Commenting on Onebyone's suggestion on the boiled eggs.
Other than appearance and texture, I microwave eggs for use in egg salad and other salads. That saves time for me. Do be sure to break the yolk before putting it in the microwave though. A minute in the microwave, stir just a bit to see if it is cooked thru. It's almost ready to use. About the only reason to take the time to boil an egg is for deviled eggs or if you are wanting the appearance factor in other salads. Most of the time, you are going to chop them or break them up anyway and this is quick and easy to do.