Have you heard of percolator coffee brewers? Is this something you have been thinking about trying? Coffee brewing is all about taste preferences. We are all different and don’t necessarily prefer the same thing. True connoisseurs of coffee are willing to try all different brewing methods. So, after reading this post, we hope you will have enough information to decide if you are a true connoisseur and if percolating is for you.
First, don’t forget that fresh beans do matter. It doesn’t make a difference which brewing method you choose, if you have old stale beans you will get an old stale cup of joe. We always recommend that you grind your freshly roasted beans right before brewing to ensure optimal taste and flavor.
What is a Percolator?
A percolator is a coffee maker that runs boiling water through the coffee grounds over and over using gravity. They were extremely popular in the ’70s as it was considered one of the earliest “modern” brewing tools. The definition of percolate is to make a solvent pass through a permeable substance.
Often, this method exposes the grounds to hotter water temps than other brewing methods which could lead to over-extraction. You will have a bitter brew and it could possibly taste metallic or leave a dry mouthfeel. Many enthusiasts of this method say this can be avoided by monitoring the process.
Short History
The percolator was invented in 1819 by Joseph Laurens but patented by James Nason in 1865. So, it’s been around a while even though your grandma probably used this method the most. It was meant to replace the old boiling water with grounds mixed in method that cowboys still use today, most call it cowboy coffee.
Types of Percolators
Percolators are popular with campers and people who spend a lot of time outdoors. Being able to make coffee without electricity is what makes them popular.
Gravity
This is the traditional method, in which boiling water travels up a tube and trickles out into the filter basket.
Pressure
This would be called a Moka pot and it uses pressure to force the water up the tube and into the filter at the top. It fills a holder that keeps the brewed coffee away from the heat source.
Usually, percolators are considered strictly gravity brewers.
Why should you buy one?
If you are looking to minimize the space that your coffee brewer takes up, you should consider a percolator. It’s also good for the outdoors. The electric one can be used at an outdoor gathering where electricity is located but you don’t want to run back inside for coffee.
Tiny house owners might also want to consider a percolator to help them save space on their already small kitchen counter.
If you like strong coffee
You are getting double brewed coffee with a percolator. This means your cup will be stronger and bolder than regular coffee. It’s also likely to be over-extracted so you won’t have the best flavor from your cup.
Which Percolator makes the best coffee?
Things to look for
- Capacity– do you want one that makes 12 cups or just 4?
- Price– do you want to spend a lot of money or not?
- Size– how much space can it take up?
- Electric or Stovetop– are you using it outdoors or inside?
Top Electric Percolator Pick
The Presto 02811 is our top pick for electric percolators.
- There are No Plastic Parts involved in the brewing process
- Uses paper filters- makes clean up so much easier
- Durable and Lightweight
- Has a detachable cord
A close 2nd place is the Hamilton Beach 40616.
- Uses No Plastic Parts in the brewing process
- Has detachable cord
- Keeps coffee warm
- Cool touch handle
What separated it from the Presto 02811 is that it’s heavier.
Top Stovetop Percolator Pick
The Cook N Home Stainless Stovetop Percolator is our top pick.
- It’s affordable
- Stylish and ergonomic
- It’s dishwasher safe
- Has a permanent filter basket
- Holds 8 cups
The Farberware Classic Yosemite is our second pick. The reason it was second is that it doesn’t show the water level or flip open like the Cook N Home does.
The best percolator for making Espresso is the Bialetti Brikka Moka Pot. It’s not technically espresso but it’s the closest you can get without an actual espresso machine. It uses pressure and heat to give you the perfect brew.
Best Percolator for Camping
The best percolator for camping would be the GSI Outdoors Enamelware.
- Keeps your coffee hot
- Durable- withstands chips and scratches
- Enamel coated
- Lifetime promise from GSI
For camping tips head over to frugalcampingfamily.com
How to make Stovetop Percolator Coffee
You will need:
- A stovetop
- Whole bean coffee and a grinder
- Percolator
- Filtered water
- Measure Your Beans
- Grind Your Beans
- Fill the Percolator
- Put Percolator together
- Add Coffee Grinds
- Turn the stove on
- Monitor your brew
Measure Your Beans
Take your freshly roasted whole beans and measure 1 ounce of beans for every 17 ounces of water. Then grind until it’s a medium to coarse size similar to Himalayan salt.
Grind Your Beans
You will want to take the grinder you choose and grind to a medium-coarse size. If you use a smaller grind, you will end up with coffee that is too bitter. Even though it’s probably going to be bitter anyway, there is no reason to make it worse. You also don’t want the smaller grinds to move through the filter and end up in your end result.
Fill the Percolator
Put your cold filtered water into it based on the amount of coffee you want and the size of the brewer.
Put Purcolator Together
Make sure it’s put together correctly. You might need to refer to the instructions the first time you brew with it.
Add Coffee Grinds
Put the grinds in the basket but make sure not to use too much. Percolators can boil over if it’s too full.
Turn Stove On
Start out with medium to low heat and adjust it during the monitoring process. You will want a slow heating process to prevent it from getting too hot too soon.
Monitor Your Brew
You are going to need to watch the water to make sure you don’t need to adjust the heat. The bubbles from the boiling water should be seconds apart so if the time between the bubbles is too short, turn the heat up or vise versa. This is called “perking” and it’s critical to watch.
The ideal perc is 1 every 3 to 5 seconds. The water pot needs to stay around 200°F.
You don’t want to over brew your coffee with this method so set a timer for at least 6 minutes and not over 10. The time you prefer will be based on your personal taste preference and you will need to try it for yourself.
We can’t tell you the exact time but we recommend starting with one minute per cup of water.
Last, remove from the heat and pour into your cup. Clean-up is based on the individual brewers but most are dishwasher safe.
Conclusion
It might not be my preferred method of brewing but you should give it a try. My taste preference makes me lean towards the Pour Over method. But how you choose depends on trial and error. We hope you will give this old classic a try. Leave us a comment below if you love it or hate it. We love hearing everyone’s different perspectives.
