KitchenCraft Egg Poacher, Carbon Steel Egg Poacher Pan, Egg Poacher Pan for 4 eggs, 21cm (11''), Silver

Deep poacher holds large eggs without spilling suitable for induction hobs

Having used little poaching bags and found them to be fiddly and messy I decided it was high time I invested in a proper poaching pan. I needed one for an induction hob and this is the perfect pan for just such a beast.The whole thing is really well made with a good sturdy feel to it. The pan itself is non stick doubling up as a saute pan , and the little metal cups, each of which has a little round handle, are also non stick. The inner part which holds the cups has a central knob which is perfect for lifting the whole thing in or out of the pan, with cups loaded or not. I've never seen this before in a poaching pan, and I think is a really handy addition. The heavy glass lid, which is vented, has a robust handle on the top of it; the handle of both pan and lid remain cool during use. And finally, the whole lot is dishwasher safe. What more could you want?I'm am delighted with this pan and hope to be poaching eggs in it for many years. Just wish I'd bought it sooner instead of messing about with those paper poaching pod things

It started so well. 4 perfect poached eggs a day for 2 weeks. Played havoc with my constitution, but that's to be expected. Then the problems started. The eggs started sticking, the rust started appearing, the little handles fell off. You'd get a year out of it with normal use. I am not normal.

We recently decided to buy an egg poacher and I was shocked at the price of them when we started looking at them in various outlets. Finally we found this one that quite frankly I still believe to be expensive for what it is.The picture on the advert is somewhat misleading as it makes it the pan look like stainless steel; there are clear reflections in it. But it is not. It is a thin metal pan with what looks like some sort of matt enamel finish and I can well see how its various parts would go rusty quickly as some reviewers have reported if not dried thoroughly after each use.However, we have used it a few times I can say that it does produce perfect poached eggs.Addendum: Despite wiping it dry after every use the poacher is now going rusty. There is rust forming on one of the cups and also underneath the tray similar to what is depicted in another reviewers pictures. Whatever the coating is it is really thin and not up to the job.I had hoped this poacher would turn out to be better than this. When I first purchased it I tried to return it as I wasn't happy with the advertising but kept getting a message saying it wasn't eligible for return. I couldn't find any way to return it just kept coming back to the same message.So be warned!!!

I have purchased a similar item to this before but the cups and main insert were made of a heavy duty plastic which lasted around 4 years with regular use. Hopefully by ordering a coated carbon steel one, it will last even longer. You only need to fill up the pan with less than half of water. This can be cold or boiling water from the kettle. However, personally I have found the way to perfect eggs (we all have our preferences) is to make sure the water is boiling (steaming) before you put the eggs in the cups. Whilst the poacher is steaming, squirt some fry light or put some oil/butter in the cups. Remember to take the poacher slightly off the heat or you risk being scalded by the boiling steam and then crack your eggs in to the cups. Return the poacher to the hotplate (I have a halogen hob) replace the lid and let the poacher do its work. Its trial and error on how long you leave the eggs in. Until you get it right, you can lift the lid off to have a look at the consistency of the eggs. When cooked, remove the poacher from the heat and use a cloth to pick up the cups by the handle as these get hot. Slide your eggs out with a silicone utensil or a teaspoon and enjoy. The pan is easy to clean as you can wipe over the cups (if no egg white is left) with a piece of kitchen towel.

I specifically wanted a poaching pan with metal cups because plastic ones don't transfer heat as effectively, and aren't in my experience as non-stick. So, here we are and yes, the pan very effectively poaches the eggs in just a few minutes; getting the balance between leaving a runny yolk but not having liquid albumen left is a bit trickier.The pan is a nice size and holds sufficient water for the purpose so little risk of it boiling dry. The lid is a bit of a dodgy fit - it appears to me to sit not quite straight and be slightly raised at one side when in position. Mostly, though, my reservation is with the thin sheet steel the pan is constructed from - there's no thickness at all - the entire pan is pressed from a very thin sheet so the sides and base are of identical thickness (I lack the means to measure it but it is certainly less than 1mm thick) though it does work on my induction hob. I foresee a day in the not-too-distant future, though, where the base has warped and no longer sits properly on the hob. So, for the £24 I paid, just three stars signifying pretty damn average for construction despite poaching quite quickly. If I'd paid more, I'd be much unhappier - 2 stars. It looks quite good from a distance but in the hand feels cheap and, I'm afraid, a little shoddy.

Great bitn of kit, cooks a lovely egg

Great purchase. How did I manage all this time without one??Super little pan, well made with a great coating on the poacher cups so nothing sticks.Works so quickly on my induction hob. Takes me 5 minutes from start to finish for my perfect poached eggs.No messy pans, or unpredictable cooking times, no messed up hobs.I put the heat on 7, then the eggs went in and I adjusted the heat to 5; 4 minutes cooking and done!It's faultless if a squirt of 1cal is used on the cups (if required.)Easy to clean as well. It's also dishwasher proof.There is a comforting weight to it and seems robust in its construction.Very pleased with the purchase, I can now cook perfect poached eggs!