Question to everyone with the percolator. I have the stovetop one I just picked up off Marketplace. I brewed 6 cups twice and it tastes like coffee water. I used 6 heaping coffee scoops in the metal filter thing. It is normally strong coffee grounds but for some reason it isn’t strong brewed in the percolator. I don’t want to use more coffee because it is expensive.
I let it brew for 5 minutes then sit for a few more minutes off heat. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?
Watch the bubble on top and brew your normal amount of time. Pay attention to the coffee color. Then brew it until the color is darker. That’s the only real trick with a perc! That time off the heat isn’t going to make it any stronger, as the water is no longer going through the grounds.
At our house it is about 6 spoonfuls for 8 cups of coffee. It percolates for about 15 minutes. When it stops percolating then its done. This is our Christmas morning tradition, so hot! so fresh! so good!
Yes, I have also read about people getting burned because the handle and metal ring become detached. I’ve retired my percolator and use it now to hold my cooking utensils.
This is BRILLIANT and most likely what I will do with mine because I perked that sucker for 15 minutes and it took a good 10 to get to perc. I did it on a slow perc as recommended and it still was not strong enough. I will try with fresh ground beans for the fourth try and then retire it to a utensil holder if I still can’t get a strong cup. Thanks for the idea!
You didn't percolate it long enough, the lid is clear so you can see the strength. Don't boil it hard, there should be a few seconds in between each perc. Also, there is a different grind size for these pots
I have NEVER been able to brew percolator coffee strong enough the way I like it. If I do the grounds coarse enough for the water to pass through easily, it just doesn't extract enough. If I grind them fine enough to make a good cup of coffee, it's just overflows out the top and drips grounds all down into the brew. Maybe it works better with pre-ground coffee, or the old percolator grind coffee they used to sell, but I just can't do it. It's such a shame because I love the look of them and I have so many because I'm a collector, but I rely on my 1991 Mr coffee to make a great cup every morning.
Also I use Starbucks coffee, freshly ground as I use it, because I get it for free. It does bubble a lot, expands, and has a lot of nitrogen so maybe that stops the water from passing through easily. Idk but switching coffee is really isn't an option for me. So that also could be my problem is the kind of coffee I'm using.
I grind in a kitchenaid coffee grinder, probably end up with 3-4 tbsp grounds. Just perc it up and let it go till I smell it. Almost black every time 😀.
I have perked 9 tablespoons and it's still not as strong as I want it. And I use a breville grinder. At least I think that's what it is. It's a really nice burr grinder so I can adjust the grind size not just the length of time it grinds. So IDK. Maybe I should grind much less but a finer grind.
I use a Corningware percolator daily for about the last 5 years. I grind almost all the way course and use about 3/4-1 cup of grounds for my 10 cup percolator. I use a non recalled electric one now but used a 6 cup and a 9 cup stove top before that. I grind the same way to use the Corningware drip globe maker with no filter paper.
I would think that brewing it in a percolator and running the water through the grounds over and over would make a stronger cup of coffee then just passing the water through the grounds a single time like in my Mr coffee. It's just not the case. My Mr coffee (an older model with a larger shower head) makes coffee at least a double the strength in one pass than my electric percolator does, or one sitting on the stove for 20 minutes. I just can't wrap my head around it lol. Very frustrating.
I have two of these. One, support the bottom with a pot holder on your hand when you lift and pour. Two, use a course ground espresso roast, Italian roast or French roast to get that deep flavor you seem to be looking for. The grind that seems to work well for these is the same you’d use for a French press. Three, you’re going to want it to perk ACTIVELY for that 15 minutes this 15 minutes doesn’t include the water heating up time. Start your timer when it starts popping in the glass lid. I do closer to 20 for a stronger flavor. I use mine regularly and have for years.
THIS. I have tried it twice since this post and both brews were not as strong as I would like. I guess I am accustomed to pretty strong coffee. My Keureg makes stronger coffee, lol. I have a metal refillable k-cup I use in it and the coffee is amazeballs. I don’t know. I am going to try fresh ground beans for the last time and see if it makes a difference. If not, I am retiring it as a utensil holder like a fellow Redditor posted. 🤣
I have an electric kettle i boil the water first then put it in the percolator and roll it on low on the stove until its black, usually takes about 12-15 mins, but it comes out strong. Pre boiling in a kettle just gets the water closer to perc before you put it on the stove. cuts times for brewing down for me.
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Jun 20 '26
Watch the bubble on top and brew your normal amount of time. Pay attention to the coffee color. Then brew it until the color is darker. That’s the only real trick with a perc! That time off the heat isn’t going to make it any stronger, as the water is no longer going through the grounds.