Cuisinart Egg Central Review

We purchased the Cuisinart Egg Central so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

The Cuisinart Egg Central has the ability to steam-cook eggs to your liking be it soft, medium, or hard-boiled. It includes two tiers, so you can cook up to ten eggs at a time and not only can you steam eggs in their shell, but you can also make omelets or poach your eggs with two specialized trays. On paper, the Cuisinart Egg Central has all the features we look for in an electric egg cooker, but we wanted to see how it performed in person. Keep reading for our full assessment of the appliance.

Performance: Impressive despite a few setbacks 

Our first test for the Cuisinart Egg Central was to prepare three hard-boiled eggs for breakfast. What seemed like an easy task produced a few hiccups as we thought the piercing tool on the measuring beaker was poorly designed. Every time we punctured a hole in an egg—as the instructions recommend—it would crack and yolk would drip out. Eventually, the poor performance was due to the fact that the product was missing its piercing pin, so we contacted Amazon and they quickly shipped us a new one—no questions asked.  

Once we had our replacement unit in hand, we had a much easier time whipping up hard-boiled eggs. Our correctly pierced eggs still cracked a bit while boiling, but that seemed like an inevitable outcome and they otherwise cooked perfectly and tasted great. 

We love the fact that this machine cooks automatically and takes all the guesswork out of boiling an egg. The included beaker is marked with measurements for each type of egg you can cook, so all you have to do is fill it to the designated line with cold water. To make a poached egg, for example, we simply filled the beaker to the Poached/Medium line then transferred our water to the heating plate and placed the lower cooking rack over the plate. Using the piercing pin located on the bottom of the beaker, we pierced the top side of each egg before putting them on the cooking rack. After that, we placed the lid on top of the cooker and flipped the power switch. An audible alert sounded when our eggs were ready and the indicator light turned off. Cook time for our single egg was 9 ½ minutes (this is normal for up to four eggs), so we didn’t have to wait long.  

The next day, we made a two-egg omelet. As the instructions indicated, we lightly sprayed the omelet tray with nonstick cooking spray beforehand. Since an omelet requires more water than a poached egg (160 ml), the omelet took about 15 minutes to cook. Although the instructions say the cooker can accommodate three eggs, we were really glad we didn’t use a third. When we opened the lid, the omelet was practically spilling over the sides of the tray. If we had used three eggs, it definitely would have run over. 

We weren’t thrilled with the consistency or the appearance of the omelet, either. Although the omelet cooked evenly and tasted fine, it didn’t look appetizing at all as neither side was browned the way it would be when prepared in a frying pan. We usually like to add a bit of cheese and veggies to our omelets, but the extra ingredients wouldn’t fit in the tray without spilling over and making a mess, so that was out of the question. Ultimately, the Cuisinart Egg Central over promises when it comes to its omelet-cooking capacity.

Design: High-capacity and convenient features 

There are many positive components to Cuisinart Egg Central’s design, the first being that it’s very compact. Measuring 6.3 x 7.3 x 7.8 inches, it takes up minimal counter space and with built-in cord storage, you can easily wrangle the cord when not in use. Despite its small footprint, the Egg Central can accommodate quite a few hard-boiled eggs—ten at a time, thanks to two stackable trays. The appliance’s capacity comes particularly in handy if you’re cooking for a large family or making deviled eggs or egg salad for a party. 

The rubber handles on the side of the unit don’t get hot, so you can safely remove the lid and trays immediately. Once you remove the lid, we recommend putting it in the sink as a lot of condensation builds up inside and it’ll drip out all over your counter. 

Care: Super easy 

All removable parts can be washed in hot soapy water or on the top shelf of a dishwasher. As for the heating plate, you can wipe it down with a damp cloth. We did notice some hard water deposits on the lid, but they came right off with a bit of white vinegar. Since the cooker includes multiple loose pieces, it’s probably best to keep it stored in the box after washing and drying.

Price: Quality performance for a reasonable price 

With plenty of convenient features and accurate automatic cooking, the Cuisinart Egg Central is certainly worth its reasonable $40 price tag. If you need a cooker with even higher capacity, or prefer a model with a few more bells and whistles, there are some other options to consider. 

Competition: Plenty of options, depending on your needs 

Dash Deluxe Egg Cooker: The Dash Deluxe Egg Cooker goes for the same price as the Cuisinart but it offers more capacity. It can cook up to a dozen eggs at a time and poach up to seven eggs in one go. Available in four colors, you shouldn’t have trouble finding one that matches your decor, either. 

Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer: If you’re looking for a more versatile gadget, the Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer is worth checking. With two steaming tiers, the appliance can prepare a whole meal at once be it broccoli and rice or a seafood medley. The $40 steamer also has some nice high-end features like a digital touchpad, count-down timer, delayed-start setting, and an automatic keep-warm setting.