How to Make Coffee with a Stovetop Percolator

They say perfection is unattainable, which may very well be true – even when it comes to brewing a fresh, flavorful cup of joe. With a stovetop percolator, however, you can transform your humble coffee beans – whether Arabica or Robusta – into percolated coffee that is…well…pretty darn close to perfect.

If you’ve ever peered into a working percolator, you’ve likely witnessed the magic happen: the bubbling water, the delicate dance of steam, the deep, earthy aroma of fresh coffee. So, let’s explore how to make coffee with stovetop percolator.

Grab a mug, you sexy beast. By the end of this adventure, you’ll be sipping on a steaming hot cup of goodness.

Understanding the Stovetop Percolator and How It Works

This is where some folks get a bit confused. There are stovetop percolators, and then there are electric coffee percolators. They both share a noble mission, brewing that dark brown nectar of life we call coffee. But the way they go about achieving that mission? Well, that’s where the fun divergence lies.

A percolator is really just a kettle with a mechanism inside that draws hot water from the bottom to the top. The water then trickles back down through the coffee ground – which is called percolation. An electric percolator has an electric heating element and needs to be plugged in. A stovetop percolator requires external heat from, say, a stovetop.

Most percolators have a reservoir at the bottom and a central tube that runs to the top. Near the top is a filter-basket, which is where you put the coffee grounds. Then, at the tippy-top is a glass lid or globe that allows you to monitor your brewing progress.

A stovetop percolator is like your trustworthy old hound dog. It may not have all the glitz and glamor of an electric percolator, but it gets the job done with hustle.

When using a stovetop percolator, just keep your eyes on the prize and the timing spot on, and you’re golden. Unlike highfalutin electric percolators, the stovetop varieties won’t turn themselves off when the brewing’s done.

Stovetop percolators are old-school and honest. This is why many coffee lovers love using a percolator. No other brewing method yields the same style of coffee.

The Art of Brewing: Essential Steps to Making Coffee with a Stovetop Percolator

Ready to learn the ABCs of SCPs (Stovetop Coffee Percolators)?

Foremost, you must get your bean grind right. Grind it too fine, you’ll end up with over-extracted coffee, leaving you with a bitter taste. You’ll want a coarse grind, here. And remember, ideal temperature isn’t just for Goldilocks and her porridge. It’s crucial for a good brew too.

Step 1: Gather the Proper Equipment and Ingredients

Kick things off by assembling a worthy squad of coffee-making tools:

You can also add a coffee scale into the mix for good measure. When it comes to coffee making, you want that balance just right. No space for guesstimates, ok?

Got everything ready? Great! Now, remember, the journey is just as important as the destination. And brewing a coffee isn’t just about the final product, it’s about the process too. It’s about seeing those coffee beans transform under your tender care, from simple seeds to an aromatic, captivating, delicious cup of coffee.

Trust me, when you’ll take that first sip of that brew, it’ll be worth every second. For now, though, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and put those coffee beans into a perfect medium grind. Prepare to be mesmerized – caffeinated magic awaits.

Step 2: Grind and Measure the Perfect Amount of Coffee for Your Percolator

Getting the perfect cup of joe is an art. And you are the artist, my friend.

It all starts with fresh coffee beans and a reliable coffee grinder. This is like transforming a diamond in the rough into a brilliant gemstone that’s going to wow your taste buds.

Again, you’ll want a coarse grind for your stovetop percolator, almost as coarse as the stuff you’d use in a French press coffee maker. So make sure your grinder can handle that before we get going.

Now, the the dance begins when you get your coffee to water ratio just right. Like matching up partners for a tango, your coffee and your water need to groove together in harmony. HINT: one tablespoon of coffee per cup of water is a good starting point.

That said, we’re all different. Not a fan of strong brews? Use less coffee per cup. Want to rev up your engine? Add more. If you really want to nail it, invest in a coffee scale. This gadget is dynamite for getting the proportions spot-on every time.

Step 3: Prepare the Stovetop Percolator for Brewing

Prepping for the percolating process is like tuning up a classic car. This isn’t of those ‘set it and forget it’ deals like a drip pot. The stovetop percolator is a meticulous, hands-on method of coffee brewing. But you’ll get the satisfaction of smelling your brewing coffee and knowing that you’ve nailed it. What’s more valuable than that?

Step 4: Heat the Percolator to Percolate the Coffee

Ready for some action? Think of this as the Waltz part of your coffee dance. Stay with the rhythm and when it’s time to step, just do it.

Follow the step-by-step instructions and patiently heat up your percolator. It’s a little slower than a drip coffee maker, sure, but the result is stronger coffee. It’s worth the wait.

Brewing coffee using a stovetop percolator is about getting the most out of your beans. Embrace the time it takes, it only enhances the anticipation. You’ll be sipping a rich, full-bodied brew soon enough.

You can start with a medium-high heat. When you see the water just begin to bubble into the glass globe, then you can reduce your heat to low.

When making coffee in a stovetop percolator, you should hold the temperature between 198° F and 205° F (92° C and 96° C) for the duration of the brewing process. This is supremely close to but not quite boiling. Those few degrees below boiling make all the difference. If the water is too hot and begins to boil, it will scold the beans and spoil the final product.

If you wondering how long you should percolate your coffee, it depends on your desired strength level. But 7 to 10 minutes is the norm.

Step 5: Discard Coffee Grounds

As much as you want that sweet, sweet caffeine crawling through your veins, there’s still one more step. Make sure you discard your coffee grounds before you fill your cup with liquid goodness.

Step 6: Pour, sip, and savor.

No explanation needed here.

Popular Stovetop Percolator Brands

There’s no shortage of stovetop percolators from which to choose. To make your selection process a little less stress-inducing, here are three percolators that are well worth the price.

Faberware Classic Yosemite Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator

You can’t go wrong with this timeless beauty. Convenient and durable with a mirror finish, the Faberware Classic Stovetop Percolator boasts a clear, glass knob so you can tell exactly when the percolating begins. It also has a permanent filter basket, so you’ll never have to worry about forgetting your filter.

The Farberware Classic Stovetop Percolator definitely passes the wear-and-tear test. And boy can she brew. The permanent metal filter just lets minimal grounds through, making sure you don’t get that unwanted crunch in your mouth.

Elite Gourmet Classic Stovetop Percolator

Get your hands on the Elite Gourmet ECOO8 Classic Stovetop Percolator, and you can brew up to 8 cups of flavorful fresh coffee. And fast, too! It takes less than a minute per cup. This stainless steel beauty also comes with a 12-cup option. There’s a reason (actually, several reasons) its a top pick on Amazon.

This percolator may not be perfect – some users claim that it perks coffee onto the counter. But make no mistake, this machine is built to handle your coffee needs like a champ. With a classic design using 304 stainless steel, the Elite Gourmet Stovetop Percolator makes a great addition to any kitchen. It’s also nice for percolating coffee in the great outdoors.

COLETTI Bozeman Camping Coffee Pot

The highest rated of the bunch, the COLETTI Bozeman Camping Pot comes from a veteran-owned company. And just like our veterans, this pot is tough. While it was engineered for the outdoors, it’s also perfect for your stovetop indoors.

COLETTI has become one of the premier outdoor coffee companies in the world. And they definitely strove for perfection when making the Bozeman Camping Coffee Pot. You can buy this one with confidence. In fact, as COLETTI claims, “This is the last camping percolator coffee pot you will ever need.”

Final Scoop: Brew Like a Beast with Your Stovetop Percolator

Take the leap and enter the classic realm of coffee brewing with a stovetop percolator. It’s like going back in time to when the percolator was invented, and became a godsend for java lovers everywhere.

While these old-school coffee contraptions might have fallen out of favor for shinier methods like the automated drip coffee brewer, there’s a certain charm – and taste – you only get from brewing coffee in a percolator.