The Old-Fashioned Kitchen Essential That Deserves A Comeback (It's So Cute & Useful)

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When you ask someone what their favorite style of egg is, you'll likely get answers like scrambled, fried, or hardboiled. "Coddled," we imagine, is a less common response, but these eggs aren't just delicious — the kitchen tool used to cook them is adorable, too! Coddlers, which cook eggs in a manner similar to poaching, first gained popularity in Europe in the late 1880s, and their design made eating soft-boiled eggs a little bit fancier. The small, decorated vessel is only big enough to hold a single egg. Just crack one inside, scoop in your desired toppings, twist on the lid, and boil to perfection.

You probably won't see coddlers at the average American restaurant, but they are a great thrift store find you should keep an eye out for. You can recognize a coddler by its tiny cup shape and a top that sometimes features a handle. Although these items were originally made from earthenware, Royal Worcester, the most renowned coddler manufacturer, began producing them in porcelain.

This cute and functional kitchen essential is perfect for those who prefer a bit of whimsy in their life, as they look like they belong at a classic tea party. Plus, if you're lucky enough to spot antique silver ones while thrifting, they can potentially be worth hundreds of dollars. Royal Worcester initially sold them in two different sizes, standard and king, but introduced a larger "Maxime" size in the late 20th century.

Not only do coddlers make feasting on eggs a bit more fun, but their appearance adds elegance to any dining table. Can you imagine all the conversations that would spark after you serve each guest their very own coddler? This is one of many vintage kitchen accessories that deserves a revival. When not in use, egg coddlers can become charming pieces of home decor. Store them on a shelf or in a display case, or fill them with spices and place them on a kitchen countertop.

You can even give them an entirely new purpose outside of the kitchen. Since they're essentially little containers with lids, they make darling jewelry holders, which you can store on top of your dresser. Use your egg coddlers to hold miniature trinkets, old buttons, or leftover change. They can even help declutter itty-bitty hair accessories.

While egg coddlers might not be too common these days, they certainly haven't disappeared. You can grab new ones online, like this floral-patterned set of Ceramic Egg Cookers on Amazon. But you never know — you may spy a vintage set at a thrift store or antique shop that'll give you that classic, old-world feel.