Timer specific, I don't deal with often. When I do, it's something specified on the print call-out sheets. But brand wise, some brands' products are good-
Honeywell Home series has a fan timer that I've used in person. It was at a manufacturer's demonstration. They had one being torture tested in a steam box. The thing lived. It's pretty convenient. Like many digital, you can program how long you want it to run and all the user has to do is push a button to start the countdown.
In addition, you can program it to run for a certain amount of time at a particular time of day. So if a forgetful kid takes a shower at a certain time each day, you can have the timer turn on buy itself. It's got a clock and a backlight that's adjustable to 3 levels of brightness.
I can't remember the model number, but the one at the link following looks like it:
https://www.honeywellhome.com/us/en.../digital-bath-fan-control-hvc0001-u/#features Cost = ??? (Don't have to buy through an installer as is alluded to on the web page. They are in some stores and on line.)
The below concerns experience with lighting controls. I assume fan controls will have the same reliability results in each brand.
Lutron makes several fan timer models. The brand is typically reliable & priced well. Their Maestro series tends to have more features. I've installed many of their commercial lighting controls and products and don't remember problems.
Pass & Seymour Legrand makes very reliable controls. The selection is limited, but the products work forever. Cooper is one of their many brands. Same reliability.
Broan-NuTone makes one or two fan controls. I don't know who makes them for Broan, but Broan is good about warranty.
To Avoid-
I'd skip anything Leviton- especially electronics. Problems, problems, problems.
Certainly skip anything electrical with an unknown brand name. Electrical is scary when things go wrong, so you absolutely are advised to buy from reputable brand names.
Where To Buy-
Electrical supply houses sell only legitimate products. If you go to the parts counter instead of the showroom, the price is much lower.
I've noticed fan timers in plumbing/heating wholesale counter displays, too.
Supply House Com is a reputable on-line place to buy electrical. They don't have a huge selection, but are honest. Sometimes the price is low, too. For fan timers, I haven't an idea of who they sell.
Grainger and McMaster-Carr are legitimate. Costly, but legitimate
Zoro is legitimate. (It's owned by Grainger and is the lower priced outlet.) Drill Spot is also Grainger owned, but more expensive.
Mom-and-Pop hardware stores, plus the national chains are legitimate sellers of safe items.
Items sold on Amazon
sold by Amazon or by the manufacturer is probably legitimate, as probably is Walmart
sold by Walmart. (Not 3rd party vendors) IF the manufacturer is a recognized & established brand.
Where Not To Buy-
eBay, Bonanza and Amazon 3rd party sellers, plus Walmart 3rd party sellers sometimes sell fakes with brand names. Temu is loaded with fake clones.
I'd avoid buying at a home center like Lowes and Home Depot. Customers return things as defective and they go back on the shelf. I bought a dimmer at Home Depot once when I was in a rush at night. I opened the box and inside was a note saying "This is broken. Did Home Depot put it back on the shelf?". At Home Depot & Lowes, I've picked up lots of broken things of all sorts or things missing parts.
Another Lowes mention is that I returned a bad electric drill. On the box, I wrote DEFECTIVE in black magic marker. I told the returns guy. While I was picking out a replacement, the same returns guy put my broken drill back on the shelf- with a white sticker over where I wrote "DEFECTIVE". I took it to the counter and gave it to the manager and explained. Bam! Back on the shelf again!
Not specifically fan timer related, but good to know:
A friend whose father owns several factories in Shenzhen, China said they make brand name stuff for real companies, then run off a bunch of extra to sell to vendors on the side (side runs). Some have the real company's name and some have names & colors chosen by the vendor.
There's a problem if the real brand name on a side run tool needs warranty work. The serial number won't show up on the manufacturer's system when you make a warranty claim. Power tools are a favorite crook item. It happened to me once on an eBay "new in box" "authorized seller" Bosch saw that was out of stock elsewhere. Looked real. Price was the same stores. But it was a side run, thus no warranty repair. Oops!
