How Does A Coffee Percolator Work? - HomeGrounds

HOW DOES A COFFEE PERCOLATOR WORK? UNLOCKING THE SECRETS

Percolators have been in use for over a century! Let’s explore why this old-school technology has stood the test of time.

Have you ever brewed coffee with a percolator? Are you curious why this retro design is still popular after all these years?

Percolators are renowned for brewing very strong and very hot coffee – a result of their unique brewing method. In this article, I’ll explain how a percolator works and why fans of percolated coffee can’t get their fix anywhere else. I bet by the end, you’ll be tempted to give it a try!

What Is A Percolator?

A coffee percolator is an old-school way of making coffee. First invented in the late 19th century, it was incredibly popular right up until the introduction of drip coffee machines in the 1970s (1). Though the percolator pot has fallen out of mainstream favor in the last few decades, it continues to have avid fans. 

Related: Comparing percolators and drip coffee makers.

Stovetop Vs Electric Percolators

There are two types of percolators: stovetop and electric. They work essentially the same way, just using different heat sources. An electric coffee percolator has an electric heating element in the base and needs to be plugged into a socket. A stovetop percolator requires an external heat source, like a burner or flame.

Electric percolators are more expensive and less long-lasting, but they are much easier to use. They take care of the brew temperature and timing, and many offer a keep-warm function.

Inexpensive stovetop percolators are particularly popular with campers as one of the easiest ways to brew a large amount of coffee with only a campfire. Usually made from stainless steel or aluminum, they are virtually indestructible. The downside to the stovetop method is that it requires your full attention.

How Does A Coffee Percolator Work?

A coffee percolator looks just like a kettle from the outside. Inside, it has a chamber at the bottom, a vertical tube that runs from the chamber to the top of the vessel, and a perforated basket that sits near the top of the tube. There’s a heat source at the base, either internal or external.

To brew percolator coffee, fill the bottom chamber with water and the upper basket with coarse-ground coffee, and turn on the heat. The key is to find a temperature that maintains a gentle bubbling in the coffee chamber, which is called “perking.” Most coffee percolators have a glass knob or lid to monitor the action.

For a detailed step-by-step guide, check out our how to make coffee in a percolator article.

When heated, the water in the bottom of the percolator boils, creating steam. The building steam pressure eventually forces the water up through the central tube.

It then showers down over the ground coffee to the chamber below, extracting the grounds on the way. As this process repeats, the “water” in the chamber becomes coffee, getting stronger with each cycle. Turn off the heat to stop brewing when the coffee is the strength you want.

To watch a percolator coffee maker in action, here’s a video:

Why Use A Percolator?

The percolator brews a unique extra hot and boldly flavored coffee with a rich aroma. For fans of the style, there’s really no other coffee maker that compares. In my experience, it works best with medium roast blends with plenty of natural sweetness and flavor notes like chocolate, nuts, caramel, or ripe fruit.

Stovetop percolators are a particularly great way to make your coffee when you’re camping or otherwise off the grid, especially if you need to serve a crowd. They don’t require any electricity or separate equipment like a kettle to boil water. Just keep in mind that temperature control is tricky with a campfire.

What are the downsides of a percolator?

The major downside of a percolator is the high brewing temperature. To keep the coffee circulating as it brews, it must be kept at the boiling point to generate steam pressure. Water starts to boil at 212 °F, which is substantially hotter than the ideal brewing temperature of 200 °F recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association (2).

The risk of overcooking your coffee in this way is that it can bring out bitter or astringent flavors. Fans claim this is easily avoided by carefully controlling the temperature during brewing, but I probably still wouldn’t choose a percolator to brew my fanciest specialty beans.

Percolator Vs Moka Pot?

Percolators are often confused with Moka pots, despite being very different brewing processes. The confusion arises because both are stovetop methods that start with a basket of ground coffee above a water chamber.

Unlike a percolator, a Moka pot doesn’t continuously cycle the brewed coffee through a basket of coarse grounds. Instead, it forces pressurized water upwards through a basket of fine grounds just once. As a result, Moka pot coffee is stronger and more full-bodied, almost like a shot of espresso.

Final Thoughts

Coffee percolators work using a simple principle that has been delivering piping hot, extra-strong coffee for over a century. If you’re looking to perk up your coffee routine, why not give it a try? Who knows? This retro brewer might be your next big thing!

FAQs

How does a percolator know when to stop?

An electric percolator knows when to stop based on water temperature. The recirculated water gets hotter as time passes. When it reaches a set temperature, the percolator is programmed to turn off or switch to keep warm. With stovetop percolation, you’re in control. It’s done when the coffee reaches your desired strength.

Which is better, a French press or a percolator?

Whether you prefer a French press or a percolator is a matter of personal taste. The French press is an immersion brewing method; coffee grounds are extracted by steeping in hot water before being filtered out. It yields a fuller-bodied brew than the percolator (3). Personally, I prefer a French press for specialty coffee beans because it allows more control over brewing variables like water temperature.

How long does a percolator take to make coffee?

It takes a percolator roughly 1 minute of brew time per cup of coffee, though there are plenty of influencing factors. So for a standard 12-cup percolator, plan on waiting 12 minutes for your bold brew. The fact that percolator coffee pots are relatively slow is one reason automatic drip coffee makers overtook them in popularity.

References

1. History Cooperative. (2024, March 11). The History of Coffee Brewing. Retrieved from https://historycooperative.org/history-of-coffee-brewing/
2. Cotter, A. (2021, October 13). How Hot is Hot Enough? Brew Temperature, Sensory Profile, and Consumer Acceptance of Brewed Coffee | 25, Issue 15. Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/sca-news/25/issue-15/how-hot-is-hot-enough-brew-temperature-sensory-profile-and-consumer-acceptance-of-brewed-coffee
3. Burgess-Yeo, S. (2019, March 15). Drip and immersion brewing: A battle of two methods. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2019/03/drip-pour-over-vs-immersion-the-battle-of-the-coffee-brew-methods/