5 Best Egg Timers – And How To Use One
Cooking an egg, especially boiling an egg, is more of an exact science than it seems.
There is just something about the process that takes a little touch of perfection. If you don’t time the cooking just right, you end up with an egg that is either overcooked or undercooked and it’s just not what you’re after.
But you don’t have to be perfect. Using an egg timer can help you perfect cooking the egg and take a little bit of weight off of your shoulders on the process of making your egg perfectly.
There are several different timers and types of timers out there so you should choose carefully.
What is the best egg timer? The very best egg timers will be easy to use and easy to read while they’re in the pot; you want a timer that is clear and efficient at a glance. You also want it to be accurate and reliable.
In this guide, we will share with you the 5 best egg timers. We’ve narrowed down the market to bring you the very best options and we’ve found a few reliable winners for you to check out.
We’ve also got some basic instructions in case you are not sure how to use an egg timer properly.
So keep reading to learn about the 5 best egg timers – and how to use one.
Everything To Know About Egg Timers
Before we toss you into the world of egg timer options, let’s talk just shortly about both using and choosing your egg timer. We don’t just want to throw you blindly to the options without a little bit of background and useful detail first.
How to Use an Egg Timer
Our focus today is primarily on using the type of egg timer that you actually drop into the water pot with your egg(s).
There are other timers out there that literally are just timers that you set when you are cooking eggs but that really isn’t what we’re after with this guide. We’re looking specifically at egg timers, which are generally used for boiled eggs and are dropped into the water to time the egg cooking.
Here is how to use such an egg timer:
- Fill your pot with water and bring the water to a boil.
- Place your room temperature eggs and your timer into the boiling water all at the same time.
- Your egg time will change color, lightening around the edges and towards the middle of the timer. The timer should be marked with rings or markings for a specific doneness of the egg. When the lightness reaches that mark, your eggs are done.
- Remove the eggs from the pot and run them under cold water to stop the cooking where you are.
- Now, you can peel your eggs and enjoy them cooked to the perfection of your choice and your egg timer.
- The timer will eventually return to its normal temperatures as it comes back to room temperature.
It’s really pretty simple!
Consistency
One thing you will want to look for in choosing an egg timer is the consistency.
Is it reliable? Does the color fade and change consistently with each use? Be sure to check for these things because it would be awful if your egg is perfect one time but undercooked the next.
You really want something that will be reliable on consistent cooking times and temperatures. That’s really the whole point of using the timer in the first place!
Ease of Use
The other thing to look for in an egg timer is how easy it is to use. Most egg timers are fortunately quite simple. The color will simply change from the outside in to indicate how cooked through your eggs are.
However, there are some differences in design, so look for one that would be simplest for you to read at a glance, even when it is submerged under boiling water.
The 5 Best Egg Timers
Now, it’s time to take a look at the best egg timers on the market and sort out which ones are worth purchasing. There are a lot of options out there but we’ve sorted through to narrow down the options to some quality choices:
| Rank | Product | How it Works |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Norpro Egg Perfect Egg Timer | Darkens to show cooking point |
| 2. | NobleEgg Egg Timer Pro | Lightens to show cooking point |
| 3. | Forev Egg Timer | Lightens to show cooking point |
| 4. | Mevis Line Egg Timer | Lightens to show cooking point |
| 5. | Arcwares Kitchen Timer | Fan marks time remaining, alarm sounds |
Don’t settle for something you can’t rely on! Below, you will find our top picks for the 5 best egg timers on the market.
1. Norpro Egg Perfect Egg Timer
This first egg timer is our top pick overall. It’s simple and it’s solid and it’s a consistently chosen top choice across the board for reliable egg timers.
You can purchase one or two egg timers, depending on what you want or need. They are very affordable and very easy to use at the same time. The brilliant red color of this egg timer make it easy to read and understand and really know when your eggs are done.
The egg timer has markings for soft, medium, or hard and it even has some in-between markings that aren’t labeled. The lines are easy to identify and you will be able to see them in the boiling water just fine.
This egg timer actually darkens considerably as the eggs cook so there isn’t any confusion about the color adjustments and changes.
Pros:
- Darkens as eggs cook
- Easy to read
- Cooks to perfection every time
- Top-rated choice across the board
- Calculates by temperature rather than time
Cons:
- The soft doneness can sometimes be hard to detect.
- May not last very long.
2. NobleEgg Egg Timer Pro
This is another great egg timer option that you can use and rely on. It’s another budget-friendly model and you can buy it in a pack of 1, 2, or 4 egg timers. When your egg timer is this adorable, it’s hard not to want to stockpile them!
These are very easy to use and read and understand. They are designed where you have a clear view from the front or the sides and can really understand when your eggs have reached their doneness you are looking for. The color lightens to white and the markings are clear and easy to read.
The measurements are just soft, medium, and hard. This is one of the original designs for egg timers and it has been around consistently through the years. They have a unique and original design that really can’t be mimicked easily.
Pros:
- Easy to read
- Unique design that is hard to copy
- 180-day satisfaction guarantee coverage
- Colors can be seen from front or side easily
- Lightens in color to clear markings with in-between markings available
Cons:
- The accuracy may wear down over time.
3. Forev Egg Timer Color Changing Indicator
This egg timer is similar to the Noble Egg in overall design but it does have a few slight differences. This timer by Forev is not as decorated or drawn on and it is more simplified in overall design.
It’s simple and easy to use and the accuracy is dependable and reliable as well. This particular option is a bright yellow so it’s easy to read, but you can find it in a bright purple color as well.
This egg timer comes in a pack of two or a pack of four, depending on what you are looking for. It’s definitely a budget-friendly model with 2 timers costing about the same as a single timer from other brands.
This is a heat-resistant device that will easily and consistently change colors as it is intended to do while you boil your eggs. The color changing happens from the heat and the time under heat.
This is recommended as hand wash only, which leaves some question about the product quality since it is meant to be submerged in boiled water.
Pros:
- Fun yellow and purple colors
- Budget-friendly price range
- Simple and easy design
- Consistent results
- 60-day product guarantee
Cons:
- Hand-wash only recommendation leaves some concerns.
- The color change can sometimes be challenging to see on the yellow.
4. Mevis Line Egg Timer
Next up, we have an egg timer that is shaped exactly like a normal egg and marked with easy lines to make your egg timing a breeze.
This one looks a lot like the Norpro timer but it lightens in color instead of darkening in color. It’s consistent and reliable and has simple markings you can read through the water.
This company also offers a satisfaction guarantee. The timer works on water temperature, paired with the time under heat to bring you the perfect egg that you are looking for.
Pros:
- Measures time and temperature
- Easy to use and read
- Lightens in color
Cons:
- May not last for a long time.
5. Arcwares Kitchen Timer, Magnetic Countdown
This last option is a change from the traditional in-pot boiling egg timers. Some people prefer an audial and visual timer as opposed to something you have to watch in the pan.
This will provide a solution for just that need, which also makes it more versatile, as you can use this timer when cooking anything you need to time. Or you can simply set reminders to check on and stir a long simmering stew!
This simple timer works on magnetic pull and does not require any batteries. It’s simple and easy to work with and made with premium materials that you can depend on.
Pros:
- Reliable magnetic timer
- Alternative solution to a boiling timer
- Premium materials
Cons:
- The end tone of the timer is fairly soft so you will need to be close by to hear it.
Up Next: Can You Reboil Eggs?
