Boiled egg timer: how long to boil an egg for every yolk
As a boiled egg timer guide for a US large egg straight from the fridge, lowered into water at a rolling boil: about 6 minutes for soft boiled, 7 for jammy, 8 for medium and 12 to 13 minutes for hard boiled. Bigger eggs need longer, room-temperature eggs less, and at altitude water boils cooler, so every stage takes a little longer.
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How long to boil an egg by size
Cooking time depends mostly on weight, because heat has to travel from the shell to the centre of the yolk. Physically, time grows roughly with mass to the power of two thirds: an egg 10 percent heavier needs about 6 to 7 percent longer. US sizes are defined by the minimum weight per dozen.
The chart shows starting points for eggs straight from the fridge (about 40 °F / 4 °C) lowered into water already at a rolling boil at sea level. It is calculated with Charles Williams’ heat-conduction formula, tuned to common kitchen times. Stoves, pots and eggs differ, so adjust after your first batch.
| US size (approx. weight) | soft | jammy | medium | firm | hard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (about 50 g / 1.75 oz) | 5:45 | 6:45 | 7:45 | 9:00 | 11:30 |
| Large (about 57 g / 2 oz) | 6:15 | 7:15 | 8:15 | 10:00 | 12:30 |
| Extra large (about 64 g / 2.25 oz) | 6:45 | 8:00 | 9:00 | 10:45 | 13:30 |
| Jumbo (about 71 g / 2.5 oz) | 7:15 | 8:30 | 9:45 | 11:30 | 14:30 |
Boiling eggs from the fridge vs. room temperature
A cold egg first has to warm up from about 40 °F, a room-temperature egg starts at around 68 °F. Room-temperature eggs are done sooner: take roughly 1 to 1½ minutes off the chart. They also crack less often, because the temperature jump is smaller.
If you start eggs in cold water, the chart does not apply, because everything then depends on how fast your stove heats the water. For repeatable results, starting in boiling water is more reliable.
- Lower eggs gently with a spoon so they do not knock against the pot.
- Piercing the wide end can help if eggs often crack, but it is no guarantee.
- After cooking, put eggs in cold or ice water for a moment to stop the cooking. Very fresh eggs are generally harder to peel than eggs that are a few days old.
Boiling eggs at high altitude: why it takes longer
Water only boils at 212 °F (100 °C) at sea level. As air pressure drops, the boiling point falls by roughly 1 °F for every 500 feet. The egg sits in cooler water and needs longer, especially for hard boiled eggs, where the yolk has to get close to the water temperature.
For a US large egg from the fridge, the times work out to roughly:
| Altitude | Boiling point approx. | soft | jammy | hard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sea level | 212 °F | 6:15 | 7:15 | 12:30 |
| 1,500 ft | 209 °F | 6:30 | 7:45 | 13:00 |
| 3,000 ft | 206 °F | 6:45 | 8:00 | 13:45 |
| 5,000 ft (Denver) | 202 °F | 7:15 | 8:30 | 14:30 |
| 7,000 ft | 198 °F | 7:45 | 9:00 | 15:45 |
Soft and hard boiled eggs in one pot: when to add which
To have every egg ready at the same moment, add them to the same pot one after another: the egg with the longest time first, the others when their remaining time is reached. Count backwards from the shared finish.
Example with large eggs from the fridge: hard 12:30, jammy 7:15, soft 6:15. The hard eggs go in at 0:00, the jammy ones after 5:15, the soft ones after 6:15. At 12:30 you take them all out together.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil with the eggs ready.
- Start the timer for the longest time and add the first eggs.
- At each difference time, add the next eggs while keeping the heat high.
- At the end, take all eggs out together and cool them briefly.
How to tell soft, jammy and hard boiled eggs apart
Egg white starts to set at about 144 °F (62 °C), the yolk thickens from about 149 °F (65 °C) and turns firm and crumbly above 158 °F (70 °C). The stages are only a few degrees apart inside the egg, which is why one minute makes a clear difference.
- Soft boiled: white just set, yolk runny, for dipping toast soldiers.
- Jammy: yolk creamy and glossy but no longer runny, typical for ramen or salads.
- Medium/firm: yolk mostly set, still slightly moist in the middle.
- Hard boiled: yolk set throughout, good for deviled eggs. A green ring means it cooked too long; boil a little shorter and cool faster next time.
How Yolkwise works as your boiled egg timer
Yolkwise is an egg timer for Android that does the maths above for you: set the size, fridge or room temperature and the yolk you want, and the egg on screen shows what you will get. The alarm rings even when your screen is off.
- Sizes from small to jumbo, from the fridge or at room temperature, any yolk from soft to hard on a slider.
- Altitude aware: measured with your phone’s pressure sensor or set by hand.
- It learns: after breakfast tap Too soft, Perfect or Too firm, and the next egg cooks a little longer or shorter.
- Up to four kinds of eggs in one pot; a short ring tells you when to add which.
- Rings with the screen off, with the app closed and after a restart, using the alarm volume; a big Stop button on the lock screen.
- Kitchen timers with names, pause and +1 min, quick start from 1 to 45 minutes; two kitchen timers plus the egg timer are free.
- A story picture of your egg with time and settings, made in one tap.
What the app cannot do
The times are starting points: stoves, pots and eggs differ, which is why you can adjust after the first try. Yolkwise assumes eggs go into boiling water, not an egg cooker, air fryer or a cold-water start, and it is available for Android only.
Price
The egg timer with mixed pot, two kitchen timers and seven cooking times are free; Yolkwise Pro with unlimited timers, over 50 cooking times, step-by-step timers and a voice announcement costs $0.89 a month or $5.49 a year in the US. The free version shows ads; Pro is ad-free. We build this app ourselves; on Google Play it is listed under the developer name InfinityAkhi.
Get it on Google Play: Yolkwise
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Frequently asked questions
Should you put boiled eggs in ice water?
A quick bath in ice or cold water stops the cooking so a soft egg stays soft. For easy peeling, the age of the eggs matters more: eggs a few days old usually peel more easily than very fresh ones.
How long to boil an egg for ramen?
Ramen eggs are usually jammy: about 7 minutes for a US large egg from the fridge into boiling water, then straight into ice water before marinating.
How long do hard boiled eggs last?
Hard boiled eggs kept in the shell in the refrigerator are good for about a week. Peeled eggs are best eaten within a day or two.
Does Yolkwise ring when my phone is on silent?
Yes, the alarm uses the alarm volume, so it rings on silent as long as the alarm volume is not set to zero.
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