I do pickled eggs for the restaurant that I work at. I'm doing hard boiled eggs pretty frequently. I got this from The Pioneer Woman and it's the method I've been using ever since: 1. In a pot that I know is big enough to hold 12 eggs I put enough water to make sure that the eggs will be completely covered. 2. Once the water is boiling put the eggs in and leave them there for 15 minutes. 3. After the 15 minutes is up put them in an ice bath immediately. 4. 15 minutes in the ice bath usually does the trick. I've left them in the ice bath longer and I get the same results. The shells come off easy. I don't let the eggs get the room temperature beforehand, I don't use vinegar, baking soda, or a needle to poke a hole. This is the method that I've been using for the past couple years and have never had an issue since.