A cup of coffee in the morning acts as a great brain booster. Not only does it soothes your mind but it also elevates the levels of energy. Many people use coffee percolators instead of coffee making machines. Coffee percolators are inexpensive products and allow you to make delicious coffee easily. How to use a percolator? Let’s find out!

Coffee Percolator working Mechanism?

Today, we find a wide variety of percolators. We can differentiate between these machines based on their heating mechanisms. For instance, some of these machines are electrical while others are stovetop and campfire percolators.

Stainless steel is the main material used in the manufacturing of percolators. However, today, we can find glass lids, which allows you to see the process of percolation. No matter what type of percolator do you use, all of them follow the same process.

They work by using hot water to extract flavorful coffee from the ground coffee beans in a coarse manner. There are two chambers in a percolator. One chamber stacks on the other one.

You must fill water in the bottom chamber so that it rises via a small tube to reach the upper chamber that contains coffee beans. In the top chamber, you will see the accumulation of water. It is due to the pumping pressure that pushes the water from the lower chamber to the upper one.

When there is high pressure, the chamber pushes the water over the coffee grounds. This way, the percolator extract coffee from the beans. Moreover, the water heats the lower chamber again. The process repeats a few times until the percolator achieves the best flavor.

We recommend electric percolators because they stop automatically. On the other hand, if you are using a stovetop percolator, then you need to check it from time to time to make the coffee extraction is good.

How to use a coffee percolator?

As mentioned above, we recommend using an electric percolator, which automates the process and controls the level of water and temperature. You can also control the length of the coffee extraction process. For instance, if you like strong and dark coffee, it is important to use an electric percolator. So, how to use this type of percolator? Let us tell you that.

1. Clean the Percolator

First, you need to clean the percolator using dish soap. Make sure you use warm water. After washing the percolator, you need to rinse it using a soft cloth or towel. This is a good practice before using this machine.

Also, you need to clean and rinse the basket lid, the inside portion of the pot, and the filter basket. Don’t forget to clean the water pipe. This ensures you remove any previously made coffee residues. It is necessary because these residues can affect the taste of the coffee.

2. Grind the Beans

You need to grind the coffee beans so that you prevent over-extraction. Make sure you check the lower chamber of the percolator and the pot after the machine finishes the coffee brewing process. If there are any residues at the bottom, it means you have ground the beans finely. So, you need to act carefully.

3. Monitor the brewing process

After plugging in the percolator, the machine will start brewing the coffee immediately. You must monitor the process of brewing and check whether or not the brewing cycle completes in 5-6 minutes.

If yes, the percolator is doing fine. Some electric percolators have LED indicators or lights that show the status of brewing, completion of coffee brewing, etc. So, again, you need to monitor the progress.

Some electric percolators will stop automatically after finishing the process of brewing. On the other hand, some percolator products do not have the auto-shutoff feature.

4. Unplug the percolator

After completing the brewing process, your electric percolator will shut-off automatically. Although this is good, you need to unplug the device so that it cools down. Once you see that the percolator has cooled down, you can remove all parts or disassemble the machine. You can then clean the parts of the percolator.

Keep in mind to submerge the coffee percolator in the water. This is not an effective cleaning method because it can risk damage to the electric elements of the percolator. Use some soap water and a sponge. Dip the sponge in the soap water and slowly clean the pot and other parts.

Wrapping up, if you want a delicious cup of strong and flavorful coffee in the morning but can’t afford expensive espresso machines or coffee makers with grinders, the ideal solution is buying a coffee percolator. Not only does it come at an affordable price but it also works easily. You can use this machine to make full-bodied and flavorful coffee coarsely. Using a percolator is not difficult. It is simple. Refer to the above-mentioned guidelines.

How do you make coffee in a percolator?

How to Make Coffee in a Percolator
  1. Step 1: Prep the percolator. Clean the percolator before starting.
  2. Step 2: Add the grounds. Add the coffee grounds to the upper basket.
  3. Step 3: Heat. Place the percolator on the stovetop and heat it over medium heat.
  4. Step 4: Perk!
  5. Step 5: Let the coffee rest.

How do I know when a percolator is done?

As the water begins to circulate through the percolator, you’ll notice it sputter or bubble within this globe. The faster the sputtering, the hotter your water is, and the darker the water, the more “done” the coffee is. Ideally, once you reach a nice medium heat, you want to see bubbling every few seconds or so.

How much ground coffee do you put in a percolator?

Some coffees state that they are suitable for both percolators and drip machines, but these grounds are typically too fine and cause basket flooding. As a general guideline, 1 heaped tablespoon is perfect for a rich, strong cup of coffee. If you prefer weaker coffee, use a bit less.

Can I use regular ground coffee in a percolator?

There isn’t any special coffee made specifically for percolators. You can use any coarsely ground coffee, ideally going for coarse to medium grind. Avoid fine-ground coffee though, as the grains are likely to dissolve and go through the filter.

Can I use a filter in a percolator?

You can use a paper filter in a percolator. Melitta came up with a paper filter that fits a percolator. Those are called Disc Paper Filters, and they are made with high quality paper filters.

How do you keep coffee grounds out of a percolator?

A lot has been said on the topic but in reality it couldn’t be any simpler to keep the grounds out of your coffee. Coffee lovers agree that the rule of the thumb should be to leave the grinds coarse as this will prevent them from going through the filter as the boiling water cycles.

Is percolator better than drip?

Brew Strength & Flavor

The common consensus is that percolators brew stronger coffee because you’re basically getting double brewed coffee on the first go. On the other hand, a drip coffee maker only runs water through once, making a brew that is cleaner and less strong.

What is the best coffee to use in a percolator?

The best coffee to use in a percolator is a whole bean medium roast. Whole beans are almost always better than pre-ground (4), for both flavor and optimization of grind size.

Does percolator coffee taste better?

The flavor is unbeatable: Coffee made in a percolator has a smooth, creamy taste. That’s because the water gets hotter than in a drip and to more fully extracts the flavor from the beans.

What is the best way to clean a percolator?

How to Clean Stains From the Inside of Your Percolator Coffee Pot
  1. Fill the pot with water and add about 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda or 2-3 teaspoons of cream of tartar.
  2. Let your machine perk away; then let the water cool down completely.
  3. Scrub the pot with a nonabrasive tool, like a dishcloth.
  4. Finish by rinsing well.

Why do I get coffee grounds in my percolator?

1. They’re too hard to put in the percolator basket without tearing the center hole. 2. If you do manage to get the filter down inside without mangling it, then add coffee and fold the edges down over the stem, you end up with WEAK COFFEE.

Is percolated coffee bad for you?

And it turns out that coffee’s not just fine for your health, it may even lengthen your life — but only if you prepare it with a filter, according to a new long-term study published Wednesday in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. “Unfiltered coffee contains substances which increase blood cholesterol.

Do you have to use coarse ground coffee in a percolator?

Why French press coffee is bad for you?

Ideal Grind Size for Percolator Coffee

To get a decent result, you‘ll want to use a coarse grind because the filtration system in a percolator is not fine. This will help minimize the floaters and extra residue at the bottom of your cup.

Can I use fine ground coffee in a French press?

Instead, the dire advisory is that too much unfiltered coffee – like the kind that you get from a French press – can potentially raise your bad cholesterol. According to recent article on the Harvard Health Blog, not filtering your coffee allows oily substances to slip through known as diterpenes.

Can you use coarse ground coffee in a drip coffee maker?

The French press is an immersion method of brewing, which means that the beans extract for longer than in other methods. Because of this, we usually use a coarser grind to slow extraction and avoid over-extraction. In a pour over, a finer grind can impede water flow.

Can you use ground coffee for drip?

But in your case, the answer is pretty definite. Each coffee making process, including making espresso, demands a particular fineness or coarseness of grind. If you just buy finely ground coffee, it will work well in your espresso machine, but not in your drip brewer.