how it felt to spin those things.

[@desnick2316]

Very satisfying feel

[@MrMaxeemum]

I saw this video about 2 years ago and decided to get the large one as shown in this video. It has been brilliant, it has kept perfect time for 2 years and not needed any adjustment. But I have had 2 digits fall off (one of the 2x tabs the digit rotates on broke) but these were easily repaired with super glue and a pin. Highly recommended.

[@chewy1684]

I love your intro music, it reminds me of naff 70s/80s documentaries that I always got shown in school (and I went to school in the 00s...)

[@SamCyanide]

The clock on the left (skeleton clock) has so much character. I love how it fails at 42 sec and then just piles up till it flips down.

[@catfishkempster]

I just wanted to say thank you for the video. I've always loved this style of clock and keep my eyes open for them when at thrift stores, but rarely find a working one. Well, I just received mine today (the cheapest one), and it fits in great in my retro themed gaming room. Awesome!

[@woohunter1]

This takes me back to the mid ‘80’s when I had a Sanyo flip clock radio with backlit clock, loved that thing.

[@danaross]

Re the puppetry; Great writing and well done. You have a great channel and i truly appreciate your work and silliness.

[@VikasVJois]

I get excited when your review video content ends early cause I know there is a funny muppets sketch coming. They are hilarious. Keep it up

[@laurenhahn8569]

"Features: Cheap" Well I'm sold.

[@danibarrens]

Good afternoon. First tell you that I love your channel, it's sensational, congratulations !. After commenting that I have exactly that clock (the biggest) and is very nice but makes a very sharp noise at night, you can hear the mechanism very strongly.

[@TheVaultable]

I got that largest clock as a present about a year ago. i really love the way it looks. It took a short while to get used to the sound of it flipping as I kept it in my bedroom, but I don't even notice it anymore.

[@JoshuaRastia]

I finally got around to getting the cheaper flip clock thats in the white case and i really love it! Me and my gf were looking for a clock we could put next to our tv, and we didn't want something with a big face or made with led's or anything too bright to distract us from gaming, and this clock was perfect since it has no backlighting! The ticking & flipping is very soft and not noticeable at all while gaming or watching stuff.

[@razubi]

I just found out about these clocks. Your video is perfect for my curiousity! Very thorough and your voice is just as amusing!

[@jgroenveld1268]

I love flip clocks - my first experience of coming across them is when as a kid I used to go to the bank with Mum.

[@oscarmuffin4322]

I can vouch for the one in the middle keeping good time as we have one. May just be lucky but it's lost about a minute in a year. And that's easy enough to fix just by flicking it a two minutes forwards (As when you adjust it, it takes two minutes for the first minute to flip over). However, the minutes do not drop exactly a minute apart I may add. That's why the cheapest one was seemingly faster. Due to tolerances and whatnot minute 57 may last 67 seconds whereas minute 7 may last 53. It all averages out though.

[@mariobonello9797]

Follow all your videos with interest. You convinced me to purchase the flip-clock you liked, and purchased via ebay, and I am very happy with it. The unexpected astonishing thing is that I after about two months since I received it, it is still keeping exact time! Amazing considering that it is not quartz but mechanical.

[@Techmoan]

I found the same thing with mine - surprisingly accurate.

[@davidyates748]

Thank you Matt, that nicely resolves a dilemma I've had for the last week or so!

[@mattbates6887]

I had a Japanese made direct mains driven flip clock in the 80's, worked perfectly for years. Good old Japanese, they still make some good gear.

[@thatpersonsmusic]

I have a flip clock from around 1975 and one with a rolling mechanism from the 80s, both Japanese, they both keep time perfectly. Also have a strange mechanical 7 segment display clock (the “lumitime” clock), gears were gunked up a bit but I freed them up and its kept time well since

[@charlesm82]

Really enjoyed this video as I do all of your videos. Keep up the great work. You work is appreciated and enjoyed.

[@WilsonMackle101]

I'd be interested on your take on those fancy simulated sunlight alarms that are supposed to make waking up in the morning alot easier. Would be interesting to see a budget one compared to one of the mad high end ones

[@Girder3]

I actually bought the four-digit version of the second clock in the video about a year ago. I quite like it and it kept decent enough time for a desk clock and was easy to read when I got out of bed. Unfortunately the minute panel that has the little wing broke off recently, which messes with the way the hour switch over works so that the initial couple minute panels get messed up. Thankfully the mechanism still keeps decent time.

[@Igstormchaser]

I recently got a Panasonic RC-6030 on eBay for $40. It's a great clock and seems pretty accurate, especially being from 1971. It's the wood version of the one from Groundhog Day.

[@plexion01]

Thanks for this video I bought the big one because of it and I love it.. it’s so nice and it’s quiet

[@brechen2002]

i have one of those big ones on the round foot, and it's amazing how accurate it is!

[@iceblu3710]

Thanks so much for this vid! After the timer I was scouring the net for my own flip clock and there are TONS of CHEAP ones and I figured they would be terrible time keepers given the low low cost. Lee Valley sells an accurate one with calender but its very pricy. I am going to get the large one for fun.

[@McRocket]

I like the large one as well. BTW, I look forward to those post-review puppet shows now...I am hooked.

[@Thematt11]

You read my mind. I've been debating buying one of these over the last few days.

[@Rayshader]

Lovely I was about to buy them and stopped by youtube for this. Thanks.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

Definitely one of my favorite channels. Was thinking of getting a flip clock last week after watching a bunch of the retro vids, and lo and behold, now there's a vid for flip clocks. Doesn't sound like these new clocks are as good as the old Emerson AM/FM/alarm flip clock I had as a kid though!

[@ricardosantos2599]

At 7:30

[@s0n1cm]

Great video, look forward to them whenever they come out!

[@antonioarroyas7662]

Great idea for a video! More affordable than tubes and almost as interesting.

[@RaceToNowhere]

I have a very old train station wall mounted flip clock, given to me as a present when they renovated a local train station here in Italy

[@KevReillyUK]

I bought the cheap one about a year ago, before seeing this video. I always fancied a clock like the on in LOST (alas ThinkGeek's April Fool version never made it to reality) so the intent was to install this one in a custom case and possibly modify the minute digits to be white-on-black and more closely resemble the one from the show. As with many of my projects none of that happened, but the clock itself is surprisingly nice. A pair of decent rechargeable batteries lasted about 11 months (changed them a couple of weeks ago and I don't recall changing them previously) and it had only gained about 15 seconds in that time. Certainly accurate enough to use as a quick glance clock, although I'm guessing limited QA means there'll be a lot of variation in accuracy and I may have just got lucky. In my home office with computers and/or ceiling fan running, I don't notice the ticking or even the "flap" of the changing digits most of the time. I'm not sure I'd want it as a bedroom clock though.

[@wilkes85]

Mechanical digital clocks are so cool, and there's a whole world out there of unique and interesting designs and mechanisms. I've got a 1970s Strauss flip clock at my desk and it keeps perfect time; if the power didn't go out for a year, it would still be accurate down to the second... and I only paid a couple bucks for it! Finding vintage ones isn't that easy anymore and if you're lucky to find one, it's likely to be broken, so it's nice that they make new ones again. That 6 digit model demonstrates why this particular type of mechanism didn't display seconds on vintage units... usually they had a spinning wheel that displayed a spiral pattern or something similar, just to show that the clock is running.

[@OmarKhanUK]

I bought that cheap white one a few months back (from Germany): don't find it as noisey in general use but do have hrs:mins syncing issues and noisy when it does finally flip over (whole unit shakes). They are pretty from an engineers/retro view point, but that's about it. Great vid.

[@bradyeates1266]

At 3:58 you can see some brown coloured residue on the 'seconds' wheel, this is on the number 44 flap so probably explains why some flaps get stuck together when it comes round to 42 seconds each minute

[@ricardosantos2599]

7:30 and 5:30 or 7:01

[@thelacustrian8573]

Lol love the ending, and really love the flip clocks

[@Boemel]

Still waiting for a giant airport flipboard to show up for cheap somewhere... That will be my new kitchen memoboard :D What's that dear? Pick up milk after work ? RATATATATATATATTATATATATA XD Btw if you want a reliable source of time do not get the cheap ones, even with fresh batteries they will run slow !

[@dissonantdreams]

Tom Jacobs ohhh, imagine! That would make for the coolest kitchen memoboard ever...

[@CoriolisAffectment]

Ooooh, app connected from the internet! Send each other into a swoon with messages from "out there" at unexpected times! Ah yes, what every passive aggressive couple needs. Lol.

[@somitomi]

Awww, hell, that's actually a pretty damn neat idea. Shame I couldn't even find one from a railway station. Although those can't just write anything your heart desires. But still, that flipboard sound, I miss that.

[@bryceforsyth8521]

Use old GE built ones (that use mains power), from what I have seen they are very accurate. EDIT: I'm speaking in relation to accuracy of the clocks.

[@geulach]

I have the white clock, would definitely recommend, had it for almost a year now and never went out of sync! the clicking sounds might disturb some people at sleeping though, but I got used to it :)

[@jTempVids]

Good review and video. I've been thinking about buying one of these for years.

[@MCKoolperson9]

Get a vintage GE, I have two and they are awesome. The alarms are really annoying though

[@daled4191]

Ogoun

[@tron1984galxian]

Just ordered the middle one,love it.

[@MegaBakerdude]

The D cell compartment on the large clock with the circular cap looks cool.

[@ckape]

I had picked up one of the 6-digit ones a while back and I think part of the problem with the seconds is that it doesn't have the tab hanging down from the bar to hold back the digits like the hours and minutes have. I think if you added a tab it would be more consistent, but never actually tested it. Of course the main problem is it's meant to be a modular design so they can use the same parts for the 4 digit version that never showed up

[@HillbillyRednecking]

I love my flip clock, fairly accurate as well!

[@Mark_Dailey]

I bought the big flip clock and I love it.

[@OaksCU1]

The muppet parts are always so good!

[@benny2700]

Yes, It's very important to making up tooling short accuracy, also you must remember to adjust forward clock change the button for order to well keep time accuracy.

[@Nexfero]

I bought an old 1978 GE Flip Clock radio/alarm clock a couple years ago on ebay, it was only like $15, still works fine

[@kevnar]

The ticking of a clock serves only to remind you at 3 am that you're getting closer to your own death.

[@gaspars4753]

Thank you so much for this review! Grabbing one off Amazon now!

[@setoravenclaw]

Cool video as always, been wanting one of these clocks for years.

[@ed10523]

This is A Great Video. When i was younger my parents had a Panasonic flip clock radio with a faux wood grain finish. It also had an amber glow light when the lights turned off. These clocks bring great memories of my home as a young man. Great ending with your puppets. They always make me laugh. I agree, whats with the comments of "First" on You tube videos anyway. Cheers!

[@bancombe1]

I think your channel is great. all interesting videos well put together. Keep up the good work.

[@austinformedude]

Thanks for making this video! I was just looking at flip clocks online! :)

[@colinreid3544]

Bought the big one about 2 years ago, also thinking it'd be a lot smaller LOL! Uses a battery a year approx. and is actually super accurate. Great conversation point.

[@ricardosantos2599]

7:30.1 7:01.001 5:30.001

[@ZoeyDMC]

I bought one of the large flip clocks, and I love it. It's accurate "enough"... but it scares the cats at the half hour and the hour when both flips snap forward.

[@Duke_Silver]

I wonder if you can buy some kind of replica of the "Groundhog Day" clock, preferably playing "I Got You Babe" as an alarm signal.

[@w7777777s]

Oswald Cobblepot "I Got You Babe"

[@dissonantdreams]

Oswald Cobblepot Haha, Groundhog Day is the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I see one of these clocks! That would be awesome :D

[@kurtownsj00]

"Okay campers rise and shine, get your booties on because it's COLD out there today!" kzbin.info/www/bejne/i37WfKd3eZKNrac

[@armron94]

I found flip clock in the trash/ rubbish the other day. It works fine all I do is work is the radio. So I cleaned it up and use right now my study. And I always wanted to a flip clock back to the future movie and the groundhog movie that's why I always wanted one. It is a General Electric flip clock. I put my digital alarm clock next to it. And so behind by a couple seconds. I had for a few years now. And it's reliable. It also has a light tell what time it is. That's neat.

[@freesaxon6835]

As always a great video Always thought these clocks make the passage of time ' visible' in a different way " If only your mother was here to see it" lol

[@alejandrolanatta4185]

thanks for the video !!!!! I order the large one today !!!!!

[@pigeonette1]

Congrats on 1 million

[@ruvarkus]

vintage ones are the best :) I like those motors

[@SamSamShine]

As always, very nice review, you deserve more subs :)

[@ChipGuy]

Doh, now I want a flip clock, again.... Haha to the muppets at the end. Coming up with the Pedant's Father pupped was the best idea ever.

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

Good stealth on not showing unwanted reflections of the puppeteer on the glass and chrome.

[@billevans84]

Got the cheapest plastic box flip clocks, just like in the video, but in black colour. Ended up with hour flip freezed at 4 pm (can't move it even with button pressing), while minutes still keep running. Thanks for the video!

[@nevet1212]

I've had a very similar model to the cheapest one in my kitchen for more than a year now. Same batteries, albeit very good batteries, but the time is still set correctly, maybe off by a minute or so.

[@fallstar3183]

I've been looking at the large one for a wile thanks for the review I think ill grab one lol

[@jackforpresident666]

This channel is great! Subscribed!

[@TheShivABC]

I still rock my Panasonic flip clock from the 70's wake up for work like Mcfly every day! lol

[@gold4963]

Commenting first is actually pretty difficult! Yet another great video by Techmoan!

[@aspectcarl]

This video provides a definition of the phrase "time keeping" that I was previously unaware of.

[@mattiastuiskuluoto2546]

Mr Techmoan! You need to produce more videos, i really enjoy them and one a week isn't enough! :D

[@CheshireTomcat68]

I bought the cheap one due to your video, for a bit of fun, at the time of the video, and it worked fine until a week ago and the hour mechanism is sometimes not flipping, with a loud click/bang. Maybe budget flip clocks aren't the way to go in the long run :-)

[@peterudbjorg]

AM/PM: That’s soooo US & old-fashioned. In the Civilzed world, we use 24 hour clocks. :P Still, they are neat. :)

[@SnickersTS]

I looked for flip clocks before, but was disappointed to not find any 24 hour ones cheap enough.

[@squareenigma1022]

☢ SNICKERS 5+2 GRATIS ☢ Wait did you used to always comment on Ashens videos? I know i recognise your name from somewhere...

[@danielbergmann4330]

You could always buy a old flip clock, there are heap tons of the fuckers. I bought a 70s GE flip clock a few years ago for like 20 bucks...and never had any problem with it. Cool Dashie photo btw... :P

[@Fummy007]

Who cares if its 24 hours. Just add 12 if is says PM

[@tomsuper2199]

+Fummy that's fucking annoying for anyone who doesn't grew up with the 12h-system.

[@Fummy007]

Its way more intuitive tbh. Get used to it famalam

[@thedutchretrogamer]

i have the cheap one and love it remember me of the good times

[@piccalillipit9211]

THE SKETCH at the end was brilliant...

[@hitmiccs]

I own the large-digit clock, as well as the cheap one for a couple of years now. The large one runs like forever on a single battery and mine keeps really good time, like 1 minute + in a month. It's noisy as hell, you can hear the motor running all the time - so yours must be of better quality :) What's funny about the cheap version: mine seemed to have a problem with stuck gears, if you set it to the correct time, after a week or so it showed the time minus one hour - the minutes were still correct! That's the miracle of cheap stuff, I guess ^^

[@stevenjlovelace]

I always love the old computers Green Muppet uses.

[@HiFiInsider]

great video as always. Can you pls. do video on vintage flip clocks from Sony or other makers?

[@beitie]

I'd love to see a video on the Bang & Olufsen brand, and their awesome separates systems :)

[@MoghulVeyron]

Dude, thanks for this video, super helpful!

[@Mandalore06]

I love the puppet shows!

[@RhythmGamer]

67th! Now i defiantly want one. Side note: Bitcore is a patron on like almost everything i'm a patron in lol, he must be a cool guy

[@abandonedprogram9391]

rockin out with your clock out i see