Some of the best coffee projects we know of got their start on Kickstarter. From...
Let’s start with a caveat. Nearly any coffee expert will tell you that a percolator is about the worst possible way to make coffee. Because the water is heated to a boil in order to perk, it’s really too hot for the coffee. It gets over extracted, and you end up with the bitterness and acidity that made coffee a ‘grownups only’ drink.
That said, there are people still who prefer perked coffee to any other kind. Taste is, after all, a matter of taste. In addition, those enormous coffee urns are still the best way to make lots and lots of coffee for a crowd.
A coffee percolator consists of five parts. There is the percolator coffee pot, into which you put your coffee. There is the stem, a hollow metal tube that fits into the bottom of the pot. In non-electric percolators, it has a flat, round bottom. There is the filter basket, which slides onto the tube and holds the ground coffee. There is the filter basket cover, a round perforated lid that fits on top of the filter basket and makes sure that the water showers the entire basket of coffee evenly. Finally, there is the coffee pot lid, which often has a glass bubble in it.
The glass bubble just might be the most fun part of the entire contraption. It lets you watch the coffee splurting up from the tube and splashing inside before it spills back down onto the lid.
Coffee percolators come in two distinct types – electric and non-electric. The electric percolators include coffee urns that can make up to forty cups of coffee at a time. Stovetop percolators are great for bringing along on camping trips. Both can actually make decent coffee despite their horrible reputation if you follow a few simple guidelines.
1. Keep all parts of the percolator clean.
That means washing the entire thing with dishwashing liquid and hot water every time you use it. To clean inside the stem, use a pipe cleaner or a long, thin brush.
2. Use freshly ground coffee.
Obviously, this may present a problem if you’re on a camping trip with no electricity miles from nowhere. In that case, carry your ground coffee in a vacuum container with a lid to prevent the air from getting at it and spoiling the flavor.
3. Disassemble the Coffee Percolator. Put the coffee stem in place.
4. Fill the Coffee Percolator with water to below the line on the stem where the filter basket will rest.
5. Put the filter basket in place.
Add one heaping tablespoon of coffee for each cup of water in the pot.
6. Fit the basket lid into place inside the percolator.
7. Here’s where we branch off in two directions. – If you are using an electric percolator, plug it in and turn it on. The coffee pot is now on its own until its done perking. If you are using a stove top percolator, put it over a low flame to heat the water. As soon as the first splurt of coffee hits that little glass bubble, turn the heat down. We now return you to your regularly scheduled directions. For both electric and stovetop pots:
8. Watch the pot carefully.
As soon as the pot stops perking, remove it from the heat.
9. This is the most important part of making coffee with a percolator.
Being careful not to scald yourself, remove the lid of the percolator and remove the entire filter stem from the pot. If you leave it in there, the steam from the coffee will continue to condense, drip over the spent coffee grounds and drip into your coffee.
10. Fill your cup and enjoy.
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Mike Wilson says
After a recent visit to ironbridge Gorge and stumbling across a dear little coffee and tea shop, we came across an ‘old friend’. Blue Mountain coffee beans. We used to drink that coffee back in the late 70s when we got married and memories of those days reminded us of the SONA Electric Percolator we used then. Today, that Percolator has been brought out of the closet and, still as good as the day it was purchased, we are looking forward to experiencing those early days of fresh percolated Blue Mountain coffee with the sounds of ‘coffee sighs’ eminating from the kitchen!
SFC Marshall Brown says
Hi! My name is SFC Marshall Brown. I came upon your site because I was looking for ways of making better coffee. I read all your comments from Feb. 2008 to the last one in Apr. 2011. Sure is a lot of great suggestions the world over.
My story starts with being deployed in Afghanistan. Alot of the guys, including myself, in my section drink ‘gallons’ of coffee. J/k. We actually drink quite a bit, though. When I got here, the guys had been using a 42-cup WestBend Percolator. The coffee was coming out kind of a strong…to put lightly. Come to find out, they were using way too many coffee grounds.
Now, I’m not a Coffee Master Mixologist, but I’ve been tinkering with the amount to get that right amount of flavor. I like to mix it up a bit and add a little of ground cinnamon or a crushed up peppermint to the grounds. The Joe’s seem to like it as well.
Because we are in such a remote location, we don’t receive mail like everyone else. If we’re lucky, it could get to us in a couple weeks…sometimes 10 days. One of the Joe’s grandmother sent us 7 bags of coffee beans…that was awesome! But they just sit on the shelf and look pretty, due to no one wanting to crush them by hand. We try to get coffee from the Mess Hall; usually they don’t mind giving up a few cans, sometimes giving us sugar & creamer packets, as well. I was wondering if anyone on your site would be willing to donate a few bags/cans of coffee. Any kind or flavor would be greatly appreciated.
My address here in Afghanistan is:
SFC Marshall A. Brown
101st Combined Action Team (CAT)
Gamberi Garrison
APO AE 09310
v/r
SFC Marshall Brown
timogin says
Great thread, enjoyed reading through it. I recently read a description of how a percolator works, and if done correctly, the water should never boil. The base of the tube is a collection funnel, designed to gather up all the little air bubbles that begin to form on the bottom of the pot. This begins prior to boiling so the idea is, as soon as you see the first perk, turn down the heat and maintain that pre-boil simmer.
The second thing I want to mention is a caveat regarding using aluminum, any kind- food grade and from any country… evidence suggests there may be a link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease. Every autopsy finds excessive amounts of aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer’s suffers. Up to 20 time more.
OT FYI, aluminum can also be found in most antiperspirants so you may want to read the label in your bathroom.
Anyway, I use both a percolator and a French press, it just depends on how much I’m making and also what grind I have available. The stainless steel percolator (glass bubble top, NOT plastic) makes excellent classic coffee, but I can get a silkier, richer flavored cup from a glass & stainless steel French press. Either way you go, enjoy!
Rita says
thanks for all the great info!
HarryJoe_In_Canada says
One more thing for coffee preparation. Similar to the cowboy recipe without the grounds. You can buy the empty tea bags at any tea store. Take these and fill with fine grind java. Bring to a boil and let boil on simmer for 8 minutes with the occasional loving squeeze and stir and Yahoo you have coffee that is magnífico!
Also I take one of those indoor outdoor xmas timers hook it up to the old percolator and set it for the AM and my coffee is ready when I get up.
HarryJoe_In_Canada says
I too came across this thread(longest post I read in a long time lol)looking to research the best perk. All kinds of tips here and FB from true coffee connoisseurs like myself.
I had a cuisinart electric but broke within a year. It was probably made in china, as pointed out by many others here. The new ones can be crap.
They just do not make perks like grandma and grampa use to buy. Like retailers think you are insane when you tell them, “I want this to last at least 5 years”. Kind of like the cell phone industry that wants you to buy a new cell phone every year when there is nothing wrong with the bloody one you got right.
Anyways, I picked up a “classic”(dam I feel old when they start calling perks(no not the kind you get high on) and music from the 80’s as “classic”)GE electric and you know that thing makes the best coffee ever!
I too remember the stove pot coffee @ my grandmas brewing on the old wooden stove and it was the best. Same with here tea. She used carnation condensed cream and it is the best that way.
I get coffee from all over the world. The guy I get it from goes to auctions and buys it in lots in those 100 pound gunny sacks and cooks it up himself and sells it @ his store. It is delicious.
I collect the empty coffee gunny sacks too for my rec room as they are from all over the world and and all gave very nice pics and graphics stamped on the bags(yes it is the fare trade coffee).
He has everything from Ethiopian, Honduran San Marcos Italian Roast(my fav right now), to your basic Columbian by the pound.
You pay a little more than your folgers or whatever you get at the corner store but it is worth it. Good coffee is like fine wine and woman. You spend a little more for it and grind it as required. Its all about the brewing and roasting or cooking this guy does with the coffee. Sometimes he says it was a perfect roast while other times he says he is “off” on the roast or whatever.
BTW, french press is my backup, but as someone else mentioned, the water has to be very hot and has to sit for at least 5 minutes.I wont use a drip EVER!!!
In regards to coffee grounds, no big deal as mentioned, they have to be course or you can use a paper filter. My daughter is into “reading them” at the bottom of the cup u know like a fortune teller does with tea leaves lol, or so she thinks lol. It is a good conversation piece too at the table when your done that great cup of coffee. Try it lol
Well thanks for giving me the opportunity to spout he! he!…my story on coffee.
To all coffee connoisseurs out there….Salute!! you!
Val says
update – YES, it makes coffee. Pretty good coffee, actually … especially for something that is 80 to 90 years old.
Next time I’ll use the right coffee grind since I used some drip I had on hand as the test.
It looks and feels very elegant to use.
Val says
Thanks for all the tips.
This past weekend I bought a 1920s electric percolator at an antique and collector’s show for a mere $40. It’s in like new condition with all the pieces. (I’m imagining it may have been the type of wedding gift that gets shoved to the back of the cupboard since it is too good for everyday use.)
It’s also quite beautiful: chrome with a chased decorative band, shaped rather like cross between a samovar and an old-fashioned prize trophy, with a spigot for serving the coffee.
I’m just trying it out for the first time. It is heating up – but I can see it’s not quick.
Rick says
I just got a 9 cup pyrex stove top percolator and thought I’d give it a try. I ground 5 of the drip coffee scoops of fresh coffee beans to 6 cups of filtered water. Went by the directions given here. It turned out very good but a little weak. Will try 6 actual table spoons tomorrow. If it turns out good I’m a convert.
big Joe says
Thanks for all the great tips! after 5 pots, I can say with confidence that i make a better coffee than the one at Starbucks!
ron says
I use an aluminum 5 cup stove top perc. I drink from a glass 12 oz mug. So I use 24oz of water and 5 rounded TBLES. Works for most coffees. Flavored coffees definitely taste better perced, and perced coffee still tastes good when it goes cold in your cup. A few grounds in my coffee has never bothered me. LOL.
I also have a Keurig. I love it. I use the K cups twice. First run I drink straight. The second run I doctor up with cream, sugar, cocoa, what ever strikes my mood.
The stove top perc is a marvel. First class engineering with out electricity or moving parts.
I try to use the best of both old tech and new tech. I listen to old time radio shows on the computer.
At one time I worked for an aluminum cookware company. Made thousands of 5-7-9-14 cup stove top percs, and a few dripolators. Now they are made all over the world.
For old style cooking and canning utensils, modern replacement parts, etc., check your local TruValue hardware store, or any other old style hardware store.
BTW, can anyone tell me how i can pour 10 cups of water into an electric coffeemaker and only 5 cups come thru? Reservoir would be empty,no way the lines, pump or coffee basket will hold 5 cups. Never 5 cups of water all over the counter.
Anyway, that useless thing is gone now.
ron says
@Jim. That is just a version of the stovetop dripolator.
Jason says
I just received an old stovetop percolator for Christmas. I tried it out this morning, but the coffee never got very strong. I’m wondering if it could be because the percolator is missing a spring. It has the basket, the water distributor (covers the basket), the stem/pipe, but no spring on the stem. Do all stovetop percs have springs? Or could I be doing something else wrong?
I used four tablespoons of coffee grounds (coarsely ground) for three cups of water (actual cups, like in a measuring cup). Is this just too little coffee for that much water?
Any help from the experienced percers here would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Jason
Joanie says
I have a 22 cup Kenmore perculator. I’ll need to use that for the holidays. I want my coffee to be perfect but I have one question. Won’t 1 tbl to 1 cup of water make it strong? My 12 cup Mr. Coffee pot tastes GREAT when I use less coffee.
How much less than 1 tbl coffee to 1 cup water could I use in this 22 cup perculator and still have it taste GREAT?
Thank you.
John O'Faolain says
The automatic drip coffeemakers always produce lukewarm coffee.I have to reheat it on the stove.I’m going to get a percolater next.