7 YouTube channels to watch when you need to kill some time

Sometimes you just want to kill a little time without needing to actually pay attention.

Whether you're cooking dinner and don't have the attention span to focus on what you're watching, or you just plopped yourself on the couch and have zero intention of ever getting up, YouTube videos are always perfect for mindlessly gazing at content you aren't truly absorbing.

Here are seven YouTube channels to binge watch when you need some background noise:

1. Townsends

Have you ever wanted to learn to build an earthen oven, or carve a canoe out of a tree, or smoke bison meat? No? That's OK! Townsends will show you anyway. The extremely niche but wholesome YouTube channel will teach you all aspects of living in the 1700s, whether you wanted to know or not.

2. Jenny Nicholson

YouTuber Jenny Nicholson really takes one for the team and breaks down the trash entertainment we're all curious about, but don't have the patience to actually consume. From summarizing bizarre rom-coms to unpacking terribly written books, Nicholson will help you stay culturally up-to-date through lengthy, surprisingly informational videos.

3. Helpful Vancouver Vet

Whether you're a cat owner or not, the channel Helpful Vancouver Vet is still helpful for killing time and learning something new. Need to know how to brush your cat's teeth, administer eyedrops, or simply hold your furry baby? Helpful Vancouver Vet has your back. (And they'll teach you how to support your cat's back, too.)

4. 5MadMovieMakers

Who knew watching toy cars speeding down a plastic racetrack would be so satisfying? 5MadMovieMaker's videos are short, but delightfully mesmerizing. Why bother getting off the couch anyway? Instead, you can listen to a fun xylophone symphony, played by an orchestra of tiny cars.

5. STRANGE ÆONS

Like Jenny Nicholson, STRANGE ÆONS does humanity a favor by reading the worst possible books and unpacking them with spicy commentary. Did anyone actually want to read controversial YouTuber Onision's terrible novel? Absolutely not. Will we delay getting out of bed to listen to STRANGE ÆONS make fun of it? Hell yeah.

6. First We Feast

Why is it so mesmerizing to watch your favorite celebrities gradually burn off their taste buds? First We Feast's Hot Ones series has celebrity guests sit down and consume progressively spicier chicken wings. Between large gulps of milk and pained coughs, stars charm their way through interviews about their personal lives, careers, and ambitions. Fun!

7. Bon Appétit

Yes, you can watch Bon Appétit's Gourmet Makes series to learn how to recreate fancy versions of childhood snacks. But let's be real — you're really watching the series because pastry chef Claire's on-camera breakdowns are too damn relatable. Even if it's not related to food, we've all experienced pouring everything into a project and immediately dying a little bit when someone else criticizes it. Watching it happen to someone else, though, is a lovely way to kill time.

Plug in your phone, settle into your nest of pillows, and get ready to procrastinate whatever you're supposed to be doing by watching these YouTube channels instead.