Copco 4- to 8-Cup Polished Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator
by Copco
Our Price: $29.99
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Category: Kitchen
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: CopcoBrand: Copco
Release Date: 2005-04-01
Model: 2501-9907
Product features:
- Brews 4 to 8 cups of percolated coffee on stovetop
- Durable polished stainless-steel finish
- Heat-resistant phenolic handle
- Dripless spout allows safe and easy pouring
- Water level indicator
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Copco 4- to 8-Cup Polished Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator
Customer Review: Comparative review: percolator, espresso maker, & French press
Summary: 5 Stars
I took my percolator out of dry dock to see whether I could use it to make coffee comparable to espresso or French press, which have been my methods of choice for making coffee. Drip coffee has never been in the running at our house.
I ran a comparative taste using my stovetop espresso maker, French press, and Copco percolator. I used Medaglia d'Oro espresso coffee in each coffee maker.
My stovetop espresso maker (or "machinetta") is a "6-cup," which actually makes 9 ounces, or one barely respectable American mug of coffee. There is no standard "cup" in the coffee industry, and it's helpful to inquire as to any coffee maker's capacity in ounces. The little machinetta is aluminum, and has developed a helpful build-up of scale that is supposed to protect me from any transported aluminum taste. It does, but it also looks pretty groty. It takes about 12 minutes to make a cup of coffee with the machinetta. For my taste, it makes a delicious, smooth coffee with the best flavor of any method. But I have to go through a 12-minute process for each cup I have during the day. Still, it's fun to make, the burbling sound is pleasant, and the machinetta pours beautifully. Cleaning is simple, and the machinetta has just three parts. The drawback is my concern about the cumulative effects of aluminum over time, and a stainless steel espresso maker costs at least four times more than an aluminum one the same size. I just don't find the price of a stainless steel model a good value, and I prefer to make a larger batch once a day. My thermos keeps my coffee very hot for 5 or 6 hours.
Our French press remains my husband's method of choice. He likes "cowboy coffee." It's the simplest method--so simple that I find it lacking in process. It does make good, strong coffee. The glass carafe is hygienically appealing. Clean-up is simple, with two basic parts, the plunger assembly and the carafe, but every few uses the plunger should be disassembled and the strainer cleaned. Somehow I just don't find it very satisfying to boil water, pour it over the coffee, and tamp it down with the plunger. There's no reason you can't accomplish the same thing without a plunger: just pour boiling water over coffee in anything and strain it into cups or a thermos. The French press is attractive, but does continue brewing with the plunger down, as long as it contains coffee. The other downside of the French press is that the coffee needs to brew about 5 minutes, and it cools while it brews. The espresso maker and percolator have piping-hot coffee ready to serve when brewed. This is a big thing with me.
It seems incredible that a 6-cup stovetop espresso maker that makes 9 ounces of coffee should cost $80 in stainless steel, when this totally nifty stainless steel percolator costs $20-$30 and makes up to 40 ounces of good, strong coffee. You do not have to use coarse-ground coffee in a percolator. You most certainly can use espresso; just wet the filter basket and its cover, and most of the grounds remain in the basket. The few that don't are very fine and perfectly ingestible. If the grounds are a problem for you, wait a few seconds and they will sink to the bottom of your cup and reside in unobtrusive sludge.
I use 2 rounded scoops of coffee and 16 ounces of water--it is not necessary to fill the percolator to the 4-cup (20 ounce) minimum mark. I perk my coffee for 7 minutes. I turn down the heat to the lowest point at which it will continue perking. The percolator has 5 parts to clean, but it's simple, and stainless steel is satisfying to keep up. If you choose the brushed finish, buff it with the grain--side to side, not up and down. It's dishwasher safe, but worth handwashing to keep the finish from water spotting.
I agree with everyone else that the after-market glass knob is a good idea. We found one at our local independent hardware store right after buying our percolator. Too bad they don't come in colors or art deco designs!
The percolator coffee flavor is distinguishable from the espresso made in the stovetop machinetta or the French press, but I find it equally good. It's strong and smooth, with its own American "bite."
Conclusion: We remain a divided household. I favor the percolator; my husband favors the French press. We would both favor the espresso maker if one were available in stainless steel that would make 40 ounces and sport a percolator price tag.
What I do: I love my espresso and the espresso ambiance, but prefer the efficiency and economy of a larger stainless steel coffee pot. I like percolator coffee and its 1950s ambiance; it has its own distinct flavor and aesthetic. So I drink my percolator espresso from a demitasse cup and savor the bliss.
Description of Copco 4- to 8-Cup Polished Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator
Percolated coffee is an acquired taste, but for those who like it strong and black, this stovetop coffee pot is the way to go. The percolator's polished stainless steel exterior and stepped base give it a vintage look and its brewing methods are strictly old school; however, its construction is completely up to date. Water pours into the bottom of the pot and the pump tube with the filter basket goes in next. Coffee drinkers add their grinds to the filter basket and then place the cover over the basket. Once the lid is tightly secured, the percolator can be put on a gas or electric heat source for brewing. When the water boils, it travels up the pump tube and through the grounds and the familiar sloshing of brown liquid in the lid's transparent plastic knob signifies that percolation has begun. After about 5 to 7 minutes of percolating, coffee is ready for drinking. This pot brews about 4 to 8 cups of coffee and a handy water level indicator etched into the side ensures that brewers add the appropriate amount of water for their grinds. For safety, the plastic handle stays cool over a hot burner and the spout provides dripless pouring. --Cristina VaamondePercolators & Urns
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