Customer Reviews

Nordic Ware Microwave 2 Cavity Egg Poacher

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I gave it 4 stars because:

(1) The instructions aren't on the product itself.

(2) I still prefer poached eggs on the stove.

However, perhaps this will help those of you struggling with why the darn thing won't work for YOU:

(1) Most instructions are written for 700 watt microwaves.

(2) Your microwave is likely not 700 watts if your results are bad. (Assuming you follow the other instructions re water, piercing the yolk, etc.)

(3) If you don't know the wattage of your oven, use this chart -- http://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Charts/Wattage.html -- and a cup of water to determine your wattage.

(4) Once you have your wattage, use this chart -- http://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Charts/ChartsFrom700.html -- and select YOUR oven's wattage then go to that chart to determine the correct cooking time for you.

For example, my oven is 1100 watts (I cheated and looked at the manual, but I should boil water now and again in case it changes):

Step 1 -- I go to the chart for 1100 watt conversion from 700 watt here -- http://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Charts/Chart1100.html.

Step 2 -- On the packaging AND on the company website for this product, they say that two eggs should be 1 minute 15 seconds. I look for 1 minute 15 seconds and find that I should actually cook them in MY microwave for 48 seconds.

Step 3 -- I follow the rest of the instructions (1/2 teaspoon of water per egg, pierce the yolk once, close the device firmly, leave it shut for at least 30 seconds or more afterward so the whites will cook completely), then voila, perfect poached eggs (except, yes, the bottoms are rounded).

My microwave has a rotating glass plate, so your results may vary unless you have one of those or you invest in one of the micro-go-round type products. I suspect that is what makes both eggs cook evenly.

Hope that helps. Heck, for $2.00, this little thing works like a charm.

(And no, I don't work for NordicWare!)

I have owned this poacher for about five years, and we poach eggs several times a week. So this little item has had quite a workout in our home, probably poaching hundreds of eggs, until one of the hinges broke off.

Here are some tricks to getting perfectly poached eggs in this gadget:
1) nonstick spray both cups
2) add 2 teaspoons water apiece (to get that "poached" texture)
3) cook in a microwave oven that has a turntable; and
4) experiment with the "right" time to poach in your own oven, since wattages vary a great deal. (I use 1 minute on 50%, but your oven is different)

I'm replacing my purchase today; also buying a 4-egg poacher because we use it so often.

This is very easy to use. It poaches two eggs in about 1 minute and the cleaning is a snap if you do it right away. The only problem is that it cooks the eggs a little unevenly. There is always one that is well done and one that could use a bit more cooking. That doesn't bother me too much, but if you like your eggs perfectly poached, stick to a more traditional stove-top method. But for super fast eggs without a pan to clean, this is ideal.

This tool is not as good as poaching an egg in water, but it is much quicker and easier.

People who have had problems with it bursting open are probably doing one or two things wrong:

1. Too much water. You only need a few drops of water per cup. You don't need to top it off or even come close. More than just a few drops of water will build up too much steam, thus causing it to burst open in the microwave.

2. Cooking at too high a temperature. I set my microwave for 80 seconds at 50% power. This allows the egg to cook thoroughly. If your microwave is very powerful, you could cause excess steam build-up from the water in egg alone, and would probably result in rubbery eggs as well.

For the egg not to explode, only use a few drops of water and poke the yoke before cooking.
I leave the lid open a bit and have not had a problem. 2 eggs, 60 seconds, leave in for a bit. Sometimes they are a little soft, but when I make my meal I usually melt the cheese and meat with the eggs so I put them in for a bit more.

Review by Dan of Arlington said his eggs exploded. I never had this problem. Egg yolks have to be pricked with a tooth-pick before cooking. I butter each cup lightly with butter, salt and pepper each cup, add eggs, a little more than tsp of water in each cup. Micro on high for 1 minute & 15 seconds, let rest for a minute. For speed & no hassle it's great!

For under 5 bucks I don't expect the perfect poached egg out of the microwave. I don't expect anything perfect out of a microwave, so I was pleasantly surprised when this worked quite well. You DO have to read the directions carefully, and start out the time much lower than it says if you have higher wattage- which I think most people have. I cook 2 eggs for barely a minute, and 1 egg for about 40 seconds. It often cooks 2 eggs unevenly but part of that is just the microwave cooking itself or my mistake of adding more water to one side. If you want quick poached eggs without the stove this will work just fine.

I own the Back to Basics toaster with the built in egg poacher. This item works better and is 1/10th the price. First and foremost, it can do 2 eggs at once, where the toaster only does one at a time. Second, it does it in only a minute. I have found the key to making perfect eggs is to spray the interior with a light coat of cooking spray, Crack you eggs in a coffee cup and stir prior to adding it into the tray. Add a half teaspoon of water or milk for fluffier eggs. It only takes 1 minute in a microwave and that's it, they are done. The spray allows the eggs to come out without a mess. All you need is a toasted english muffin, a slice of cheese, the meat of your choice, and viola instant breakfast.

I was a bit wary when ordering this product because of some of the negative reviews I read. I've tried to poach eggs myself using a microwave safe bowl and I always end up with an exploded mess, even when I made sure to puncture the yolk. At any rate, I gave this gadget a try...simply put 2 cracked eggs in and used a fork to puncture each yolk 3 times. Then, I put a little spoonful of filtered water onto each egg, popped the contraption into the microwave and cooked it for 1 minute (less than the instructed time). I had low hopes since I heard it pop a couple of times while cooking, but when I took it out, the eggs were beautifully poached! The fastest meal I've ever made - perfect for an egg sandwich or eggs benedict! Next time, I'll use a lower power or less of a cooking time (maybe 45 seconds) to get a more runny yolk. Order this...you won't be disappointed. It's perfect for a super quick breakfast or a late-night snack!

The key to satisfaction with this product is not to expect perfect poached eggs using a microwave. It's not that the product itself is poorly designed, although as some have pointed out, the hinge could be stronger. It's that microwave ovens really aren't designed for gourmet cooking. They heat things up quickly--that's what they do. There are a thousand things you can do with a stove or an oven that you'll never be able to do well in a microwave, and poaching eggs is just one of them.

I don't care what anyone else says, making great poached eggs is neither that quick nor that easy. Microwaves are all about convenience, and if you want decent poached eggs in a minute, this will do it. Or if you're at work and you want some warm eggs for breakfast and you only have a microwave, this will do it.

If you expect a picture-perfect poached egg, with the yolks slightly runny just the way you like them and the whites a little fluffy just the way you like them, you'll have to experiment with the amount of water you add, the amount of cooking time, and the power settings if you have them--and you may get something approaching what you're looking for, but in my experience, not exactly. (Although if you like your poached eggs hard-boiled, you're in luck--that's pretty easy to do in this contraption.)

I have a 1100 watt microwave, and after some experimentation, I ended up adding more water than is recommended (about a teaspoon per egg rather than half) and ran the microwave for fifty seconds. Neither the whites nor yolks were completely hard, which is what I was looking for. Really, not bad at all, considering the convenience.