Set the timer to 109 seconds

How to use the online timer

Getting eggs exactly how you like them comes down to timing, and 109 seconds is a starting point plenty of people use for soft yolks with just-set whites. Drop the eggs in once the water's rolling, start the timer straight away, and pull them out the moment it finishes rather than leaving them to keep cooking in the hot water. A few seconds either way changes the whole result.

Press Start and it gets going immediately, no sign-up screen or settings menu standing in the way. The one thing to remember is that it counts down inside this browser tab, so it needs to stay open rather than closed or replaced by another site if you want an accurate result. A sound plays once the time is up, which is your cue that whatever you were timing is done.

Setting an egg timer or fumbling with a phone app both work, but neither is as quick as a browser tab you already have open. There's no app store, no update prompt, and no login screen between you and starting the count. It's free and needs no registration, it works on any device with a browser, and closing other tabs won't affect it as long as this one stays open. People type this as set timer 109 seconds or timer for 109 seconds; both land here and start the same count.