Egg Shakers

Egg Shakers are small, egg-shaped percussion instruments that fit in the palm of your hand and make a rustling sound when you shake them. On this page, you'll find egg shakers made from plastic, wood and rattan, sold individually, in pairs or in sets of 4, 20 or 48. The plastic Noicetone M005 measures 5.5 × 4 cm, the wooden Noicetone M004 measures 6.5 × 4 cm and the rattan Terre Rattan Eggshaker measures 13 cm. You can choose from Noicetone, Meinl, Nino, Terre and Cascha. For tube shakers and other types, take a look at our Shakers.

What can you use Egg Shakers for?

An egg shaker adds a gentle rhythm to a song without overpowering vocals or an acoustic guitar. That makes it useful for a singer, an acoustic band or a drummer adding a quiet rhythmic part to a recording. In schools and nurseries, children use egg shakers to learn about rhythm and movement: they're light and fit comfortably in small hands. Many Noicetone, Nino and Cascha models are listed in the catalogue as percussion instruments for children.

Should you choose a plastic, wooden or rattan egg shaker?

• Plastic: colourful egg shakers made from plastic or ABS, available individually (Noicetone PM001-45), in pairs (Meinl ES2, Nino 540) and in sets (Meinl ES-SET, Noicetone T M005 with 20 pieces).
• Wood: Noicetone M004 and M016-5 usually sound softer and warmer than plastic shakers; the Noicetone T M004 set contains 20 pieces.
• Rattan: Terre Eggshaker Rattan and Rattan Eggshaker 13 cm are woven from rattan and produce a softer, airier rustling sound.
• With handles: the egg-shaped Meinl PEM and Stagg EGG-MAL maracas are held by the handle like a maraca and sold in pairs. You’ll find them in the Maracas category.

How many egg shakers do you need for a class or activity group?

One egg shaker or a pair is enough for yourself or your band. With two shakers, one in each hand, you can also play a denser rhythm. Sets are useful for a group of children: Meinl ES-SET, Cascha Egg Shaker Set of 4 and Nino SET540 each contain 4 pieces, Noicetone T M005 and T M004 each contain 20, and Nino VE48 contains 48 egg-shaped maracas. For more instruments for the classroom, browse Percussion for Children and Percussion Sets.