Percolator Domes for the Sacred Stove-Top Pot

[mso489]

As some members know, I am a devotee of stove-top percolator coffee. It is to me what espresso gear is to others, except the pot, now years old, is stainless steal made in China and cost about thirty bucks. But the dome, which is a replacement, is made of plastic and is barely gripping the little thread that holds it. It's hit or miss to find the domes at B&M retail; I tried at the hardware store that had the last one, but they have no more. Online, various retailers have them, but even Amazon wanted five or ten bucks apiece. However, Goodman, which claims to be an family owned business, had glass domes for $1.92 apiece and another four bucks for shipping, supposedly one size fits all domes. So I sent off for two, one for my most-used little pot, and another for a larger nine cup version; I'll see if they actually fit. My wife prefers French press coffee, so that's what I make her every morning. Everyone has their own coffee style. Nothing beats percolator for me.

 

[briarbuck]

There's a great scene in No Country for Old Men involving a percolator...

 

[mso489]

Ha! I do make fresh coffee every morning. Tommy Lee Jones is so good, and the old guy is right there with him.

 

[niblicck]

About six months ago I found a French Press my wife said she has had for years. I started making coffee in the evening time to have with my pipe. Best coffee I have ever had in my life, albeit a sheltered one to coffee as the only other way has been an electric percolator that I still use in the morning for the drive into work, Wish I would have came across that French Press, pipe tobacco, and salmon cooked on the grill way earlier in life

 

[mikethompson]

I've never heard of a coffee maker like that before. Glass dome?

I've used something like this forever, a manual cone setup. Am I missing something by not doing a French press or something else?

 

[scloyd]

Good for you Tom for replacing the dome and not just throwing the old pot in the garbage...like so many do today.

My parents used a stove-top percolator every morning when I was a kid. Then they modernized in the early 70's when the Mr. Coffee was introduced.

 

[niblicck]

@MikeT... the way I'm doing the french press is pretty simple and convienient. I heat my water up in an electric pot that boils the water in about 3 to 4 minutes. While this is going on I put the coffee grounds in the french press and go select a pipe and tobacco. Put water into french press, assemble and load my pipe or pipes while waiting 3 to 5 minutes for coffee to be ready. It give the same blend of coffee we use a completely different, better and no bitter taste to it for me. I was really suprised how much better it tasted compared to a perculator. The one you have may not be much different than a french press in taste. In a french press the coffee is submerged in the water with a sceen to prevent the grounds from coming out when pouring into coffee cup.

 

[WildTurkeySurprise]

My only experience with a percolator was in hunting camp years ago. Coffee in that environment hits different anyway, but I sure enjoyed watching the splashes in that clear dome. A press is my typical morning go-to. Combined with 45min and a pipe it feels like a victory even before the day gets going.

 

[niblicck]

Some of my fondest moments in life for coffee was getting up early and making coffee in a perculator on a Coleman gas stove before heading out to go hunting or fishing while camping.

 

[fireground_piper]

I go in phases with how I prepare mine. Went on a french press kick for a while a few years ago, but haven't gone back to it much. I'll go on a percolator kick every few months though it seems, I find it makes a very clean cup of coffee for me!

I had an old one once that was my grandmothers the glass knob at the top, old thin metal. Worked great until the glass piece cracked eventually and I couldn't find a replacement. I moved over to an all metal style and while it's nice to not have the glass, it's annoying listening for that moment it starts to perc to set my timer. I miss that old, beat metal one with the glass knob on top.

 

[mso489]

I think the percolator survives mostly as camp site coffee maker in terms of production and sales. If it were just sold to householders, I'm not sure it would still be around except as an electric appliance. The stove-top versions have gotten pricey over the years. The one I have is solid stainless with no seam at the base, and goes for about forty bucks, so it is totally worth refitting with a new dome at $1.92 for one dome, and another $1.92 for a spare. The disposable culture is irrational, discarding all kinds of repairable items like toasters and clocks. I've seen photos of mountains of discarded cell phones and computers.

 

[niblicck]

I see the mocha pots that are used in goodwill that are for sale all the time and wonder if I purchased one of them if it would work. Does anyone know if there is anything that can wear out on one of the stove top models that I would need to watch out for.

 

[mso489]

niblicck, I prefer the solidly formed stainless steel pots that do not have the seam around the base, for durability. Also, I like the ones with the closed handle and the wooden insulator on it. If you have a choice, a glass dome is preferable to a plastic one, though plastic can be replaced. Make sure the basket stand and basket inside the pot are not bent or deformed, to make handing and washing go smoothly. Make sure the lid hinge is solid. The best ones I've seen are made in China. Though I have a fondness for the old spotted enamel percolators, I need a dome, since breakfast cooking is a multi-task undertaking, and I need direct evidence that the perking has begun and isn't just making burbling noises, while I slice the bread and get out the bacon.

 

[fireground_piper]

I currently use the enamel coated style. Works fine, but that missing glass dome is a pain.

 

[niblicck]

Yes I will look for the one with the glass dome that way I'll know when it starts to brew and time it from there.

 

[mso489]

The percolator domes arrived from Goodman's, and they fit the percolator pot perfectly. In this case the one size fits all involves a glass dome threaded at the bottom that fits into the hole in the lid of the pot with a matching piece that accepts the threaded end under the lid and tightens up nicely. I'll see how it works, but the fit is positive and satisfying. I bought a spare for the future, for this pot or another I have that's larger. For $1.92 per dome compared to five or ten bucks per dome, this is an admirable deal.

 

[bullet08]

My parents used to have percolator. I haven't seen one for long time. Last time I saw one was scout troop camping. We used to have one in the adult chuck wagon. Made some good coffee all day long.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I think the percolator survives mostly as camp site coffee maker in terms of production and sales. If it were just sold to householders, I'm not sure it would still be around except as an electric appliance. The stove-top versions have gotten pricey over the years. The one I have is solid stainless with no seam at the base, and goes for about forty bucks, so it is totally worth refitting with a new dome at $1.92 for one dome, and another $1.92 for a spare. The disposable culture is irrational, discarding all kinds of repairable items like toasters and clocks. I've seen photos of mountains of discarded cell phones and computers.

I have a baked enamel percolator that I’ll send a photo of next week. Very old.