Egg Timer
Perfect boiled eggs, every time — pick your doneness and press start. Free, no signup.
Settings
Lower the eggs into boiling water, then press Start.
How to boil the perfect egg
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Pick your doneness above (times assume large eggs lowered into boiling water).
- Gently lower the eggs in with a spoon and press Start immediately.
- When the alarm sounds, move the eggs to an ice bath to stop cooking and make peeling easier.
Other Tools
How long to boil eggs
For large eggs lowered into boiling water, boil roughly 4 minutes for a soft, runny yolk, 6 to 7 minutes for a jammy centre, 8 minutes for medium, and 10 to 12 minutes for a fully set hard-boiled yolk. Poached eggs take about 3 to 4 minutes in gently simmering water. Start the timer the instant the eggs go into the water and move them to an ice bath the moment it rings — the difference between a jammy and a chalky yolk is under ninety seconds.
Egg boiling time chart
A quick reference for large eggs lowered into boiling water: soft/dippy 4:00 for a runny yolk and just-set white, jammy 6:30 for a creamy, dippable centre, medium 8:00 for a softly set centre, hard 10:00 for a fully set yolk, and extra hard 12:00 for a very firm yolk suited to meal prep. Poached eggs (no shell, gently simmering water) take about 3:30. These are starting points — use Adjust for your eggs to account for size, temperature and altitude.
What changes the cooking time
Three things move the number the most: egg temperature, egg size, and altitude. Eggs straight from the fridge need about a minute longer than room-temperature eggs. Small eggs need slightly less time and extra-large eggs slightly more. Above roughly 900 metres, water boils cooler, so add one to two minutes. This timer can apply all three adjustments for you.
How to peel boiled eggs easily
Older eggs (7 to 10 days) peel more easily than very fresh ones. An ice bath right after cooking shrinks the egg from the shell and stops the yolk overcooking. Crack and peel under running water, starting at the wider end where the air pocket sits.
A timer that won't quit when your screen sleeps
Many kitchen timers stop counting the moment you switch tabs or your phone screen dims — and then the eggs overcook. This one is anchored to real time, so it keeps counting in the background, keeps the screen awake while it runs, and alerts you with a sound and a notification the instant the eggs are ready.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you boil eggs?
For large eggs lowered into boiling water: about 4 minutes for soft boiled, 6 to 7 minutes for jammy, 8 minutes for medium, and 10 to 12 minutes for hard boiled. Add about a minute for eggs straight from the fridge.
When do I start the timer?
Start it the moment you lower the eggs into already-boiling water. That method is the most repeatable. If you start eggs in cold water instead, start the timer when the water reaches a boil.
Does egg size change the time?
Yes. Small eggs need a little less time and extra-large eggs a little more. Turn on Adjust for your eggs to shift the time automatically.
Do I need to change the time at high altitude?
Yes. Water boils at a lower temperature at altitude, so add one to two minutes above roughly 900 metres.
Will the timer keep running if my screen sleeps or I switch tabs?
Yes. The timer is anchored to real time and keeps counting in the background, and Keep screen awake stops your screen sleeping while it runs. You still get an alarm and a notification when the eggs are ready.
Is the egg timer free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no signup and no download, and there are no ads over the timer itself.