Egg timer
Soft, jammy, hardAlarm at zeroScreen stays on
Time's up
Space to start or pause, R to reset, F for full screen.
Pick how you like your eggs and press Start as soon as they’re in the boiling water. The times here are typical for large eggs straight from the fridge. Stoves and pans differ, so after a batch or two you may want to add or take off a minute.
Pick your egg
Boiled egg times
- Soft-boiled, about 6 minutes: the white is set, the yolk is runny. Good for dipping toast.
- Jammy, about 7 to 8 minutes: the yolk is soft and thick in the middle.
- Hard-boiled, about 10 minutes: the yolk is set with a slightly soft center.
- Fully firm, about 12 minutes: the yolk is firm all the way through, the way you want it for egg salad or deviled eggs.
How to boil eggs
- Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Use enough to cover the eggs.
- Lower the eggs in gently with a spoon and press Start.
- Turn the heat down a little so the water keeps bubbling without bouncing the eggs around.
- When the timer beeps, move the eggs to a bowl of ice water for a few minutes.
While the timer runs, it asks your phone or laptop to keep the screen on, where the browser supports it. At zero it plays three short bursts of beeps, and phones that allow it also vibrate.
Questions people ask
How long do you boil an egg for a runny yolk?
About 6 minutes for a large egg from the fridge, counted from when it goes into boiling water. The white is set and the yolk is still runny. Small eggs or eggs at room temperature need a bit less.
How long for a jammy egg?
About 7 to 8 minutes. The yolk is soft and sticky in the middle, not runny, which is what most people want for ramen or on toast.
How long do you boil a hard-boiled egg?
About 10 to 12 minutes for a large egg. At 10 the yolk is set but still a little soft in the center, at 12 it is firm all the way through. Cooking much longer can leave a greenish ring around the yolk.
Do I start the timer when the water boils?
For the times on this page, yes. Bring the water to a boil first, lower the eggs in with a spoon, and press Start. If you start the eggs in cold water instead, the times are different.
Why put the eggs in ice water?
It stops them from cooking in their own heat, so a 6-minute egg stays soft. Many people also find cooled eggs easier to peel.
Cooking something else? The kitchen timer has typical times for pasta, rice, cookies and tea, and the countdown timer takes any length. To count down to a date instead, like Easter, make a countdown.