My previous lamp timer was digital and I was able to set on/off times for every day of the week. The problem was it was so complicated that it took 15 minutes to change the program. This mechanical timer is so easy - pull the tab up, light goes off. Push tab down, light goes on. Spin the dial and set the time of day.
Here are some innovative designs - the timer sits on a table so there's no crawling around on the floor to turn the light on. There's a bypass switch and indicator light for manual control and to tell you if the lamp isn't on because the bulb is burned out. It's rated at 15 amps. With this much juice I'm using it to turn on my coffee pot in the morning. Turn any coffee maker into an automatic coffee maker.
Here's the stuff which keeps it from being a perfect design - the switched outlet is on the back of the unit rather than on the cord. You would think they'd put the timed outlet at the wall socket and give you an unswitched outlet on the table top? I thought it was backwards, but then again the coffee pot cord is so short it's perfect for me. And, the so-called "decorative protective cover" which "complements any decor while protecting your settings." Yea... ok, it's a nice design but it has the word SYLVANIA in large blazing capital letters on the cover which is not shown in the photo. Functional? Yes. Decorative? No.
Conclusion: It's a great high-quality timer.