Make Perfectly Boiled Eggs Using A Drink-Making Appliance You Already Own

Whether you're a dedicated meal prepping maven or prefer to make what you're craving in the moment, hard boiled eggs are the underrated protein that belongs in your sandwiches, salads, instant (or not-so-instant) ramen, and even personalized charcuterie boards. If you keep them cold, they're a great source of protein on the go, as they take up little room in your lunchbox and don't require utensils to enjoy. They're also pretty easy to preserve either by freezing or via pickling — something that's more important now than ever with rising grocery store prices.

However, hard boiled eggs are infamously tricky to cook and peel. There are tons of tips and hacks for producing perfectly cooked boiled eggs because they're so easy to overcook, undercook, or totally destroy if the peel adheres too tightly to the white. Plus, making them the traditional way involves heating water and monitoring them to ensure they don't crack. Luckily, there's an ingenious way to make this process a little easier using an appliance that almost everyone already has at home — a coffee maker.

Making hard boiled eggs in an ordinary drip coffee maker is basically as simple as filling the reservoir with water, placing the eggs in the clean carafe, and flipping the switch. Most drip coffee makers can get water to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit before pushing it into the carafe. Hard boiled eggs need to reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit for safety, so this is ideal.

Once your eggs are completely covered in hot water, let them sit for about 15 minutes. As the eggs rest in the hot water, they'll gradually cook and harden inside their shells, producing silky set whites and firm yet creamy inner yolks. While there are lots of ways to make peeling your eggs easier, one of the most tried and true methods is the ice bath. Using tongs, simply transfer your eggs from the coffee carafe to a bowl of ice water to shock them, peel, and enjoy.

Of course, if you've never used this technique before, there are a few tips that can help you avoid the costly trial-and-error of undercooking your eggs. A good rule to abide by is adding half the amount of eggs as cups of water your carafe can hold. That means you can cook 6 eggs in a 12-cup carafe, or 2 eggs in a 4-cup carafe. You can also use a food thermometer to make sure your water is getting hot enough to boil your eggs effectively — if it's not, try pouring the heated water back through the coffee maker to get it to temperature.

Something else to consider when using a coffee pot to boil your eggs is getting them in there safely. Tongs are perfect for grabbing hot, freshly boiled eggs, but they're also great for setting them gently in the bottom of the carafe to avoid dropping them.