Norpro Silicone Round Pancake/Egg Rings, 2 Pieces, Blue

Just got `em and couldn't wait to try, made perfect egg patties the very first time! Like many of the other positive reviews, what I love about these things: * Over-sized patties that are larger than an English muffin so the first thing you get isn't bread, or large enough to work on regular bread without being too terribly small * Easy to use, easy to clean. Smart design such that even when flipped down, the metal part of the handle is what rests on the cooking surface, but you can still safely (but carefully) grab the silicone part of the handle to raise it and it's not hot at all, though I do recommend leaving the metal piece slightly off the cooking surface just to be safer * Makes perfectly round, perfectly cooked patties - with no leakage! Now, to dispel some of the concerns from the unhappy reviews, which no doubt concerned me as well - how I did it! Actually, did two different tests, so will provide how I did it both times. First time: * Both times, used a perfectly flat, electric griddle to avoid any possibility of an imperfect pan, as well as have a larger, easier to work with surface * First time, heated to 350, and poured in 1 unbeaten egg (and neither time did I hold back on some mixture like others mentioned), then used a nonstick (plastic) fork to stir the yolk around a little bit as I've seen done at Panera Bread * Cooked until top edge of egg was just firm enough to not leak out, with just a little bit of liquid still on top, then removed the ring - very easily too, I might add - and flipped it with the spatula * Turned out absolutely perfect, browned perfectly on the first side, and left just barely done on the other side so hopefully won't be too done when microwaved (I'm cooking mine ahead) Okay, the reason I did a second test was because like some mentioned, the egg was indeed a bit on the thin side due to the larger ring diameter. So second time: * Measured and learned that 1 egg was around 1/4 cup, and 3 eggs was about 2/3, which made scrambling them and pouring a measured amount real easy since my cup had 1/3 cup lines * Heated griddle to only 300 this time, pouring in 1/3 cup of egg this time or, ie, 1-1/2 eggs, which filled the ring about 3/4 high * I tore a piece of tin foil just bigger than each ring, left the handle down so foil would lay over, then placed the foil over each ring so as to better hold in the heat and cook the top, for as others mentioned, silicone doesn't transfer heat at all which means you have to balance overcooking the bottom with getting the top done * Obviously cooked a little longer this time, still flipping only when top edge of egg was just barely done enough to not run out when the ring was removed * Turned out incredibly perfect, although too thick. I think I preferred the first results best, which turned out not quite like a fried egg but nearly so. But, just a little too thin I'm thinking. Then the second ones, ehh, the solid yellow color didn't look as appealing, and they were way too thick. So, I'm going to do two things and decide which I like best. First, I'm going to get extra large eggs and try the first method again. If still too thin, I'll just have to scramble `em up and do method 2, just with less egg. Either way, I'm not worried, I've get this thing down pat! I actually bought 8 of these which will fit nicely on my griddle. That way I can cook 4 days' worth for my wife and me, a whole week's worth allowing us one day with something different. I'm actually using deli bread instead of muffins, and boy does that rock! That plus veggie sausage and a little cheese, mmm, tasty, and I calculated our cost at $1.25 - $1.50 per sandwich. Now that really rocks! (Good grief, I've not written such a long review for stuff that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars, and here these things cost about 5 bucks and I nearly penned War and Peace!)  Update: Am happy to report the results of my third and final test. Jumbo eggs and method 1 above is the bomb, way perfect! Using a whole sheet of tin foil over the entire griddle, pressing it down a little on the rings, so as in method 2, to hold in the heat to better cook the top. Perfect-o-mundo!

I've always wanted some of these rings and excited to try these out. This was my first time using this type. I've previously used ones made for a flat top. Instead of using cooking spray, I added butter to the pan and used a brush to spread it over and inside the rings to prevent sticking. After the first pancake batch, I realized it left batter residue and I ended up rinsing the rings b/w pancake batches. Not an easy route but I wanted them to come out well. And they did! I was really impressed with how well it handled fried eggs. I used the same butter method and slowly added the egg so the bottom could set before adding the rest. It helped the egg stay put and they held their shape and was contained very well!

Worked great for my homemade McMuffins - egg didn’t stick to the ring, minimal leakage, and just a slight spill over when I removed the ring but I’m not complaining about that. Just wanted a more circular shaped egg for my sandwich, which is what I got. I also like that it’s completely silicone and not metal covered with silicone, which would potentially break down and scratch a non-stick pan. I also think the flexibility helps ensure flush contact with the pan. All I did was put the ring on my pan, spray the inside of the ring with olive oil spray (Pam would work too) and then took the ring off while I heated up the pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle, put the ring back, crack an egg in the middle, and break the yolk with a spatula. Give it a minute or two before removing the ring and then flip. Since the pan was pretty hot and one egg becomes thin over the surface area of the ring, I turned the heat off after the flip and added cheese, by the time the cheese melted it was cooked perfectly. My only complaint is that the metal handle folds down at a weird angle for storage, but a very minor inconvenience, still very happy with the purchase.

The Norpro Silicone Round Pancake/Egg Rings are decent for keeping eggs and pancakes in a tidy shape, but they don't always create a perfect seal. Some egg whites tended to leak out from underneath, especially if the pan wasn’t perfectly flat or hot enough. They’re easy to clean and the silicone is good quality, but you might need to practice a bit to get consistent results.

First, I will start by saying I had to use them incorrectly before I figured out the "secret" (since there are no instructions)... With pancakes, simply preheat the pan and ring then pour the batter in (I use a pancake pen to pour normally, but with these I use the measuring cup (1/3rd on my cup but you can make them how thick you like) and all of them will be the same size and thickness, take them off the pan in the order you poured them and they will be perfect... Now for eggs, you need to preheat the pan and ring like with the pancakes, but with eggs it is much more important. Scramble your egg with what ever you are adding to it (milk, peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese, ect}, measure the amount you want to use, and pour it in, if your pan is not very flat (I use a Calphalon Unison flat skillet) you can use a spatula and old pressure on the ring for a minute while the bottom cooks, once the bottoms are cooked lower the heat, cook through and if you like them well done remove the ring and cook the other side for a moment.. They come absolutely perfect when I make them, I whisk some veggies and a small amount of shredded cheddar in with the egg whites, garlic powder, and skim milk they come out perfect bagel sized circles and cook fast... If you are cooking regular eggs (say sunny side up) you can use the ring as a guide, but its probably easier to just cook them on a skillet and use the spatula gather technique to control the size of the egg... So in closing very worth while product, well made, well thought out with the handle and outer ridge, these can be used for eggs but really shine with pancakes...