Percolator is yet another coffee making tool used for ages. There are many improvisations from time to time. But the essence of the tool and its by-product remains the same. This method of coffee brewing can take you back in your childhood. When your grandparents used to brew the classic coffee in a stovetop percolator.
How does a percolator work?
A percolator mainly works on the steam mechanism. The structure of this machine is built on the same mechanism to support the circulating motions of water.
This coffee maker is a bit similar to the Moka pot. But the difference is in the structure and process. There is a bottom part fro heat source, water stem or tube, coffee compartment, and filter.
The water is heated, and it has moved in a circular motion around the tube or stem. The water passes through the coffee filter and goes back to the bottom chamber. This process goes on until the coffee has brewed.
Now, when we know how a percolator works, let us find some of the recipes for a perfect percolator brew. As we are living in a technological era, we have a variety of options, even in the percolators. We have the stovetop percolator, electric percolator, and even the camping percolator. So we have traditional options for every situation.
Percolator Coffee Grind
Coffee grind is always a particular point in the brewing of any type of coffee. If your coffee does not properly grind, then you may not get the full-flavored coffee. The wholeness of coffee may not be infused properly in your coffee. So we can say that the coffee grind is the focal ingredient of a charismatic cup of coffee.
The desired coffee ground for a percolator is the coarsely ground coffee. This ensures the proper infusion of coffee grounds and water. Moreover, it also prevents the settlement in your cup. They are easily filtered in the pot.
It is always recommended to grind your coffee beans right before the brewing. So that you can have the fresh aromatic cup of freshly brewed coffee. You can always go for some pre-ground coffee. But this can variate the taste as compared to the freshly ground coffee.
The Quantity
The quantity of the grind can vary depending upon your taste, but the ideal amount of coffee ground to be added is 1 or 2 tablespoons maximum. If you like the bold and bitter taste of your coffee, then you can surely add more coffee grounds.
If we talk in terms of the capacity of the percolators, then the number of coffee grounds differ.
For instance, if you have a percolator having the capacity of 12 cups. Then you would need 1 and a half cup of coffee grounds to brew the set quantity of coffee. Similarly, the quantity increases and decreases depending upon the need and capacity of the percolator.
How To Make Coffee In An Electric Percolator
Electric percolator is the advanced version of a stovetop percolator. The time of the brewing process may differ from the stovetop percolator. Let us see how we can prepare our coffee in an electric percolator.
You would need the following ingredients for a perked coffee made in a percolator.
- Some of your favorite coffee beans
- Coffee grinder
- Percolator
- Measuring tool for coffee
- Water
- Electric supply
- Your favorite mug
Process to Make Coffee in an Electric Percolator
1. First of all, grab your favorite pack of coffee beans. Bring in use your coffee grinder and freshly grind the beans as you get more tasteful coffee if you brew it with the freshly ground coffee. The consistency must be of a coarse grind to avoid any residue in your cup. This state of grounds makes it easy to get filtered through the machine. Keep the coffee grind aside and prepare for the next step.
2. Secondly, make sure that your percolator is clean and in a hygienic condition. Now add on the clean and filtered water in the water tank. Make sure the water does not exceed the marking levels imprinted on the tank walls.
3. Place the coffee basket with a filter paper in the percolator. Add the coarsely ground coffee in the basket as per your taste. You can add two tablespoons minimum and increase the quantity as per your need. Now lay the spreader sheet on the basket, secure it and tightly close the pot.
4. Just plug in the electric percolator and adjust the settings of brewing time and level. Now wait for a while, and your favorite cup of coffee is all set to be drunk. Mostly an electric percolator takes about 10 to 15 minutes to brew your coffee. Then some of the percolators are automatic. They turn off the power and just store in the heat to keep the coffee warm. Pour the coffee in your favorite mug and enjoy while reading a book or watching Netflix.
Need to Consider
You have done with brewing your coffee in an electric percolator in just four simple steps. This process may seem complex because of the name, but it is as simple as brewing your coffee in a Moka pot or french press.
There are a few points that you need to consider while brewing the coffee in an electric percolator. The temperature of the water must have observed. Because extremely hot water can make your coffee taste a bit bitter. Moreover, the proportion of coffee and water must have incorporated for the perfect blend of coffee.
How To Make Coffee In A Stovetop Percolator
Stovetop percolator is the old, gold, traditional way of coffee brewing. This method brings back the old school memories, and this method dates back to the 19th century. It has been in practice for such a long period. It is because it gives you the most aromatic, strong, and flavorful brew of coffee.
There is no rocket science in brewing a cup of coffee in a stovetop percolator. There are a few simple steps that are to follow. The things you would need to brew coffee are as follows.
- Coffee beans
- Coffee grinder
- Percolator
- Measuring tool
- Water
- Gas supply
- Your favorite mug
Process to Make Coffee in a Stovetop Percolator
1. Get your coffee beans and grind them coarsely to extract all the richness of coffee into your cup.
2. Fill up the percolator body with water until the marked level inside. It is the trickiest part. Because you need to monitor the temperature of the water. It is much easier in the electric percolator. But you have to do it manually in a stovetop percolator.
3. To prevent the risk of over brewing and bitter taste of coffee, you need to monitor the temperature and quickly turn off the heat as soon as it starts perking.
4. Wait for a while to let the temperature cool down a bit. Pour into your mug and enjoy your percolator coffee.
The only things you need to keep a check on is the temperature and the ground proportion. The temperature of the water matters a lot. As it can make and ruin the taste of your coffee as well. This method of coffee brewing cannot be left unattended. You need to be attentive towards it.
This method is a bit time consuming because the water takes time to get heated. But as soon as it reaches the desired temperature, it takes only about 3 to 5 minutes to perk the coffee.
How To Make Coffee In A Camping Percolator
A coffee lover cannot live without drinking coffee, but one cannot carry a whole fancy coffee maker with him everywhere. It can be troublesome for a traveling fanatic who loves coffee. Because it is difficult to find out coffee at remote natural destinations.
For this purpose, the camping percolator is the lifesaver. A coffeeholic would never forget to pack this percolator for camping. It satisfies your craving for coffee amid the woods, mountains, scenic beaches, and whatnot. Prepare your coffee and add up in the pleasure of your journey.
It would be of a great deal when you are reading a book in the lap of mother nature and enjoying your favorite urite cup of freshly brewed coffee in the camping percolator.
You can prepare your coffee in a few simple steps that are listed below. You would need the essential ingredients like coffee, water, some heat source, and a cup to enjoy.
Process to Make Coffee in a Camping Percolator
I. As you are on camping, it gets difficult to carry a lot of things with you. For your ease, you can pack some pre-ground coffee that is good to go with the camping percolator.
II. The mammoth task would be setting up the fire. If you have enough sources to light up a fire, then it is very well. Otherwise, you can use coals and hot stones a swell. For this purpose, you need to keep a match stick and some aluminum foil in your backpack to generate heat with dry woods or coals or heat the stones with a hack.
III. Once you have done with the fire generation, put up the percolator filled with water on the fire. Add up the coffee basket and filter. Let it brew and perk the coffee. Notice the boiling and bubbling of the water, keeping it on a medium flame. As you cannot leave it unattended, keep an eye and spot the bubbles.
IV. Pour in your cup and enjoy in the company of mother nature.
So yes, this camping percolator serves as a rescuer when you are in dire need of coffee. Moreover, this percolator can also be used at home with the same steps.
Pack your bags, go camping, brew some coffee in the percolator, and enjoy your precious time.
Best Coffee Percolators
Let us have a look at some of the best percolators. The list is as follows.
1-Presto 12 Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker

2-Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 12 Cup Coffee Percolator

3-Westbend classic stainless steel electric percolator

4-GSI Outdoors Enamelware For Home or Campsite

5-Hamilton Beach Electric Percolator

6-GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Steel Percolator with Silicone Handle

7-Coleman Stainless Steel Percolator

8-Stovetop Percolator Coffee Pot

Conclusion
Coffee lovers do not hesitate to try on different methods of coffee brewing. Take risks for the love of coffee. Try out the old traditional method of percolator brewing and trust me, you won’t regret it.
It may sound old school, but it is worth trying. You get the best possible taste of coffee brewed freshly with all that aroma and essence of coffee beans. Moreover, you can get the advanced versions of this percolator in the form of electric percolators. They have the automatic features making it more easy and simple to brew your favorite coffee.
The stovetop percolator is the ancient one with the easiest and simplest way of using. While on the other hand, electric percolators are handier in terms of technology. And how can we forget the great travel partner, our camping percolators? It eases the hassle of camping and preparing food among the woods.
Thus if you are a person who is always after trying new things and have an adventure, then these percolators are surely for you. Get your hand on any one of them as per your choice. Save your time and energy. Brew a perfect cup of coffee with the least effort, and devour the goodness of coffee.
FAQs
1-How much coffee do you put in a percolator?
For one cup of coffee brewed in a percolator, one tablespoon of the coffee ground is enough. If you are brewing some extra quantity of coffee, then you can increase the number of coffee grounds. For an ideal estimate, a percolator of 12 cup capacity one and a half cup of ground coffee is enough. While if the percolator is of 8 cup capacity. You can lessen the number of coffee grounds to 1 cup. You can have the variation in quantities according to the needs.
2-How long do you percolate coffee?
In a stovetop percolator, the water boiling or heating is time-consuming, but the coffee takes only about 5 minutes to brew and perk. While in the electric percolator, the brewing time is more as compared to the stovetop. It takes around 7 to 10 minutes to brew and perk the coffee. So it completely depends upon the kind of percolator you are using.
3-Is percolator coffee the best?
Yes, a percolator coffee is best. Because you get the stronger version of your coffee. It is because of the circulatory motion of water, which makes it run twice and even thrice through coffee until it has brewed. It makes the best coffee of all times, with a strong, bold and aromatic taste.
4-Do you need a filter for a percolator?
Although the percolator contains the inbuilt filter basket, which eliminates the need for any separate filter, but as the water goes through the coffee several times, the coffee grounds may find their way into some holes and go into your cup of coffee. To avoid any such situation, it has recommended to use a filter before pouring the brewed coffee to your cup.
5-What kind of coffee do you use in a percolator?
You can use any of your favorite kind of coffee in a percolator. The only thing that matters is the texture of the coffee. That has to be coarsely ground. Apart from this, the ideal kind of coffee is the medium roast coffee. This gives you the balanced flavor of the beans. While if you use a dark roast, then your coffee can turn out bitter. And if you use the light roast, then you would be looking for flavor all the time. So if you have enough tolerance for the variation in the taste of coffee, you can go for any kind of coffee to use in your percolator.
- 1 How does a percolator work?
- 2 Percolator Coffee Grind
- 3 How To Make Coffee In An Electric Percolator
- 4 How To Make Coffee In A Stovetop Percolator
- 5 How To Make Coffee In A Camping Percolator
- 6 Best Coffee Percolators
- 7 1-Presto 12 Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker
- 8 2-Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 12 Cup Coffee Percolator
- 9 3-Westbend classic stainless steel electric percolator
- 10 4-GSI Outdoors Enamelware For Home or Campsite
- 11 5-Hamilton Beach Electric Percolator
- 12 6-GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Steel Percolator with Silicone Handle
- 13 7-Coleman Stainless Steel Percolator
- 14 8-Stovetop Percolator Coffee Pot
- 15 Conclusion
- 16 FAQs