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We were replacing coffee makers every 12-18 months for one reason or another -- the most recent being the coffee maker was leaking on the counter and the on/off switch was failing. You've got to let it boil, turn it down a bit, and then wait for it to percolate about five minutes. No cords, no paper coffee filters, and less counter clutter. It makes delicious coffee. Pleasantly surprised. I recommend it. You can't just flip a switch and walk away. It's not quite as convenient.
It has a glass percolator lid, so no trouble there like I've read about the plastic ones. Fed up, I looked for an affordable percolator. This is a great percolator, and it looks great on our stove, too. I've found, though, the coffee is hotter and stays hotter longer. To me, it's been wasteful in terms of dollars and natural resources. Nothing with a cord. The taste is fabulous. Join in the rebellion against poor quality appliances.
This product does the job, makes coffee on the stove just like mom used to make.
I bought this because I do not have the counter space any longer for a coffee maker. It doesn't take up any shelf space, it is small and easy to store. This percolator was just the perfect product. I never had any problems with the plastic one, but other people did and I just followed their advice and the glass one has never failed on me. But I am also an avid tea drinker. So I wanted to get something that could double as a teapot. I recommend this percolator to any coffee or tea drinker. I do recommend getting the clear glass percolator top to replace the hard plastic one the percolator comes with.
If you choose not to use a filter, then you may get a few fine grinds at the bottom of your glass. Cleaning it is very simple. The filter not only takes that problem away, but it also helps you control the flavor of the coffee better by it being filtered. By boiling, not only does it make the flavor of the coffee stand out, but it kills that "tap water flavor". i also don't drink but a cup or two of coffee a day and I didn't have a need for a large coffee maker. I also recommend getting percolator filters.
First off, it boils the water, and you don't get that from a coffee pot. I can use it to boil water for my tea and I can even brew my tea. I get them at my local market that fits any style percolator. I hope this review was helpful.
Still, it's fun to make, the burbling sound is pleasant, and the machinetta pours beautifully. For my taste, it makes a delicious, smooth coffee with the best flavor of any method. You do not have to use coarse-ground coffee in a percolator. Somehow I just don't find it very satisfying to boil water, pour it over the coffee, and tamp it down with the plunger. It takes about 12 minutes to make a cup of coffee with the machinetta. I agree with everyone else that the after-market glass knob is a good idea.
If the grounds are a problem for you, wait a few seconds and they will sink to the bottom of your cup and reside in unobtrusive sludge.I use 2 rounded scoops of coffee and 16 ounces of water--it is not necessary to fill the percolator to the 4-cup (20 ounce) minimum mark. It does make good, strong coffee. You most certainly can use espresso; just wet the filter basket and its cover, and most of the grounds remain in the basket. But I have to go through a 12-minute process for each cup I have during the day. I used Medaglia d'Oro espresso coffee in each coffee maker.My stovetop espresso maker (or "machinetta") is a "6-cup," which actually makes 9 ounces, or one barely respectable American mug of coffee. Too bad they don't come in colors or art deco designs.The percolator coffee flavor is distinguishable from the espresso made in the stovetop machinetta or the French press, but I find it equally good. He likes "cowboy coffee." It's the simplest method--so simple that I find it lacking in process. The few that don't are very fine and perfectly ingestible.
This is a big thing with me.It seems incredible that a 6-cup stovetop espresso maker that makes 9 ounces of coffee should cost $80 in stainless steel, when this totally nifty stainless steel percolator costs $20-$30 and makes up to 40 ounces of good, strong coffee. I took my percolator out of dry dock to see whether I could use it to make coffee comparable to espresso or French press, which have been my methods of choice for making coffee. The little machinetta is aluminum, and has developed a helpful build-up of scale that is supposed to protect me from any transported aluminum taste. Clean-up is simple, with two basic parts, the plunger assembly and the carafe, but every few uses the plunger should be disassembled and the strainer cleaned.
I turn down the heat to the lowest point at which it will continue perking. I just don't find the price of a stainless steel model a good value, and I prefer to make a larger batch once a day. Cleaning is simple, and the machinetta has just three parts. I favor the percolator; my husband favors the French press.
The drawback is my concern about the cumulative effects of aluminum over time, and a stainless steel espresso maker costs at least four times more than an aluminum one the same size. There is no standard "cup" in the coffee industry, and it's helpful to inquire as to any coffee maker's capacity in ounces. The espresso maker and percolator have piping-hot coffee ready to serve when brewed. I ran a comparative taste using my stovetop espresso maker, French press, and Copco percolator. I perk my coffee for 7 minutes. My thermos keeps my coffee very hot for 5 or 6 hours.Our French press remains my husband's method of choice.
We would both favor the espresso maker if one were available in stainless steel that would make 40 ounces and sport a percolator price tag.What I do: I love my espresso and the espresso ambiance, but prefer the efficiency and economy of a larger stainless steel coffee pot. It's dishwasher safe, but worth handwashing to keep the finish from water spotting. Drip coffee has never been in the running at our house. If you choose the brushed finish, buff it with the grain--side to side, not up and down. The percolator has 5 parts to clean, but it's simple, and stainless steel is satisfying to keep up. The other downside of the French press is that the coffee needs to brew about 5 minutes, and it cools while it brews.
I like percolator coffee and its 1950s ambiance; it has its own distinct flavor and aesthetic. The French press is attractive, but does continue brewing with the plunger down, as long as it contains coffee. It does, but it also looks pretty groty. It's strong and smooth, with its own American "bite." Conclusion: We remain a divided household. The glass carafe is hygienically appealing. There's no reason you can't accomplish the same thing without a plunger: just pour boiling water over coffee in anything and strain it into cups or a thermos.
We found one at our local independent hardware store right after buying our percolator. So I drink my percolator espresso from a demitasse cup and savor the bliss.
At first we were disappointed with this coffee pot because the second time we used it the lid fell off while pouring hot coffee, but after we adjusted the prongs holding the lid in place, we've never had that problem again. It makes a delicious cup of coffe, and best of all we no longer have another electric appliance cluttering up our limited kitchen counter space. My only complaint is that the cup markings on the outside of the pot are useless because they do not show up on the inside of the pot where it matters as you fill the pot with water.
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