9 Minute Egg Timer
Nine minutes produces a properly hard-boiled egg — yolk fully set and pale, but still tender, without the chalky texture or grey-green ring that comes from overcooking. Ideal for lunchboxes, egg salad, and deviled eggs.
A tender 9-minute hard-boiled egg
- Fully set yolk — nine minutes firms the yolk without drying it out
- No grey ring — lifting it at nine minutes avoids the overcooked sulphur ring
- Lunchboxes & salads — sturdy enough to slice, chop, or pack whole
- Cool & peel — cool under cold running water, then peel under the tap
- Deviled eggs — a clean, firm yolk that mashes smoothly for the filling
About the 9 Minute Egg Timer
Nine minutes is hard-boiled done right — stop it there under cold water and you get a firm, sliceable egg that stays tender and never turns rubbery.
Egg boiling times & tips
Nine minutes gives a firm, tender hard-boiled egg. Here's how the main boil timings compare, and how to check an egg is fresh before you start.
- 3 min Soft-boiled — Runny yolk, just-set white — for dipping soldiers
- 4–5 min Soft-set — Slightly thickened yolk, tender white
- 6 min Jammy — Set white, custardy yolk — for ramen and grain bowls
- 9 min Hard-boiled — Firm but tender yolk — for salads and lunchboxes
- 12 min Fully hard — Very firm throughout; risks a grey-green ring beyond this
- Is your egg fresh? The float test
- Lower the egg into a glass of cold water. A very fresh egg sinks and lies flat on its side; as it ages the internal air cell grows, so a week or two old egg stands upright on the bottom; one that floats to the surface is past its best — throw it away.
- Time it from boiling water
- These times assume a large, room-temperature egg gently lowered into already-boiling water. Add about 30 seconds for a fridge-cold or extra-large egg.
- Stop the cook under cold water
- Run the eggs under cold tap water the moment the timer ends — no ice bath required. It halts the cooking for a precise yolk and makes the shells far easier to peel.