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A person's hand pouring coffee from an electric coffee percolator into a blue mug Credit: Reviewed / Timothy Renzi

The Best Electric Coffee Percolators of 2024

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A person's hand pouring coffee from an electric coffee percolator into a blue mug Credit: Reviewed / Timothy Renzi

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Editor's Choice Product image of Elite Platinum EC-120 12 Cup Percolator
Best Electric Coffee Percolator

Elite Platinum EC-120 12 Cup Percolator

Check Price at Amazon

This stainless steel percolator ensures fresh and balanced coffee every time. A handy safety feature turns off the heat when the pot is empty. Read More

Pros

  • Produces balanced, flavorful coffee
  • Pot can be lifted off element for serving
  • Smart safety feature

Cons

  • None that we could find
2
Editor's Choice Product image of Presto 02811 12-Cup Coffee Maker

Presto 02811 12-Cup Coffee Maker

$69.99 $99.99 at Macy's

This well-loved percolator from Presto is durable, easy to clean, and user-friendly. But the filters can be a little hard to swap out. Read More

Pros

  • Paper filters included in the packaging
  • Easy to clean
  • Durable and long-lasting

Cons

  • The filters are hard to replace
3
Product image of Hamilton Beach 40616 12-Cup Percolator with Cool-Touch Handle

Hamilton Beach 40616 12-Cup Percolator with Cool-Touch Handle

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This Hamilton Beach percolator is heavy and not all that portable, but it’s free of plastic and comes with handy features such as a dip-free spout. Read More

Pros

  • Ready-to-serve indicator light
  • Drip-free spout
  • Detachable cord

Cons

  • Heavy build
  • Not portable
4
Product image of Cuisinart PRC-12 Classic 12-Cup Percolator

Cuisinart PRC-12 Classic 12-Cup Percolator

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The Cuisinart Classic has an indicator light and an attractive, understated design, but it can be inconsistent with flavor. Read More

Pros

  • Slim, elegant appearance
  • An indicator light

Cons

  • The brewing capacity is limted
  • Inconsistent flavor
5
Product image of Farberware FCP412 12-Cup Percolator

Farberware FCP412 12-Cup Percolator

$76.99 $128.99 at Macy's

This 12-cup Farberware percolator has the features you want, and it’s well made. But we found the coffee it produced to be bitter and underwhelming. Read More

Pros

  • Reliable build
  • Keep-warm mode

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Best Electric Coffee Percolator Elite Platinum EC-120 12 Cup Percolator
  • Other Electric Coffee Percolators We Tested
  • What to Look for When Buying Coffee Percolators
  • How We Test Coffee Percolators
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

Considering the evolution and advancements in contemporary coffee culture and brewing methods, it’s been tough for the percolator to shake its unsexy associations with church functions, corporate meetings, and that thing gathering dust in your great aunt’s house.

And granted, little has changed in its construction since its invention in the 19th century. But the percolator remains relevant for the same reasons it always was: Its ability to produce copious amounts of strong, in-your-face coffee, and keep it steaming hot for extended periods of time. They're perfect for big holiday gatherings, too.

Percolator proponents also adore these coffee makers for their soothing, characteristic burbling; owing to the force of steam it uses to cycle water through coffee grounds until an especially full-bodied brew is produced.

Even newer models like our favorite, the Elite Platinum Maxi-Matic 12 Cup Percolator (available at Amazon for $47.99) , refuse to reinvent the wheel, chirping cheerfully on the counter as it speedily spurts out up to 12 cups of concentrated joe.

Elite maxi electric coffee percolator on a wooden counter, beside a jar of coffee beans and a plate of desserts
Credit: Reviewed / Timothy Renzi

The Elite Platinum Maxi-Matic is the best electric coffee percolator we tested.

Best Electric Coffee Percolator
Elite Platinum EC-120 12 Cup Percolator

Except for a transparent top glass knob (which aids in one of the understood pleasures of percolating—watching the coffee circling), the Elite is composed mainly of stainless steel. That speaks to why it brewed one of the most balanced, flavorful cups of coffee of the bunch. (Plastic mechanisms can transmit chemicals, which are not only dangerous, but can also lead to off-tastes and aromas.)

It has all of our preferred percolator elements, such as separate power and ready-to-drink indicator lights; a comfortable-to-hold, heat-resistant handle; and a thin, curved spout that aids in pouring and prevent drips. It also one-ups the other models we tested with a few unique advantagesL The pot can be lifted off the heating element completely for seamless, cordless serving, then returned to its base, where it will be kept warm automatically. It also has a boil-dry safety feature, which, even when plugged in, ensures the pot won’t continue to heat once there’s no liquid inside.

Pros

  • Produces balanced, flavorful coffee

  • Pot can be lifted off element for serving

  • Smart safety feature

Cons

  • None that we could find

$47.99 from Amazon

Other Electric Coffee Percolators We Tested

Product image of Presto 02811 12-Cup Coffee Maker
Presto 02811 12-Cup Coffee Percolator

Both a favorite among Amazon reviewers and often topping other best percolator roundups, the Presto coffee percolator also eschews plastic in its perking process, which is why it produced one of the smoothest cups of joe.

It’s also one of the only models to include paper filters with the packaging, which kept stray grounds out of our drink, and made the Presto especially easy to clean (otherwise, you need to dump and clean grounds from both the stainless-steel filter and the pot). That said, you won’t find those custom filters at your average corner store, and the price point of the Presto tends to be a touch higher than others.

But there are plenty of pluses to even things out. The unit is durable (thank the stainless steel again for that) yet lightweight, features a long-necked spout for precision pouring and detachable cord for ease of serving and storing, and has a ready-to-drink signal light and automatic keep-warm mode.

Pros

  • Paper filters included in the packaging

  • Easy to clean

  • Durable and long-lasting

Cons

  • The filters are hard to replace

$70 $100 at Macy's

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Hamilton Beach 40616 12-Cup Percolator with Cool-Touch Handle
Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Coffee Percolator with Cool-Touch Handle

Also plastic-free, the Hamilton Beach brewed quite a tasty cup. Other upsides of the unit include a ready-to-serve indicator light and an angled, drip-free spout and detachable cord (which is a little bit on the short side).

The Hamilton Beach also keeps coffee warm after brewing automatically, and it has a cool-touch handle. This coffee percolator was the heaviest unit we tested though, which, while hardly a deal-breaker, knocked it down a peg in terms of portability, and how comfortable it is to use and hold.

Pros

  • Ready-to-serve indicator light

  • Drip-free spout

  • Detachable cord

Cons

  • Heavy build

  • Not portable

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Cuisinart PRC-12 Classic 12-Cup Percolator
Cuisinart PRC-12 Classic 12-Cup Coffee Percolator

While in general, no electric coffee percolator is winning any beauty awards, Cuisinart's version isn’t an all-out eyesore. That's owed to its slim build, elegantly tapered spout, and top glass knob (where you can watch the coffee burbling merrily inside).

A stay-cool bottom unit keeps it from scorching your surfaces, and an indicator light lets you know when it’s done brewing, so you don’t run the risk of burning your coffee. But it won’t brew less than four cups, so it isn’t ideal for low-consumption households. And the Cuisinart proved inconsistent when it came to flavor; batches varied from weak to bitter, with not a whole lot in between.

Pros

  • Slim, elegant appearance

  • An indicator light

Cons

  • The brewing capacity is limted

  • Inconsistent flavor

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Farberware FCP412 12-Cup Percolator
Farberware FCP412 12-Cup Coffee Percolator

The Farberware has all the basics we look for in electric percolators, including an automatic keep-warm mode, a cool to the touch lid, base and handle, and a detachable cord.

But that’s hardly enough to justify the comparatively hefty asking price, especially since it sets itself apart from other models we tested in detrimental ways. The plug is short, the coffee it produced was bitter, and it has the only clunky, spill-free spout of the bunch.

Pros

  • Reliable build

  • Keep-warm mode

Cons

  • Pricey

$77 $129 at Macy's

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What to Look for When Buying Coffee Percolators

Size definitely matters when purchasing percolators. While you can find two- to four-cup options—if that’s all the caffeine you require—percolators are favored for their capacity and can go up to 12 cups. Your next big choice is whether you want an electric or stovetop coffee percolator.

The classic moka pot springs to mind when people think of open flame models, but for our purposes, we only evaluated electric models, which allow you to have more control over the brewing process.

And while construction is pretty standard, percolators primarily made of stainless steel—especially its brewing elements—are preferable. Not only is steel more durable than plastic, it won’t impart unpleasant flavors and leach harmful chemicals into your cup of coffee.

Other desirable qualities include speed (all options we tested averaged one cup per minute), as well as non-drip spouts, stay-cool handles, ready-to-serve indicator lights, easy to disassemble parts to aid in cleaning, and long, detachable cords, which make it simpler to brew, serve and store.

How We Test Coffee Percolators

We set up the percolators and brew three cups of low acidity coffee in each, assessing how long they take to brew, how easy they are to pour, and how bitter tasting (or not) the coffee is.

We repeat this process three different times over the course of a week, also analyzing how simple each unit is to clean, how comfortable they are to use, how portable and well-built they are, and how effortless they are to store. We also take note of safety concerns and special features.

Meet the tester

Sarah Zorn

Sarah Zorn

Contributor

Sarah Zorn is a food writer, cookbook author, and product tester for Reviewed, Wirecutter and the Food Network. She regularly contributes to outlets such as Saveur, Esquire, and Civil Eats, and has very much passed her food obsessions down, as her beloved rescue hound, Rowdy, regularly deglazes his kibble bowl.

See all of Sarah Zorn's reviews

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