8 Best Percolators [In 2023]

The best Percolators and Moka pots are two terms which are usually interchanged quite a lot, but in actual fact, they are two very different items which work in slightly varying ways.

The big differences are that the best percolators have one chamber and an additional filter rather than three separate compartments, usually produce hotter and stronger coffee and offer larger quantities of coffee.

They saw a big decline in popularity in the latter part of last century and still aren’t too widely available, but are now on the rise again thanks to the recent trends in both shunning coffee shops for more personalised homemade brews and people preferring ‘staycations’ rather than holidays abroad.

You can choose from either stove top/range models which need to be sat on a hob or open flame, or an electric model. The former is the most traditional, but the latter offers more safety features.

If you have read our guide on the differences and know a best percolators coffee pot is the appliance for you, then take a look at our best picks of those available.

The Best Percolators

Elite Gourmet EC812 Electric 12-Cup Coffee Percolator

Overview

The best percolators are the perfect addition to any home kitchen. This percolator is non-slip feet, 360° swivel base, and cord storage make it easy to serve coffee away from the kitchen if you wish. The stainless steel filter basket allows you to brew 4-12 cups and features measurement markings on the basket that make it easy to measure out your favorite amount of coffee grounds. The ready-to-serve light indicates when coffee is ready to serve and an ergonomic design makes serving coffee easy without messy splashes.

Coffee Gator Moka Pot – 6 Cup Coffee Percolator

Overview

We believe that you should have the best Best Percolators for you and your kitchen. That’s why we designed this stovetop espresso maker. It’s elegant, it’s easy to use, and it has a traditional Italian design. As the water heats, it increases pressure in the base, pushing water up through the coffee grounds to create a truly delicious crema. Whether you’re cooking with gas or an induction hob, our coffee best percolators adds a touch of class to any home. Crafted from premium aluminum, with a steam safety valve and cool touch handle, it truly epitomizes substance and style.

Petromax Tea and Coffee Percolator

Overview

One of the best percolators is Perkomax, its a perfect tool for all your outdoor adventures. It can be used on a barbecue, over a campfire, as well as on cooking plates, ceramic glass cooktops and induction cookers. A round filter for coffee powder is placed on the top of the tube. The hot water is pushed upwards, over the coffee powder and flows back down to the pot, as if through a sieve. It then mixes with the water and rises again. The longer the water circulates, the stronger the tea or coffee becomes.

Coleman Stainless Steel Percolator

Overview

The Coleman 12-Cup Stainless Steel Percolator is the ideal companion for outdoor adventures. It weighs just 4 pounds and offers a 12-cup capacity, both of which make it easy to take along on camping trips or other excursions. The percolator is made from durable stainless steel that resists corrosion and wipes down quickly for easy cleanup after use. The camping percolator comes complete with the base, tube, basket, and basket lid—everything you need to get a pot of coffee going on a stove, a grill, or other heat source. Coleman is one of the best percolators!

GSI Outdoors Percolator Coffee Pot Enamelware

Overview

In a lovely outdoorsy green colour, and able to hold enough coffee to fuel a small group, this GSI pot is perfect for taking with you on the camping trail.

It is enamel, easy to clean and even has a view button which doubles up as a lid and allows you to see when the coffee is ready. The percolator part is separate so it can also be used to hold other warm drinks, and once you get the measurements right for what you want, it is a great coffee maker. This is one of the best percolators!

Farberware 47053 Stainless Steel Percolator

Overview

Both heavy duty for full practicality and polished to a high shine for an attractive finish, this is a brilliant best percolators which can be used both home and away.

The clear glass knob at the top on the lid will allow you to see when the percolation begins, which is great if you don’t want it to boil a second too long which can damage the taste.

The interior material is non-reactive, which simply means it won’t absorb any of the flavours from the coffee or from washing up liquid when it is being cleaned. This will give you the best tasting cup of coffee each and every time.

When washing, it is fully immersible and dishwasher safe as well, so again can be used home and away. Faberware are a well trusted brand when it comes to this type of product, so if you love the idea of a percolator to achieve the best tasting coffee possible yet want something which isn’t just a fad, it could be worth paying the money for this brand and model.

Moss & Stone Electric Coffee Percolator

Overview

This electric percolator will become your new best friend. It’s classic and stylish, and it makes the best-tasting coffee you’ll ever have. Not only that, but it’s fun to use too. You’ll be able to get back to the roots of your morning coffee routine with this one. The Coffee Percolator brews from 2 to 10 cups of great-tasting coffee, hot and flavorful, so you can enjoy your day with the old-style coffee makers. This Electric 10 cups percolator is made of a durable Stainless Steel Body with a black cool touch handle and easy pour spout; it comes with a removable filter basket and pump tube for quick preparation, ready-to-serve indicator light for convenience, and automatic keep-warm function to keep the coffee hot for hours on end; it measures 28cm (H) X 23cm (L) X 14.5cm (W). This is one of the best percolators.

EBSHOP Coffee Percolator – Enamel Coating 

Overview

If you love the great outdoors and all of its adventures, this is the camping coffee maker for you. The rust-resistant campfire coffee pot has been oven hardened twice at 1000 degrees F to resist scratching and chipping. It also comes with an old-fashioned speckled enamel finish that will look great in any kitchen or around the campfire. You can use this portable campfire coffee pot at home or on your next trip out into nature—it’s compact and doesn’t take up much space during transport! The internal basket holds grounds while brewing, so there’s no need to worry about measuring every time you want a cup of joe.

Percolator Buying Guide

What Is A Coffee Percolator?

A percolator is a method of preparing coffee, which requires either electricity or a heat source to work.

They are mostly used among campers and those wanting to prepare coffee outdoors because most do not require electricity and can offer a stronger, more intense flavour due to the continuous circulation method.

With the rise of the electric percolator came a fanbase of home-based users, too. A lot of people prefer them to other forms of coffee machine because the stronger taste is achievable, and they don’t require paper filters or and additional parts to work.

However, the invention of electric drip coffee machines did see their popularity decline in the 1980’s, and they aren’t as widely available today. But we love how they are a traditional nod to coffee making and are pretty easy to use too.

How To Use A Percolator

Before you buy, you’re going to want to know whether it is right for you.

Think of it as a combination of a Moka pot and a drip coffee maker. There is only one internal chamber as opposed to the three separate compartments in a Moka pot, plus a fitting which holds the coffee grounds and allows water to travel upwards through a vertical central straw/tube.

You fill the basket of the filter with the ground coffee of your choice, and then fill the main compartment with the required amount of water. Attach them both together and close the lid.

As the best percolator starts to heat, the water begins to boil. This water, once at a particular point, rises up through the straw/tube and emerges through the top to spread over the lid.

This then ‘drips’ and percolates back down to the water chamber, passing through the coffee granules, where it heats again and repeatedly rises until you are happy with the strength of the coffee. The longer you keep it on the heat, the more cycles it will go through and the stronger the coffee will get.

Then, all you do is remove the basket filter, and it is ready to pour. The overall process usually takes around 5-10 minutes depending on your preferred tastes.

Electric or Stovetop?

Stovetop percolator were invented in the early 1800’s, and have been modified over the years to become the design we know today with rising boiling water rather than stewing the coffee.

Electrical percolator date back only to 1952 when Russell Hobbs invented the first model.

It all depends on what you’ll be using it for. Camping will obviously require a non-electric model, but if you want it solely for home use, we would actually recommend an electrical version. They have features like auto-cut off, keep warm and also let you know when the coffee is pretty much ready which takes out a lot of the guessing and observational work out of the equation.

Price

Non-electric models generally sit between £25 and £50, with electrical models often reaching closer to about £80.

FAQs

What coffee should I use with a percolator?

As with filter, drip and French Press style makers, it is necessary to use ground coffee.

The level of grind is important though, as unlike filter and most other coffee machines, a percolator just uses fine holes to pass the water and coffee through the filter basket, rather than fabric, mesh or paper. With too fine a blend, the grounds could just pass through the basket, so a coarse option is best.

Do percolators make weak/bitter coffee?

This is a long-held idea, but it is all in the technique.

A weak coffee suggests you aren’t giving the coffee enough cycles to brew. The longer it boils and passes through the grounds, the stronger it will get.

A bitter one, on the other hand, suggests you are passing it through too much and overboiling it. Bitter flavour compounds emerge and dissolve with longer time, so getting a good cup of coffee with a percolator is a fine balance.

The key is to not over-boil or under-boil, but the granules can sometimes make a big difference too so you may wish to change to another brand or consistency to see how the change makes a difference.

Watch out for the bubbles emerging (the ‘percs’). Once the first one arrives, the water is boiling so turn down the heat and aim for one perc every 3-5 seconds. Try to keep the pot at around 95°C, and keep it going for approximately one minute per cup being made.

These are general tips, but the truth is percolator coffee requires a lot of experimentation to get just right, so is not necessarily for those who want a quick cup of standard coffee in the morning.