Electric egg cooker

[lancashire lass]

Okay, it's another kitchen gadget but seems they've been around for years. After a glowing report from one of my friends of how easy it was to use, I decided to get one (a Christmas present for me) The model I got is a Salter 6 Egg Boiler & Poacher which was only £14. It's quite compact, about the size of a teapot, so doesn't take up much work top room. I love poached eggs but can't be bothered to get the old poaching pan out, so decided to try it right away and I have to say, I'm impressed. I haven't tried "boiling" the eggs but apparently they do perfect eggs.

It works much like a kettle - there is a shallow tray over the heating element which you put a measured amount of water in (about 50 ml - less for soft egg, more for hard boiled) and when switched on, the water boils and turns to steam (which is trapped inside a dome lid with the eggs on a rack which sits above the tray) When the tray boils dry, there is an automatic thermal cut off and the eggs are done. It takes just minutes to cook (about the time it takes to toast a couple of slices of bread and butter them) so uses less gas or electricity as you would the conventional way (though probably not cheaper than using a microwave)

Apart from cleaning the poaching pots (made of plastic so easy to clean with a bit of detergent on a sponge), the rest just needs to be towelled dry (or left to air dry) when done. It was so easy and no effort at all to use, I really do see me using it a lot.

[Spreckly]

Never heard of one, LL. I don't have much luck with poaching an egg, despite all the advice. My egg poacher is a nightmare to clean.

[Trev62]

Well Lancashire Lass, that sounds rather posh Here, we are still at the drop the egg in a pot of boiling water stage, obviously we are light years behind in this modern age of gadgets

[Mo]

A few years ago my friend wanted to look round a kitchen shop and among the amazing gadgets there was something shaped like half an egg (rounded top, flat bottom). The top was clear, the base was red when you put it into a pan of cold water with the egg/s, as the eggs cooked the base changed changed colour from the edge. And a scale from soft to hard. So you decide which mark gave you the egg you preferred.
Fairly low tech but it works.