Perfect boiled egg device cracked

Mr Rhymes hopes the BEM will be as common as a toaster

A Wiltshire inventor has designed a novel way to cook an egg without using water.

Simon Rhymes, 23, from Chippenham, thought up the idea for the Bulbed Egg Maker (BEM) while studying project design at Bournemouth University.

After experimenting with more than 600 eggs, Mr Rhymes says he can now produce a "perfect" boiled egg in six minutes.

He has patented the BEM, which uses high-powered halogen bulbs to cook the egg before slicing the top off.

Mr Rhymes got the idea after wondering if there was a use for the heat a light bulb produced.

"I started to experiment and cooked an egg under a table lamp. That took about half an hour.

Toast soldiers

"Then I came across the halogen lights and adapted them to put in the BEM.

"I experimented with about 600 eggs. I got sick of testing them but now I can produce the perfect boiled egg every time," he said.

The egg is lowered into the 12 in (30cm) machine, which has four halogen bulbs.

In six minutes it produces an egg with a yolk runny enough for toast soldiers, although the time can be altered for a softer or harder result.

Mr Rhymes is now seeking investors and manufacturers for the product which he hopes will become as common as toasters in kitchens.