Boiling Eggs In The Kettle? (read this first)

Eggs are a nutritious food which are easy to eat and easy to cook. Boiled eggs whether hard or soft boiled are easy to cook especially if you use this great kitchen hack.

Who would’ve thought you could use an electric kettle to boil eggs? Well you can and they turn out just great. Keep reading to find out how to boil eggs in an electric kettle and also how to poach eggs using an electric kettle.

Why Boil Eggs In An Electric Kettle?

When you stop to think about it, it makes sense to use the electric kettle to boil your eggs. When you usually boil eggs, you need to get the saucepan of water boiling before cooking the eggs. This uses way more water and energy than is necessary.

Using an electric kettle to boil eggs allows you to use just enough water and you only need to get that water to boiling point, and then cut the power. Thus, saving energy too.

What Special Tools Do You Need To Boil Eggs In An Electric Kettle?

The beauty of boiling eggs in an electric kettle is you don’t need any specialist equipment at all. Everything you need is already in an average kitchen.

The only special requirement is the kettle itself. You can’t boil eggs in an electric kettle which has coils inside the water compartment. You can only use an electric kettle which has the heating element below the kettle.

Apart from that, you’ll already have a serving spoon and/or tongs in the kitchen. And that’s all you really need to boil eggs in an electric kettle.

How To Tell If An Egg Is Fresh Or Bad

This is important information because there’s no point boiling bad eggs. To tell the condition of your eggs all you need is a bowl of water. 

Simply place the egg in a bowl of water: 

• if it sinks, it’s a fresh egg. 
• If it floats, it’s a bad egg and should be discarded. 
• If it starts to sink but the top floats, it’s not 100% fresh but can still be safely eaten.

How To Boil An Egg In An Electric Kettle

There are two main types of boiled eggs, hard boiled and soft boiled. Both can be cooked perfectly in an electric kettle. Let’s start with soft boiled eggs before moving onto hard boiled eggs.

Cooking Soft Boiled Eggs Using An Electric Kettle

These soft boiled eggs are easy to make in the electric kettle.

Ingredients

• 4 Fresh Eggs

Method

1. Place the eggs in the kettle gently so they do not crack
2. Pour enough water to cover the eggs by 2.5cm (1 inch)
3. Boil the kettle
4. Once the kettle has boiled and switched itself off, and the bubbles have stopped forming, scoop the eggs out using a serving spoon or tongs if you feel more comfortable
5. Place the eggs in a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking any more
6. You can add ice cubes to the water to speed up the cooling process if you want
7. Serve

Cooking Hard Boiled Eggs In An Electric Kettle

This method starts in exactly the same way as cooking soft boiled eggs in a kettle.

Ingredients

• 4 Fresh Eggs

Method

1. Place the eggs in the kettle
2. Pour enough water to cover the eggs with 2.5cm (1 inch) 
3. Boil the kettle
4. Once the kettle has boiled and turned itself off, leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes
5. After 15 minutes has elapsed, remove the eggs from the kettle and place in a bowl of cold water
6. Serve

Kettle Cooked Hard Boiled Eggs Cooking Tips

• Never use a kettle that has an exposed heating coil because this will crack the eggs
• To speed up the cooking process you can boil the kettle a second time using the same water this effectively cooks the eggs twice
• You can add a teaspoon of salt to the water to help prevent the shells from splitting

Cooking Poached Eggs In An Electric Kettle

Poached eggs are cooked differently to boiled eggs, for a start the shell is removed and you will need to add vinegar to the water.

Ingredients

• 2 Fresh Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Vinegar

Method

1. Pour around 5cm (2 inches) of water into the electric kettle
2. Add the vinegar
3. Start the kettle, but turn it off before it boils
4. Crack the eggs into a cup
5. Pour the eggs into the warm water
6. Boil the kettle
7. Once boiled leave the eggs in the kettle of hot water for;
   1.  2 minutes if you like runny yolks
   2. 4 minutes if you prefer firmer yolks
8. Remove the eggs using a serving spoon 
9. Serve immediately

Why Would You Want To Boil Eggs In An Electric Kettle?

There are several reasons why it’s a good idea to boil eggs using an electric kettle. They include;

• It Saves Energy
  Compared to using a hob or stovetop to boil eggs, an electric kettle uses less energy. Which is better for your pocket and the environment
• Faster Cooking Time
  Water boils faster in an electric kettle than in a saucepan on a cooker top
• It Creates Less Mess
  Apart from the actual kettle, there are no other pots or pans needed to boil your eggs which reduces washing up considerably
• It’s Actually Safe!
  There’s far less chance of burning yourself on an electric kettle than there is on a saucepan full of boiling water

Is It Safe To Boil Eggs In An Electric Kettle?

Whenever we boil an egg we are left with a white mark around the edge of the pan. That white mark is calcium from the egg shell. But is it safe to boil eggs in an electric kettle that we then intend to boil water in?

From a scientific point of view, it’s perfectly safe because calcium is an essential part of human development. Calcium is associated with healthy bones and teeth as well as helping blood to clot, muscles contract and keeping heart beats regular.

SEE ALSO: Kettle Not Switching Off When Boiled? (here’s why & what to do)

How To Clean The Electric Kettle After Boiling Eggs

If you’re worried about the calcium residue left in your kettle, all you need to do is discard the water, fill the kettle with fresh water and boil it. 

Then throw that water away and the next time you use your kettle the calcium will have gone.

How To Remove Limescale From An Electric Kettle

Limescale is a form of calcium deposit found in hard water which affects around 75% of the homes in the US and 60% of the homes in the UK. 

You can buy chemical descalers that can be used to remove limescale from your electric kettle by following the instructions on the packaging.

For more information on how to descale a kettle follow this link.

Why do we like hard boiled eggs?
Because they’re hard to beat! 😂

SEE ALSO:

• Can You Put Waffles In An Air Fryer?
• Can You Put Pasta In An Air Fryer?
• Can You Put Ravioli In An Air Fryer?

Frequently Asked Questions