We know that the culinary world has been full of innovative products and gadgets designed to help make life in the kitchen easier. On the other hand, we also know that some of these gadgets look strange or confusing, if not a little intimidating. One such gadget is the egg topper, resembling a pair of spiky pliers or scissors.
Learning about the Past
Older generations have a vast amount of knowledge regarding the past. Fortunately, some people value their wisdom enough to have paid attention to their grandparents’ stories while growing up. Or valued time with them enough to help in the kitchen. Either way, when people turn to Reddit for answers, there’s almost always a large support system—a community with a wealth of knowledge. So, when a Reddit user turned to their fellow Redditors for answers regarding an antique object, there were plenty of helpful or comical responses that pointed out the antique object’s purpose.
Finding an Egg Topper
“Sooo… I was walking around at a garage sale and found this thing. I thought it was a cigar clipper or whatever but it’s too big, so I have no idea what it is. Help!” The post explained. ‘That GamingGuy42’ shared a few months back. “Oddly enough its an egg cutter/topper.” responded one user. Others had plenty of jokes. Most relating to a certain medical procedure often undergone by male infants in certain parts of the world. It turns out that this cool piece of history, the egg topper or cutter, has actually been around for more than 100 years. One of the many useful kitchen items that are intended to make it easy to enhance your cooking skills. Although people have been eating soft-boiled eggs for generations, these vintage egg toppers have been in circulation since as far back as the 1800s.
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Value of the Egg Topper
In fact, these vintage kitchen tools, and others, are often purchased by collectors depending on their condition and how many are or were in circulation. Amazingly, some are pure silver, making them even more valuable. However, they average somewhere around $70.00 on Etsy. Meanwhile, some prominent pieces like the rare Antique Silver Edwardian Egg Cutter, made in England, have been sold in auction. Their final value is undisclosed to the public. Although it’s amazing to think of all the vintage objects that were once relevant and helpful around the house, they are seemingly obsolete and serve only a superficial purpose these days—charming pieces of the past, reminders of how life once was. However, unlike other antique items and gadgets, an egg cutter can still live up to its name, even in today’s modern kitchen.
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How to Use an Egg Topper
Being an egg topper can still serve its intended purpose but has become outdated; many people don’t know the proper way to use an egg topper. Have no fear; it’s actually quite easy; simply use the egg topper to “snip” or cut (hence the reason the egg topper can also be called an egg cutter) the ends of soft-boiled eggs. Alternatively, a butter knife will also help if an egg topper is nowhere in sight. However, this can sometimes cause the yolk to spill out and make a mess. Therefore, this method should only be used in an emergency and an egg topper should be used whenever possible. An egg topper, like many other nostalgic items of the past, aren’t just a cool or unique part of history; they’re also still useful in today’s kitchen. Moreover, they make great conversational pieces, so families can imagine times past or reminisce together as they spend quality time in the kitchen.
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Sources
- “Antique Silver Edwardian Egg Cutter/Topper made in 1905.” William Walter Co.
- “Vintage Egg Topper 1850.” Ebay
- “How to Use an Egg Topper.” My Recipe. Kat Kinsman. February 13, 2018.
- “How to Use This Strange Tool in Your Kitchen.” Homemaking. Nini. September 23, 2023.