The Best Coffee Percolators In 2023

A morning cup of coffee is a ubiquitous ritual for many of us. But every coffee drinker takes their own path to that mug of steamy goodness. Some stop in a chain drive-through for a morning pick-me-up that's more dessert than it is coffee. Others visit a local cafe for their daily cappuccino, while some have mastered crafting espresso drinks at home and others fire up their trusty 10-year-old Mr. Coffee. Now, don't get us wrong, as there's no hate from us for any of these coffee drinkers. We've been them all at one point, but if you ask us, we feel that brewing up your joe from the comfort of your own kitchen is superior. That roasty aroma filling the room and mingling with the morning sunlight while you rub the sleep from your eyes and wait only somewhat patiently for the kiss of caffeine — it's a feeling that can't be replicated sitting in line for overpriced drive-through coffee.

There are tons of ways to make coffee at home, but they aren't all equal. You've got classic drip coffee makers, convenient Keurigs, bold French presses, and smooth pour-overs. But did you overlook the percolator, as so many of us at-home coffee connoisseurs do? Percolators occasionally get flack as an outdated brewing method, but they can yield an incredibly flavorful and smooth cup of coffee. If you are looking to make a change in your home brewing, here's our list of the best coffee percolators to buy in 2023.

Do percolators make good coffee? These kitchen gadgets brew coffee by passing boiling water through coffee grounds, utilizing the natural upwards force created by the boiling water to cycle it through the grounds in a continual, fountain-like motion. The process is pretty straightforward, so different percolators mostly vary by capacity and whether they're made for stovetops or electric power. Across different brands, we were able to see some variance in overall product quality and durability, too.

We have personal experience with a handful of these percolators, but we also looked for any frequent mention of good experiences or problems consumers found with cleaning, coffee quality, and durability. We also considered potential issues when it came to heating water in electric percolators, which tend to have shorter lifespans than stovetop ones. 

Because some consumers think that percolation is an outdated method, these machines don't get all that much press attention, so careful due diligence was required on our part. We also wanted this last to span a range of price points. But ultimately, the only criterion that will make this list apply to you is that you are an appreciator of coffee. All shoppers, whether beginner, bougie, or budget-minded, were considered in our roundup. 

We love the sleek copper body of this electric percolator. It will surely bring an eye-catching modern flair to any kitchen countertop, but it didn't just win the overall absolute best coffee percolator spot solely for pleasing aesthetics. The Moss and Stone electric coffee percolator is also a real workhouse, holding up to 10 cups in its stainless steel carafe. Moreover, its coffee basket is easy to remove and clean, and we've never noticed any issues with a metallic aftertaste due to residue buildup with this percolator. 

This coffee maker can be programmed for full automation, meaning you can wake up to fresh coffee in just about five minutes. However, one weakness of this model is its lack of an auto-off function, so you'll need to double-check that the percolator's warmer is turned off before you leave for the day. 

Several percolators we've tried have had leaky faucets or even splash when pouring out hot liquids, but that's never been a problem with this percolator from Moss and Stone. It's durable, easy to clean, and will give you tons of life with little to no maintenance stress. "This percolator is so easy to disassemble and clean," writes one Amazon reviewer. "All the parts are safe stainless steel and clean easily with a little soap."

The Moss and Stone electric coffee percolator can be purchased for $49.99 on Amazon. 

If you are a coffee drinker living in a very small space, such as a studio apartment or college dorm, or otherwise somewhere without a stovetop, electric percolators may be a far more convenient option than stovetop varieties. We think the best overall electric coffee percolator is this stainless steel option from Farberware with a generous 12-cup capacity. Farberware is a reliable brand, given that it's a very popular mid-tier household kitchen brand with an overall three-star rating out of five stars on ConsumerAffairs. 

This percolator comes with several attractive features, including a quick-brew function that generates about one cup of coffee per minute, a handy detachable power cord so you can carry the carafe around for easy pouring, an automatic warm-holding function, and a heat-proof plastic handle. 

However, this percolator shares a common downside with just about every other stainless steel kitchen appliance: its surface. Coffee stains, finger smudges, and scratches will be very visible on its exterior. But the carafe and coffee basket are a cinch to clean, making it easy to keep this product polished and sparkling. "I feel like [this percolator] gets better and better each time I use it," writes one Amazon reviewer.

The Farberware 12-cup stainless steel coffee percolator is available for $79.99 on Amazon.

New coffee gadgets don't have to break the bank. Take the Presto 02822, which is a great affordable electric percolator. This stainless steel brewer does have a smaller capacity of only six cups, but it comes with all the desired percolator features. These include a mess-free pouring spout, automatic warming, detachable cord, and cool-to-touch bottom. With these features plus a lighter overall weight, this product will make serving coffee to guests a breeze.

We'd love to see an automatic turn-on/turn-off timer, but that's not an included function of the Presto. Amazon reviews suggest that you purchase an outlet timer to plug the percolator into, but for the added cost of that, you may as well get a higher-end percolator with built-in timer capabilities. Some reviewers also say that your first few pots may have a metallic taste until that layer of coffee coating is built up inside the carafe. 

"It's the best perked coffee I've had since I was a kid and used our old fashioned percolator on the stove every morning," a satisfied Amazon review says. "I loved watching the coffee in the glass top."

The Presto 02822 six-cup stainless steel coffee percolator is currently on sale for $46.80 on Amazon. 

There's something very nostalgic and cozy about the chirping sounds of stovetop percolator coffee, especially if you have memories of a grandparent or parent using this method in the mornings. Stovetop coffee percolators come in handy for campers and hikers, too, as well as anyone who doesn't have many electrical outlets in their kitchen. There don't seem to be as many competing brands in the stovetop percolator space, perhaps because it's such a simple concept that need not be varied much. We recommend the Granite Ware coffee boiler and percolator. For under $30, you get a sturdy enamel-on-steel build and a large 12-cup capacity.

This percolator can sit not only on stovetops but directly on open fires, making it perfect for early mornings at the campsite. It doesn't keep coffee as warm as an electric one would — your brew will lose its steam within 30 minutes or so — so we recommend only making however much coffee you want to serve immediately. The product listing says that this percolator is dishwasher-safe, but we have hand-washed ours for years and it remains in pristine condition. 

"This was one of the better values we've found for making cowboy coffee over a fire," says an Amazon review. "That it has traditional Western styling was an aesthetic perk for backyard fire-pit cookouts."

The Granite Ware 12-cup stovetop percolator is available for $25.85 on Amazon.

High-end electric coffee percolators can run you upwards of $75, making it hard to get a newbie on board the percolator train. If you're curious about this classic coffee brewing method but don't want to make a hefty investment quite yet, then give the Primula Today aluminum stovetop percolator a try. This sleek percolator features a simple, clean-cut profile that will stow away nicely in a cupboard or please the eye when displayed on the stove. 

The value-for-price ratio is impressive with this option, given that it can hold a generous nine cups of coffee. A modest, no-frills setup makes this a great product both for beginners and for folks looking for a percolator that they can store in their camper or with outdoor gear. The crystal lid handle is plastic, not glass like some higher-end percolators. Yet that can be considered a positive, as this helps to make the product more durable for camping and travel.

Reviews of the Primula stovetop percolator are overwhelmingly positive, with shoppers appreciating the percolator's durability, ease of use, and buffed aluminum design. You may find that the aluminum suffers dings and dents more often than a steel one might, but that's a compromise we can stomach for this sort of affordability. 

The Primula Today aluminum stovetop coffee percolator is available for $20.00 on Amazon. 

You don't have to sacrifice your morning coffee routine while on the go, even with a percolator. Even better, there doesn't need to be any lugging around of a clunky brewer. There are several ways to make coffee with just pocket-sized gear — like a pour-over brewer or single-serve coffee sachets that you steep just like tea — but if your method of choice is percolating, the portable coffee percolator from NAVNKA may be the ideal pick for your jet-setting lifestyle. 

This brewer makes a single eight-ounce cup of coffee, which can be cleanly poured through a spout without taking off the lid. It weighs just a couple of pounds and comes with a travel bag to prevent scratches. The one con we see in this product is that it's not a battery-powered percolator. Though it's travel-sized, you still must have access to an electrical outlet to use it. While most reviews are positive, the sparse negatives primarily share one complaint — that the device does not make enough coffee. Frankly, this seems like a silly thing to complain about on a product that is marketed to be compact and single-serving-focused.

"I was looking for a quick way to make coffee in my office and when I travel," says one Amazon customer. "I have used all kinds of travel French presses and pour overs but I am happiest with this coffee maker."

The NAVNKA portable coffee percolator is currently on sale for $53.99 on Amazon. 

There is no feeling that's more peaceful than listening to loons on a quiet summer morning while your coffee cheerfully percolates on the campfire. Coffee-drinking adventurers need hardy, well-made gear that can withstand the rigors of the elements and travel. For that, we recommend COLETTI's Bozeman camping coffee percolator. This product comes in two sizes, with a nine and 12-cup capacity each. Both varieties are made from sturdy stainless steel which, while it will certainly start to reflect its mileage after its first use on a campfire grate, will still hold up for years with the right sort of care.

The vast majority of this product's reviews are positive. Amongst customers, the Bozeman is praised for its quality of build, smooth hardwood handle, and rich percolated coffee. The Bozeman percolator is made entirely without plastic, too, so you never have to worry about any components melting while it's sitting on top of the campfire or hot coals.

"A solid good quality item has only gone [through] many open flames, in and out of backpacks, [and] canoe rides, and is still holding up well," writes one Amazon review. 

The COLETTI Bozeman camping coffee percolator is available starting at $36.55 on Amazon.

This handmade cast iron coffee percolator is as beautiful as it is functional. It's perfect to leave on display after you serve an after-dinner brew to your guests. With a cast iron body, hardwood handle, and stainless steel filters, this percolator could very well outlive its owner if cared for properly. The traditional Japanese sand casting method used to make these pots means that yours will be unique as it will be slightly different in size and color from every other one. 

The carafe holds approximately nine cups of coffee, while the enameled interior ensures that the cast iron will never impact the coffee and vice versa. Cast iron is slow to heat up, so you may want to boil only water in the percolator for a few minutes before you start brewing coffee. This is not the percolator for anyone who's always in a hurry, but it's a lovely addition to kitchens that appreciate the beauty of a slow morning. 

Reviews for this Etsy product praise it for its high quality, visual appeal, and practicality. One reviewer points out that the percolator is quite heavy, but that's to be expected with a cast iron item. 

The cast iron Kohi coffee percolator is listed for $92.75 on Etsy.

Looking for a quality new coffee percolator that won't break the bank? If a stovetop percolator suits your needs, check out the eight-cup stovetop glass coffee percolator from Medelco. This sturdy borosilicate glass holds up to lots of heat and cleaning, while also leaving the taste of coffee rich and unhindered. The percolator is super lightweight, weighing less than a pound, so serving coffee to guests out of this is unlikely to ever be a hassle. 

Reviews indicate that you will need to run a few trial brews before you nail the percolating process with this one. A couple of users state that brewing coffee on anything higher than medium will burn the grounds, while others say that using too low of a temperature will create bitter coffee and take upwards of 15 minutes. But once you've nailed the ratio and cooking temperature perfect for your preferred coffee strength and taste, any kinks with this brewer should work themselves out.

The Medelco eight-cup stovetop glass coffee percolator is available for $25 on Amazon. 

Spilled milk isn't worth shedding a tear over, but dumped coffee certainly is. When you're the only coffee drinker in the house and don't want to risk pouring any precious leftover black gold down the drain, a small-capacity coffee percolator helps to ensure that you're only making exactly what you need — and making sure it's as fresh as possible, too. The mini stovetop espresso percolator from Cryfokt makes about two cups of coffee at most, making it well-suited to the singleton coffee drinker. You don't even have to stress about pouring the coffee when it's done — it will use the natural pressure from boiling water to force coffee out of the spout. Just have your mug ready!

This hybrid between percolation and Moka pot-style brewing is capable of creating espresso-like shots, too. While it wouldn't be actual espresso if we split hairs about the technicalities of brewing, the highly-concentrated shots would do well as a base for cappuccinos and lattes. The duality and compact size make this the ideal choice for single coffee-drinker households.

The Cryfokt mini stovetop espresso percolator is available for $37.96 on Amazon.