Coffee percolator
A stove-top or electric pot that cycles boiling water through grounds.
A coffee percolator is a pot that brews coffee by repeatedly cycling hot or nearly boiling liquid through ground beans using gravity until it reaches the desired strength. The coffee grounds sit in a perforated metal filter basket. These devices were once very popular, but by the early 1970s, automatic drip-brew machines had largely replaced them.
Percolators tend to heat the grounds to higher temperatures than other methods and can recirculate already-brewed coffee back through the beans. This makes the coffee especially prone to overextraction. Still, fans of the percolator argue that careful control of the brewing process can avoid these problems.
The pot has a chamber at the bottom, closest to the heat source. A removable vertical tube runs from this chamber to the top. Just below the tube’s upper end sits a perforated metal filter basket for the grounds. Water is poured into the pot, keeping the level below the basket’s bottom, and a fairly coarse grind of coffee is placed in the basket. The percolator goes on a stove, heating the water in the bottom chamber. The water at the very bottom heats first and begins to boil. The boiling creates steam bubbles that rise up the vertical tube, pushing hot water with them—similar to how a gas lift pump works. The hot water hits the underside of the lid, then flows over the inner lid of the coffee basket. Perforations in that inner lid spread the water over the coffee grounds. Freshly brewed coffee then drips back into the warming water below. This cycle repeats, producing the characteristic intermittent "perking" sound as hot water strikes the lid. As the coffee nears boiling, the sound becomes a steady gurgle, signaling it is ready. In a manual percolator, the pot is removed from the stove or the heat is reduced to stop the process. Leaving coffee to percolate continuously at a boil will overextract it, making it harsh and bitter. Some percolators have an electric heating element and are not used on a stove; most of these automatically lower the heat after brewing, keeping the coffee warm without boiling.
Large percolators, known as coffee urns, are common in offices, cafeterias, community events, church gatherings, and other group settings where large amounts of coffee are needed at once.
- Invented
- 1819
- Inventor
- Joseph-Henry-Marie Laurens
- Field
- Coffee brewing devices
- Known for
- Continuous cycling of boiling water through coffee grounds via a vertical tube and perforated basket
Lore & Background
The first modern percolator incorporating the rising of boiling water through a tube to form a continuous cycle and capable of being heated on a kitchen stove was invented in 1819 by the Parisian tinsmith Joseph-Henry-Marie Laurens. Its principle was then often copied and modified. The first US patent for a coffee percolator was issued to James Nason of Franklin, Massachusetts, in 1865, though that mechanism did not use the conventional percolation method. An Illinois farmer named Hanson Goodrich patented the modern US stove-top percolator in 1889, with the key elements of a broad base for boiling, an upflow central tube, and a perforated basket hanging on it. Goodrich's design could transform any standard coffee pot of the day into a stove-top percolator.
Electric percolators have been in production since at least the first decade of the 1900s, with General Electric publishing a pamphlet titled 'Coffee Making By Electricity' in 1905. Automatic percolators have been available since the 1940s or earlier. In 1970, commercially available ground coffee filter rings were introduced, pre-measured and sealed in paper filters, which simplified use and cleanup. However, with better instant coffee and the introduction of the electric drip coffee maker, percolator popularity plummeted in the early 1970s. By 1976, General Foods discontinued Max-Pax, and by the end of the decade generic filter rings were no longer available, though as of 2019 Melitta still produces percolator filters.
Reader's Guide
The coffee percolator represents a significant chapter in the history of home coffee brewing, bridging the era of simple boiling and the modern drip method. Its design—using a vertical tube to lift boiling water over grounds in a perforated basket—was a practical innovation that allowed continuous extraction without manual intervention. The percolator's popularity peaked in the mid-20th century, particularly in large settings such as offices, cafeterias, and community events, where large quantities of coffee were needed. It also found a niche among campers due to its ability to make coffee without electricity. However, the method's tendency to expose grounds to higher temperatures and recirculate already brewed coffee made it susceptible to overextraction, producing harsh, bitter coffee if not carefully controlled. The rise of automatic drip-brew coffeemakers in the early 1970s, which offered more consistent temperature and single-pass extraction, led to a sharp decline in percolator use. Despite this, percolator enthusiasts maintain that careful brewing procedures can eliminate potential pitfalls, and the device retains a dedicated following. The percolator's legacy is also reflected in the terminology: while many brewing methods use percolation, the term 'percolator' narrowly refers to devices similar to Goodrich's stove-top pot.
Did You Know?
- The first modern percolator was invented in 1819 by Parisian tinsmith Joseph-Henry-Marie Laurens.
- Hanson Goodrich patented the modern US stove-top percolator in 1889, with a broad base, upflow tube, and perforated basket.
- Electric percolators have been in production since at least 1905, when General Electric published a pamphlet on coffee making by electricity.
- In 1970, pre-measured ground coffee filter rings were introduced, eliminating the need to scoop grounds and simplifying cleanup.
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