Electric egg cookers

[kitchengoddess8]

I've been reading the reviews for electric egg cookers on the Cooks Illustrated website, and I'd love to know which ones people here like. The West Bend got the highest rating, but when I looked on Amazon some people hated it.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Five years or so ago, my wife won a Cuisinart egg cooker in a raffle at her company holiday party. I think it was used twice before being relegated to the unloved appliance shelf in the basement. I just couldn't see the point. A pot of boiling water accomplishes the same thing. There was nothing better about the eggs cooked using the gadget, and it quickly wore out its welcome.

 

[Katie H]

And now...for a completely different point of view.

We have a Sunbeam automatic egg cooker that I bought for $2 at a thrift store about 20 years ago. I love it. It perfectly cooks 7 eggs and will make 4 of the best poached eggs ever. All I have to do is to puncture the large end of each egg with the pointed tool that's part of the egg-holding rack, add the correct amount of water, put the top on and turn it to ON. In a few minutes I have my hard-cooked eggs, softer if I reduce the cooking time. It's all explained in the manual that came with it. Based on its design, it's probably now considered "vintage."

 

[Aunt Bea]

Take a look at this recipe from Jacques Pepin.

The instructions give a pretty good method for making a mollet egg using a push pin and a saucepan.

Tomato Chowder With Mollet Eggs | Essential Pepin

 

[Mad Cook]

Five years or so ago, my wife won a Cuisinart egg cooker in a raffle at her company holiday party. I think it was used twice before being relegated to the unloved appliance shelf in the basement. I just couldn't see the point. A pot of boiling water accomplishes the same thing. There was nothing better about the eggs cooked using the gadget, and it quickly wore out its welcome.

I have to say I'm with Steve on this.

To be fair to the egg cookers, I haven't used one but when I see them in shops and advertisements I tend to think "Why?". For me they're in a class with the sandwich toaster and the soup maker. Great fun when you first get one but slowly get pushed further and further back into the bottomless pit of the "unloved appliance" cupboard.

 

[Katie H]

I have to say I'm with Steve on this.

To be fair to the egg cookers, I haven't used one but when I see them in shops and advertisements I tend to think "Why?". For me they're in a class with the sandwich toaster and the soup maker. Great fun when you first get one but slowly get pushed further and further back into the bottomless pit of the "unloved appliance" cupboard.

I had the same opinion and that's why I took the plunge and spent my exorbitant $2 at the thrift store. Figured, why not?

Now, these many years later I'm glad I did. It gets used about once a week, more in the summertime when I make potato salad and egg salad. The poached eggs are always absolutely perfect, which makes preparing breakfast a little more carefree. I can be cooking our bacon and making toast as the eggs cook.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I have to say I'm with Steve on this.

To be fair to the egg cookers, I haven't used one but when I see them in shops and advertisements I tend to think "Why?". For me they're in a class with the sandwich toaster and the soup maker. Great fun when you first get one but slowly get pushed further and further back into the bottomless pit of the "unloved appliance" cupboard.

Good point! I think I'd rather save the room on my countertop for a good food processor, which I do not yet have.

 

[taxlady]

Good point! I think I'd rather save the room on my countertop for a good food processor, which I do not yet have.

I had to move the drip coffee maker to a shelf when I recently bought a good food processor. To make space for the coffee maker, I got rid of two, old food processors.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'll just buy a new set of shelves...I already have no counter space.

 

[GotGarlic]

I try to avoid uni-taskers in the kitchen, too. They just take up too much space and make it harder to find what I need.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I also don't care for gadgets.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I try to avoid uni-taskers in the kitchen, too. They just take up too much space and make it harder to find what I need.

Yes, especially in New York City kitchens! I bought a waffle iron that I ended up returning.