9 Best Coffee Percolators – Our Updated 2021 Reviews

Today, Americans are drinking coffee more than ever before. A whopping 7 out of 10 Americans drink coffee at least once a week, while 64 percent of the population drinks a cup per day.

And out of those coffee drinkers, the average consumer enjoys 3+ cups of coffee every day. 

That’s a lot of coffee! 

If you’re here, coffee is probably essential to you too. Technology today has made coffee available at the touch of a button, but more old-school methods are making a comeback.

We’re showcasing our favorite products today to help you find the best coffee percolator there is, so keep reading below!

Our Top Pick: Cuisinart PRC-12 Classic Stainless Steel Percolator

The Cuisinart 12-Cup Classic Coffee Percolator easily takes the number one spot as the best overall choice on our list. First things first, the brand is a well-known and trusted name in the business of kitchen appliances, which lets us rest assured it will perform. 

This electric percolator is sleek and stylish with classic stainless steel and black design. It brews up to 12 cups of coffee, which makes it perfect and easy pour spout for serving a crowd. 

Using this pot is super easy. The lid is transparent, which lets you peek in on your coffee’s brewing process. Take note, though – the top is made of plastic, not glass, so it’s not as durable. 

It also has a convenient indicator light to let you know when it’s done. 

The pot sits on a stay-cool bottom. While it heats your pot, the base stays cool enough for you to safely place it on any surface in your home. 

The comfortable handle keeps your hand safe from burns, and the long, no-drip spout minimizes messes. 

Benefits

• Sleek, beautiful, modern design
• Small and lightweight
• Easy to use and clean
• Large enough to brew for gatherings  
• No-drip, precision spout 
• Knuckle guard protects from burns

Drawbacks

• Must cool down entirely before brewing another pot
• Plastic components are not durable

Other Top Picks 

While we stand by our top choice all the way, we also understand that shoppers like to explore a wide range of options before making their final buying decision. 

Below, we have eight additional top-notch choices for the best coffee percolators. Check them out to learn more!

West Bend Classic Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator

The West Bend Classic coffee percolator is another excellent 12-cup option designed to provide coffee both quickly and easily. The stainless steel materials are classic and sturdy; best for boiling water. They come coupled with a black handle and base system for a timeless feel. 

Two specific features make this coffee pot one of our favorites: the indicator light and the level window. Both of these additions just make life a little easier for you – which can be super important first thing in the morning. 

And speaking of convenience, the lid, stem, and basket are all dishwasher safe. Toss them in the dishwasher on the top rack, and you’re good to go. 

While the black, classic handle is nothing special, the electric heating element does keep your coffee warm after you’ve poured a great cup of coffee or two. 

You can tell your coffee is brewing by the transparent knob on the cover, which is always a fun little perk. 

Benefits

• Easy to use
• Dishwasher safe components
• Keeps coffee warm
• High power brews very hot coffee
• Brews strong and fast

Drawbacks

• Coffee sometimes leaks out of the transparent knob
• Lid is not dishwasher safe

Farberware Classic Stainless Steel Yosemite

Farberware’s classic stainless steel design is enough to catch the eye of any potential buyer. Unlike many of its competitors, this pot sports a shorter and stouter appearance, making it an adorable yet modern addition to any kitchen. 

This design is available in both 8 and 12 cup versions, so you can choose which one best suits your needs. 

As a stovetop percolator, you’ll love how this product fits into your homey kitchen atmosphere. It’s very heavy-duty and sure to last you a long time. The polished mirror finish essentially glows. 

Another stand-out item this piece has from many others is that the transparent knob on top is made of glass rather than plastic. The glass makes it not only more elegant and high-end, but it’s more sturdy as well. 

The entire pressure percolator is dishwasher safe, so cleaning it is a breeze. If you’re looking for a sturdy option to outlast the rest, this might just be the one. 

Benefits

• Very durable stainless steel design
• Clear glass knob
• Dishwasher safe
• Comfortable, ergonomic handle for solid grip 

Drawbacks

• Extremely tight lid gets stuck sometimes
• Takes a bit longer to brew than electric

Presto 12-Cup Stainless Steel Best Coffee Maker

We just love the look of the Presto 12-cup stainless steel coffee maker. It’s tall, thin, and elegant; it even features that beloved long precision spout that makes pouring into even the tiniest coffee mug a breeze.

Can I get a round of applause for no more messes?

This electric percolator brews anywhere from 2 to 12 cups of strong, rich, and (very!) hot coffee. The heating element keeps your brew hot between enamel cups, so it’s always ready when you need that extra caffeine boost. 

The convenient signal light lets you know when your coffee is ready, and the permanent basket and tube are stainless steel and dishwasher safe. 

This percolator has a solid black knob rather than a clear knob. For some, this is a good thing, as clear knobs tend to leak and break. But others may see this as a downgrade to those pieces. 

Overall, this is a classic, nice piece to add to any kitchen. And at a cup a minute, it’s pretty quick, too. 

Benefits

• Brews very hot and rich coffee
• Fast compared to other machines
• Elegant, classic design
• Keeps coffee warm after brewing
• Easy to use

Drawbacks

• Some coffee grinds slip through the paper filter into the coffee
• Screws on the base rust quickly with significant use

Bialetti Express Moka Pot

If you’re an old soul who loves nothing more than discovering a classic, vintage product to add to your collection, stop scrolling and keep reading. The Bialetti Express Moka Pot is the coffee percolator for you. 

This Bialetti is an adorable and nostalgic stovetop brewer that draws from classic Italian heritage. It boasts a hexed design over round shapes and a weathered look over shiny metal for a truly unique touch to your stove. 

This pot is available in four different sizes: 1-cup, 6-cup, 9-cup, and 12-cups capacity. You can choose the size most appropriate for your needs.

The pot may pose just a bit of a learning curve, as it’s different from other electric and more modern devices, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it. Plus, we think it’s worth it just to have a rustic-chic look for your home. 

Benefits

• Ultra-unique, chic appearance
• Multiple size options
• Zero-detergents design means you only need water to clean
• Perfect for camping or home

Drawbacks

• Only the 6-cup design is authentically Italian
• Not dishwasher safe

Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Electric Percolator

We’re not saying that a product has to be a popular brand name for it to be a good, high-quality product, but a lot of people tend to reach for those brands because they have a solid reputation. 

We had high expectations for the Hamilton Beach electric percolator, and it turns out they were for good reasons. 

This Hamilton Beach model is similar to a few others on our list, namely the Cuisinart model and the Presto model. There’s a reason this design is popular, and that’s because it’s classic, elegant, and functional. 

This electric percolator is super easy to use. It has measurement marks on the inside to make sure you fill it correctly and an indicator light that tells you when your coffee is ready.

Plus, it’s easy to store. You can remove the cord and stick it inside of the pot when you need to tuck it away in a tight space. 

The no-mess spout is another favorite feature because who likes a coffee pot that drips? 

The Hamilton Beach percolator is also an excellent option for anyone who also enjoys tea, as it boils plain water. 

Benefits

• Multipurpose: coffee and tea
• Classic, timeless design
• Easy to fill and use
• No-drip spout
• Large capacity 
• Fast brew time

Drawbacks

• No transparent knob 
• Iffy longevity 

Capresso 12-Cup Perk Coffee Maker

The Capresso 12-cup percolator takes a classic design and gives it a couple of significant upgrades. This stainless steel electric coffee maker has the instant feel of the traditional percolator with a stainless steel body and black components. 

One of the upgrades this product offers is a clear globe that sits on top of the lid rather than a transparent knob. The knobs are prone to bumps, cracks, and breakage, but this dome sits out of the way most sustainably. 

Available in both 8-cup and 12-cup versions, this machine is super easy to use. The compact design fits great in any kitchen, and the detachable cord makes it easy to transport from the countertop to the breakfast table. 

An indicator light lets you know when your coffee is ready, and the spout makes pouring easy too. 

Some folks may not be massive fans of the squared-off handle. While the design makes the pot appear more modern, it’s a little harder to grip. When handling scalding liquids, this might be a problem for some. 

Benefits

• Classic design
• Durable stainless steel
• Glass globe lid 
• Detachable cord and insulated base
• Easy to pour

Drawbacks

• Odd handle design
• “keep-warm mode” function fluctuates 

GSI Outdoors 8 Cup Enamelware Percolator

It’s probably safe to say that many of our parents or grandparents had that classic camping kitchen set – the tin set that came in a variety of colors with black dots splattered all over it. 

Well, the GSI Outdoors enamelware percolator perfectly emulates that nostalgic camping set with its 8-cup stovetop design. 

This percolator is the first on our list to come in different colors. It’s available in black, blue, white, and dark green, which allows you to match your style – or perhaps that old camping dish set if you still have it! 

The twice kiln-hardened design is built tough and made to last. It’s perfect for adding personality to your kitchen or bringing along on a camping trip. It really couldn’t be easier to use, either. 

Benefits

• Nostalgic, fun design
• Easy to use
• Clear resin knob is sturdier than plastic
• Lightweight and compact
• Color options

Drawbacks

• Takes longer to brew
• Clamp for lid tends to rust over time

Medelco One All 8-Cup Stovetop Glass Percolator

We can already hear some of you saying it: finally, a glass option! 

The majority of percolators these days are stainless steel (with a few exceptions), but the Medelco One All percolator is made of glass. 

Glass is durable and easy to clean, so we get it. This particular glass percolator is a stovetop design that lets you watch your coffee brew right before your eyes; no need to peek down into a glass knob. 

The lab-quality borosilicate glass is sturdy enough to go from stovetop to countertop to fridge without cracking. It comes with a trivet, which makes it safe on electric coil stoves. 

The unique handle design ensures you won’t burn yourself on the pot. It stays away from the heat of the stove as well as the heat of the pot. 

All the elements are easy to clean once you take them apart. Some buyers might be nervous about using a glass pot, though, so it’s not for everyone. 

Benefits

• Use on any stovetop
• Can heat water for tea as well
• Plastic components are high-grade and sturdy
• Safe for hot-to-fridge transfers

Drawbacks

• Glass element can lead to dangerous breakage
• Only comes in an 8-cup model

What to Look for in Your Percolator

You might be wondering how exactly we chose the products that we did above. It’s simple, really: we know what to look for. 

And since knowing what to look for was so helpful to us, we decided to share that information with you. It’s definitely going to make the buying process much easier for you. 

Electric vs. Stovetop

The very first percolators worked by heating up on a stovetop, but modern technology has blessed us with the gift of the electric version. 

While electric percolators are popular for obvious reasons, stovetop products still work just as well and even have a nostalgic feel for some people. 

In addition to their timeless, romantic feel, stovetop percolators also work great for places where you don’t have electricity. We know that’s rare these days, but consider camping or lodging in a remote area. 

On the other hand, electric percolators are an excellent option when you don’t have access to a stovetop. They work well for dorms, hotels, and campers and are very easy to use. 

Electric percolators also keep your coffee hot as long as they’re plugged in, so there’s no returning to a lukewarm pot. 

Both of these options can also suit a particular style. If your kitchen has a modern design, you might like the look of an electric appliance better. If you have more of a rustic-chic vibe going on, you might appreciate this timeless stovetop piece. 

Overall Design & Size

The right percolator for you will have a design you love and a size that makes sense. One of the first things many buyers look at is the capacity of their coffee pot. 

A traditional drip coffee machine today usually offers 12 cups of coffee per pot. The same goes for many modern percolators, so there’s no compromise there. 

Some smaller models brew just 6 or 8 cups, but they’re also smaller overall. We recommend a 12-cup pot for large families and obsessive coffee drinkers. 

Keep in mind that most 12-cup percolators are electric, while most 6-8 cup brewers are stovetop devices. So, even if you’re the only person using it, you may opt for a larger design simply because you prefer the electric style.

Other features to consider in the overall design include:

• Durability
• Taste
• Cord length
• Materials 
• Color
• Anti-slip handle
• Weight
• Level indicator

Many of these design features are afterthoughts for a lot of customers, but one or more may be important to you. 

Speed

While some enjoy the delicate art of brewing coffee, others just want their caffeine fix ASAP. We understand both points, so it’s a good idea to include your preference in your product search.

Stovetop percolators, overall, take longer to brew than electric machines. You can expect your stovetop pot to take around 20 minutes to fully brew. Although, you can make a smaller serving if it’s just for you. 

Electric percolators are faster overall. Plus, you can often pause the process on many machines to pour a quick cup before letting it continue to brew. 

Ease of Cleaning

Percolators are, by far, much easier to clean than electric drip coffee makers. In fact, here’s your reminder to clean your coffee maker today. When’s the last time you cleaned it? If you can’t remember, it’s time. 

Most percolators are very simple and basic, with just a few different components. That’s the ideal situation, as it makes them super easy to clean. 

Look for a product that’s easy to take apart, clean, and put back together. In many cases, it’s as straightforward as removing the heating element, taking off the lid, and clearing the pot out. If your machine is this easy to clean, you’re on the right track. 

Final Thoughts

And there you have it: some of the best coffee percolators out there. If you’re looking to return to a simpler way of making coffee or are just aching for the nostalgia of your grandma’s kitchen, you’ve come to the right place.

The Cuisinart 12-Cup Classic Percolator is such an excellent option – we can’t brag about it enough. It’s sleek, beautiful, and easy to use. It’s even a great choice if you’ve never used a percolator before. 

Use this list to help you through the buying process, then have a mug for us!