This New Gadget Makes Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites (Only Better)

If I had to call out the single greatest breakfast innovation of the last few years, I know just what I’d say. Nope, not pancake cereal. I’d say egg bites! Starbucks popularized them with their sous vide version and, now there are lots of frozen options at grocery stores. And there are countless DIY recipes for making them at home. Plus, lots of special molds (which can be used in the oven or in the Instant Pot) … and one cool machine that caught my eye recently.

Hamilton Beach, the same company that makes this ridiculously fun breakfast sandwich machine, now makes a small appliance that’s designed specifically to churn out egg bites. It doesn’t require you to be a sous vide expert, either. Instead it works kind of like a double boiler, with a well on the bottom for water, and a top tray with two small wells to hold the egg mixture. Hungry for an easy breakfast option, I got my hands on one to test it out.

Buy: Hamilton Beach Electric Egg Bites Cooker & Poacher, $27

The machine comes with a basic recipe along with some variations that include different fillings, like red peppers and bacon. I followed the basic recipe suggested, and mixed in some chopped scallions.

I added the water to the bottom, filled the cups with the egg mixture (I had to make a double batch in order to fill the cups to the fill line), added the cover, and plugged in the machine. There isn’t an on/off button, so you need to plug it in when you are ready to get it started and unplug it when it’s done. There is a green light that turns on when it’s plugged in. It turns off when the egg bites are ready, which seems to coincide with when the water in the bottom is evaporated. When the light turned off, I unplugged the machine, and took the cover off to find two little egg bites waiting for me. 

Really, they are like little soufflés. And delicious! I let them cool a bit, as instructed, and easily popped them right out of the machine. What I like most about the machine is that you can really customize your egg bites — adding meats, cheeses, and veggies as you see fit! The biggest drawback: You have to wait for the unit to cool down before you can make another batch. So if you are feeding a crowd, this could be a little frustrating. 

However, this machine is great for a single-serving breakfast for an adult. It’s also perfect if you are making breakfast for small kids, as one would be the perfect size for a small tot. I haven’t tried those silicone molds, but I like this machine for anyone who doesn’t have an Instant Pot or just doesn’t feel like turning on the oven. It doesn’t take up a whole lot of cabinet space, it’s pretty fun to use, and it bakes up quality egg bites. What more could you want? Other than, I guess, a bonus bowl of pancake cereal?