I received this as a stocking stuffer (yes, as a college student I still receive stocking stuffers :-)).The clock itself works fine. It can count up or down. I do not believe it stops beeping at any point once the alarm goes off (at least it continues to beep for 5 minutes). This might be a pro or con depending on what you are looking for. The neat little clip/magnet on the back was something I wanted in a timer, but on this Taylor timer, the clip broke within two months of occasional use. The plastic is cheap, so that is probably what is to blame. Overall, I'd suggest another timer because the clip/magnet was really what I liked in this cheap little timer.