This $20 Gadget Makes Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs In 15 Minutes for Easy Meal Prep

"How to make hard-boiled eggs," is probably one of the most Googled phrases in my search history. Partly because I can never remember the exact process and partly because I'm always looking for a better recipe since I'm usually left with a few unsatisfactory, cratered, soft-boiled eggs that were never the right consistency.

As a social media manager, I'm well aware of all the egg hacks out there — from steaming to baking in the oven — but they all just seemed like too much work. I figured I was destined for lumpy, imperfect, not-totally-hard-boiled eggs forever until I stumbled across the neatest gadget: the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker (Buy It, $20, amazon.com). Upon reading the product description — it has a six-egg capacity, is small and lightweight, is a breeze to clean, and eggs come out consistently perfect with easy, peel-off shells — I was sold.

But what really made me pull the trigger on adding it to my cart was the impressive 4.7 rating and the fact that it had earned over 7,000 five stars from Amazon shoppers. Reviewers called the tiny kitchen device "idiot-proof" and a "breakfast game changer." Not to mention, they swore it was a fool-proof way to cook eggs for easy meal prep, whether you had a hankering for hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, scrambled eggs, or an omelette. (

When my Dash Rapid Egg Cooker arrived, I was stunned at how compact the machine was out of the box — it's easy to store when not in use and it weighs less than a pound. Not only can you use the small space-ship-looking gadget to hard-boil eggs, but the cooker comes with two separate pans that allow you to make poached eggs and a small omelet. While I haven't attempted poached eggs yet, I'm excited to try the setting to get the perfect topper for my summer brunch salads. TBH, I'll probably never use the included omelet tray, because it's too tiny for my everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-style veggie omelets — although other Amazon reviewers say they love it for making frittatas.

To make hard-boiled eggs, first use the bottom of the included measuring cup to poke a small hole in the larger end of a fresh egg, and put that part face up into the tray. Next, fill the measuring cup with water to the line that indicates your desired firmness. FWIW, I prefer my yolks firm, so I fill my measuring cup all the way to the top (other reviewers recommend filling above the line if you like your eggs well done) and pour it into the unplugged heating plate. Then, assemble the tray and place it on the heating pad, cover the eggs, and plug the cooker in.

I set a timer on my phone (there's no timer on the actual machine), so I don't have to stay in the kitchen to keep an eye on my eggs. When it's done cooking (read: when the water evaporates), a chime signal lets you know it's time to unplug the device. Also nice: There's an auto-shut off function, so you never have to worry about overcooking your eggs. Grab a pair of tongs (not included in the kit) and drop your batch of boiled eggs into cold water for a few minutes to make peeling even easier. And voilà — you're done! After each use, I like to give my cooled heating pan a quick rinse with a vinegar solution (Buy It, $9, amazon.com), since the water leaves a deposit. With vinegar, it comes right off!

My half-dozen, fully-cooked eggs take about 15 mins — great for when I'm rushing to do my makeup before an on-camera meeting or for after a workout when I'm starving. According to the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker, soft-boiled eggs take about 7 minutes for 1-3 eggs, while 4-6 take about 10 minutes; 1-3 medium-boiled eggs take 9 minutes, while 4-6 take about 12 minutes; and a few hard-boiled eggs take 12 minutes, while an entire tray takes about 16 minutes.

So far, I have used the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker several times for meal prep, and have to admit it's made perfect hard-boiled eggs every single time. And for anyone who lacks skills or confidence in the kitchen, the seamless device comes with a recipe booklet and instruction manual to give you the ultimate soft, medium, or hard-boiled egg of your dreams. I've even used the machine to make gorgeous painted Easter eggs for spring — which are as decorative as they are fun to eat.

I would honestly give this product 10 stars if I could. Reviewers who partake in the Paleo, Whole30, and Keto diet call this product a hero, while others who bought it to boost their protein intake say it's "unbeatable." And even if you're not a fan of single-purpose gadgets (they do tend to take up more storage space), Amazon shoppers say this one is well worth the investment since it's not really a "one trick pony" and can make a ton of different style eggs.

I love it so much I've even bought it as a gift for my dad, who always buys cold, bagged, hard-boiled eggs from the supermarket; he was thrilled to find a simple solution for warm, home-cooked eggs. All that said, I've finally found a satisfactory way to boil eggs. The Dash Rapid Egg Cooker makes healthy eating easy, since I do my weekly batch and have a protein-packed snack ready to go in 15 minutes. Next up, mastering the poached egg!

Buy It: Dash Rapid Egg Cooker, $20, amazon.com