I've had a love-hate relationship with coffeemakers since I moved to the Rocky Mountains. Hot coffee is an anomaly at altitude ~ because water boils at a lower temperature than it does at sea level, I haven't experienced the total pleasure of truly HOT coffee that I loved as a flat-lander. Freshly brewed coffee in the Rockies is at best, fairly hot, and at worst, lukewarm. There are so many factors that work against the goal temperature ~ cold coffee mugs, frigid carafes, and brewing cycles that heat the water inadequately. I even tried the most expensive
Grind & Brew coffeemaker I could find at my local housewares mega mart, and the coffee it brewed was cold and insipid tasting. I even bought a single-serve pod coffeemaker, but got fed-up with buying the pods and trying to keep them fresh. I began drinking
instant coffee each morning, so at least my coffee would be hot, as I prepared it with boiling water.
One of the "perks" of being an Advisor on Epinions is that I read many, many reviews of appliances like coffeemakers. As soon as I read a review of the Farberware Percolator, I knew I had to try it! Oh, the joy I can now report since purchasing this gem of a coffeemaker! Finally, after a life devoid of tasty, freshly- brewed Joe, I am now able to make a fresh, strong and tasty cup of coffee with very little fuss. And, the great part ~ my percolator cost about $50, has no moving parts, and brews a mean cup of Java in literally three to four minutes!
Now, percolators are nothing new under the sun. In the fifties, perrcolators were popular; some featured a see-through top that exposed the
drip, drop, plip sound of brewing coffee. Farberware offers two percolator sizes: a 2-4 cup model and a 4-12 cup model. Since I really just need fresh coffee for myself and my hubbie each morning, I chose the smaller model. This required some restraint on my part, as I usually can't resist buying the biggest and best of anything!
What do you get with this 4-cup model? (Scroll down to the featured product listings to see a good picture). The vessel is charming to behold. Its shiny, stainless body flares out at the bottom, has a well designed pouring spout and curvaceous black resin handle. The pot is relatively light, and is designed with an electric base that plugs into an outlet via a removable plug. The carafe features brushed stainless inside, and markings for "2" and "4" cup measurement are visible from the inside and outside near the handle. Three stainless parts are required for percolation: a small filter basket with a filter lid, and a spring-loaded pump tube that fits into the bottom of the carafe and holds the coffee basket. Finally, the carafe has a retro-looking lid that fits snugly over the top.
Brewing coffee couldn't be easier in my Farberware Percolator, although it does require a little getting used to the set-up process. First, I add filtered water into the carafe. Then, I measure out ground coffee into the filter basket and cover the basket with the filter lid. Finally, I insert the tube into the filter basket and place the whole thing into the pot and place the cover on top of the carafe. The whole process takes about three minutes to set up properly. My only complaint is that it's a little messy filling the filter basket with coffee, and some coffee grounds tend to spill somewhat during the setup.
We're ready to brew! Just plug her in and listen for the sound of boiling water and blip, blop, perk as water gets sucked up through the tube and flows slowly through the filter basket and back down into the carafe. A few minutes later, voila! I am not exaggerating when I say the coffee coming from this device is some of the hottest, smoothest and strongest tasting coffee I have drunk, including coffee from Starbucks! Why is it so tasty? Farberware says:
* Multi-flow system brews deliciously rich and flavorful coffee.
* Coffee stays good and hot.
* Great coffee aroma.Are these claims by Farberware accurate? Check, Check, and CHECK!
I like strong coffee, so I use at least two tablespoons for every cup I brew. The resulting flavor is full-bodied, and as you get to the bottom of the mug, you can see very fine hints of coffee grounds. The slight hint of grounds isn't bothersome for me, and almost reminds me of the Turkish coffee I drank years ago when visiting Israel, but much less intense. I don't detect any bitterness or off-flavors with my Farberware percolator, and I love how easy it is to brew a single cup for my afternoon wake-up call. After the brewing cycle is complete, the coffeemaker goes into a warming mode and keeps it pretty hot. Just remember to unplug it as soon as you've emptied the carafe. I don't think it would be good for the coffeemaker to be plugged in when empty.
Clean-up is a breeze with my percolator. I just remove the lid, carefully extract the brewing basket, lid and tube (which may still be hot), dump the grounds, and stick them into the dishwasher. I carefully wash the pot, making sure not to immerse the bottom in water. Many times, I just wash all the parts by hand so that I can brew another pot in-between dishwasher cycles. I love that this percolator has no computerized screens, fancy buttons or moving, motorized parts that can clog or break. Its one year warranty seems sufficient, and I'm counting on it to last many years beyond that.
Are there any downsides? Besides the filter basket being a little cumbersome to fill, the only other design issue I have is that when you pop off the lid after brewing, sometimes the filter basket lid pops out too, and grounds can scatter onto the counter. Also, the lack of an automatic shut-off is a drawback, at least for absent-minded types. It's best to unplug it as soon as you've poured your coffee to ensure that you don't forget. These drawbacks arent dealbreakers for me, though, and hardly matter when I consider the joy this coffeemaker has brought to my life!
My new motto is: the best coffeemaker doesn't have to be the most hi-tech, fanciest, largest or most expensive. My Farberware Percolator is none of these things, yet it brews absolutely the best coffee I have ever made at home. My next purchase? The 12 cup model... for guests, of course!
Meijer
