5 Minutes to a Hot Breakfast You Will Actually Look Forward To

I used to skip breakfast most mornings. Not because I was not hungry, but because standing at the stove while also packing lunches and getting kids dressed felt like one task too many. I figured a granola bar counted. It did not count. Not really.

A friend mentioned she had been using the Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker and that it changed her whole morning routine. I was skeptical. I had been burned by single-purpose gadgets before. But at $24, I thought it was worth trying.

The way it works is simple. You put an English muffin or croissant on the bottom plate, lay a slice of cheese on top, add your egg to the top ring, put a piece of Canadian bacon or whatever protein you want on the top layer, close the lid, and wait about 4 minutes. When the timer goes off, you slide the ring, and the egg drops onto the sandwich. That is it. You get a hot, layered breakfast sandwich every single time.

The first thing that surprised me was how much it tastes like a real sandwich and not like something you warmed up. The egg cooks through, the cheese melts, and everything holds together when you pick it up. My husband started getting up early just to use it, which tells you something.

It sits on your counter and takes up about as much space as a toaster. The parts that touch food lift out and go right in the dishwasher. The outer ring wipes clean in under a minute. I was worried cleanup would cancel out the time savings, but it really does not.

You can swap ingredients pretty freely. I have done eggs with spinach and feta, turkey sausage with cheddar, even just egg whites when I want something lighter. Mini waffles work as the base too, which my kids love on weekends.

The one adjustment I made was adding a tiny bit of butter to the egg ring so nothing sticks. Without it, the egg can cling to the sides. With it, the egg slides out perfectly every time. Not a flaw so much as a small tip worth knowing before your first use.

If you are someone who tends to leave the house without eating, or you have kids who need a hot breakfast fast, this is worth trying. It is not complicated. It just works. And at $24 with over 23,000 five-star reviews, it has clearly worked for a lot of people besides just me.

→ Check it out on Amazon