The timer function works great, it's really bright and puts off the perfect amount of heat. The light is just a tiny bit brighter when plugged in. I have mine set for 6 hours and use the blue and violet lights.
This planter is well worth the money. It usually takes radishes a full month to harvest outside. This is the cutest little aerogarden seed pod sized life support carrier.
The timer is great! The timer has 3 settings. After you turn it on everyday you then select how long you want it to stay on. These lights are super bright for 20w.
I normally use a t5 * setup they are so picky. They're light weight enough that i was able to mount them on the underside of a shelf i already owned. The greenhouse is metal frame with lightweight wire shelving.