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.
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 in fully equipped kitchens!)
If you're considering a new kettle for this, check out my article on the Best Electric Kettles for Cooking. Now, let’s dive into how to easily boil eggs in an electric kettle!
How to Boil Eggs in an Electric Kettle
Step 1
Place eggs in a kettle and cover with water.
Use a kettle without an exposed element to prevent cracking. Add eggs and fill with cold water up to the max line.
For even cooking, fill the kettle only halfway with eggs, adjusting based on capacity. The kettle shown below can hold up to 12 eggs and 1.7 liters of water.
Step 2
Add salt or vinegar.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt or vinegar to help the shells peel more easily. I typically use salt, but either works!
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 bean dip on top of halved hard-boiled eggs.
FAQ’s
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
What’s the best way to boil eggs for easy peeling?
Add a tablespoon of salt or vinegar to the water before boiling the eggs and chill in an ice bath after cooking.
How to boil eggs in kettle without breaking?
Place eggs gently in the kettle first, avoid aggressively 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.
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, a soft-boiled egg, and my easy immersion blender hollandaise sauce.
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The Best Kettles for Boiling Eggs
Ready to upgrade or buy your first electric kettle? Check out my full article on the best electric kettles for cooking, where I compare five different options.
Here’s a quick look at my top three picks, perfect for boiling eggs:
These kettles feature no exposed heating element, an auto shut-off function, and a large capacity for boiling multiple eggs at once.
Whether you’re looking for budget-friendly, super durable, or feature-packed, these kettles have you covered!
1. Chefman Electric Kettle with Removable Lid
Why I like it: The kettle’s removable lid allows for easy filling and cleaning, while the versatile tea infuser holds 2-3 eggs, making it really handy for cooking.
2. COSORI Double Wall Insulated Electric Kettle
Why I like it: If you’re worried about breaking a glass kettle, this double-wall option is super durable. It’s sleek, simple, and stays cool to the touch on the outside while maintaining heat inside.
3. Aroma 16-in-1 Multi-Use Kettle
Why I like it: I love this kettle for its versatility with 16 heat settings, a delay timer, and keep warm function, plus it includes helpful accessories like a tea infuser and stew pot - perfect for boiling eggs and cooking so much more!
It’s That Simple!
Boiling eggs doesn’t have to be complicated. Using an electric kettle makes the process super easy, whether you’re at home or traveling.
Give this method a try, and let me know how it goes in the comments below. What else do you like to cook in your electric kettle? I’d love to hear your ideas!
