Presto 02822 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!

I’ve been using this Presto percolator for a couple of months now, and I love it. It’s easy to use and to clean, makes great coffee, and looks so classy and classic. It has a really small footprint, so it fits easily on my small kitchen surfaces. I like that it’s easy to remove the cord from the pot even while hot, so I can quickly remove the cord and pour coffee without it having an awkward “tail”. I like that this model has a solid bakelite handle on the lid rather than a see-through bubble. It looks nicer overall and the indicator light is helpful for showing when the coffee is done (but it’s almost invisible in the design when the pot is off, which is aesthetically nice). If being quiet is important to you, this coffee maker is a great choice. While it does make gurgling percolator sounds, I find these less disruptive to a companion than the beeps of the microwave or clicks of lighting a gas stove to heat water for a french press. This is about the same noise level as an electric water kettle or drip coffee maker. It feels like a sturdy vintage item from my grandmother’s house, and I simply love it!

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.