A more entertaining way to watch water boil

Egg Watchers is a great concept. You just tell the system what size of egg you're boiling, whether or not the egg is refrigerator-cold, and how well-done you want it. Then, you're set up with a YouTube video that will end at approximately the same time your egg is done.

No more boring waiting around! For an 8 min. 30 sec. extra-large hard egg, I was treated to the delightful educational mockumentary above.

My only complaint: I'd love to see this concept expanded to a full-on YouTube-based cooking timer. I've got 15 minutes for this pasta to boil, how will the Internet entertain me?

Eggwatchers

(Thanks, Laura Browning!)

Maggie Koerth-Baker is the science editor at BoingBoing.net. She writes a monthly column for The New York Times Magazine and is the author of Before the Lights Go Out, a book about electricity, infrastructure, and the future of energy. You can find Maggie on Twitter and Facebook.

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PaulR

“When rain freezes” it doesn’t become snow – since rain is melted snow.. Frozen rain becomes hail.

And that gloved hand in ‘Experiment 2′ shoulda been a bandaged zinc-oxide-slathered hand, IMHO.
dole

I’ve had the wife saying “Thants” instead of “Thanks” for a few months now and she absolutely hates it.
Proxy Toaster

Blants, thants!

I’m headed out to the garage to make whiskey.
cymk

A good friend of mine introduced me to “Look Around You” a year or two ago; its one of the funniest shows I’ve seen in a long time. If you like Water, try Maths, its hilarious.
seyo

you boil your pasta for FIFTEEN MINUTES??? yikes. that’s not pasta anymore, that’s cream of wheat.
- pjk
  
  Yeah, please. Eight minutes, tops.
  - Maggie Koerth-Baker
    
    I’m counting the time to get the water boiling as well. Because I also find that part boring.
LILemming

Hmmm, Websense blocks eggtimers as a “gambling site”.

Sometimes the jokes just write themselves.
JulieG

“Maths” is pretty great as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drE5cHe6c3s

(In fact, just YouTube “Look Around You” and you’ll find all sorts of gems.)
Anonymous

I’m wondering if the “Look around you. Just look around you.” intro dialogue was the inspiration for Cory’s “Look at this X. Just look at it.” meme.
- erissian
  
  It started with this, and then evolved into the meme you recognize today: http://media.photobucket.com/image/look%20at%20my%20balls%20look%20at%20them/amyfarrand/misc/look_at_my_fuckin_balls.jpg
dwdyer

Thanks, but we’ll stick to the Norpro Egg Rite timer. (Amazon, It’s a solid thing you put in with the eggs, and it changes color to reflect the done-ness of the eggs.

Cheap. Effective. And since I usually don’t put eggs on to boil and then leave the room as I’m generally cooking something else as well, easy.
Axx

Oh, sweet. Do they make these things for kids’ school plays?
cmuwriter

My mother taught me a way to boil eggs that I’ve always used with good results, no over-boiled eggs or anything. You just use whatever pot you have and put the eggs in it, cover it with water, add a teaspoon of salt and get the pot going to a roiling boil. Then turn off the heat, put a lid on the eggs and let the hot water cook the eggs for about 20 minutes. Great boiled eggs every time.
mypalmike

Somehow, I knew the guy was going to reach into the water to get the egg. And I still laughed when it happened.
danwarning

This has always been my favorite episode of Look Around You. Two close contenders are also “Music” and “Ghosts.” Czech ‘em out on the youtubes!
Nadreck

But when I input my egg specifications it came up with this really graphic zombie claymation that I really wouldn’t want to watch just before eating. Needs to come up with a selection of videos to choose from and not just force feed you one.
Steaming Pile

Sort of like the hacktastic 60-minute cassette tape into which I recorded me saying, “stop,” at the end of each side. I used it to time myself taking SAT practice tests back in the days.
bcsizemo

So 15 mins for the pasta to be done? How about make a salad to go with it? Toast some bread with butter and parmesan cheese? Make some tea or other beverage of choice? Clean up some dishes you probably have…(or unload the dishwasher)

The time I waste on the internet could so easily be put to doing better things, but sometimes I need a break.
(And the time I’m writing this is at work on a lunch break, so technically there isn’t much I could be doing for myself here.)
Anonymous

Uh, why would you do anything but watch Good Eats while you’re cooking?