Many recipes call for just egg whites, such as these coconut macaroons, but separating eggs can sometimes be a hassle. There’s always the traditional way, which is effective, but can seem a little intimidating for cooking newbies. Here’s a different way: ever hear of using an empty water bottle? Not only is this method practical and makes use of materials pretty much right at hand, it is also pretty fun (and an impressive trick to show friends).

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GIF by Chelsea Choi

1. Wash the empty water bottle. You don’t want the gross germs and bits of someone’s dinner touching the eggs you want to separate. You’ll also want some eggs and a bowl (or two if you want to keep the yolks). Crack the eggs into one of the bowls.

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Photo by Chelsea Choi

2.  Squeeze the water bottle.

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Photo by Chelsea Choi

3. Place the opening of the bottle over an egg yolk, still squeezing, and slowly let go of your squeeze. The yolk should get sucked right up.

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Photo by Chelsea Choi

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Photo by Chelsea Choi

4. Your yolk should now be inside your water bottle. You can either throw it out, or keep it if the recipe calls for it!