In my experience, it is not worth trying to build your own egg ring. They are very affordable as is and you really won’t save that much money if you buy the supplies and assemble one yourself. However, if you have some of the right tools and resources, you can do it at no cost, and it may be worth the effort if money is tight. Below I will provide some suggestions for construction if you choose the DIY (do it yourself) route.
The first and most important component to build is the ring that will sit on the surface of the pan. The best metal for this that most people can have around the house is definitely aluminum. Aluminum is a very malleable metal and can also withstand the heat of cooking. It will be easier to shape into a ring (if it isn’t already) and is durable at the same time. The aluminum foil will be too flimsy, so look for thicker aluminum in your basement or storage area. Most heating and cooling ducts are aluminum, so check for scraps you can use.
The second aspect to build is the handle to handle the egg ring. This can be done with any long, thin object you have around the house. However, keep in mind that it helps if your egg ring is dishwasher safe, so make sure it is a durable material and not hard cardboard or anything else that will wear out in the dishwasher.
Finally, you will need to connect the handle and the metal ring. This seems like a very simple task, but you need to make sure that the handle doesn’t get too hot to touch. If you end up using metal for the handle, you will need some kind of damper to keep the heat from going up through the handle. This can be done in a number of ways, but if we are trying to keep the price at $ 0.00, I would recommend a small piece of wood clamped between the two pieces. Obviously if your handle is wooden you don’t need to bother, but if not I would recommend cutting a very small square to use from whatever is available. I should point out that even if your handle is made of wood, it can still get very hot and you may need to wrap it in styrofoam (or something similar) that could be removed for cleaning.
We hope this helps all of you do it yourself who are always trying to save a few bucks. Happy cooking!
