Presto02822 6-Cup Stainless-Steel Coffee Percolator

Recently I was looking for a totally plastic-free way to make more than one cup of coffee at a time. Currently, there are no automatic coffee makers available that fit this stringent requirement. Most plastic-free setups are single-cup pour-over or require stovetop use, and I’ve got those already.Enter this tiny electric percolator. I already own a couple of larger vintage percolators and use them from time to time to make quantities of coffee when needed. However, some or all of those percolator parts are aluminum. I own a steel stovetop percolator, but for daily use, I wanted something I could fill, turn on, and let do its thing without me having to hover or add water or monitor it.This is a great percolator for one or two people who might use 12-15-oz to-go mugs. The total amount of water at the “6 cups” level is about 26 ounces after brewing (I know; it’s weird coffee math).Coffee snobs and people who make profits off of selling more coffee beans for wasteful brewing processes (I am looking at you, cold brew) will tell you that percolated coffee is horrible because the same water perks though the same grounds a few times and the oils aren’t “extracted” from the brew. Don’t listen to them. Perked coffee tastes better than anything else I’ve had, even those fancy, $6, coffee shop “pour over” brews. I like bitter and cloudy. It makes me feel alive!Maybe it’s because I am a child of the seventies and I was raised on percolator (and boiled/cowboy) coffee, but percolator brew tastes richer and more full-bodied, and, most importantly, it can be much more economical to make. One level tablespoon per cup seems to work with almost any grind. “Percolator” grind is coarser than drip, which might waste more beans, but you also won’t get grinds in the bottom of the pot or your cup if that really bothers you.What with coffee being a tropical, imported bean from which we are losing trees and carbon sequestering, making an economical pot of coffee should be a priority, and not wasting precious, imported beans seems logical. Not to mention the aforementioned quest to go plastic-free as possible for morning beverage-making.You can get paper filters that fit these percolators, and this machine comes with a few of those. That paper bit will filter and capture some of the oils and grounds that make percolator coffee objectionable to some people. The filter basket works just fine, though, without them. Most commercial grinders at stores still have a “percolator” setting, and you can grind beans at home slightly more coarsely if needed. I find that a regular, pre-ground drip grind works fine in this pot, though. I know. I am utterly barbaric!Cleanup of this pot is easy and the innards can be machine-washed. I expect this thing will still be perking long after I am gone, assuming we still have a viable power grid in the 2100s. If not, my ancestors can use my stovetop percolator over an open fire. Assuming they can get the beans, that is. Enjoy your coffee while we still have access to it, fellow Westerners!

Presto & percolator companies at large do not tell you the benefits of modern percolators. 1 - They double as kettles. This particular model stops running immediately after hitting boiling temp, perfect for tea and other coffee brewing methods. 2 - This means your coffee gets made at a near-boiling temp, which is recommended by most coffee lovers, vs. cheap machines maxing out at 175. 3 - With no filter needed, they are super easy to clean. 4 - This gives me quality coffee at 1/4 of the price of something like the OXO brewer at $200. Personally, I like the taste of this better. I didn't care for the overly clean almost "chemically" taste of that coffee, you might as well have tea at that point. That machine is no longer used.Long story short, I've tried all sorts of brew methods, from Mr. Coffee to V60's. Only thing I haven't tried is the Aeropress. This delivers a cup closest to a French Press, which also happens to be the tasiest way of brewing (to me). I use medium ground coffee (both Dunkin' brand and better whole beans from the local Black Hills Coffee Company), and don't use any paper filters. I don't have an issue with this, so I'm not sure why it would be a requirement other than a little ground/sludge in the bottom of your percolator. I have ground the whole bean a little coarser, but being a French Press lover some sluge/grounds really don't bother me, I've come to appreciate them. It's probably 90% as good tasting, which is more than good enough for me in the morning. I plug this in, and the light comes on while I'm doing other things.I do have simpler tastes. I can definitely tell a difference between whole bean & pre-ground coffee. I'll still drink both without issues. So for me, this is fine. If your tastes are more descerning, then you'll be spending a heck of a lot more for something better.

My family has been using Presto Percolator for at least 30 years and they are solid and make a really good cup of coffee.They typically last at least 3 years of heavy everyday use with an occasional defected one but that is rare. They also make really good tea. I add 3 to 4 tea bags of my favorite tea and then some Whole Foods 365 brand stevia extract. Let it cool down and put it in the fridge. Once chilled you have the best ice tea that is zero calories with endless flavor options. Chilled gourmet teas are next level ice tea that has rich flavoring you can't get anywhere else and this percolator does it right!