Set the timer to 114 seconds

How to use the online timer

Getting eggs exactly how you like them comes down to timing, and 114 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.

There's nothing to configure beyond tapping the button: press Start and the numbers begin ticking down straight away. The tab needs to stay open in your browser for the whole stretch, since closing it or switching the computer off stops the count, though you're free to switch to another tab and come back later. A clear alarm sounds the moment it hits zero, loud enough to notice from another room.

There's something to be said for a timer that doesn't try to sell you a premium version or bury the start button behind ads you have to swipe past. This one lives in a browser tab, plain and straightforward, doing exactly what it says and nothing else. You can leave the tab minimised while you get on with things, and it'll keep counting until it's time to let you know. Set a timer for 114 seconds, set the timer to 114 seconds, start a 114 seconds timer — it is the same countdown either way.