How to Boil Eggs in Your Electric Kettle: A Quick Guide
This surprising way to boil eggs is the easiest method by far. It’s a kitchen hack perfect for a hotel, dorm room, or your home kitchen.
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Why should you boil eggs in an electric kettle?
Boiling eggs in an electric kettle has a few advantages:
Convenience - it’s easier and quicker than using a pot on a stove.
No Need for a Burner - it’s perfect for places where you don't have a stove, like hotel rooms, or dorm rooms.
Portability - you can easily boil eggs anywhere with an electrical outlet.
I ended up discovering this when we were staying in a Bali villa that was not well equipped, but like most households in Asia, there was an electric kettle. It’s so easy that I’ve been boiling my eggs this way ever since even when I do have a fully equipped kitchen.
Read on to learn how to easily boil eggs in an electric kettle!
How it works
Step 1
Place eggs in a kettle and cover with water.
First, you’ll need the type of electric kettle without an exposed element inside.
Place eggs in and top with cold water to the max fill line. I suggest only filling the kettle halfway with eggs, that way there is still enough water to cook everything evenly.
The kettle pictured below could boil up to 6 eggs at once and hold 1 liter or 1 quart of water max to give you an idea.
Step 2
Add salt or vinegar.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt or vinegar to help peel the shells more easily. I usually use salt but either will work.
Step 3
Turn it on, then start the timer at auto shut-off.
Turn the kettle on and wait for it to automatically shut off when the water comes to a boil.
Immediately after it shuts off, set a timer for 10 minutes for hard yolks, 7 minutes for medium, or 5 minutes for soft.
Step 4
Cool eggs quickly.
When the timer is up, carefully remove the eggs from the electric kettle by pouring out the hot water first with the lid closed.
Then open the lid and either grab them with tongs or run them under cold water until they are safe to handle, then place them in a prepared ice bath to cool.
Alternatively, run under cold water for a few minutes if you don’t have any ice.
Tip: If you’re staying in a hotel, get a bucket of ice and use that for your ice bath.
Step 5
Chill for 15 minutes before peeling.
Allow at least 15 minutes to cool, peel, and enjoy!
Check out my egg salad recipe if you want to make something out of your perfectly boiled eggs. Or for a fun afternoon snack try putting my easy vegan bean dip on top of halved hard-boiled eggs.
Top Tips for Boiling Eggs in Your Electric Kettle
How long to boil eggs in an electric kettle?
For hard-boiled eggs: 10 minutes after the auto shut-off
For medium-boiled eggs: 7 minutes after the auto shut-off
For soft-boiled eggs: 5 minutes after the auto shut-off
For easy peeling - add a tablespoon of salt or vinegar to the water before boiling the eggs.
To help prevent cracking - place eggs gently in the kettle first, avoid moving the kettle once the eggs are in. Do not use a kettle with an exposed heating element, as the high heat from the coil can crack any eggs touching it.
Cool eggs quickly - use an ice bath or run under cold water for a few minutes to avoid overcooked eggs. The sudden temperature change also helps with easy peeling.
How to clean an electric kettle after boiling eggs? Simply rinse the kettle with warm water. If there’s any residue, use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean the inside.
Recipe Ideas for Boiled Eggs
Now that you’ve got your electric kettle-boiled eggs, you have a versatile ingredient to incorporate into your favorite dishes!
But if you need a little inspiration, here’s a list of ideas on how to use them:
High-protein snack - top with bean dip or guacamole for a quick snack.
Egg salad - use hard-boiled eggs to make a healthy egg salad.
Deviled eggs - scoop out the yolks, season, and pipe back in, and garnish with paprika for this quintessential crowd-pleaser.
Niçoise salad - the classic combination of boiled eggs, tuna, potatoes, green beans, and olives makes for a hearty lunch.
Cobb salad - delicious and nutritious - combine boiled eggs, chicken, avocado, bacon, blue cheese, tomatoes, red onion, and romaine with a simple vinaigrette and top with freshly chopped chives.
Egg and avocado toast - mash avocados and spread on toasted bread, top with sliced hard-boiled eggs or runny soft-boiled eggs and pickled red onions.
Scotch eggs - wrap soft or hard-boiled eggs in sausage meat, then bread with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and fry until golden brown. Serve with pickles and aioli or mustard.
Ramen garnish - top your favorite bowl of ramen with a halved, perfectly medium-boiled jammy egg.
Sabih sandwich - stuff pita pockets with hard-boiled eggs, fried eggplant, hummus, tahini sauce, chopped Middle Eastern salad, fresh parsley, and pickles.
Sauce gribiche - combine chopped hard-boiled eggs with mustard, oil, vinegar, chopped capers, pickles, and fresh herbs. Then serve over fish, boiled potatoes, or artichokes.
Asparagus and soft-boiled egg - saute or roast asparagus then top with grated parmesan and a soft-boiled egg, letting the runny yolk serve as a sauce.
The Best Kettles for Boiling Eggs
Ready to upgrade or buy your first electric kettle? Here are my top picks that are perfect for boiling eggs.
These kettles don't have an exposed heating element, feature an auto shut-off, and have over 10,000 reviews with a rating of 4.6 stars or higher on Amazon.
No matter what you’re looking for - budget-friendly, super durable, or feature-packed - these kettles have you covered.
Amazon Basics Electric Glass and Steel Kettle
Why I like it: This kettle is not only budget-friendly but also made of glass, so you can watch your eggs boil. Plus, it lights up with a cool blue glow!
Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
Why I like it: If you’re worried about breaking a glass kettle, this stainless steel option is super durable. It’s sleek, simple, and has a handy water level window for easy measuring.
Cuisinart Stainless Steel Electric Kettle with 6 Preset Temperatures
Why I like it: Tea lovers, this one’s for you. With six preset temperatures and a keep-warm function, it’s perfect for many different types of tea as well as boiling eggs. Just make sure to use the highest temperature setting for boiling eggs.
It’s That Simple!
Even if you have a pot and stove, it can be tricky to drop eggs into boiling water without cracking them.
Or if you’d rather start boiling your eggs with cold water, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the water comes to a full boil, often leading to overcooked or undercooked eggs.
Boiling eggs in an electric kettle is by far the easiest method, whether you're at home or traveling.
Give this method a try wherever you are, and share your experience in the comments below! I’d love to hear if you’ve tried it and how it turned out for you.
