Egg timer
A free egg timer preset to six minutes, the soft-boiled sweet spot, with the other doneness times one click away. Unlike a phone timer it keeps the ring visible on the counter and rings three times so you hear it over a running tap. Also searched as boiled egg timer, egg boiling timer, soft boiled egg timer.
Boiling times for large eggs
These times assume eggs straight from the fridge, lowered gently into water that is already at a rolling boil, then moved to a bowl of ice water for a few minutes.
| Doneness | Time | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Soft | 6 min | Set white, fully runny yolk. For dipping toast. |
| Jammy | 7 min | Yolk thick and glossy in the middle. Ramen and salads. |
| Medium | 8 min | Yolk just set, still bright and creamy. |
| Hard | 10–12 min | Firm yolk for egg salad and deviled eggs. Stop at 12 to avoid a gray ring. |
Press the digit 7 or 8 on your keyboard to switch to jammy or medium without touching the mouse. For hard-boiled, open the 10 minute timer or click the digits and type 12.
Cold-start method
Put the eggs in a single layer, cover with an inch of cold water and bring to a full boil. Then cover the pan, take it off the heat and start the timer: 4 minutes for soft, 6 for medium, 10 to 12 for hard. Cold-start eggs crack less often but are harder to time precisely, because "full boil" is a judgment call.
Things that change the time
- Egg size. Medium eggs need about a minute less; extra-large or jumbo about a minute more.
- Starting temperature. Room-temperature eggs cook about 30 seconds faster than fridge-cold ones.
- Altitude. Above roughly 3,000 feet water boils cooler, so add one to two minutes.
- Peeling. Eggs a week or two old peel more easily than very fresh ones, and the ice bath helps too.
Boiling something else at the same time? The cooking timer hub lists oven and stovetop times, and the pasta timer covers the pot next to the eggs.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I boil an egg for a runny yolk?
Lower a large egg into boiling water and time 6 minutes for a soft, runny yolk or 7 minutes for a jammy one. Move it to ice water right away so it stops cooking.
How long for hard-boiled eggs?
Ten to twelve minutes in boiling water for a large egg, then an ice bath. Twelve minutes gives a fully firm yolk; past that the yolk turns chalky and gray at the edge.
Does the timer start from cold or boiling water?
The table on this page assumes the water is already boiling. If you start eggs in cold water, bring it to a boil, cover, take the pan off the heat and let it stand 10 to 12 minutes for hard.
Why are my eggs undercooked at altitude?
Water boils at a lower temperature above roughly 3,000 feet, so eggs cook more slowly. Add one to two minutes and test one egg first.
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