The best way I have found to boil eggs is to put a pin prick in the more pointed end which allows air to escape and fewer shells are cracked when you boil them. I put the eggs in cold water, completely covering them, set them to a rapid boil, take off the heat, cover and let cool off for 15 minutes. I then rinse in cool water and usually add ice cubes to the last cool water rinse because I always forget to made hard boiled eggs early enough.