Boiled egg times
| Egg | Time | Start the timer |
|---|---|---|
| Soft | 6 min | As the eggs go into boiling water |
| Jammy | 7½ min | As the eggs go into boiling water |
| Hard | 12 min | When the pan comes off the heat |
Times are for large eggs. Eggs, pans and stoves differ, so check one egg the first time.
Where the times come from
- Soft, 6 min: American Egg Board, ramen recipe (soft-boiled eggs), read 9 November 2026.
- Jammy, 7½ min: American Egg Board, “Jammy Deviled-ish Eggs”, read 9 November 2026.
- Hard, 12 min: American Egg Board, “How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs”, read 9 November 2026.
- Food safety: US Food and Drug Administration, “What You Need to Know About Egg Safety”, read 9 November 2026.
How each preset is cooked
- Soft. Start the timer as the eggs go into water that is already boiling. Cook on high for 6 minutes, then move them into a cold-water bath.
- Jammy. Start the timer as you lower the eggs into boiling water, then turn the heat to medium-low and cover. 7½ minutes (7 if you cook only 3 or 4 eggs), then 5 minutes in an ice bath.
- Hard. Start the timer when the pan comes off the heat. Eggs in a pan with cold water 1 inch above them, bring it just to a boil, take it off the heat and cover. 12 minutes for large eggs (9 for medium, 15 for extra large).
Questions and answers
Why do the three presets start at different moments?
Because the three recipes cook differently. Soft and jammy eggs go into water that is already boiling, so the timer starts as they go in. Hard-boiled eggs start in cold water that you bring just to a boil, then the pan comes off the heat and stands covered, so the timer starts when the pan comes off the heat.
Are soft and jammy eggs safe to eat?
The US Food and Drug Administration’s advice is to cook eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm (FDA, “What You Need to Know About Egg Safety”, read 9 November 2026). Soft and jammy eggs are not cooked that far. The FDA names children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems as most at risk, so cook their eggs until firm.
What about medium or extra-large eggs?
For hard-boiled eggs the American Egg Board gives about 9 minutes for medium and 15 for extra large, against 12 for large. The soft and jammy recipes give times for large eggs only, so check one egg the first time if yours are a different size.
Why is it a sand timer?
Kitchen egg timers have long been small sand glasses. The sand in the top is the time left; under View you can switch to blocks or a pie.
Can I time two batches at once?
Not on one board. Open the egg timer in a second tab for the second batch: each tab keeps its own time and its own alarm.