Elite Cuisine Egc-007 Easy Electric Egg Poacher

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The Spruce Eats / Chloe Jeong

Boiling eggs to your preferred level of doneness takes some practice, and requires you to stand around and wait because even one extra minute can result in eggs that are either under or overcooked. Instead of waiting for water to boil, you can turn to an electric egg cooker to steam a batch of eggs to your exact liking.

Tested & Approved

The Cuisinart Egg Central Cooker is accurate, affordable, easy to clean, and can be used to steam, poach or even make omelets. For a smaller and even more budget-friendly option, the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker impressed our testers with its performance.

Egg cookers can make quick work of meal prepping so you have boiled eggs on hand for making avocado toast, snacking, or adding to a salad. They're also handy if you need to cook a lot of eggs at once to make big batches of deviled eggs or egg salad. Some even come with inserts for poaching eggs or making omelets.

Here are the best electric egg cookers.

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

• Fits up to 10 eggs at once

• Includes trays for poaching and omelets

• Easy to clean

• Accurate, automatic cooking

What We Don't Like

• Omelet tray is very small

• Buzzer must be turned off manually

Who else recommends it? Good Housekeeping, BestReviews, and Simply Recipes all picked the Cuisinart Egg Central.

What do buyers say? 88% of 5,000+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.

This cooker will steam-cook eggs to hard-, medium-, or soft-boiled, and can cook up to ten eggs at a time in two tiers. Handles on the side make it easier to lift the lid, but oven mitts are a good idea, since it does get hot during cooking.

The Egg Central also includes removable trays so you can poach four eggs at once or make three-egg omelets, however, our tester felt that any more than two eggs likely would have overflowed the tray when cooking. The cooking time is controlled by the amount of water added, using the included measuring cup. There's a simple on-off switch and a blue LED light, audible alert, and standby mode to help keep the eggs from overcooking. This also comes with a piercing pin to poke a small hole in the eggshell for easier peeling.

Our tester reported it took 9.5 minutes to poach a single egg (this is normal for up to four eggs.) Overall, she called the egg cooker "a great addition to your kitchen," but warned it "over promises when it comes to its omelet-cooking capacity."

The Spruce Eats / Sage McHugh

Capacity: 10 eggs | Weight: 2.1 pounds | Dimensions: 6.30 x 7.30 x 7.75 inches | Warranty: 3 years

What Our Testers Say

"The Cuisinart Egg Central is definitely worth buying if you regularly make hard-boiled or poached eggs." — Sage McHugh, Product Tester

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

• Includes two steaming trays

• Can steam taller items

• Steam delay setting

• Easy to use timer

What We Don't Like

• Trays are made of plastic

• Warm mode continues to cook food

If you like the idea of an appliance that will make your egg-cooking foolproof, but don't like the idea of a gadget that has only one use, you might like this food steamer. It has two stackable steaming trays that have divots for holding eggs upright. You can use one or two trays at a time or remove the center divider if you need to steam larger foods like a whole head of broccoli. The trays nest for more compact storage.

Since this isn't just for eggs, it has higher-end features, like a digital touchpad, an automatic keep-warm setting, a count-down timer, and a delayed-start feature. You can use it for fish, chicken, sausages, or vegetables. A rice bowl is included for steaming rice or keeping small food contained. Even with all of these features, it's quite affordable.

The steamer beeps, flashes its display, turns the heat off automatically and lights up the low water indicator if the water runs low. You don't need to remove the food to add water—just pull out the water drawer to refill, and restart the steamer to continue cooking.

In addition to being able to steam eggs using the indented divots in the basket, its versatility makes it a game-changer in the kitchen. Our tester steamed meats and veggies at the same time and tried it out with broccoli, salmon, green beans, rice, carrots, and even pears—and said it worked "perfectly" in each test.

The Spruce Eats / Katie Begley

Capacity: 16 eggs | Weight: 3.97 pounds | Dimensions: 12.6 x 13.7 x 7.28 inches | Warranty: 1 year

What Our Testers Say

"For basic steaming, this is exactly what you need—plus, the budget-friendly price can't be beat." — Katie Begley, Product Tester

Amazon

What We Like

• Timer is easy to use

• Generously sized water reservoir

• Simple on/off control

What We Don't Like

• More expensive

• Low capacity

One of the more expensive egg cookers, but still affordable, the Chef'sChoice egg cooker makes it easy to cook eggs to different levels of doneness in the same batch. For example, while eggs are soft boiling for breakfast, a few eggs can be hard-boiled for later use. As eggs are done, they need to be removed and the timer set for the remaining eggs, but it's simple to do since the controls account for the previous cooking time.

Since this relies on a timer, there's no need to precisely measure water for different batches of eggs—just fill the reservoir to the line and start cooking. Even better, the reservoir holds enough for several batches, so there's no need to fill it with every batch of eggs. This cooks seven eggs at a time and has an audible alert and an on/off button, so it doesn't need to be unplugged to stop the cooking. The egg tray is designed so it can be lifted safely with one hand to rinse the finished eggs under cold water after cooking.

Capacity: 7 eggs | Weight: 2.02 pounds | Dimensions: 8 x 7 x 7.125 inches | Warranty: 1 year

Good to Know

Pop your hard-boiled eggs into an ice-water bath for a few minutes after you remove them from your egg cooker to stop cooking and keep the yolks bright yellow.

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

• Accurate and automatic cooking

• Included poaching tray and omelet tray

• Easy to clean

What We Don't Like

• Low capacity

• Lid made from plastic

If you're looking for an egg cooker that won't cost a lot but still gives you quality performance, consider this one from Dash. It lets you make up to six hard-, medium-, or soft-boiled eggs, plus individual omelets, two poached eggs, or scrambled eggs. The device comes with a poaching tray, measuring cup, omelet tray, and six-egg holding tray. It's simple to use, and all the non-electronic parts are okay to toss in the dishwasher.

Our tester called this device "a great deal." She liked how intuitive it was to use, how easy it was to clean, and how delicious the eggs turned out. While she noticed some slight inconsistencies in texture (but not in taste) when poaching multiple eggs, her hard-boiled eggs turned out perfectly and tasted delicious. The audible indicator is another helpful feature that keeps you from having to constantly check for the indicator light to know when your eggs are ready.

The Spruce Eats / Sage McHugh

Capacity: 6 eggs | Weight: 1.1 pounds | Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.3 x 7.4 inches | Warranty: 1 year

What Our Testers Say

"This compact cooker is perfect for a single person or small household." — Sage McHugh, Product Tester

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

• Large capacity

• Includes trays for poaching and omelets

• Auto shut-off

What We Don't Like

• Some reviewers note uneven cooking

If you need to cook a dozen eggs at a time, this is the cooker for you. You can make soft-, medium-, or hard-boiled eggs, or up to seven poached eggs in one go. The included omelet tray can be used for omelets or scrambled eggs.

If you want even more versatility, you can use this machine to steam bao or vegetables. This has an auto shut-off, so you don't need to be there when the eggs are done. If you don't need to cook as many eggs or want a more compact cooker, this brand has a similar appliance that will cook seven eggs at a time.

Capacity: 12 eggs | Weight: 2 pounds | Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 8.3 inches | Warranty: 1-2 years

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

• Compact design

• Lots of color options

• Affordable

What We Don't Like

• Low capacity

Instead of having measuring lines inside the cooker that can be hard to read, this comes with a measuring cup that has measurements for soft-, medium-, and hard-boiled eggs. It can handle seven eggs at a time for boiling or two eggs for poaching. There's also a tray for making omelets or steaming vegetables.

This is a compact, space-saving design that comes in a variety of colors to match the kitchen or add a pop of color. It's easy to operate, with a large button to turn it on, a buzzer to let you know the eggs are done, and an auto-off feature to prevent the eggs from overcooking.

Capacity: 7 eggs | Weight: 1.4 pounds | Dimensions: 6.2 x 6.2 x 7.25 inches | Warranty: 1 year

Amazon

What We Like

• Easy to use

• Dishwasher safe

• Can also be used for poaching

What We Don't Like

• Small capacity

• Lacks timer and end cook signal

Sous vide egg bites have become a popular treat, but not everyone has a sous vide device or molds to cook them. This handy egg cooker cooks egg bites right on the counter, two at a time, and makes it easy to add extra flavors with cheese, herbs, or sausage.

This egg cooker also makes perfect poached eggs for breakfast or to top your favorite pasta. The cooker is simple to operate, with a power light that indicates that the cooker is powered on and a second light that turns on when the eggs are done. Cleanup is easy since the tray and lid are top-rack dishwasher safe.

Capacity: 2 eggs | Weight: 2 pounds | Dimensions: 5.69 x 8 x 4.6 inches | Warranty: 1 year

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

• Very affordable

• Easy to store

• Dishwasher safe

What We Don't Like

• Only holds four eggs

• Timing varies depending on microwave

It seems impossible, but this microwave cooker lets you steam-cook hard-, medium-, or soft-boil eggs in ten minutes or less. You don't have to pierce the shells first, and the eggs won't explode; the secret is that the cooker shields the eggs from the microwaves, while at the same time, the microwave heats the water to create steam to cook the eggs. The result is evenly cooked eggs without hotspots that sometimes occur with microwaved eggs—it's just like steam-cooking on the stovetop or in an electric cooker.

This cooker holds four eggs, and when you're done cooking, you can just pop it in the dishwasher. But since it doesn't get very dirty during cooking, it's just as easy to give it a quick wash in the sink.

Since microwaves vary in power, it might take a few tries to find the perfect cooking and resting time to get your eggs just the way you like them, but once you've figured it out, it will produce nearly foolproof eggs every time.

Capacity: 4 eggs | Weight: 0.6 pounds | Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 5.3 inches | Warranty: 5 years

Final Verdict

The Cuisinart Central Egg Cooker is a one-stop egg cooker. It can steam up to ten eggs at a time to soft- or hard-boiled, depending on the amount of water you add, and has removable trays for poaching eggs and making omelets. If you don't want a single-use appliance, try the Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer, which has two stackable trays that can also can be used to steam vegetables, fish, and poultry.

How We Tested

We sent the top electric egg cookers to the homes of our experienced food writers for extensive testing. Our testers used the different models to make soft-, medium-, and hard-boiled eggs, as well as omelets, poached eggs, and other steamed foods. The cookers were rated for precision and accuracy, value, versatility, design, and performance, as well as their ease of use, cleaning, and storage.

The test results varied widely, with some machines overcooking, undercooking, or breaking most of the eggs our testers put in them, whereas others delivered perfect results at each level of doneness. Some even excelled in cooking steamed vegetables, fish and rice.

How We Test Products at The Spruce Eats

What to Look for When Buying an Electric Egg Cooker

Number of Eggs

Even if you'll only be using a few eggs at a time, you might want to make a double batch so you won't have to cook more later. On the other hand, hard-boiled eggs spoil faster than raw ones, so if you aren't going to use large quantities, a more compact cooker might be your best bet.

Controls

Many egg cookers have very simple controls. However, certain models are slightly more complex, with lights or audible alerts to help you monitor the cooking progress.

Additional Cooking Options

While most electric egg cookers can also make poached eggs, others can make omelets as well. If you only want to cook eggs in their shells, there's no need to pay for options you won't use.

FAQs

What does an egg cooker do?

Hard-boiled eggs are both the easiest and the hardest things to cook. The recipe is simple, but if there's a little bit of distraction, the eggs can overcook, forming an unattractive green ring around the yolk and making the white rubbery. Egg cookers take the timing out of the cook's hands, making perfect eggs much easier. Many include settings for soft-boiled or medium eggs, and some can even poach eggs or make omelets.

How do you use an electric egg cooker?

While there are some differences, most egg cookers require a set amount of water for soft-, medium-, or hard-boiled eggs and they turn themselves off when the water is gone. There's no need to set a timer or watch the eggs, since the machine stops cooking on its own. However, since the cooker is still warm, it's a good idea to remove the eggs when cooking time is done.

How do you poach an egg in an electric egg cooker?

Poaching works much like egg boiling in an electric egg cooker, except the egg is cracked into a poaching tray that fits inside the machine. Just like hard boiled eggs, it's an easy, hands-off process.

How long does it take to cook eggs in an electric cooker?

It depends on the machine, the number of eggs, and how you like the eggs done. In some cases, they can be done in as little as 5 minutes, while it can take up to 18 minutes in larger machines that are filled with the maximum number of eggs.

Why do eggs crack in an egg cooker?

Eggs have a pocket of air in them. As the eggs cook, the pressure in that pocket increases from the heat and the expanded air needs to escape. While the eggshells are permeable and let air through, sometimes the air can't escape fast enough through the shell, so the egg cracks. Many egg cookers suggest piercing the larger end of the egg to let the pressure out as the egg cooks, avoiding the breakage.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Donna Currie is a cookbook author and food writer who specializes in product reviews and recipes for The Spruce Eats. She has tested more than 90 kitchen products for the brand.

This roundup was updated by Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor who has nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef, and Katrina Munichiello, a writer and editor who specializes in the tea and food industries.

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Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-electric-egg-cookers-to-buy-4119967

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