How do I tell if eggs are fresh?

The float test, what egg age actually affects, and where they should be stored.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 10 min
Read: 2 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Put the egg in water: fresh eggs sink and lie flat, older ones stand on end, and one that floats should be discarded. Age affects how eggs behave in cooking as much as whether they are safe.

Eggs lose moisture through the shell over time and the air cell grows, which is what the float test measures. Age matters for cooking too: fresh eggs poach beautifully and peel badly, older eggs the reverse.

Safety

An egg that smells sulphurous when cracked should be discarded, regardless of any test. Anyone pregnant, elderly, very young or immunocompromised should avoid raw or lightly cooked eggs unless they carry an assurance mark.

What you'll need

A bowl of water
Eggs (optional)

Step by step

Use the float test to judge age.In a bowl of water: fresh eggs lie flat on the bottom, older eggs stand upright, and any that float should be discarded.
Crack questionable eggs into a separate bowl.Never straight into the mixture. A single off egg ruins everything it joins, and one sniff tells you immediately.
Use fresh eggs for poaching and frying.The white is thicker and holds together. An older egg spreads across the pan and produces wispy poached eggs.
Use slightly older eggs for boiling.They peel far more easily. Very fresh boiled eggs are notoriously difficult to shell, which is a membrane issue rather than technique.
Store them in the fridge in most countries.Where eggs are washed during processing, refrigeration is recommended. Where they are not washed, cool storage at room temperature is normal. Follow local guidance.
Keep them in their box, pointed end down.The box protects them and prevents odour absorption. Pointed end down keeps the air cell at the top, which helps them keep.
Bring them to room temperature for baking.Cold eggs curdle creamed mixtures. Twenty minutes out, or a few minutes in warm water if you forgot.
Freeze surplus eggs out of the shell.Beaten whole, or whites and yolks separately. They keep for months and are useful for baking.

Tips

A best-before date is about quality rather than safety. An egg past it that sinks and smells fine is generally usable in thoroughly cooked dishes.
Egg whites freeze perfectly and keep for months. Yolks need a pinch of salt or sugar mixed in before freezing or they go gluey.
Shell colour makes no difference to quality or nutrition — it depends entirely on the breed of hen.

Common mistakes

Cracking eggs straight into the mixture — One off egg ruins the whole bowl. Crack into a separate bowl first, particularly with eggs of uncertain age.
Boiling very fresh eggs for peeling — The membrane clings tightly to the shell. Slightly older eggs peel far more easily.
Storing eggs in the fridge door — The temperature swings with every opening. The body of the fridge is more stable and eggs keep better there.

Questions people ask

How do I know if an egg is off?

Float it in water — one that floats should be discarded. Then crack it into a separate bowl and smell it. A sulphurous smell means discard it regardless of any test.

Should eggs be kept in the fridge?

It depends where you are. Where eggs are washed during processing, refrigeration is recommended. Where they are not, cool room temperature storage is normal. Follow local guidance.