Egg Timer

The page opens at six minutes with the label Eggs, which is a soft-boiled setting. The times below are a common starting point for large eggs lowered gently into boiling water.

1. Bring a pan of water to a boil before you touch the timer.
2. Pick a result from the Doneness menu. It sets the time for you: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 15 minutes.
3. Fine-tune the time with Minutes and Seconds if you like, for example 6 and 30 for 06:30.
4. Lower the eggs in and press Start at the same moment. The Label (optional) box already says Eggs.
5. When the alarm sounds, lift the eggs out and cool them. Press Reset to run the same time again for the next batch.

These are the six settings in the Doneness menu, with the usual description of the result. They are starting points, not promises.

Real results change with egg size, whether the eggs come from the fridge or the counter, the pan and the number of eggs, and how hard the water boils. Altitude matters as well, because water boils below 100 degrees Celsius high up, so eggs take longer. A temperature converter helps if a recipe quotes degrees Fahrenheit. Cook one test egg, note the time that suited you, and use that figure from then on.

Here is how to adjust. If the last batch of large eggs was a little too soft at 6 minutes, set Minutes to 6 and Seconds to 30 next time, then change by another 30 seconds if needed. Medium eggs usually need slightly less than large ones, and extra large eggs slightly more. Keep the number of eggs and the pan the same each time, and your own figure will soon be reliable. Starting eggs in cold water and bringing them to a boil together is another method, but it needs different timing, because the time spent heating is not counted here.

Cooking carries on after the pan is off, so move the eggs to a bowl of cold or iced water as soon as the alarm sounds. This stops the cooking, helps the yolk stay the colour you intended and makes the eggs easier to handle. Older eggs generally peel more easily than very fresh ones, and tapping the shell all over before peeling can help.

For safety, cook eggs until the whites are set. Pregnant people, young children, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system are usually advised to eat eggs cooked firm, with no runny yolk, so choose Firm, Hard-boiled or Extra firm for them. Follow your local food safety guidance, as advice differs between countries.

If you plan to keep boiled eggs, cool them quickly and store them in the refrigerator, and use local guidance on how long they stay good. A few hard-boiled eggs make a useful stock for lunches and salads, and doing them in one batch with a single timer saves energy and attention. Label the box with the date, and remember that the shell protects the egg, so peel only what you are about to eat.

The timer measures time only and does not know the state of your egg. It also needs the page open to ring, and a phone that locks its screen may stay silent, so keep a second alarm nearby. For a different length, such as a ten-minute simmer for a larger batch, you can use the 10 minute timer or change the boxes. The countdown timer has the same controls without the egg presets.