For the percolator lovers out there or anyone who loves a dark and rich brew, we’ll walk you through the perks and peculiarities of this vintage gem. And yes, there’s a reusable cotton filter for your percolator, too!

Wether you already own a percolator or you’re perc-curious, this unique brew method has a lot to offer the lover of a rich, bold coffee. But it comes with a few caveats.

As part of our ongoing series about brew methods, we’ve got the details for you about this time-tested, classic brewer.

What is a Percolator?

The invention of the percolator was part of a quest to make it easier to brew coffee at home and for several people at once. As far back as 1810, people were experiementing with stovetop brewers that functioned by boiling water and sending it up through a tube to continuously wash over coffee grounds. By the 1820s, the first commercially available percolator hit the market.

Percolators consist of a metal or glass pot, a vertical tube, a small punctured chamber for the coffee grounds, and a filter. You fill the pot with water and place coffee grounds in the chamber. As the water heats, it’s forced up the tube and over the coffee grounds, creating a rhythmic percolating sound. The water then filters back down into the pot, ready to be reheated and sent back up.

The water circulates through several cycles before the water in the pot becomes coffee.

The Pros of Percolator Coffee

• Robust Flavor: Good news if you like your coffee with a bite! Percolator coffee is known for its bold flavor, due to the continuous cycling of water over the coffee grounds, extracting an ever-bolder flavor.

• Customizable Strength: Percolators allow you to control the strength of your coffee by adjusting the brewing time. If you like a milder brew, you can shorten the percolation time; for a stronger cup, let it go longer.

• Easy to Use: Percolators are pretty straightforward, with few parts and nothing technical, making them easy to use and clean. There are no complex settings or intricate parts, which makes them a popular choice for people who want a hassle-free brewing experience.

• Traditional Charm: If you love a vintage look, a percolator fits the bill. It’s a throwback to a more analog time, and some love the decidedly non-digital sound of percolating coffee.

A few caveats to consider

• Overextraction Risk: If you let the percolator go too long, you might have a bitter brew. Percolators have a tendency to over-extract coffee when the water cycles back over the grounds a few too many times.

• Inconsistent Temperature: Maintaining the ideal brewing temperature is crucial for a balanced flavor profile. Percolators, with their continuous cycling of water, can sometimes lead to inconsistent temperatures, affecting the taste of the final product.

• Coffee Sediment: Percolator coffee can be cloudy and might contain sediment due to the recirculation process. Some coffee lovers prefer their coffee this way. It’s a case of preference.

• Not Ideal for Specialty Coffee: If you're a connoisseur of specialty coffee beans, a percolator might not be the best choice. The strong, robust flavor can overpower the subtle notes and nuances found in high-quality, specialty beans.

To percolate or not to percolate

If you love a bold brew, favor non-techie options with a vintage charm, and enjoy the ritual of percolating coffee—or if you already own one and don’t want to buy something new, the percolator has been a trusted brew method for two centuries.

And yes, there’s an organic cotton, reusable CoffeeSock filter for it too!