On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:20:12 -0700 (PDT), phaeton
> wrote:

>My some-years-old Black N Decker drip coffeemaker sprang a leak while
>I was vinegaring it out yesterday, thus destroying the delicate
>ecosystem of my countertop. I'm considering replacing it with an
>electric percolator. I see them for around $40 at misc stores, such
>as Sears.
>
>What made me think of this was last weekend, when at my girlfriend's
>aunt's cabin, she made us all coffee in an oldish electric
>percolator. She used just regular unspecial Folgers ground coffee and
>it was the most lovely cup I'd had in quite some time. Bold tasting,
>well bodied, had some octane to it but wasn't too strong or acidic
>tasting*.
>
>Anyone here use one of these?
>
>1) I assume that the new modern ones will automatically switch from
>"brew mode" to "keep warm mode" when it's done (hence the indicator
>light). This is important because I don't want something I have to
>keep an eye on. I want to be able to load it, flip it on and ignore it
>completely until after i've come out of the shower. Also, I tend to
>brew small amounts most mornings (just enough for a cup to drink and
>fill my travel mug). My B&D Drip model could begrudgingly brew small
>amounts but for some reason it never tasted as good as the times when
>I make a whole pot. IIRC most drip makers recommend making at least a
>half a pot. The box that percolators are in say they'll make 2-12
>cups and it's all the same. I don't want a "one cup" drip model.
>
>2) I seem to remember seeing different grinds for percolators. Is
>that still necessary?
>
>3) I know I can get another crappy drip model (like a 5-cup one) for
>about $10 and it'll make coffee for a few years just fine before
>blowing up. The percolators I'm looking at are 4 times as much.
>However, it looks like the way percolators are made that they'll last
>decades. Am I wrong?
>
>Thanks for any help and advice.
>
>
>*When I first moved out on my own I had a stovetop percolator that
>made the worst coffee ever. Maybe the water was bad or at 17 years
>old I just didn't know how to make coffee, but it was always weak,
>burnt tasting and acidic like i brewed it with vinegar instead of
>water. Yet every time anyone saw it on my stove or heard that I had
>one they'd say "those make the BEST coffee you'll ever have".

I recently purchased a Farberware stovetop percolator for use in case
of power outages, works wonderfully well. A percolator requires a
little more cleaning effort but makes a great cuppa and with less
coffee. Just bring up to temp, lower to a light perc and set a timer
for seven minutes. A percolater requires a bit more fussing than an
ADC but I think it makes a better cuppa. And if you use fine ground
coffee it's simple to poke a paper basket filter over the post. The
Farberware stovetop perk is very well made and looks nice too.
http://www.target.com/Farberware-Cla.../dp/B001IAYIPO

On Aug 15, 7:39*pm, brooklyn1 > wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:20:12 -0700 (PDT), phaeton
>
>
> >*When I first moved out on my own I had a stovetop percolator that
> >made the worst coffee ever. *Maybe the water was bad or at 17 years
> >old I just didn't know how to make coffee, but it was always weak,
> >burnt tasting and acidic like i brewed it with vinegar instead of
> >water. *Yet every time anyone saw it on my stove or heard that I had
> >one they'd say "those make the BEST coffee you'll ever have".

Those are the same type of folks who think Bud Light is the best
beer. They aren't basing it on taste, though they think they are.
The percolator is probably what their mothers used. I loved my mother
too, but she made shitty coffee.
>
> I recently purchased a Farberware stovetop percolator for use in case
> of power outages, works wonderfully well. *A percolator requires a
> little more cleaning effort but makes a great cuppa and with less
> coffee. *Just bring up to temp, lower to a light perc and set a timer
> for seven minutes. *A percolater requires a bit more fussing than an
> ADC but I think it makes a better cuppa. *

And you accuse others of having TIAD.

--Bryan