West Bend Electric Percolator Classic Style Coffee Maker with Heat Resistant Handle Base and Detachable Cord with Stainless Steel Stem and Basket, 12-Cup, Silver

I consider myself knowledgeable about percolators because I have been using vintage models for the past six years. Percolators from the 1950s and 60s were a highly polished chrome and sleek in design. I've gone through three of them prior to finally buying a new one. I settled on this model and definitely made the right choice. Here is why I love percolators and how this model ranks:1) Great-tasting coffee.I've always preferred the taste of percolated coffee. The model doesn't have settings for brew strength like some of the vintage models but the manufacturer's setting is perfect for my taste.2) Good-looking compared to auto-drip.This model is OK but not as shiny and "mod" in design as the originals, but it's attractive.3) No need to spend money on filters. No worries about dioxin from paper filters or paper affecting taste. Less waste.Applies here!4) Pleasant sounding WHOOSH!...WHOOSH! as the coffee heats up and can be seen in the clear bubble top.Applies here except that West Bend has a plastic bubble top instead of glass. That's better in one way because you don't have to worry about breaking it, but I prefer to not have my hot coffee come in contact with plastic. Not a big deal.5) You can place the percolator filled with hot coffee on a table unlike a glass pot from a auto-drip maker so that if you are entertaining or want to bring the "pot" of coffee with you, simply unplug then remove the plug from the percolator.This model does just that!6) No splashing or spilling when you pour coffee!The spout on this percolator is precision-perfect. Whenever I poured from an auto-drip carafe it almost always spilled a little no matter how carefully I poured.Keep in mind that you can't submerge a percolator in water. I recommend using filtered water for better tasting coffee and to prolong the life of your percolator. I wash mine by rinsing it out with hot water and I Windex the outside as needed. I've not had a problem with build-up. The inside is stainless so it rinses very well.I'm very happy with my purchase.

I bought this unit as a replacement for a Mr. Coffee drip-brew that died after 5 months. This was a very disappointing turn of events because I expected a lot more out of that coffee maker. I brew coffee daily, but coffee makers should be able to last longer than 5 months. Anyway, I decided to switch to a percolator because I decided the bells and whistles of the modern drip-brew didn't really do me that much good and the quality of the coffee was only decent at best.I originally ordered a percolator made by Presto, but the shipping was so slow I cancelled the order and opted for this West Bend model, which was Amazon Prime-Eligible and arrived in two days. I usually use a dark roast (French or Italian roast) with distilled water (the tap water where I live has a lot of lime in it). The coffee out of this percolator is fantastic. It's quick to brew and easy to use. The best feature of this percolator is something very simple, the thermostat. This percolator brews at the perfect temperature, and when it's done it'll leave the coffee at a perfect temperature, about 200 degrees. Also, there is no auto-shutoff, so you can expect your coffee to be at a perfect temperature until you unplug the percolator. This is really great to me because my previous maker shut off after two hours, but the coffee wasn't hot enough to enjoy until it had been sitting on the burner for about 40 minutes. That meant I had to slug down all the coffee in the remaining time or turn the burner back on, which was a slight pain in the neck. I pace myself, but I drink coffee from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, so I like it hot and ready when I want a cup.Some reviewers have complained that this percolator has a plastic dome rather than glass, but I don't really think that's a big concern. Firstly, this percolator is very affordable, so you have to expect cheaper materials. Second, considering the era in which it is manufactured, it's not at all unexpected that a manufacturer would use cheaper materials without compromising quality. Some percolators out there don't even have a clear plastic dome, so being able to watch it percolate is kind of a cool treat. The overall fit and finish of the percolator is quite nice, especially considering its price.If you're a coffee drinker that depends on timers, auto-shutoffs, pre-ground beans, built-in clocks, and other amenities, this might not be the maker for you. However, if you are enthusiastic about the flavor and quality of your coffee, percolators in general are a great choice, and this percolator specifically is a cheap and easy way to try it out. The quality of the coffee that comes out of this percolator is amazing. This is my first percolator, and I just figured bitterness and harsh flavor were something that you just had to expect from some blends, but this device proved me completely wrong. For the first time, I brewed a strong French roast and got a rich, brown, flavorful cup of coffee without any bitterness. It was almost off-putting because it didn't taste anything like what I was used to, so it took a bit to appreciate the pureness of the brew from this machine.I highly recommend this percolator.