Make the best scrambled eggs of your life with these chef-approved tips

Omelet you guess one of the hardest foods to cook well. Maybe it's not a tricky question considering this story's headline, but it may surprise you to know that learning how to properly cook eggs is something culinary students spend days, sometimes weeks, on. As for the best way to make scrambled eggs? Well, it seems every chef has their own take.

Even if you follow a tried-and-true recipe, it can be tricky to get the texture of scrambled eggs just right. And you definitely want to hit this dish out of the park, because, as well all know, eggs aren't cheap these days! The perfect scrambled eggs should be fluffy yet creamy, with a rich, almost buttery taste. To help you step up your scrambling game, we reached out to a half-dozen professional chefs for pointers and must-have tools. Let's get crackin'!

Start with a bowl (not a pan)

Before your eggs even touch a hot pan, crack them into a separate cup or bowl, says Shane Schaibly, executive chef and senior vice president of culinary at breakfast and brunch restaurant First Watch, which has locations across the country. This will give you a chance to mix your eggs well and fish out any errant bits of shell before they disappear into your scramble.

Incorporate as much air as possible

"Make sure to whip enough air into your eggs — really whip them thoroughly," says Brian Mooney, chef at Tre Luna Bar + Kitchen in Hoover, Ala. This will get them to expand, leading to the fluffiest possible results. You can use an old-fashioned whisk, but to speed up the process, try a stick blender or frother, Schaibly suggests.

Don't forget the dairy (and other mix-ins)

Butter and other forms of dairy can help prevent you from overcooking your scrambled eggs. "Add a splash of half-and-half, cheese or sour cream," Schaibly says. "Any little bit of dairy pads the deck and builds cushion, which buys you time on the burner."

If you want to elevate your egg-sperience even more, chef Alex Green of Mileta in Lexington, Ky., says, "You can do several little things to make your basic, diner-style scrambled eggs transcendental: Add a bit of potato starch to help with tenderness, pre-salt the beaten eggs to help them retain moisture, and mix in whole milk to add richness without being overwhelming or diluting the egg flavor."

Brandon Sharp, chef at Próximo in Chapel Hill, N.C., cooks his scrambled eggs over a double boiler, and as the curds start to set, folds in butter, crème fraîche and freshly snipped chives. Yum.

Use a nonstick pan

"The best thing someone can have for great eggs is a good nonstick pan," says Jake Potashnick, the chef at Feld in Chicago. All our experts agreed, and while they differed on which brand of nonstick pans is best, they all emphasized that whatever you use should be sparkling clean.

"A good, clean, non-scruffed-up, nonstick pan is key," Green says. "Never use a metal utensil on it or scrub the pan with anything abrasive. If you only use wood or silicone utensils and clean them gently, your pan will last a long time. Once you start getting scratches in the pan, it’s better to get a new one."

And don't overheat it!

"As young cooks, one of the first things that we had to master was cooking eggs because using the correct temperature was crucial to the correct outcome," says McDaniel. "Take scrambled eggs, for instance — too hot and the eggs will dry out and possibly brown from over-cooking. Not enough heat, and you stand a good chance of your eggs sticking.”

After preheating your pan, keep the heat on low or medium-low to gently scramble your eggs — don't rush it! This will ensure they don't dry out. "When eggs are dried out and overcooked, they lose the rich, creamy texture," says Mooney. Adds Schaibly, "Many people fear wet eggs, but they are the best. The perfect scrambled egg? Little bit of moisture left in it, a little shiny, and no brown."

Use a rubber spatula to move around the scramble and help transfer it to your plate when it's done.

More egg-cellent kitchen gear

We found nifty tools for assisting with every egg dish under the sun, whether you're looking to make the best scrambled eggs, poached eggs or fried eggs — or simply want the secret to perfect hard-boiled eggs.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.