How should I store eggs?
Fridge or counter, which way up, how long they keep, and how to test whether an egg is still good.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 10 min
- Read
- 2 min
Short answer
In the UK and Europe, eggs are sold unwashed with the natural cuticle intact, so counter storage is acceptable — but the fridge extends life considerably. Whichever you choose, keep it consistent, store them pointed end down, and away from strong smells. To test one, drop it in water: it should sink and lie flat.
Egg storage advice differs between countries because the eggs are different. In the US eggs are washed, which removes the protective cuticle and makes refrigeration mandatory. In the UK and much of Europe they aren't washed, so the cuticle is intact and room temperature is safe. Both are correct in their own context.
Step by step
- Pick fridge or counter and stay consistent.Moving cold eggs to a warm room causes condensation on the shell, which can draw bacteria through it.
- If refrigerating, use a shelf rather than the door.The door is warmest and swings in temperature. Eggs prefer a steady one.
- Store pointed end down.The air cell is at the blunt end. Keeping it uppermost helps the yolk stay centred and slows deterioration.
- Keep them in their box.The box protects the shells and, more importantly, stops them absorbing strong smells — eggshells are porous.
- Note the best-before date, and test any egg you're unsure about.The float test below is reliable and takes ten seconds.
- Test by placing the egg in a bowl of water: fresh sinks and lies flat, older stands upright, off floats.The air cell grows as an egg ages, so buoyancy tracks age. A floater should be discarded.
- Crack any doubtful egg into a separate bowl before adding it to anything.One bad egg shouldn't cost you the whole mixture. Smell is decisive — a bad egg is unmistakable.
Tips
- Bring eggs to room temperature 30 minutes before baking — cold eggs can cause creamed butter mixtures to split.
- Egg whites freeze very well in an ice cube tray. Yolks need a pinch of salt or sugar mixed in first, or they set to a gel.
- Fresh eggs are harder to peel when boiled, so keeping some slightly older eggs for boiling is genuinely useful.
- Never wash eggs before storing. Washing removes the cuticle, the natural barrier that keeps bacteria out.
Common mistakes
- Moving eggs between fridge and counter — Condensation forms on cold shells in a warm room and can draw bacteria through the porous shell.
- Storing eggs in the fridge door — The temperature swings every time the door opens.
- Washing eggs before storage — Removes the protective cuticle, which is what makes unwashed eggs shelf-stable in the first place.
Questions people ask
Do eggs need to be refrigerated?
In the UK and most of Europe, no — eggs are unwashed and the cuticle is intact. Refrigeration still extends their life significantly. In countries where eggs are washed, such as the US, refrigeration is necessary.
How can I tell if an egg is off?
The float test gives you age: fresh sinks flat, old stands up, bad floats. The definitive test is smell — crack it into a separate bowl and you will know immediately.