I tried 8 tricks for making perfect scrambled eggs, and the best called for a whirlpool of boiling water

• I made scrambled eggs using different well-known tricks and a few methods I had never heard of.
• Microwaving and baking the dish in the oven were the worst methods, as they made the eggs rubbery.

It seems that almost everyone has their own special method of making scrambled eggs — there are so many ways to change the flavor and texture.

I love to throw scrambled eggs on breakfast sandwiches or mix them with veggies, but I had never found the ideal method to get a soft texture that isn't too wet or dry.

So, I decided to try a mix of easy and unique tricks for making the classic breakfast.

I first tried the 'low-and-slow' method, a technique I've actually tested before

I've previously tried making scrambled eggs on very low heat for a long amount of time à la Tyler Florence's recipe. Chrissy Teigen's method is similar in that she makes a very soft scramble by cooking eggs over the lowest heat for 20 to 30 minutes.

I followed this same method, and my eggs took about 30 minutes before they were solid enough to move from pan to plate. However, their orange, gooey appearance put me off, and I couldn't bring myself to take a bite.

Wet scrambled eggs are not for me, and the orange color these took on from a long time over heat, unfortunately, made them really unappealing to me.

The results from incorporating boiling water shocked me the most

This method seemed like one of the weirdest tricks of the bunch because it involved mixing a bowl of boiling water so that it swirled — like a whirlpool — and then pouring in whisked eggs.

I did just that, and the eggs instantly firmed up into delicate ribbons. This looked pretty gross, to be honest, but it was also fun to watch it happen.

I used a small strainer to pull the eggs out of the water, placed them in a bowl, and topped them with a little butter, salt, and pepper.

The result was so impressive as the eggs were so light and bouncy, and not too dry or wet either. They weren't rubbery at all, and adding a bit of butter on top made them rich and creamy.

Cleaning the mixture out of the strainer was a little messy, and I had to blot some extra water out of the eggs, but it was worth it. The eggs had a great taste and texture, and once the water was boiling, they took just seconds to cook.

Because these scrambled eggs held some water even after straining, I wasn't sure that they'd hold up on a breakfast sandwich, so I used a piece of cheese as a barrier to prevent the eggs from making the bread wet. This worked like a charm.

Adding a splash of plain water was one of the easiest tips to follow

This tip is as easy as it gets — and free. I just added a splash of plain water to my eggs before whisking and cooking them.

These eggs came out just how I like them, thoroughly cooked and fluffy without being wet or runny. I needed to add more salt, but the overall flavor was still good.

This method was super easy. The eggs were done in no time, and I always have this secret ingredient on hand.

Cooking in the microwave gave the eggs a spongy, unappealing texture

When I think of microwaved eggs, I think of a dry, rubbery texture, which is exactly what this method gave me.

I started by whisking the eggs, milk, and seasoning together in a microwave-safe mug. I microwaved the eggs for 30 seconds at a time, and they took about two minutes to cook completely.

In a pinch, these would be fine because they cooked quickly, required few ingredients, and were easy to make. Bread also masked the not-so-great texture.

Making this dish in the slow cooker took an hour, but the eggs turned out great

This slow-cooker option yields a lot of scrambled eggs, making it ideal for meal-prepping or serving a crowd. Though slow-cooker recipes typically take a long time until they're done, the eggs only needed an hour.

I cut this recipe down a bit, and used six eggs, just shy of a cup of cream, and about a cup of mozzarella cheese. I whisked these ingredients together while a tablespoon of butter melted in the slow cooker. Then, I just poured in the eggs, covered the pot, and let them cook on high for an hour.

This method surprised and impressed me because the eggs were very light, soft, and fluffy. The only downside is that the bottom got pretty brown, but the flavor was still very buttery and cheesy.

They also didn't stick to the slow-cooker pot at all, making for easy cleanup.

This method was much easier than cooking a lot of eggs on the stove, so I'll definitely be trying this again when I need larger portions of scrambled eggs — but next time, I'll be sure to keep the heat at low or medium.

The oven method is also meant to serve a crowd, but it didn't impress me

Making scrambled eggs in the oven is also meant to cook large portions for a crowd in a short amount of time.

This recipe called for 24 eggs and a large dish, but I scaled it down to one serving in a smaller, oven-safe ceramic mug.

The eggs, especially the edges, came out dry and rubbery. Whether I'm making a single serving or cooking for several people, I wouldn't turn to the oven to make scrambled eggs again.

The cocktail-shaker method was OK, but it was too messy for me

Making scrambled eggs in a cocktail shaker, or wide-mouth water bottle, instead of whisking makes sense to me. It's common to mix egg whites in a shaker for the foam to top cocktails — this was similar, but I was leaving the yolks in.

I simply shook a couple of eggs in a metal cocktail shaker. But when I removed the lid, the pressure led the eggs to explode a bit, so it was messy.

When I cooked them, the eggs came together in large, folding ribbons, and the final texture was slightly rubbery but moist. The eggs were fine, but I think the texture and taste weren't worth the mess.

The super-whisk method took a little more time and effort, but the eggs were decadent

I'm not one to eat wet eggs, so I wasn't sure that I'd like this "spoonable" scramble.

However, this method was easy enough since all I had to do was whisk eggs, butter, cream, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over low heat. When I say whisk, I mean really it — I mixed them nearly nonstop for 15 minutes in order to achieve the tiniest curds.

I knew I'd have trouble stomaching these very wet eggs, so I poured them over a sturdy piece of bread. I ate one spoonful of the eggs alone, and I found they had a velvety texture and rich flavor thanks to the butter and cream.

I don't expect to make these often, but for wet eggs, they did turn out amazing.

Overall, I picked up several new favorite ways to make scrambled eggs

I'd probably use about half of these methods again, but my absolute favorites were the boiled-water and the slow-cooker ones. I'll be using the boiling-water method as my new go-to and the slow-cooker option for making brunch for friends or preparing breakfast sandwiches or burritos for the freezer.

I didn't mind the super-whisk method, and I can see myself trying that one again. The plain-water method was also incredibly easy and is ideal for times when I am out of milk and want to make fluffy scrambled eggs.

But after multiple attempts with cooking eggs low and slow, I won't be trying that again. The microwave and oven options also didn't work out for me, and the shaker method made too much of a mess.

Overall, I'm glad to have found at least a handful of easy, go-to methods for scrambled eggs that work for any occasion.

This story was originally published on May 1, 2022, and most recently updated on November 14, 2024.