7 Genius Egg Cooker Hacks You'll Actually Use Forever

Hard-boiled, soft-boiled, or scrambled, it's hard to beat a simple egg when it comes to adding protein to a delicious meal. This staple ingredient can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks, and appliances like egg cookers make prepping your eggs that much easier. Storing an egg cooker isn't as simple, which is why some people prefer to do it without this specialized kitchen tool. 

Fortunately, you can use one of these hacks to get the most out of your egg cooker, giving it newfound purpose in the kitchen. Smaller models are perfect for an egg or two, while large egg cookers can fix up snacks for the entire family. The best egg poachers are easy to use in the microwave, on the stove, or even in the oven, but the ones that we love the most for these tricks have clearly defined egg cups that can be used for plenty of other foods. From eggs to beyond, you can make this small appliance do more work, whether it's cooking up steamed sides or making a batch of morning muffins to serve alongside your eggs.

Most egg cookers, especially those that go in the microwave or are designed as an all-in-one appliance, use steam to cook the eggs. Using water from a reservoir, the cooker heats it to create steam, which transfers the heat to the egg. 

The same method is used to steam vegetables, which is what makes this such a great hack to get the most out of your egg cooker. Fill each area with veggies and set it to steam. The exact cooking time varies based on the type of vegetable as well as the size of the pieces. Thicker pieces will need more time, as will firmer veggies like carrots. You can eat the tasty results on their own as a side or use steamed vegetables in other dishes, like adding steamed carrots to get a luscious, shiny pasta sauce.

To get the best results, cut your vegetables to uniform thickness. You won't be able to adjust the temperature as it steams, and with some models it can be tricky to pull off the lid to check on your food once it starts. 

An egg bite maker is the perfect little appliance to whip up individual flans, a custard dessert that will wow your guests and delight your taste buds. Egg bite makers typically use a similar design to a water bath, which is a great way to make a flan with the right creamy consistency.

The key is to add nonstick silicone cups to the egg bite maker so that each flan comes out perfectly clean. Flan is served inverted, and part of the appeal is the presentation. If your flan starts to fall apart, not only will it be more difficult to eat, but it will look like a mess on the plate.

Flan uses an egg yolk custard as the base, which also has sugar, milk, and vanilla. Caramel is a popular topping for flan, and you can make the easiest caramel of your life with canned sweetened condensed milk. Pour it at the base of each section, then put the custard on top. The flans only need around 15 minutes to get just the right consistency. You can add a little bit more caramel to suit your tastes, or bring in other flavors, such as berries or whipped cream.

Any food that is best steamed is perfectly fit for an egg cooker. Soup dumplings use water to cook through while keeping the exterior soft and pillowy. If you want to pick up a package of store-bought frozen dumplings, an egg cooker is a great way to get them ready to eat quickly. These often come with the filling already cooked, whether it's a beef, chicken, or veggie version, with broth inside. 

All you have to do is get them cooked to just the right temperature using steam. A steamer basket is a traditional cooking method, but as another specialized appliance, it may not be one that every home chef has or wants to store.

Dumplings also happen to fit well in each egg slot. Because each section of the appliance is made for a single egg, individual portions of dumplings can be cradled in just the same way. You may need to add a little bit more water and let them steam a bit longer than the eggs, depending on the size and density of the dumplings. It's best to do a trial run, since portions can vary from brand to brand. If you're making your own dumplings from scratch, you have a little bit more control over the outcome. Once you get the dumpling cooking down with this helpful hack, you'll be ready to eat soup dumplings like a pro as well. 

Poached eggs are a fantastic addition to everything from a breakfast sandwich to eggs Benedict, but getting the perfectly cooked egg is a skill that takes some practice. You can use one of the super easy tricks for cooking poached eggs or turn to your trusty appliance cabinet to get some help. If traditional poaching has you stumped and you're left with broken yolks, try making them in an egg cooker instead. 

The delicate eggs stay together much better and come out beautiful when they cook in specific reservoirs rather than swirling around in an open pot of water. An egg cooker uses a water bath to poach eggs, which sit in a designated egg tray for cooking. You'll get round and even edges, rather than the wispiness that is so common when you try to poach an egg in a pot of boiling water. Be sure to watch the time carefully, since you want the yolks to remain runny. If they cook too long, you'll get hard-boiled eggs instead of poached.

You can make scrambled eggs in an egg cooker, but add in some ham, sausage, or cheese to take things to the next level. These individual-sized omelets are impressive on the plate and look like they took special know-how to get just the right size. But the secret is that the egg cooker holds smaller sections and cooks evenly, getting perfectly round omelets every time.

Sprinkled shredded cheese over the top comes out deliciously tasty with a little extra boost of flavor. You can add cheese to the egg mixture as well. If you sprinkle anything over the omelets once they are done cooking, wait until you've transferred them to the plate, but do it while they are still hot. This helps the cheese melt without making a mess in the egg cooker itself (or accidentally making burnt cheese on the still-hot appliance).

Because they are in smaller portions, you can also make omelets to order for different people all at the same time. Just add your desired filling to the egg cup first, then scramble up a bowl of raw eggs and pour it into each reservoir. Be careful not to overfill, since the eggs can puff up a bit during cooking.

Some egg cookers come with a larger insert for bigger pieces of food or just larger portions of scrambled eggs. These are ideal for making other steamed dishes, especially fish. Many fit individual filets so that you can cook up fresh fish without a lot of hassle or cleanup.

A little bit of seasoning goes a long way when it comes to cooking fish, especially when you use a method like steaming that doesn't incorporate a lot of extra flavors during the cooking process. Soy sauce with salt and pepper is a simple yet tasty addition, but you can also go with one of these 14 seasonings that will upgrade your salmon and other firm fish. Flaky fish doesn't hold up as much in the steamer because it doesn't stay together well, so it's better to stick with the best way to cook each particular type of fish.

Add a dressing over the top of the fish and serve it alongside steamed vegetables, which you can also make in the egg cooker. You'll be able to enjoy a satisfying meal, all using one simple appliance.

If you can put your egg cooker in the microwave, you can use it to make tasty muffins. They cook fast, but you'll have to do it in steps, incorporating the dry and wet ingredients separately. 

Start by melting the butter directly in a ceramic egg cooker, and then add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Flour, sugar, and baking powder get mixed in, along with any special flavoring ingredients like fresh blueberries or chocolate chips. Mix everything together to create a batter directly in the egg cooker. The nice thing about these muffins is that they're ready quickly and require minimal cleanup.

Be sure to underfill the cups, since the batter will expand as it cooks. Each egg slot makes one muffin, making these another super customizable and tasty way to make a batch of different flavored muffins at the same time. Each person can choose their own mix-ins to be added to their individual muffin.