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Percolator Coffee in the morning

I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
I've been percolating my coffee since I was a small bird, but the time to boil the water let the coffee percolate was just too long of a wait for coffee. If I was running late to the office I would have to leave and have a sad coffee-less day.
Recently though I had been reading about these electric percolators they have. So I decided to pick one up and it's been fantastic!

My with my new percolator I can have fresh coffee in less than 10 minutes! It's been so nice to have coffee so quickly. Now I no longer have a dreaded coffee-less mornings and if I have guests I can easily make a small pot for them.

I was worried that the taste would be poor, but I was assured that this would not be the case. And they were right. It makes a wonderful cup, and only about 3 max which is all I really need in the AM.

Here's a picture of the little fella.
il_340x270.3506830034_i5eg.jpg


Anyone else enjoy an electric percolator? If not what's your preferred coffee making method? And if you know any good coffee brands in the Washington State area I would love to know.


View: https://youtu.be/GwWweTkuIFo
 
Mr. Snuffleupagus

Mr. Snuffleupagus

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Oct 30, 2017
13,245
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Depending on time, I either use granulated (usually for when I want decaf), my Cafetière (the most frequent) or my Sage Barista Express.

I like to take a bit of time to make it, let it brew and then keep it hot, plus I always have a second or third cup, so the Cafetière is ideal for me.

Also, living in London, I'm spoilt for choice when it comes to beans/ground coffee on offer, so that's nice too.
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

Member
Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Mr. Snuffleupagus said:
Depending on time, I either use granulated (usually for when I want decaf), my Cafetière (the most frequent) or my Sage Barista Express.

I like to take a bit of time to make it, let it brew and then keep it hot, plus I always have a second or third cup, so the Cafetière is ideal for me.

Also, living in London, I'm spoilt for choice when it comes to beans/ground coffee on offer, so that's nice too.
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Oh that's a lovely machine. I wouldn't be able to find room on the counter though. I must admit, I have always been a grounds person but That's mostly due to not having a grinder. I hear that grinding is better for the percolators due to being able to make larger grounds.
 
redlentil

redlentil

Member
Oct 27, 2017
414
I just use a simple bialetti stovetop moka. Maybe not as refined as some options, but ready in minutes and great for me. I always find cafetière coffee too lukewarm.
 

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I typically don't use a percolator due to their tendency to overextract.

Most of the time I'll either use a v60 or a french press. Occassionally I'll use a Bialetti Brikka if I want something more espresso-like.

I've also recently experimented with cold brew, and that needs no extra equipment. A container set aside then pass the result through a filter of any kind is all you need. You can get dedicated cold brew bottles but it's not needed.
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
CrocM

CrocM

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Oct 25, 2017
9,765
I boil water in an electric kettle then pour it over coffee grounds.
 
The Gentleman

The Gentleman

Member
Oct 27, 2017
583
I've got an espresso machine at home and when I'm at work I use a hand grinder and AeroPress.

I never used to even like coffee but now I'm a complete snob. I always check my brew ratios and grind size, and god forbid buying beans without a roasting date labelled.
 
Duane

Duane

Unshakable Resolve
The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
6,473
That's a nice looking piece of equipment!

This has been my go-to for years:


images
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

Member
Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Nappael said:
I typically don't use a percolator due to their tendency to overextract.

Most of the time I'll either use a v60 or a french press. Occassionally I'll use a Bialetti Brikka if I want something more espresso-like.

I've also recently experimented with cold brew, and that needs no extra equipment. A container set aside then pass the result through a filter of any kind is all you need. You can get dedicated cold brew bottles but it's not needed.
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That's good to hear about your cold brew setup not needing any additional kitchen gadgets. My kitchen is woefully undersized and has little space for kitchen gadgetry. That's why I love my electric percolator. It's small and out of the way. And it came with a hook to hang onto the steel dash of a 56 Chevrolet. I have altered that to just hang on the kitchen wall currently.

I have never made cold brew coffee myself. I have always been a warm black coffee kind of a person, is there anything additional you need to add to it, or anything that you prefer to do when making your cold brew?
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,958
I've used percolators before, but it's not the ideal way to make coffee. These days I use a drip maker for day to day, although I'll probably get a pourover setup for days when I have more time to make it and don't feel like espresso.
 
Kemal86

Kemal86

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,455
fellas, don't drink that coffee

you'll never guess

there was a fish!

in the percolator!
 

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I am a Bird said:
That's good to hear about your cold brew setup not needing any additional kitchen gadgets. My kitchen is woefully undersized and has little space for kitchen gadgetry. That's why I love my electric percolator. It's small and out of the way. And it came with a hook to hang onto the steel dash of a 56 Chevrolet. I have altered that to just hang on the kitchen wall currently.

I have never made cold brew coffee myself. I have always been a warm black coffee kind of a person, is there anything additional you need to add to it, or anything that you prefer to do when making your cold brew?
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There are a couple different ways to make cold brew. I normally make it concentrated, and then add water or (usually steamed) milk later depending on what type of coffee drink I'm going for.

If you don't want to add anything, I recommend using a bit more water at the start instead of making a concentrate, and then drinking it as is.

I recommend this video:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hewIkGzoEdo
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

Member
Oct 31, 2017
7,328
LProtagonist said:
I use a Comandante C40. I got it before the price hike but it was... already pretty expensive. It was a present for myself.
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Land's sakes it's 300 dollars! I am glad you got it before the price hike. If you cannot spoil yourself with something you will regularly where can you? I must ask, what does this bean pulverizing device do to warrant the price?
 
Tobor

Tobor

Member
Oct 25, 2017
28,906
Richmond, VA
Duane said:
That's a nice looking piece of equipment!

This has been my go-to for years:


images
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I switched to this OXO pour over and it is literally perfect.

0965d3962d75b862224018cc17ccfce054-builder-oxo-pour-over-lede.rhorizontal.w700.jpg

(not my image)

The problem with pour over for me has always been measuring out the water and the rate of the pour. This solves all of that, it's $18 on Amazon, and the whole thing can run through the dishwasher as needed. I love it so much I bought a second one as backup.

 

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I am a Bird said:
I have been curious about getting a hand grinder lately. My wife accidentally got me some beans and I would hate to waste them. What kind of hand grinder do you use?
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My hand grinder is a Timemore Chestnut C2. Its not as well built as something like the Commandante, but it's a pretty good quality budget option.

I wouldn't go for any of the ultra budget grinders. They use cheaper ceramic burrs that get dull very quickly and will quickly get to a point where your fresh coffee will taste worse than a high end preground (for the first week or so until the preground begins to stale beyond recognition). Instead, save up for a half decent one with metal burrs.
 
LProtagonist

LProtagonist

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Oct 27, 2017
7,659
I am a Bird said:
Land's sakes it's 300 dollars! I am glad you got it before the price hike. If you cannot spoil yourself with something you will regularly where can you? I must ask, what does this bean pulverizing device do to warrant the price?
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A good grinder is going to be able to grind your beans to a consistent size so that your coffee all extracts at the same rate. A bad grinder will cause a lot of different sizes so the smaller ones over-extract and the small ones under-extract, leaving you with bits of bitterness or sourness. It's really all about level of precision machining when it comes to why a good coffee grinder is so expensive, they're precisely made so that they precisely grind.

Yeah, I realize how snobby this sounds, but I certainly noticed a huge difference in taste and ease of getting a good cup when I got this grinder.
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

Member
Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Tobor said:
I switched to this OXO pour over and it is literally perfect.

0965d3962d75b862224018cc17ccfce054-builder-oxo-pour-over-lede.rhorizontal.w700.jpg

(not my image)

The problem with pour over for me has always been measuring out the water and the rate of the pour. This solves all of that, it's $18 on Amazon, and the whole thing can run through the dishwasher as needed. I love it so much I bought a second one as backup.

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Oh what a lovely little device. I like hearing that it is dishawsher save. My folks used to have a a Mr. Coffee that they never cleaned. It had more limescale inside it that a showerhead. I bet one of these is wonderfulfully quick when paird with an electric kettle.
 
Grue

Grue

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Sep 7, 2018
5,040
Duane said:
That's a nice looking piece of equipment!

This has been my go-to for years:


images
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I have an espresso pod machine but it gets less use than this these days

I need a longer coffee in the morning, and it's the convenience / time factor for a working day.

I can see myself going down a rabbit hole in the future though. Does anyone want to give their quick pros / cons of the different options available?
 
OP
OP
I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
LProtagonist said:
A good grinder is going to be able to grind your beans to a consistent size so that your coffee all extracts at the same rate. A bad grinder will cause a lot of different sizes so the smaller ones over-extract and the small ones under-extract, leaving you with bits of bitterness or sourness. It's really all about level of precision machining when it comes to why a good coffee grinder is so expensive, they're precisely made so that they precisely grind.

Yeah, I realize how snobby this sounds, but I certainly noticed a huge difference in taste and ease of getting a good cup when I got this grinder.
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It's okay to be snobbish so long as it there is a noticable improvement to the taste, and if the item is going to be regularly used. Now if you start telling me about how I need to only use beans from from some part of the world or to never add eggshells to my gounds we will have a problem.
 
Stencil

Stencil

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Oct 30, 2017
10,476
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I'll be honest, I only knew what a percolator was from old Max Fleischer cartoons. Never seen one IRL.
Boondocks said:
Why not get a coffee maker with a timer so the coffee is ready when you get up?
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This has been my approach ever since I was a smol single male living on my own.

I am a Bird said:
It's okay to be snobbish so long as it there is a noticable improvement to the taste, and if the item is going to be regularly used. Now if you start telling me about how I need to only use beans from from some part of the world or to never add eggshells to my gounds we will have a problem.
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Huh, TIL.
 
Tobor

Tobor

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Oct 25, 2017
28,906
Richmond, VA
I am a Bird said:
Oh what a lovely little device. I like hearing that it is dishawsher save. My folks used to have a a Mr. Coffee that they never cleaned. It had more limescale inside it that a showerhead. I bet one of these is wonderfulfully quick when paird with an electric kettle.
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It's the best compromise I've found between convenience and flavor. Add to that it's cheap and you have a real winner, IMO. I truly love it.
 
OP
OP
I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Whitemex said:
literally came to post this.


I'm a pleb that has a Keurig at my desk at work.
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Nothing wrong with a Keurig, when you need a cup NOW they will do the trick, and the space saving is nice too. I am not a fan of the little one time use cups though. I would want a little reusable basket so I wouldn't have to bother buying all those little plastic cups.
 
Callibretto

Callibretto

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Oct 25, 2017
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I am a Bird said:
Land's sakes it's 300 dollars! I am glad you got it before the price hike. If you cannot spoil yourself with something you will regularly where can you? I must ask, what does this bean pulverizing device do to warrant the price?
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I have used 2 handgrinder before. 1 is a cheap noname brand and timemore c2. The timemore is simply way better than the cheap grinder I used to have. Easier and faster to grind. It's money well spent imo

As for the expensive one like comadante, I remember reading that expensove grinder on this level are capable to make really fine grind needed for espresso, since I don't have espresso machine, timemore have been enough for me until now
 
Whitemex

Whitemex

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Oct 27, 2017
15,641
Chicago
I am a Bird said:
Nothing wrong with a Keurig, when you need a cup NOW they will do the trick, and the space saving is nice too. I am not a fan of the little one time use cups though. I would want a little reusable basket so I wouldn't have to bother buying all those little plastic cups.
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The one i have has a reusable cup. Pain in the ass to clean. I also share it with a coworker and he buys the pods so its a win-win for me
 
Tobor

Tobor

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Oct 25, 2017
28,906
Richmond, VA
I am a Bird said:
Nothing wrong with a Keurig, when you need a cup NOW they will do the trick, and the space saving is nice too. I am not a fan of the little one time use cups though. I would want a little reusable basket so I wouldn't have to bother buying all those little plastic cups.
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Way too fiddly and complicated to make a good cup and keep clean, in my experience. Trying these and being unsatisfied led me down the path to pour overs.
 
OP
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Boondocks said:
Why not get a coffee maker with a timer so the coffee is ready when you get up?
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Oh I would but I find them quite annoying to clean really. They are not bad devices, but I don't like their little tubes and water basins. I had the dubius duty of cleaning my familys because they would never clean it and all the coffee tasted like a depressing mixture of chalk and resentment.
With my electric percolator I have counter space avalable, coffee with speed, and an easy to clean coffee maker.
 

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Callibretto said:
I have used 2 handgrinder before. 1 is a cheap noname brand and timemore c2. The timemore is simply way better than the cheap grinder I used to have. Easier and faster to grind. It's money well spent imo

As for the expensive one like comadante, I remember reading that expensove grinder on this level are capable to make really fine grind needed for espresso, since I don't have espresso machine, timemore have been enough for me until now
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You can get aftermarket burrs for the C2 that can handle espresso grinds. You want to look for the E&B burr set.

I've even been able to get Turkish coffee grinds from it, although that did take some effort.
 
astro

astro

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Oct 25, 2017
57,270
I usea mocha pot which is a slightly different type of stove top coffee maker, these little beauties are life savers:
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Tobor said:
Way too fiddly and complicated to make a good cup and keep clean, in my experience. Trying these and being unsatisfied led me down the path to pour overs.
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Yes, that is the rub really. A keurig is a convenience item, and regular cleanings are not very convenient. I suppose you could get away with multiple baskets and a little cleaner, but we are just back to the word fiddly again.
 
mute

mute

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Oct 25, 2017
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kami_sama said:
I've never seen them over here, and I didn't know they existed until Technology Connection's video, where he roast them:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9avjD9ugXc

As for your question, I use an aeropress, and sometimes a V60, and just bought a cold brew bottle, that I just used for the first time.
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Everything I know about percolators came from this video too, lol.

I've tried just about every other method, but right now I have a moccamaster I use most.
 
Magnus

Magnus

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Oct 25, 2017
8,409
AeroPress and Burr grinder. Life-changing. Never going back.

We were thinking about an espresso machine but the cost to get a good one plus the effort required to clean and maintain it was too much overall.
 
OP
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Nappael said:
You can get aftermarket burrs for the C2 that can handle espresso grinds. You want to look for the E&B burr set.

I've even been able to get Turkish coffee grinds from it, although that did take some effort.
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With the percolator I would need slightly larger grounds than average. Or so I am told, so this could just be someone trying make me a fool. Would you know of any decently priced grinders for their output quality?
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
7,328
Magnus said:
AeroPress and Burr grinder. Life-changing. Never going back.

We were thinking about an espresso machine but the cost to get a good one plus the effort required to clean and maintain it was too much overall.
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I must say the Aeropress looks rather interesting, though I see my self destroying the glasses in the photo with bird's enthusiasm and making a mess. Which Mrs. Bird would not enjoy. How loud is the burr grinder?
 
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I am a Bird

I am a Bird

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Oct 31, 2017
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mute said:
Everything I know about percolators came from this video too, lol.

I've tried just about every other method, but right now I have a moccamaster I use most.
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That is a very enjoyable video on percolators, I do rather like his glass one, it would make me feel like an alchemist to use one. The moccamaster looks quiet nice for a coffee maker. A bit to big for my kitchen though.
I did briefly try a french press but I honestly did not see the appeal. I think mine was just of poor build quality, but I don't feel the desire to really use one again.
 
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