Ever tried to make poached or boiled eggs at home and end up with figurative (or literal) egg on your face? Well according to My Kitchen Rules judge Manu Feildel you're probably making the same mistakes over and over again.

Luckily for all those unrequited egg lovers out there, the celebrity chef has used his time between MKR seasons to reveal his secret, life-changing hacks for making the perfect eggs. Whether it be the debate between adding salt or vinegar to your water when poaching eggs or how to get the perfect rounded poached egg, Manu reveals all his big no-nos and expert tips for taking your egg game to the next level.

Common mistakes when cooking poached eggs

Using old eggs – When poaching eggs freshest is always best. Older eggs will have whites that are quite runny, which means they won't hold together as well in the water. Test an egg for freshness by gently placing into a bowl of water. If it lies on its side it is quite fresh; if it stands on end it is less fresh; and if it floats, it is stale or most likely bad.

Cracking the egg straight into the water – Always crack your egg into a small bowl before tipping it gently into the water, as this will help it keep its shape in the water.

Poaching them in salt water – Add a little vinegar to your poaching water, this will help the white to firm up and hold together in a nice round shape. Never add salt to your poaching water; the salt breaks down the protein.

Having the water too cold or too hot – If the water is too hot and bubbly it will cause even the freshest egg to tear apart. The trick is to have the water at a gentle simmer around 90˚C, to gently cook through with light bubbles that massage the white to surround the yolk.

Common mistakes when cooking boiled eggs

Dropping the eggs into the water – The delicate shell needs to be treated with soft hands. The best way is to add your eggs is one at a time, using a pasta spoon or slotted spoon.

Cooking the eggs with an off-centre yolk – If your eggs aren't super fresh and you want to have your yolks in the center when cooked, gently swirl them in the pot of water for a minute or two.

Over-crowding the pot – It is best to add just enough eggs for one layer.

Adding the eggs to rapidly boiling water – If the water is too bubbly the eggs will bounce around causing the shell to crack and white to escape. Gently add your eggs to warm water, place over a medium heat to bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer until they are cooked.

Leaving your eggs in hot water after they have come off the heat – To prevent that dark grey ring on the yolk of your boiled eggs, remove the eggs from the boiling water once cooked, plunge immediately into very cold water and lightly crack each shell a little on one side.

Peeling your eggs too soon – To ensure your shell comes off cleanly, cool your eggs in cold water, this will cause the whites to slightly contract and pull away from the white skin between the egg white and the shell.

More eggscellent tips from Manu Feildel

Always cook on low to medium heat – One of the keys to getting the perfect eggs every time is cooking them at the right temperature. Eggs are delicate and require a gentle heat regardless of how you're cooking them.

Use room temperature eggs when baking – Room temperature eggs will always give better results with baked goods. A quick hack is to pop the eggs into a bowl of warm water (not hot) and allow them to stand for a few minutes.

Old eggs vs. fresh eggs for meringues – Older egg whites at room temperature are easier to whip and give a little more volume, but they also have larger bubbles and the foam needs to be used straight way. This makes them great when making macaroons and meringues! Fresh cold egg whites need a little more whipping but have smaller bubbles with a more uniform texture, which is great for pavlova.

For more inspiration for cooking with eggs, please visit Australian Eggs.