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Thread: Does anyone use a stovetop percolator?

  1. #1
    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
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    Does anyone use a stovetop percolator?

    We've always used Farberware electric percolators, but lately, they aren't even lasting a year for us. We should be able to get a replacement for our current pot under the one-year warranty since we bought it in April, but I feel like I don't want to buy another one when the replacement dies sometime in 2012. Not only is this not frugal, but I don't want to continue rewarding this company with my repeat business for such poor quality products. Browsing Amazon reviews indicate that people have the same type of complaint about all electric percolators (or if there's a good one, I haven't run across it yet). So I'm wondering about a stovetop model: how tricky is it to use, how much attention does it need while brewing, and how long does it take to make a pot of coffee? I am not particularly capable in the kitchen

  2. #2
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    Well, we used one this summer for the first time while camping but I have plans on using it at home to. I am pretty sure taking our coffee maker camping and plugging it in to the outlets messed it up and have no desire to do that again so I asked my MIL if she still had her percolator. We also bought a French press to try out to (not bad, but coffee was not hot enough for me and I drink too much for it to really work for first morning coffee). The percolator I thought had the better tasting coffee, I believe it was ready in under 5 minutes but those little camping stoves do heat up really quick. The coffee from that was preferred over the coffee that our friend made in her coffee maker, we had 10 other adults with us. We have a gas stove at home, so if we do lose power I can use the percolator and have my coffee to.

  3. #3
    Senior Member crunchycon's Avatar
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    If you can find it in a thrift store, look for an older electric percolator. I have one I snagged from my mother's attic from the late 60s and early 70s and it's still going strong (knock wood). I do prefer perked coffee over drip.

  4. #4
    Mrs-M
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    Rosarugosa. All I can say is, easy-peasy! No kidding. And stove-top peculated coffee is the best, flavour wise! I simply fill my percolator with water until the water level sits JUST below the coffee basket, then I fill the basket (to taste) with coffee, set the metal basket inside, put the lid on, set the peculator pot on the stove, turn on high.

    Now comes the waiting game. Depending on how fast your stove brings water to a boil (I've never timed how long it takes for our percolator to come to a boil), but I'm guessing 5-7 minutes (average). Once the water starts to boil and starts bubbling up through the centre metal post/rod of the pot and spewing up against the inside glass dome, the percolating process has begun. (Do not step away from pot on stove at this time). Allow the spewing to continue until the glass dome is being steadily bombarded with blasts/washes of water, then reduce heat to simmer. That's it! Let pot simmer for a few minutes, then pour yourself a cup of stove-top brewed goodness!

  5. #5
    Senior Member fidgiegirl's Avatar
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    We don't drink coffee but sometimes have guests who do . . . I always thought it would be cool to get one of these Pyrex percolators.

    But I never got around to it and we didn't have room, anyway . . . now we just buy some decent instant like Starbucks VIA and it's sufficient for them. My FiL would say if it weren't!
    Kelli

    My gluten free blog: Twin Cities Gluten Free
    Our house remodel blog: Our Fair Abode

  6. #6
    Senior Member daisy's Avatar
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    I don't have any experience with stovetop percolators, but if you want another electric percolator, they show up regularly at estate/garage sales and the older ones seem pretty tough. I picked up one (1960s vintage) for $3 and it still works great.

  7. #7
    Moderator Float On's Avatar
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    Percolator is on the list of things I'm looking for. I loved watching the glass percolator that my mom had when I was little. I'll have to ask her what happened to it because my parents NEVER get rid of anything unless there is absolutly no way to fix or duct tape it!
    Currently I boil water on the stove and use a french press, I don't even have a drip coffee maker or a tea pot, I just use a pan that has a pour spout. I knitted a red wool cozy for my french press and it keeps the coffee very warm.
    Float On: My "Happy Place" is on my little kayak in the coves of Table Rock Lake.

  8. #8
    Mrs-M
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    Fidgiegirl. My mom has an old Pyrex model as well as a Corning model. The Corning models stain around the top, making the pot look dingy and dirty, but to this day whenever I see moms old Corning, I'm taken back to my childhood. That old Corning percolator pot sat atop our stove round the clock!

  9. #9
    Mrs-M
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    Float On. You're going to love a percolator!

  10. #10
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    If you get one, check that it's stainlesss steel rather than aluminum, that the base is wide enough that it doesn't tilt into the burner gaps on an electric or gas stove, and that it has a no drip design.

    If you want an electric one, see if you can find a General Electric one from the 60s or 70s. Lots of those are still going strong. They also have a no drip design. Later ones might have a Black and Decker label as they bought that portion of General Electric.

    If you'd like a really wonderful modern solution, the Keurig works very well. With it you can make one cup at a time (fast) and vary whether it's coffee, latte, chocolate, or tea. You can recycle the little cups and compost the grounds/filter or you can pack your own reusuable cup if you'd rather reduce the recycle aspects.

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