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Electric egg maker for poached eggs - convince me?

(33 Posts)
ferry23 Tue 29-Sept-26 18:23:25

There aren't many things I can't cook but I generally fail miserably with poached eggs. And after 60 odd years of cooking I can assure you I've tried every possible method going.

So anyone had success with an egg maker? I'm toying with this, or wondering to go for the old fashioned pan with the little cups in.

I really don't need another gadget that lands up in the back of a cupboard, but happy to go for it if it does the trick.

Galaxy Tue 29-Sept-26 18:25:49

I love mine. Love it.

ferry23 Tue 29-Sept-26 18:36:10

Galaxy

I love mine. Love it.

That's what I wanted to hear Galaxy - great!

What make have you got?

Galaxy Tue 29-Sept-26 20:59:14

It's a salter. It never fails to do good poached eggs, I use it for boiled eggs too. I sound a bit lazy heresmile

KGee Tue 29-Sept-26 23:01:59

I tried for years and failed miserably. I asked people for tips and now make perfect poached eggs in a deep frying pan. Use very fresh eggs and crack each egg into a shallow bowl and gently lower into boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towel to dry then gently transfer to plate. Perfect every time 😘

MT62 Wed 30-Sept-26 00:28:18

Had a Lakeland one for years, until it fell to bits. Just have a cheap Lidl one now £6.99. The Lakeland one I used to burn my fingers taking the lid off. Lidle one has a plastic knob that doesn’t get hot, plus a carry handle inside to transfer the eggs into a bowl of water. Oh I can do an omelette in the lidle one but have never tried that option.
Well worth the money

Aldom Wed 30-Sept-26 05:06:37

KGee that's exactly how I poach eggs and they're always perfect. smile

shysal Wed 30-Sept-26 07:07:02

I use Poachies, buy them cheaply by the 100 from Ebay. Always give perfect results. They are bags into which you break the egg then immerse in boiling water which seals the bag. If you always buy the same size eggs the timing is the same each time.

Greyduster Wed 30-Sept-26 07:16:23

The secret is fresh eggs. Simply slide them into a shallow pan of simmering water and cook to taste. If the eggs aren’t fresh you will get better results with something that keeps the whites from spreading, like a poacher. I’ve never had any success with them - even ones with non-stick cups.

Fairislecable Wed 30-Sept-26 08:08:11

I make my poached eggs in silicon cups but I use a sauté pan. They cook perfectly because it has a glass lid and I can see what is happening.

I have tried all of the other methods and this works every time.

Basgetti Wed 30-Sept-26 10:30:24

I just “fry” mine in shallow, salty water.

henetha Wed 30-Sept-26 10:59:21

My little plastic ones in the shape of a broken egg shell are perfect. They just float on simmering water. I too use a transparent saucepan lid so that I can see when the egg is cooked.

Glenfinnan Wed 30-Sept-26 14:34:34

I do mine in my microwave. I bought an egg poacher from Lakeland .. 30 sec for a large egg! No fuss!

Nannan2 Wed 30-Sept-26 14:36:34

I used to have some poachies,no idea what happened to them,i only know i had'nt used them all...🤔

monami Wed 30-Sept-26 15:09:27

gave mne to charity shop, pan and boiling water best

SillyNanny321 Wed 30-Sept-26 15:36:12

Mine works fine thankfully as I no longer have a cooker. Use a mini oven on worktop & microwave for anything I need as my hands are very arthritic now & sometimes cannot do very much. So happy to have my alternative!

shysal Wed 30-Sept-26 15:41:41

Here are some Poachies. It might be worth trying them before splashing out on yet another gadget. I love them.
www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=poachies&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p4624852.m570.l1313

Barbadosbelle Wed 30-Sept-26 15:46:24

.

Why don't you just boil some water in an omelette pan, create a vortex and break an egg into the centre of it.
Job done. What's difficult? You can do it.
.

WelshPoppy Wed 30-Sept-26 16:00:42

I'm 69 and 3 years ago I learned how to do poached eggs the 'proper' way in boiling water. I had to as hubby managed to ruin the egg poaching pan by not putting water in it. So glad he did as I so prefer the poached eggs now. Hubby likes the poaching pan for his but as he ruined a second one I've told him this one is the last I'll buy as they're expensive for induction hobs.

CarrotTop Wed 30-Sept-26 16:12:14

I love mine for hard-boiled eggs but find it hopeless for anything else. It has a little tray for "frying" an egg and a divided tray for poaching. Both of them just produce a hard-boiled egg in different shapes! I suspect the trays were only included in the design in order to to make it seem like a multi-purpose gismo (and thus more saleable).

ferry23 Wed 30-Sept-26 16:21:55

Barbadosbelle

.

Why don't you just boil some water in an omelette pan, create a vortex and break an egg into the centre of it.
Job done. What's difficult? You can do it.
.

Because as I originally said in my opening post, there's no method I haven't tried. There's nothing on this thread about poaching eggs that I haven't tried. Which is why I specifically asked about egg cookers. In the hope I wouldn't get a load of posts telling me how I should be poaching eggs.

Apparently if only I used fresh eggs I would succeed. My neighbour 4 doors away keeps chickens, doubt if I could get fresher eggs. All I need to do is this, that blah blah. I CAN'T COOK POACHED EGGS.

Thanks Galaxy and the others who have actually answered my question.

FranP Wed 30-Sept-26 16:24:09

Just another gadget to clutter your kitchen. Unless you have one every day, why?

ferry23 Wed 30-Sept-26 16:29:23

FranP

Just another gadget to clutter your kitchen. Unless you have one every day, why?

Goodness, I am actually being asked to justify why I want to buy something.

With the greatest respect, what I do or don't do is really none of your business is it?

missdeke Wed 30-Sept-26 17:00:14

As long as the egg is imersed in water I should imagine they are all fine. The ones where you place the egg into anything else are essentially not poached.

knspol Wed 30-Sept-26 17:05:33

I used to fail miserably at this but then tried Poachies and was very surprised at how well they always turn out. Wouldn't use anything else now.