Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
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Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
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This stainless steel percolator ensures fresh and balanced coffee every time. A handy safety feature turns off the heat when the pot is empty. Read More
This well-loved percolator from Presto is durable, easy to clean, and user-friendly. But the filters can be a little hard to swap out. Read More
The Cuisinart Classic has an indicator light and an attractive, understated design, but it can be inconsistent with flavor. Read More
This 12-cup Farberware percolator has the features you want, and it’s well made. But we found the coffee it produced to be bitter and underwhelming. Read More
This stylish percolator is designed to serve a crowd. Read More
Considering the evolution and advancements in contemporary coffee culture and brewing methods, it’s been tough for the percolator to shake its unsexy associations with church functions, corporate meetings, and that thing gathering dust in your great aunt’s house.
And granted, little has changed in its construction since its invention in the 19th century. But the percolator remains relevant for the same reasons it always was: Its ability to produce copious amounts of strong, in-your-face coffee, and keep it steaming hot for extended periods of time. They're perfect for big holiday gatherings, too.
Percolator proponents also adore these coffee makers for their soothing, characteristic burbling; owing to the force of steam it uses to cycle water through coffee grounds until an especially full-bodied brew is produced.
Even newer models like our favorite, the Elite Platinum Maxi-Matic 12 Cup Percolator (available at Amazon for $47.99) , refuse to reinvent the wheel, chirping cheerfully on the counter as it speedily spurts out up to 12 cups of concentrated joe.
The Elite Platinum Maxi-Matic is the best electric coffee percolator we tested.
Paper filters included in the packaging
Easy to clean
Durable and long-lasting
The filters are hard to replace
Slim, elegant appearance
An indicator light
The brewing capacity is limted
Inconsistent flavor
Size matters when purchasing percolators. While you can find two- to four-cup options—if that’s all the caffeine you require—percolators are favored for their capacity and can go up to 12 cups. If you’re brewing coffee for a crowd, larger models will be more convenient, but there are plenty of good models with smaller capacities that can fit the bill (and take up less space) if you’re using the electric percolator for personal use.
Whether you’re using the machine for your morning ritual or as after-dinner coffee service at events, speed matters. Most machines we’ve tested averaged one cup per minute, but it’s worth checking descriptions and reviews when you’re shopping to make sure your percolator’s speed will suffice.
While construction for most machines is pretty standard, percolators primarily made of stainless steel—especially their brewing elements—are preferable to the alternatives. Not only is steel more durable than plastic, but it also won’t impart unpleasant flavors and leach harmful chemicals into your cup of coffee.
There’s always a chance of scalds and burns when you’re dealing with near-boiling liquids, and the best percolators take that into account. Look for: * Stay-cool handles: Handles that heat up as the machine heats up are a recipe for burned hands and spilled coffee. Look for handles and knobs that remain room temperature while the machine is working. * Overheat and dry boil sensors: Machines left running without sufficient liquid can burn or scorch, which is why we like machines that can sense when things are getting dangerously hot or dangerously low on water and turn off the machine before damage occurs. * Automatic shut-off: We’ve all forgotten to turn off something we should, and most modern appliances take that into account. The best (and safest) coffee percolators use either a timer to shut the machine down after a certain period of time or a brew-cycle detection sensor that turns the machine off or transitions it to a lower-heat warming mode after the coffee is made.
Some models will have dishwasher-safe elements, but models with detachable cords and easily disassembled parts will make cleaning and putting away your percolator much easier.
The right features are the difference between a machine you tolerate and a machine you can’t wait to use. Elements that can improve your percolating experience are a keep-warm mode that extends your serve time, a no-drip spout for less mess, and ready-to-serve indicator lights or displays that let you know your coffee is ready or how much time is left until it is.
We set up the percolators and brew three cups of low-acidity coffee in each, assessing how long they take to brew, how easy they are to pour, and how bitter tasting (or not) the coffee is.
We repeat this process three times over a week, analyzing the simplicity of each unit's cleaning, user comfort, portability, build quality, and storage ease. We also take note of safety concerns and special features.
Sarah Zorn
Contributor
Sarah Zorn is a food writer, cookbook author, and product tester for Reviewed, Wirecutter and the Food Network. She regularly contributes to outlets such as Saveur, Esquire, and Civil Eats, and has very much passed her food obsessions down, as her beloved rescue hound, Rowdy, regularly deglazes his kibble bowl.
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