How to Use a Percolator – Methods and Buying Guide

Coffee preference for everyone is as different as their favorite color. The vast world of coffee making and its products comprise a multitude of ways to get you your cup of joy. One such way is having coffee made in a percolator. It is an old-fashioned appliance. This coffee-making tool has been enjoying highlight for a very long time.

What is Percolator?

Percolator is a coffee making appliance. The name originated from the meaning of ‘percolate’ -defined as any substance that has filtered through a penetrable surface. They look like tea kettles in appearance, but it is the inside that holds the maximum worth. In simple words, percolators have made up of the steam and temperature chambers. The percolators maybe stovetop or electric, although stovetop percolators are mostly favored.

History of Percolator coffee making

Often in history, we see major inventions of our times having been used before in some other way or with some other identity. The same happened with percolators. The percolators are said to be the twin sister of siphons, and they were used to brew coffee since the early 19th century. Although in the present era, Hansen Goodrich has said to be the father of modern percolators as he introduced them in 1889 to the general market.

Types of Percolators

There are various types of percolators, but the main working technique is the same. The integral elements to make the coffee are boiling water. The main two types of the percolators are (i) Gravity Percolator (ii) Pressure Percolator.

1- Gravity Percolator

There are two parts to this chamber. The temperature of the water has increased within the lower or bottom chamber of the percolator. The water rises through a narrow cylindrical tube to the upper or top chamber. It contains ground coffee. The water is then forced down on the coffee pods, with the repetition of this mechanism. The result is one strong cup of coffee. You can manually overlook how many times the water pushed down to ensure the taste. And the intensity of your coffee to be accurate.

2- Pressure Percolator

This percolator has three units. The bottom one contains the water to be boiled and gets direct heat from the stove. The middle one has all the rich coffee enclosed in it. The top one is the one that fills only with the amalgamation of the bottom ones. The water in this percolator travels the same path of going up after boiling but in vapours and steam. It passes through the ground coffee. The upper unit fills with the processed coffee and is ready to pour out. Pressure percolators are commonly known as Moka pots.

 

How is coffee brewed in the percolator?

The integral focus is on temperature. Therefore the need is to adjust the heat up time of the water for your preferred of the coffee. Various other steps to follow religiously are listed below.

Ingredients

• Stovetop percolators
• Your favorite coffee beans
• A coffee bean grinder
• Water
• Measuring scale or spoon to measure coffee

Coffee Measurements

It is a significant step for getting a nice balanced cup of coffee. The coffee measurements leave little or no space for error. The exact amount of water and the exact amount of coffee to compliment is measured and put in the percolator. Some people are fond of a strong cup, while others prefer a little weak dose of coffee. Depending upon the choice, you can decrease or increase one spoon of coffee.

The experimentation is part of percolators once you get the hang of the working of this unique equipment.

A perfect medium grind

The coffee beans need to be grounded precisely without any benefit of the doubt. The medium ground is preferable. The underlying reason being that the very fine coffee may pass on into your mug and make it bitter. Similarly, if the beans have not grounded for a longer period, the extraction of the coffee flavor from large coffee rudiments is impossible.

Water capacity

The normal room temperature or cold water must have added, keeping in view the amount of coffee. The problem with the over or under filling of water is again the tasteless coffee or bitter-tasting less amount of coffee, respectively. The cold water has added because to let the steam to be build, water needs to heat up gradually and come to boil. If we add boiled water onset, this won’t be possible.

Set your percolator in order

The correct functioning of the percolator depends on the correct assembling of the units of the percolators. The tube has to set first inside the water chamber, and then the coffee chamber is to be attached. Tighten the whole structure, and you are good to go.

Less coffee ground to cover

Yes, that is correct. The less, the better. One of the qualities of the percolator is that it already makes a strong coffee. Therefore, if you fill your coffee chamber up to the brimb, it result will be a bitter, unappealing, and bad tasting coffee. The sip of which will result in spitting it out. Now we don’t want that to happen, do we? Hence, put coffee according to water capacity.

Stove it on

As it is a stovetop percolator so on the stove but it should kept at a low flame or medium. Slow and steady wins the race. Here the slower the percolator heats, the more flavor will be in your coffee.

Magical bubbles

Bubbles are the key. The percolators usually come with a transparent top or have a glass body. It is easy for you to see the boiling effect taking place. One sure way to comprehend the boiling of your water is to check for the bubbles. They indicate that water is boiling.

Make use of the watch.

Now the task is to remain vigilant. Normally after boiling the water. Percolator left for 7 to 10 minutes on the stove—your preference matters. You can leave it on the heat if you want a really strong cup of coffee. Otherwise, removing it at maximum8 minutes is recommended.

Heat off

After the designated time, remove your percolators from the fiery hands of fire. Use protective mittens to remove it, so you don’t burn your fingers.

Out of coffee ground at last

The coffee in the coffee chamber or basket needs to removed. Kitchen plant pots use healthy nutrient supplements of coffee that are trashed by most people. The coffee beans have enriched with minerals. They enhance the soil.

Get. Set. Drink!

Pour your delicious cup of rich, strong, dark, and aromatic coffee in your most coveted mug. Enjoy the taste of hard-earned and learned coffee.

How to make coffee in a Moka pot?

Gravity percolator works best on the above instructions. Pressure percolators have slightly altered methods.

Kettle or a saucepan has used to boil the water. The bottom unit of the percolator has filled with this boiled water. After placing the filter, adjust the coffee unit. The coffee is not put up to the brim. After adjusting the top unit, the percolator placed on the stove. A sound after 6 to 7 minutes of brewing indicates that coffee is ready to be served. One good quality of this percolator is that you can let the coffee rest in it as the upper unit is free of both the coffee and water interference.

How to make coffee in an electric Percolator?

The mechanism to brew coffee in an electric percolator is almost the same as that of the stovetop percolator. The percolator has a coffee basket or coffee chamber on top of it. The boiling of water occurs in the bottom chamber. The socket attaches the percolator for electricity. The control panel allows you to brew your desired cup up to your desired time.

Why do people prefer to use percolators?

The advantages of percolator exceed its disadvantages. There are various reasons that these old-school percolators are still in use.

• The percolators are the perfect companion for camping. The appliance is portable and compact, and we can take it anywhere. The coffee and smores are the perfect combinations for a snack in front of a campfire.
• The percolators are highly economical. They are so cheap that anyone can buy them to enjoy their cup of coffee.
• The percolators can take a hit any day. The stainless steel structure is reliable and durable as compared to electric makers, which often show some malfunctioning after some time. These percolators can go with you to the ends of time.
• The percolator is easy to handle as compared to complex coffee machines. Its working is quite simple, and the parts are easily adjustable.
• The cleaning of the units of a percolator is quite easy as compared to other coffee makers who take more time.
• The coffee in a percolator is super hot, with no complaints about the temperature of it.
• Percolator makes the best strong coffee.

 

5 Stove Percolators

1- Farberware Classic Yosemite Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator

 

2- GSI Outdoors 8 Cup Enamelware Percolator

 

3- Stovetop Percolator Coffee Pot

 

4- Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker

 

5- Presto 6-Cup Stainless-Steel Coffee Percolator

 

Frequently Asked Questions