Customer Reviews

Coleman 14-Cup Enamelware Coffee Percolator

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This enamel coffee percolator is a really well thought out and built item. The pot and lid is constructed of enameled steel and the stem and basket is aluminium. The perc knob is clear glass, sealed with a gasket in the lid allowing one to easily see the color of the coffee as it percs to determine when your perference of coffee strength is reached. I have used mine for years with only one very minor problem. The aluminium stem that holds the coffee grind basket got slightly bent, but I successfully bent it back into place without damage. As noted by another reviewer... these aluminium items are weak. However, what are these items designed to do, and what strength holding a basket of perking coffee grinds might be required? I bent the stem trying to stuff a small bag of coffee grinds and the bag of filters into the pot with the stem in place, for storage. That was 100% my fault, not that of the product. I quickly learned that the coffee pot is NOT for storage, but for percolating coffee. Go figure, uh?

Aside from me slightly bending the perc stem, the coffee percolator has performed flawlessly and has produced quality tasting coffee. The coffee easily loads into the coffee grind basket for perc-ing. Being a 14 cup perc, it out produces other 12 cup percs. The handle is large enough for a gloved hand or a pot holder to easily fit into so as to hold/pour the coffee. The item is very easy to clean, including removing and reinstalling the glass knob and seal. Have not had a problem with chipping the enamel under normal use, which chipping can easily happen via abuse. Nor has the glass knob cracked or chipped, or any damage to the knob seal. Both the knob and seal are readily available at sporting goods stores should they need replacement.

Should you be searching for a coffee percolator that produces quality coffee, ease in use (large pot handle, clear glass knob, ease in loading coffee basket), ease in clean up, ease in storage, and manufactured of quality materials that will be around for years to come... then the Coleman 14-Cup Coffee Enamelware Perolator is the unit you're looking for.

A few tips: Do not fill the pot with water high enough to touch the coffee grind basket. If you do, grinds will float out of the basket and you will end up with coffee full of coffee grinds. Be sure that the water level is below the bottom of the coffee grind basket before you start to perc. For a faster made and better tasting coffee, before placing the loaded coffee basket/stem into the pot turn your stove on full bore and rapidly bring the water in the pot to a rolling boil. THEN... turn off the stove, place the loaded coffee basket/stem into the pot and turn on the stove to LOW for the perc process. Doing this quickly heats the water but will not boil over into the coffee basket getting coffee grinds in the coffee. Secondly, slightly dampen the bottom of the basket with water prior to putting in the filter paper. That way when the filter paper is placed in the basket it will immediatly stick/seal to the basket's bottom. This way the filter paper can not slip or pull up allowing grinds to get inbetween the filter paper and the basket. Should that happen, those coffee grinds will escape into the coffee.

I bought this coffee pot for home use in utter disgust with drip coffee makers. Having had three different drip coffee makers stop working in one year, I decided to go with something tried and true. And while you can't set it up to turn on by itself, I will never have to replace it again. The color is beautiful. It is a snap to clean up (just throw it in the dishwasher). And, the coffee tastes so much better. I now use less than half the amount of coffee grounds needed by a drip maker and am getting more flavorful, robust coffee and no bitterness. I guess this is one thing that modern technology can't top. I will never go back to and electric coffee maker.

Makes great coffee! We just ordered a second one from Coleman's on-line website for $24.00. Odd that amazon says the list price is $34.99, eh?

This coffee pot makes great coffee and will be a boon when the power goes off this summer as it inevitably does in South Florida. The pot, handle and lid are well-crafted and sturdy. BUT, the stem which holds the coffee grounds basket is unbelievably flimsy. It bent completely out of shape just from hand washing. Fortunately, I was able to bend it back into the proper shape, but I'm sure after one season, we'll probably have to replace it. We own several Coleman products and this is the first one that has elements that are so poorly manufactured.

I was really pleased this product came on time. I was concerned the inner works (coffee holder and the stem inside is not very strong and bends easy. Also after a month of use the glass on the top cracked on the inside. leaving a small area with no glass. I need to see if they have replacement opieces

After going through 4 drip coffee makers in 5 years, I was fed up with cheap machines that couldn't handle normal use. So I read a bunch of reviews and finally settled on this old school percolator from Coleman. I love this thing. It makes the most delicious coffee. I had read that percolator coffee was good, but I had no idea. I will never go back to drip coffee, which is bitter, flavorless and not very hot.

A lot of people swear by the french press too, but it seems like it's too easy to break the carafes which are expensive to replace. This has no moving parts, and with regular care is easy to use, clean, and keep in perfect order.

Pros: Piping hot. Rich, deep, yet smooth coffee. With the manual stove kind which this is, you control how strong you brew it based on how much coffee you put in and how long you perk; no moving parts to break; easy to take care of and clean; did I mention delicious coffee?

Cons: It takes more steps to make than drip coffee, but trust me, it's a labor of love. Totally worth it. Grind your own beans for the best flavor as well as a coarse grind which you'll need (to avoid getting fine grinds in the brew). The internal bits may seem a bit flimsy, but they really are fine just as they are. To clean the tube bit, I use 2 pipe cleaners twisted together. It works really well. The only other drawback is how long it takes to perk 14 cups of coffee, mainly because you have to heat all of that water. That's about it. It's really worth it when you taste the coffee though.

I recommend this percolator highly. It is pretty sturdy, makes delicious coffee, has no plastic parts to break or impart a strange taste to your brew, and you get to control how long you brew so you control the strength of your coffee. It's pretty much flawless.

Oh, when I got it, there were no directions and I had to figure it out for myself. I use roughly 1/4 cup of beans, coarsely ground in my Krups grinder (which I also got at Amazon.. it's the black, oval shaped one), then fill the pot up to just under the basket, heat the water till it starts to perk, then turn the heat down till it's a steady perk but not boiling (which is really low on my gas stove), then let it go for about 12 to 15 minutes. Delicious every time!

I like this product and it makes really good coffee. I only gave it a 3 star rating because the insert (basket/stem) is very flimsy and infact was bent when it arrived. I am sure that it will break sometime soon and I have already been looking for a replacement insert so that I have one when this one goes. ALso - I wish the handle of the percolator had some type of coating or insulator so that it would not get too hot. You have to pick up the handle with a pot holder. Otherwise, the percolator makes excellent coffee - much better than an electric percolator or drip coffee maker.

My last one survived over 20 years. That's why when we broke the glass top we decided to buy a new one. We shopped some of the local stores, and they only offered what we considered to be a second rate substitute. None of the competition could match the quality of construction, fit and finish that Coleman has put into this massive coffee pot. When I found it here on Amazon I was elated. Without being too verbose, I don't mind paying for a premium product. When my new one arrived, I was pleased to see that there had been no compromise in quality over the years, and my guess is that this one will last me two decades as well.

I know that it may sound kooky, but this thing makes the best coffee. In addition, it makes enough coffee the first time! This is my favorite thing to take camping.

Percolater coffee is the worst coffee in the world if you really understand how coffee should be brewed. This device is awesome and will make the best coffee you have ever had if you make some simple adjustments. Fill it with water and DO NOT USE THE PERCOLATOR INSERTS AT ALL!! Just bring the water to a boil and once it boils REMOVE FROM THE HEAT and add your fresh, finely ground coffee. Stir it once or twice and you can either let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes and let the grounds settle then pour, or you can do what I do and immediately after putting in the grounds and stirring place it back on the heat on VERY LOW...DO NOT BRING BACK TO A BOIL! THAT IS WHAT CREATES A BITTER BREW AND IS WHY PERCOLATED COFFEE IS THE ABSOLUTE WORSE IF ALLOWED TO PERK! Let it sit on the low heat for 4 to 5 minutes then pour into cups using a fine mesh strainer. YOU WILL HAVE NEVER TASTED BETTER COFFEE, and for everyone out there who loves the French Press method, as I do, but hate coffee that is not hot enough...you will love this because the coffe is awesome hot and has not sat for 4 to 5 minutes "cooling off" like with French Press. Also, you can add sugar or cinnamon to the water while it boils, that makes it really good for those who like their coffee sweetened...excellent!! This is basically taking the old fashioned "stove-top saucepan coffee" or "cowboy coffee" to a new level. Plus, it is much easier and basically uses the same principles as the French Press method but keeps it hotter. Also, if you want a second cup after awhile and some is left you can just turn on the flame and warm it back up...much better then nuking it in the microwave! Even though the grounds are in the water it really does not turn bitter. Try it.

I loved the look of this pot. That, the 14 cup feature and all of the positive reviews here were the reasons that I bought it.

When it came, (the shipping was pretty fast), I took it out of the box and went right to the sink to wash it up so I could try it out. The first thing I noticed was that the stem and basket were bent up pretty badly. They were easy to straighten out owing to the fact that they are made out of really light aluminum. Too light in my opinion.

I put about 12 cups of water in the pot, 1/4 cup of grounds in the basket, put the lid on and set it on the stove to brew. A short time later, the coffee appeared to be done. I turned the heat off, got a pot holder and picked the pot up from the stove.

The pot was only about 10 inches above the stove and I was turning towards the table,... when the handle broke off. Guess what happened next. Yup, that's right! Gravity took over. The pot landed on the corner of the stove and then went to the floor. I was scrambling backwards as scalding hot coffee went everywhere. I'm glad my Grand kids weren't under my feet as they usually are.

I have read most of the reviews that are posted here about this pot and didn't see any others that had the same problem so I am assuming my experience was a fluke but.... I asked for a refund instead of a replacement. I don't need that happening again.

I gave this pot 1 star only because I evidently couldn't give it a zero.