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If you like poaching eggs, a simple tool that helps to keep the egg intact while in the water, can be a big help - especially for presentation on the plate. Ever since I spotted these in a retail outlet, I've been very curious to see how they work.

Product Description

PoachPod® are made by Fushionbrands®. They are constructed of food-grade silicone and come in a set of two. The design is simple and once the eggs have been added, the pods simply float on water in a pan or skillet till the eggs are cooked to your preference.

Poaching eggs takes 4 to 6 minutes, depending on preference
Care instructions:

• Lightly oil pods before adding eggs
• When baking, place filled pods on a sturdy pan or tray
• Do not use a sharp object to remove eggs
• Do not use abrasive cleaners
• Top rack dishwasher safe

MSRP: Under $10 for a set of two
Made by Fusionbrands
How the PoachedPod Performed

April 25, 2010 Instructions are clear about greasing the inside of the pods, so I gave them a light cooking oil spray - only once and not repeated when I poached another two eggs in these pods, immediately afterwards. The process is simple - after oiling, break the egg into each pod and float the pods on boiling water in a small pot or skillet. You could easily float 4 pods in a medium-sized pan. There should be enough water for them to float and not touch the bottom of the pan, where extreme heat could damage these silicone pods if they lingered there. Keep the boiling point to a gentle boil level, to reduce splashing water into the pods.

Egg removal was very easy, I skimmed off any water that had dripped in them (from the cover) and with a spoon, nudged the egg out - it slipped easily unto the plate.

You can invert or pop eggs out as well, but this was not necessary. The second one ejected its cooked egg just as easily. I repeated the process to cook another two eggs, without further greasing and there was no problem with removal.

It's really a shame that greasing is required - it seems to defeat the healthier process of poaching eggs, but it does make removal very easy, without breaking the yoke. Cooking time does indeed take longer than dropping eggs in boiling water. At least 6 minutes and sometimes closer to 10 minutes. Remember to cover the pan/skillet and resist lifting the cover to watch the pods in action - it delays cooking. Since they are so easy to store (and light), these would be handy egg cooking tools for the RV.

Overall Impression

The price for the pods is good, but you'll probably need two sets to serve two people. Storing is a breeze since they nest together nicely and take less room, than storing a poaching pan or other plastic egg poaching tools. They wash up quickly and you can even place then in the top rack of the dishwasher. There's no problem handling the pods, the tips have holes that provide a good grip.

It's plain to see that these PoachPod would have more function than simply poaching eggs. You can make yourself an egg and muffin sandwich. The size of the pods makes an egg that is perfectly-sized for an English muffin - just break the yoke and make sure you cook the egg long enough to be firm. Then assemble your egg-on-a-muffin with ham and/or cheese. The thickness if just right. These pods have other uses according to the pamphlet - you can bake or make small desserts in them or use them as molds. Though I didn't try it, I'm sure they would also be ideal for melting a small amount of chocolate chips, the same way floating them in hot water. Then you could grasp the edges of the pods to enable dripping it over a dessert.

I really like the design, use and function. Having to oil them first is the only thing I don't like about them, though the oil spray is minimal. Eggs also take longer to cook than with other methods of poaching eggs, so allow a little more time. As for recommending them - they do get a thumbs up. They are very useful for keeping the eggs intact while poaching, something that many of us have problems with.

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