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7 Best Egg Poachers

Updated: Feb 20, 2024 4:45 PM
best egg poachers featured image that shows the top three best kitchen product models

We selected the Dash Black Rapid Egg Poacher as the best egg poacher because it is a smart egg cooker that can boil and poach eggs as well as make omelets. We liked that this was a “set it and forget it” type of appliance that allowed people to multitask while their eggs cooked in the background. Plus the majority of the components are dishwasher safe.

To determine the best egg poacher, we considered a variety of factors: cooking method, materials, quantity, safety, and ease of use. We know that for people short on time, countertop and microwavable egg poachers are best. Yet many people prefer the traditional stovetop cookers. We also considered how many eggs could be cooked at once, how easily you can remove inserts or handle the cooking components. And most importantly, we looked for options that were dishwasher safe to help lighten your to-do list. Keep reading to learn more details about other high-quality egg poachers available for purchase.

Top 7 Best Egg Poachers

 #1  Dash Black Rapid Egg Poacher

Award: TOP PICK

WHY WE LIKE IT: A countertop egg cooker that can boil and poach eggs as well as make omelets in a few minutes makes this the best egg poacher.

Pros
  • No need for microwaves or a stovetop
  • Multifunctional for poaching, boiling eggs, and making omelets
  • Lightweight and compact design perfect for dorms and RVs
Cons
  • Only poaches 2 eggs at a time
  • Base must be cleaned by hand

Poached eggs are delicious, but making one the old fashioned way with just a pan of boiling water can be an intimidating experience. Thankfully, people innovate and now you can make a perfect poached egg with a goof-proof experience thanks to this option from Dash. We think it’s the best electric egg poacher because it can do more than just poach eggs. With just one appliance you can boil and poach eggs as well as make omelets just by closing the lid.

This cooker can boil up to six eggs at once, with the ability to adjust whether you’re making soft, medium, or hard-boiled eggs based on how much water you add to the base. And thanks to the additional trays for poaching or omelets, you can switch up your eggs without putting in any extra effort. The poaching tray can cook two eggs simultaneously. The lid, trays, and measuring cup are all dishwasher safe. However, keep in mind that the base can only be wiped clean.

 #2  Modern Innovations Egg Poacher Pan

Award: HONORABLE MENTION

WHY WE LIKE IT: A classic stainless steel egg poacher that can cook four eggs at once and is dishwasher safe for quick and easy cleanup, shipping with a silicone spatula for easy egg removal.

Pros
  • Features a non-stick Teflon coating
  • Poaches up to 4 eggs simultaneously
  • Comes with a silicone spatula to easily remove eggs from inserts
Cons
  • Egg inserts may have sharp edges on the rim

If you prefer a more traditional way to cook poached eggs on the stove, then you’ll need a true egg poaching pan. We like this stainless steel egg poacher from Modern Innovations because you can cook up to four eggs simultaneously with perfect egg whites. The large 10-inch pan features a removable tray and four Teflon-coated inserts with large knobs for easy removal.

We like that this set also comes with a silicone spatula so you can easily release the eggs from the egg poacher cups once you’re done cooking. The stainless steel pan can also double as a traditional cooking pan when you’re not poaching eggs. All of the inserts, the pan, and the lid are dishwasher safe too. If you also like yogurt with your breakfast in the morning, check out our guide to the best yogurt maker.

 #3  Hamilton Beach Electric Egg Poacher

Award: BEST CAPACITY

WHY WE LIKE IT: A countertop egg cooker that can also poach eggs with an extra-large maximum capacity, as it can boil 7 eggs and poach 3 eggs simultaneously.

Pros
  • Takes up minimal counter space
  • Can boil 7 eggs or poach 3 eggs at once
  • Can adjust settings between hard, medium, or soft boiled eggs
Cons
  • Lacks an omelet tray

Countertop egg cookers are popular because they can do all the work without you having to monitor it like you would a stovetop egg poacher. This model from Hamilton Beach can boil and poach three eggs at once. However, this has the largest boiled egg capacity, cooking seven eggs at a time.

While this can’t make omelets like some countertop cookers, we do like that in addition to boiling seven eggs at once, you can also simultaneously poach three eggs. As is also standard, you can adjust the firmness of your boiled egg yolks between soft, medium, and hard based on how much water you add to the base by using the included measuring cup. Keep in mind though, that only the trays and lid are dishwasher safe. The base must be wiped clean. For the rest of your cooking needs, you might also want to read our guide to the best automatic pot stirrer.

 #4  Cozilife Silicone Egg Poaching Cups

Award: BEST ON A BUDGET

WHY WE LIKE IT: A budget-friendly four-piece set of silicone poaching cups that are also dishwasher and oven safe for up to 405F, making this the best microwave egg poacher.

Pros
  • Ideal for people short on time
  • Ships in a convenient pack of 4
  • Dishwasher safe and BPA free, with heat tolerance of 405F
Cons
  • Cooking can be inconsistent depending on your microwave

For some people, even a countertop egg cooker is too slow for their needs. In that case, this four-piece set of silicone microwave poacher cups from Cozilife is a great alternative. We think that this is the best microwave egg poacher because it can cook eggs in as little as one to two minutes in a microwave depending on what level of doneness you prefer. But this poaching set can also be used on a stovetop when submerged in water on a pan.

So, that also means you can save money by not buying one of the more costly dedicated egg poacher pans and just repurpose an existing saucepan that you own. Because these cups are made from silicone, they have high heat resistance and can also be placed in ovens as long as temperatures don’t exceed 405 degrees Fahrenheit. The cups are also dishwasher safe.

 #5  ExcelSteel 521 Non-Stick Easy Use Egg Poacher

Award: BEST AS A BRIDAL GIFT

WHY WE LIKE IT: A great starter egg poacher for a new couple starting their lives together that cooks four eggs and comes with a bonus silicone spatula.

Pros
  • Cooks quickly in a few minutes
  • Poaches 4 eggs at once and comes with a silicone spatula
  • Dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
Cons
  • Pan handle doesn’t feature a cool-touch cover
  • Insert handles are metal

When two become one, it doesn’t always mean that they have all the cookware needed to fully stock their kitchen. Thank goodness for bridal registries then! This pick from ExcelSteel is a great option for new couples that want to begin to add more specialized items like an egg cooker into the mix but maybe aren’t ready to invest in the more premium options. We like that this is a classic egg poacher stovetop pan that measures 7.5 inches in diameter with four removable non-stick egg cups.

Each cup features a wire handle — although we did take away points because it’s a metal handle instead of a cool-touch knob. Likewise, some people may not like that the actual pan also lacks a cool-touch handle. But as is common with poaching pans, this model also comes with a removable tray so that you can use this as a frying pan. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe and comes with a spatula to help release eggs after cooking.

 #6  Eggsentials Poached Egg Maker

Award: BEST FOR JUMBO SERVINGS

WHY WE LIKE IT: A egg poacher pan designed with larger insert cups that can accommodate extra large and jumbo-sized eggs, with a 3-play aluminum base for even cooking.

Pros
  • Sturdy silicone handle for safe use
  • 4 inserts with large knobs for easy handling
  • 3-ply aluminum base for even cooking
Cons
  • Plastic handle can create a chemical smell when pan gets hot

Some people are very particular about their egg size preference. While many people don’t care, some may only buy extra-large or jumbo-sized eggs. And while that’s perfectly fine if you’re scrambling eggs, for poaching in an egg poacher pan, you may find that not all pans can accommodate oversized eggs.

This pick from Eggsentials is an egg poacher pan with oversized inserts that can accommodate larger eggs. As is common, you get four inserts that are nonstick and feature knobs for easy removal. This is also another pan that comes with a nonstick silicone spatula so that you can quickly release eggs after you’re done cooking. This egg poacher is also completely dishwasher safe, which is great.

 #7  Farberware Nonstick Egg Poacher

Award: BEST QUALITY

WHY WE LIKE IT: A premium brand known for its kitchenware offers a sturdy egg poacher that can cook four eggs with a dishwasher safe rating.

Pros
  • Oven safe for up to 350F
  • 4 removable nonstick inserts
  • Dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
Cons
  • Handle lacks stay cool cover

When you’re ready to start upgrading your cookware, you look to heritage brands that are known for creating quality items that are designed to last. Farberware is one of those brands. We included them as our Best Quality recommendation because we liked that this was a brushed finish aluminum egg poacher pan that truly delivered stellar results..

The aluminum means that this pan can heat up quickly and evenly. As is standard, you get four inserts with oversized handles for safe and easy removal and a removable tray so that you can use the pan as a frying pan. It is also oven safe for up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and rated to be dishwasher safe.

See Also: You may also want to check out the best flour sifter that will come in handy when making other breakfast meals.

How We Decided

Poaching an egg the old fashioned way isn’t the easiest trick to learn. So an egg poacher can make life significantly easier.

To make our selections we focused on the following criteria — cooking method, materials, quantity, safety, and ease of use. In our guide, you’ll note that we featured four stovetops, two countertops, and one microwavable egg cooker that could also be used on a stovetop.

For the most part stovetop models focused on purely metal materials — usually either aluminum or stainless steel with nonstick surfaces. The countertop models were a mix of plastic and metal. And our microwavable pick was made from silicone.

Likewise, the capacity or amount of eggs that could be cooked at once varied greatly. The microwavable and stovetop models were capped at four eggs. However, the countertop models ranged between six and seven eggs for boiling and two to three eggs for poaching.

And finally, we looked at safety, ease of use, and cleanup. The countertop models offer the best safety feature as the water fully evaporates by the time cooking is complete. But we also liked that the stovetop models featured a removable tray that separated the water from the visible parts of the pan, giving you the option to let the water fully cool before pouring it out.

Likewise, all of our recommendations are dishwasher safe or featured dishwasher safe components — even though the countertop models featured bases that must be wiped clean and cannot be placed in the dishwasher.

Best Egg Poacher Buyer’s Guide

The Most Important Factors To Consider

  1. Cooking Method
    The three most common options for an egg poacher are microwave, stovetop, or countertop. The option you pick is going to depend on which is most convenient for you. Microwavable egg poachers are ideal if you’re trying to quickly cook eggs in the morning before you head off to work or school. But often, stovetop and countertop egg poachers have larger capacities, making them ideal for weekend breakfasts and brunches.
  2. Materials
    The most popular options for egg poachers range between metal, plastic, and silicone. For microwavable egg poachers, silicone is often the preferred choice because of its high heat resistance and the fact that it easily releases the eggs. But metal-based poachers also provide more durability, making it a smart pick if you frequently eat poached eggs. Still, for plastic and metal poachers, look for non-stick surfaces so you don’t have to fight with the pan or container to take out the cooked eggs.
  3. Quantity
    Regardless of whether you pick a microwavable, countertop, or stovetop model, you’ll want to see how many eggs you can cook simultaneously. While it might not matter if you’re the only one eating eggs, it’ll matter when you’re trying to cook for several people at once.
  4. Safety
    Poaching eggs usually involves using hot water. So you’ll want to make sure that you can safely strain off the excess hot water without risking burns. Some products come with built-in strainers and others don’t. Also, look for handles that stay cool to the touch so you can safely move pans off of burners or remove trays from microwaves without burning your hands.
  5. Ease of Use
    No one wants to deal with an egg poacher that’s complicated to use. Look at the instructions before you purchase an egg poacher to make sure that the steps required to cook an egg are easy for you to follow. Likewise, can you put the egg poacher in the dishwasher or should it be exclusively washed by hand?

7 Best Egg Poachers Questions (FAQ)

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