Which flip clock is yours?
Three split-flap clocks, one idea: time you can watch turn over. They differ in three ways that matter. Words or numbers, wall or desk, and size. Here is how to choose.
Words or numbers
This is the first choice to make, because it changes how the clock feels in a room.
Texttime tells the time in words. At 10:10 it reads IT’S TEN, TEN. It is slower to read than numbers, and that is the point: people stop and read it. It is the clock guests ask about.
Flipping Out and the Desk Flip show numbers. Big, high-contrast cards, like an old train station board. One glance and you know the time. If the clock has to work hard, in a kitchen, an office, next to the bed, numbers win.
The size, drawn to scale
Here are all three on the same shelf, at true proportion.
Texttime is long and slim: about 26" wide and 3" tall (65 cm). It wants a wall, a long console or the space above a door.
Flipping Out is 14.2" wide, 5.5" tall and 3.3" deep (36 × 13.9 × 8.5 cm). Bigger than most people picture, which is exactly why it reads so well from across a room.
Desk Flip is 9" wide, 7" tall and 4.5" deep (23 × 17.6 × 11.6 cm). About the size of a hardcover book standing up.
Side by side
| Texttime | Flipping Out | Desk Flip | |
| Display | Words | Numbers | Numbers |
| Size | 26" × 3" × 3" | 14.2" × 5.5" × 3.3" | 9" × 7" × 4.5" |
| Best read from | Across the room | Across the room | Arm’s length |
| Placement | Wall or shelf | Wall or shelf | Desk, shelf or nightstand |
| Sound | No ticking. A soft click once a minute as the cards turn | ||
| Mechanism | Fully mechanical split-flap, no screen, no light | ||
| Power | 2 × C | 1 × D | 1 × D |
Which one is yours?
Choose Texttime if
You want a statement on the wall. You like the idea of reading the time rather than checking it. You have a long wall, a console, or the space above a door or sofa.
Choose Flipping Out if
You want the classic flip clock look with numbers you can read from across the kitchen or office. It works on a wall and just as well on a shelf.
Choose the Desk Flip if
It is going on a desk, a nightstand or a small shelf. You want the flip at close range, for less. Or you are buying a gift and don’t know their walls.
What owners tell us
“Always a talking point when company is over.”Linda, on Texttime
“Put it on a shelf in our living room and ready to order a second one.”Brian, on Texttime
“Have gotten great compliments. It is larger than I expected.”Ted, on Flipping Out
“Works as advertised and looks great with my decor.”Austin, on Flipping Out
Questions we hear most
Words or numbers, what’s the actual difference?
Texttime spells the time out: at 10:10 it reads IT’S TEN, TEN. Flipping Out and the Desk Flip show classic numbers, like a departure board. Words are more of a conversation piece; numbers are quicker to read at a glance.
Which one reads best from across the room?
Texttime and Flipping Out are both made for that: Texttime because it is long, Flipping Out because its numbers are big. The Desk Flip is sized for arm’s length: a desk, a nightstand, a shelf you walk past.
Wall or desk?
Texttime and Flipping Out do both: they stand on a flat base or hang from a keyhole on the back. The Desk Flip is designed to stand, on a desk, shelf or bedside table.
Do they tick?
No. None of them has a ticking movement or a second hand. Once a minute the cards turn with a soft, short click.
Do they light up?
No. All three are fully mechanical, with physical cards and no screen or LED, so they don’t glow at night.
How do I set the time?
Texttime: turn the knob on the back clockwise to 12:00 first, then keep going forward to the right time. Flipping Out and Desk Flip: turn the knob on the back clockwise until you reach the right time. On all three, clockwise only.
What batteries do they use?
Texttime takes 2 × C. Flipping Out and the Desk Flip each take 1 × D. Batteries are not included.
It’s running slow.
Put in fresh batteries first. A flip mechanism slows down as the battery runs low, and that is usually the whole fix.
A card looks out of place after delivery.
Occasionally a card shifts in transit. It usually clicks back into place by hand. If not, reply to your order email and we’ll sort it out.
Which makes the best gift?
The Desk Flip is the easy yes: it fits anywhere and needs no wall. Flipping Out is the one people notice. Texttime is the big gesture.
Does Texttime come in other finishes?
Yes, in Bamboo and in Black. We compare the two here.
Still unsure? Reply to any of our emails and ask. We read everything.
— Ch
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