Classic Stainless Steel Yosemite 12-Cup Coffee Percolator, Percolator Coffee Pot

I was lucky enough to be born in an earlier time – when things worked and lasted. Except for the Corvair and the Ford Pinto, that is. I find as I have matured into middle age that much modern “technology” such as the latest high-tech pots and pans, cookware, and coffee apparatus tend to complicate the obvious instead of improving the original. They are designed to take my money and not much else. For years, I would keep an open mind, spend a lot more money for a “better mousetrap” that overcomplicates but doesn’t do the job any better, and many times, worse than the original concept. For instance, I rediscovered cast iron cookware that my folks used when I was younger, which when treated properly, is ten times better than any Teflon non-stick gadgetry that only lasts a year or two and sends cooked chemical remnants into your body. Yes, cast iron is non-stick – the best. And it cleans up so quickly. Properly cared for (which is easy) cast iron never sticks and lasts forever and will outlast me. So when I got tired of lukewarm, luke-brewed coffee from machines that are terribly expensive and last just a couple of years, and all plastic, I again went back to my roots. I have an expensive Keurig and a $1700.00 combo expresso machine. But I can’t get a decent cup of coffee that I am fortunate enough to remember from earlier days. That is until I again went back to the basics, which has never failed me. They all have their uses and none of them are “wrong”. If I want a cup of coffee as I’m running out the door, Keurig fits the bill. I want an expresso after dinner, my Italian combo machine that cost a fortune works for me. Not judging. Have there been improvements and innovation? Certainly yes. Electric percolators of today do a much better job of regulating heat and brew time, for instance. That controls bitterness and overbrewing. But many of them don’t last longer than a couple of years. With a stove top percolator, you are in total control, you are back to basics and back to the best cup of coffee you will ever have if you like a full-flavored and slightly robust (not burnt or bitter) cup of coffee. Sadly, many people don’t know how good it can be. If you like your coffee apparatus now and what it does for you, fantastic, you are in the sweet spot, but don’t be afraid to try what has worked for decades. You might be pleasantly surprised. You may not know what you’re missing. This stove top percolator is top quality, never fails and will last for decades if cared for properly. It doesn’t take much. But if you just want to press a button and have “instant coffee”, or coffee instantly with no care or time involved, If you want a brew where the water barely touches the coffee before it touches your cup, If you want to pay a lot of money for things that never make it into your cup (k-cups, pods, filters, cleaners, etc), if you want to “clean” parts of your “apparatus” you will never see, and trust that, if you want to replace that thing every few years, if you like lots of buttons, lights, beeps, timers, scrolling LED readouts, warning after warning to clean this and replace that, If you want coffee out of a Star Trek replicator, don’t buy this. But if you just want the best cup of Joe on the planet, enjoy the brewing experience, slow it down and enjoy…this Faberware piece of simple magic can be yours, forever. Take the pace down a little bit, get the plastic and chemicals out of your life, save a whole bunch of bucks and don’t let your coffee pot order you around…and get back to basic mountain grown fresh HOT coffee, and I do mean HOT. My advice for what it’s worth, you will never go back, save a ton of money, and really, really enjoy coffee as it was meant to be. Whatever you decide, take your time to enjoy your coffee experience. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. Enjoy what you have left. I’ve never had to replace anything on this pot, and it is certain to outlast me! So simple, so good.

I've had this little percolator since early December and LOVE it. It's true, you really can't get a better tasting cup of coffee than from a percolator (just like grandma and great-grandma used to make!). There's no burnt or bitter taste and the temp is super hot (as coffee should be)! Yes, a percolator takes a little more time and effort but the results are SO enjoyable! I take my coffee black, so I can really taste the difference since I'm not adding creamer and flavors which can help mask any bitter/burnt taste. After pouring the first cup, I transfer the coffee from the percolator into a thermal carafe for my next cup of fresh, hot coffee. Seriously, better taste than Keurig or Mr. Coffee. Years ago, I was loyal to the original Mr. Coffee style brewer but the 'warmer' cooked the coffee after that first cup. I was happy when Keurig came around because I could get a fresh cup of coffee at any time .... UNTIL .... my Keurig stopped working ... just as the warranty expired!!! Keurig customer service would not replace my unit even though they admitted to the known issue of water not pumping ??? Keurig was only interested in offering a $20 coupon to purchase another of their products. Sorry Keurig, your machines are not cheap and I've been a loyal customer for many years but no more. In fairness, this was my 3rd Keurig, previous 2 units worked fine. The 3rd unit was an upgrade to a slim version for brewing either a pod or a pot (no bells & whistles). I want a coffee appliance that will NOT fail and this percolator is IT! I percolate my coffee on an electric stove since my appliances are not gas, and the coffee is perfect if you follow the included directions. I have a whole house generator so even without a gas stove, I can make good coffee. As another reviewer suggested, I emptied my unused coffee pods into my coffee container, so no waste there. And I'm SAVING MONEY by not buying coffee pods. Suppose I should thank Keurig for not backing their product and pushing me over the edge .... otherwise, I wouldn't have this fabulous percolator!! If you're sitting on the fence, jump, and buy the percolator! The icing on the cake is the stainless steel is beautiful ... so shiny and elegant!

Hi. I leave very few reviews due primarily to laziness and skepticism (do folks really take these to heart, given the wide range of griping?). But, I have found myself shopping for a number of items online lately, and relying on reviews, so here is my paying it forward. And no, I do not work for any coffee company. I am a bit of a stovetop percolator fanatic. Simply put, nothing beats percolator coffee. Drips aren't hot enough, take up crazy amounts of counter space, and the coffee is subpar. French presses produce gritty coffee and don't keep heat, and electric percolators have gone down the tube in quality since grandma bought hers (I have one from the 60s that I bought on ebay, and after using daily, it STILL outperforms my previous standard, the 2008 Farberware electric percolator). That said, I have tested a bunch of stovetop percolators for various uses, like camping, power outages, and general "getting off the grid" living. I have had several Colemans, the Italian-style caffeteria, the french press, a few electric percs, and this Farberware. Trust, this is a fantastic product. But how can one tell? The things to look for in stovetop percolators are: 1. Quality of the construction. Stainless steel is best. Looks for a sturdy build with a nice balance of weight, a large enough size for your needs, and [very important!] the placement of the handle. It should be easy to clutch, be far enough to NOT be above the heat source, and sturdy enough to handle the weight of a full pot. Screwed on means it can easily be tightened, which is good, and the material of this percolator stays cool and has a nice, tactile grip. 2. Solid/durable interior parts (stem, basket). This was a major downer for the Colemans. Too many complaints of people finding theirs bent upon arrival! Plus, the stem and pot shouldn't ever look dried our or "rusted" in that stainless steel way. I used my Colemans only a few times, and the stem/pot looked scary to drink out of. I can't help but wonder if there is a residue or something entering my coffee. This percolator looks as great on the inside as it does on the outside. Just look at the pictures. No hiding anything there! 3. A plastic knob. While the glass knobs are more aesthetically pleasing, the entire structure of a percolator means that the knob WILL break at some point. The difference is that glass expands/contracts when the percolator is heating, and then shards from the threads end up in your coffee even if the knob hasn't visibly or entirely broken off. This is dangerous. The plastic is just as effective for viewing the strength of your coffee, without the terrifying possibility of swallowing glass. The plastic won't shred and cut your throat. Complaints about the plastic knobs breaking are ridiculous; ALL PERCOLATORS will have broken knobs at some point. Accept it. 4. Does it clean easily? Exterior: Especially if you take this camping, you will be on a open flame, so will the material tarnish? This one stays clean, and can easily be polished, if you are the polishing kind, if you are exacting in how mirror-like you wish it to be. Interior: there are no sharp crevices, lips, awkward pouring spouts here to cut you or your sponge as you move on in to clean up. Pieces (including the lid) are removed with ease and without the nails-on-the-chalkboard sound of cheap, flimsy metal material. The other common complaint is that the coffee isn't right. That is not the perc, that's your method. Try varying your coffee/water ratio, your boiling time vs your simmering time. Be patient; stovetops take longer but they produce infinitely better coffee. From a practical/frugal standpoint, after removing the stem and basket, this pot doubles very nicely (with style!) as a kettle. You can't go wrong. Plus, it is quite a lot bigger than it looks online. You can get at least 10 cups. Although I alternate between electric and stovetop for my daily use, this baby is one thing that I shamelessly refuse to lend out, refuse to really even hail its praises for fear of the inevitable "Can I borrow it?" that happens. I have had it for 3 years now and nothing has broken, nothing has taken a nose-dive in terms of quality, and I am actively excited/grateful/proud/vain about it EVERY time I use it. If you buy one of the Coleman enamel ones, or the odd camping specific ones with a D-ring for a handle, you'll just end up buying another one after you get mad at its ineptitude. I would even recommend this one over the majority of electric percolators, since the rest on the market currently are just crap. Get yourself some good coffee beans, some good water, and this baby, and you'll be a coffee addict! Cheers!

I'm old enough to remember my mother and grandmothers having stove top percolators. Happy to report they work just as well as they ever did, with the advantage of no plastic parts and no electrical cordage. Still, there are a couple of things you need to know. First the "cups" marked on this pot are actual 8 ounce cups. (My Mr. Coffee "cups" were 5 ounces.) Adjust the amount of coffee you use accordingly. Second, and the biggest problem, the fill line markings are ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE, NOT ON THE INSIDE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM. This is a stupid design choice, which Farberware should change. Third, the handle screw loosens and needs to be retightened every 20 to 30 uses. This has been the case in every Farberware product I've ever bought, and the owner's manual specifically says that it happens and the owner should "simply tighten the screw." My personal feeling is Farberware should simply design a handle that stays put, as do so many other manufacturers, but that could just be me. Finally, the pour spout's design is dainty. It works just fine, but it's fussy and dainty and it'll take some time to get your coffee into your cup. Apart from these issues, a great pot, sturdy, holds heat well, easy to clean, makes a great cup of mud.

[UPDATE: After two years of daily use, it continues to flawlessly percolate incredibly delicious, hot coffee. But the little screw-in rings around the plastic top finally began to break down, so I ordered a couple glass replacement tops (they come in a two-pack): 2 pack Fitz-All Replacement Percolator Top, Small (2) Works great. Looks a little different as the top is a little bigger and you can't use the black ring around the base (it won't fit under the glass), but I don't have to worry about plastic in the brew.] I've had this pot for close to a year now (purchased Feb 2014), and just have to write a review. After my last drip coffee maker broke after only two years (because they're all made in China now out of cheap junk), I decided to try once again to find a better, more affordable way to brew an excellent, smooth, delicious and HOT cup of coffee. I've tried them all, drip, press, pour over (including the popular Japanese Hario), Italian stovetop Bialetti, none of them make it the way I like it, and most of them deliver lukewarm coffee by the time you get it to your lips - and I hate microwaved coffee, tastes awful. The only thing I haven't tried is a Keurig type single-serve machine, as they're expensive and will just break in time, same problem as drip. And then I came across this little wonder on Amazon, read the astonishingly good reviews and decided to risk giving it a try. I mean, $20 isn't a lot to risk. And WOW. I remember my folks percolating coffee when I was growing up, they used an electric percolator at home and a stovetop percolator for camping, but I assumed that was an inferior way to make coffee given all the fancy gadgets on the market now. Was I ever wrong! It not only makes good, hot, smooth coffee, the smoothest coffee any maker can make. It brings out flavor nuances I didn't even know coffee had, makes cheap grocery store coffee taste wonderful - and for the first time in my life, I'm experimenting with all kinds of coffee beans from all over the world, and finding out why everyone raves about rainforest shade-grown coffee so much, especially organic. I mean, I've tried it before, I just didn't think it tasted that much better for the price. But it turns out that percolating coffee at a low temperature (simmering, percolating is NOT boiling) for just the right amount of time (5-7 minutes, once it starts percing) keeps the water just hot enough, and saturates the grinds so thoroughly, that every bit of flavor is extracted along with the coffee sugars that shade-grown coffee produces, with not a hint of bitterness (cheap coffee is grown fast in the sun, and doesn't have time to develop the full flavors or sugars). It gives the coffee not only flavor and depth, but subtle sweetness. And talk about flavor! Depending on what you're drinking, where it was grown and how it was roasted, you'll taste earthy notes, sweet notes, smoky notes, chocolate notes, fruit notes, caramel notes, nutty notes - it's every bit as fun as tasting different wines or handcrafted beers! But like I said, it makes even cheap coffee taste really good, and it even tastes delicious black - I've always loaded up my coffee with cream or milk, because black coffee has always tasted horrible to me. Not anymore! I enjoy it both ways now. I've gotten into it so much, I've even started measuring grounds by the gram on a digital food scale, instead of just scooping it out - the difference in grams really affects the flavor, and you can fine-tune the amount to get it just how you like it. And I've found that different beans and roasts need different amounts to taste the best, some more, some less. And the coffee is HOT. I make a full pot, and pour it into a good-quality Thermos carafe (I use a Thermos Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Carafe, 51-Ounce ), keeps it hot and fresh-tasting for hours. No more lukewarm coffee, or burned coffee from sitting on the drip machine plate. And if the power goes out, I can make coffee outside on the gas grill, or take it camping with me. The great thing about a stovetop brewer instead of electric (I considered both) is you can experiment with temperature, length of percing and amount of grounds to get the coffee to taste just how YOU want it to. I've really had fun experimenting, and find that rainforest coffee can be perced longer (because more sugars and less acids), whereas cheap coffee in a can (sun-grown, full of acids and few sugars) should be perced less, or the acids start to come out. A few practical notes: first, read the instructions. It comes with great instructions for brewing different amounts and strengths and other helpful tips. It takes longer to brew a pot than drip machines, about 20 minutes for a full pot, 15 to bring it to perc temperature (enough to grab a quick shower) and 5-7 percing. And you can't set it on a timer so it's ready when you wake up. It also takes a little extra washing up each day, between the pot itself and the thermos carafe, and it needs to be hand-dried on the outside to keep up the nice shine (or you get dried water spots on it). For coffee this good, it's worth it! And it's nice to know you have CLEAN parts each day (instead of mold or bacteria that can build up in drip machines). But very busy people might not like that part of it so much, and sometimes I use a press or something else for a quick cup on super busy days when I have to get up and out really early and don't have time to wait for the pot to brew or wash it up after. Or I just get up a little earlier, I hate to miss my percolated coffee... Experiment to find out how long it takes to reach a good steady, percolating for the amount you want to brew - and then USE A TIMER. If you forget to turn it down once it starts percing, it will overheat and boil and produce a horrible, nasty tasting brew. NEVER boil the grounds! Heat on medium-high heat, not high, to avoid boiling, and turn it down low or medium-low for percing. It works great on gas or electric stoves. I have a ceramic top electric, set it right on the burner (no trivet needed), heat it on 8 (out of 10) and perc it on 2.8. You can perc it hotter, up to 4 or 5 maybe, it just depends on how you like it to taste. I find that the lowest temperature to keep it percolating regularly brings out the smoothest, sweetest, mellowest flavor, which is how I like it. People who like a stronger, punchier cup can use more grounds at hotter temps. Experiment! Some have complained about the clear plastic top deforming with the heat. I keep mine a little loose as plastic expands with heat, and have had no problems. But you can also buy glass replacement tops through Amazon. You don't have to use a filter, but I do (just a regular drip basket filter, which I poke down over the stem in the basket), as I use a lot of pre-ground coffee which is made for drip machines and finer than percolator grind, hard to find and a little coarser, a little of which can get into the brew, though not much. The paper also helps filter out the oils which can contribute to heart disease. I just dump it all into my composter each day (coffee grounds are great for the garden, btw). If the spring that supports the basket on the stem ever wears out, you can buy a replacement for that, too. Someone complained in an older review that the handle broke off because glued. Either the manufacturer changed it or the reviewer was talking about a different percolator, because this handle appears to be screwed and riveted on. In fact the whole unit appears well made and solid. Over time, coffee oils will build up on the inside, including inside the stem and inside a couple of curled narrow lips inside the pot (one at the top and one at the bottom, due to how the pot is constructed), staining it and which can affect flavor. The way to get rid of them is to perc a pot using dishwasher powder instead of grounds - scours it clean, and leaves it looking like new. I've done this twice now in the nine months I've had it, and it works great. In all, I'm amazed this humble little pot can produce such a fantastic brew. Turns out they really knew what they were doing in the "old days," and they did it better! No more newfangled coffee gadgets for me, filling up landfills as they break, just delicious, smooth, incredibly tasty HOT coffee from a pot that should last a lifetime.

Makes very good coffee. Stainless steel doesn’t stain and is good quality. Easy to clean. I have not had the issues with the lid or glass topper that other reviews mention. I recommend this pot. I use the filter that fits in the bottom of the basket and it makes emptying the grounds easy and is not messy

I purchased this percolator in April because I was fed up of drinking tepid filter drip coffee. I wanted a good cup of hot coffee. I've waited more than six months to review it. Before purchasing it I scouted around town in every store that I could find that sold percolators. None of them carry this brand. Many of them carry the other brands that look like this one but that sell for twice the price. As I examined those other percolators, I was not impressed by the quality of the materials or the details of those products. Simply put, for the price, they looked and felt cheap; and, one of them gave me the impression that I would burn my hand on its handle. So, I placed my order for the Farberware 50124 Classic Yosemite Stainless Steel Percolator. I figured that it couldn't be any worse than those I had seen here in the local stores. It looked like it had a good handle on it and it was half the price. A few days later it arrived. When I opened my package I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this percolator. Yes it's made in China as were all the others that I had seen locally but none compare to the quality of this one. This is built to last and keep its good looks. Except for the handle and the percolator top, all the other parts are made of quality stainless steel. In some reviews people complain about that plastic top breaking. New, mine was tight and wouldn't budge. I didn't force it. After several washings it could be turned and easily removed. I still have it and wonder if I'll ever use the spare I bought. I also purchased the Perma-Brew 3 Year Re-useable Coffee Filter Perma-Brew 3 Year Re-useable Coffee Filter, Disk to use with my percolator. Since I live alone, it works fine for me. I find it makes cleaning the coffee grinds out easier and I rarely ever get coffee grinds in my cup. This percolator sits perfectly on the small electric element of my stove. I follow the instructions that come with it to brew my coffee. Personally, I set the element at 7; as soon as it starts percolate, I set the element at 2, wait 8 minutes, pour my coffee and enjoy. It is going on eight months now and I can say that the coffee I brew this percolator beats any that I can drink in any coffee shop here in town. I wonder why I waited so long to buy one of these. Friends that sometime drop by later in the morning comment on the great coffee aroma in my apartment and, invariably, ask for a cup. They don't seem to mind the 10 minute wait. About a month ago we had a 16 hour power outage. I took out my Trangia alcohol stove that I use when I go kayak camping. Unfortunately, the percolator fits perfectly on top of it and chokes off the flame of the alcohol burner. But, I solved the problem by simply putting a small wire grill on top of the stove and sat percolator on that. In no time I had a pot of coffee and I brought a thermos full to my neighbor downstairs who uses an electric percolator. He was happy to have a great cup of coffee start off his day. I have no regrets with this percolator. I love the patina it has taken on over time. Most of all, I love the great tasting coffee I make with it.

This has been a solid percolator for myself and wife. I will give some tips I have found out along the journey. Making coffee tips 1. For best coffee buy bag of beans and grind coarse for the percolator at the time your making coffee. 2. If buying regular pre-ground coffee and it isn't coarse ground, you might need to by some coffee filters and edit it with scissors to fit the basket. If your grind level is less than coarse your going to get grinds in the bottom of container. 3. Typically, I put water in till just under spout hole. Slap the lid on, place on stove and turn heat to high. Once I hear the water boiling, I slide the percolator off the burner, open the lid and place the basket and stem assembly in the hot water. Turn down the heat to low, secure the lid back on and place back on burner. You want a slow percolation where your wondering if it is percolating fast enough. Most of the time I do nine minutes. I would say 9 to 12 minutes depending on how you like your coffee. Point is you are going to have to experiment with amount of coffee in the basket and time percolating, base on the outcome you want. Cleaning 1. The bottom inside does have a crease in it where old coffee can collect. About monthly, best thing I was turned on to, was to fill the percolator up with water, little less than full. Boil the water. Put a cheap automatic dish washer cleaning pod in it. throw the basket, basket top and stem in there and let sit for two hours. this cleans it out pretty good. Sometimes I might take a greeny scrub pad and hit that crease a few times, then use a white paper towel to make sure any coffee remains are gone. 2. Upper inside curved top I might hit with bartenders friend with and damp paper towel. That will get it clean. Rise well. 3. Yes typically you will have water left on the pot after cleaning. Obviously this is because of the design. So, you would have to drain it best you can or want and dry the rest with a kitchen towel. The one con I have for this percolator is the blue glass knob. Mine has not broken to date. But I am having issues locating replacement. I know that the Fritz-All Percolator glass top will work. However, I do not like that i has an aluminum retaining ring. I don't like the idea of aluminum in my stainless coffee pot. Additionally they have the plastic knob replacements which I don't like either. Thinking I will need to edit the lid so a regular glass knob that easily found a purchased can secure it the lid -OR - find a stainless steal retaining ring for the Frtz-All Glass knob. Will figure something out. If anyone has a solution, please let me know.

Good product, working and looking great!

Bought this coffee percolator everything was fine until the knob on the lid shattered while percolating, the shop did not have a replacement knob so offered me half price refund i agreed then i went searching for a knob to fit little known to me the only place i can get them is in US which cost $6 + $50 postage absolute joke, coffee pot as been sitting in my pantry since, if you do buy one of these make sure you know where you can obtain a lid knob locally because it will shatter trust me, very disappointed customer

Fantastic pot

Es práctica y hace muy rico el café

It is excellent build and quality, really heavy and made from good material and this is when compared to many major ones i bought, the only thing is that it is huge, so you need to know this wgen you buy it, it is over 2 lt , i wish there was the same one but half size