Egg timer
Soft, medium or hard boiled, timed by egg size
Choose the egg and how you like it, lower it into boiling water and press Start.
Ready. Press Start.
What the times assume
The times are for eggs lowered gently into water that is already boiling, then kept at a steady simmer. Start the timer the moment the eggs go in. When it beeps, move them into cold or iced water to stop the cooking.
Soft, medium, hard
Soft means a set white and a runny yolk. Medium gives a jammy yolk with a soft center. Hard is a fully set, pale yellow yolk.
Size and starting temperature
Sizes go by weight. The table is built around a US large egg, about 57 g (2 oz), and each size up or down moves the time by 30 seconds. UK and EU size names run bigger: a UK large egg (63 to 73 g) is close to a US extra large, so choose by weight if unsure. An egg straight from the fridge needs about a minute longer than one at room temperature.
Guidance, not a guarantee
Results shift with the pan, how many eggs go in at once (a crowd cools the water), how fresh they are, and altitude: water boils cooler high up, so add a minute or more. Cook one test egg the first time and adjust by 30 seconds. The cold-water start method, where eggs are brought to the boil from cold, uses different timings and is not covered here.
Food safety
A runny yolk is not fully cooked. Some food safety agencies advise fully cooked eggs for young children, pregnant women, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system.
Boiled egg time chart
| Egg size | Soft | Medium | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 05:30 04:30 | 07:30 06:30 | 10:30 09:30 |
| Large | 06:00 05:00 | 08:00 07:00 | 11:00 10:00 |
| Extra large | 06:30 05:30 | 08:30 07:30 | 11:30 10:30 |
| Jumbo | 07:00 06:00 | 09:00 08:00 | 12:00 11:00 |
Minutes:seconds in boiling water. Top figure from the fridge, lower figure from room temperature. Guidance only.