My some-years-old Black N Decker drip coffeemaker sprang a leak while
I was vinegaring it out yesterday, thus destroying the delicate
ecosystem of my countertop. I'm considering replacing it with an
electric percolator. I see them for around $40 at misc stores, such
as Sears.

What made me think of this was last weekend, when at my girlfriend's
aunt's cabin, she made us all coffee in an oldish electric
percolator. She used just regular unspecial Folgers ground coffee and
it was the most lovely cup I'd had in quite some time. Bold tasting,
well bodied, had some octane to it but wasn't too strong or acidic
tasting*.

Anyone here use one of these?

1) I assume that the new modern ones will automatically switch from
"brew mode" to "keep warm mode" when it's done (hence the indicator
light). This is important because I don't want something I have to
keep an eye on. I want to be able to load it, flip it on and ignore it
completely until after i've come out of the shower. Also, I tend to
brew small amounts most mornings (just enough for a cup to drink and
fill my travel mug). My B&D Drip model could begrudgingly brew small
amounts but for some reason it never tasted as good as the times when
I make a whole pot. IIRC most drip makers recommend making at least a
half a pot. The box that percolators are in say they'll make 2-12
cups and it's all the same. I don't want a "one cup" drip model.

2) I seem to remember seeing different grinds for percolators. Is
that still necessary?

3) I know I can get another crappy drip model (like a 5-cup one) for
about $10 and it'll make coffee for a few years just fine before
blowing up. The percolators I'm looking at are 4 times as much.
However, it looks like the way percolators are made that they'll last
decades. Am I wrong?

Thanks for any help and advice.


*When I first moved out on my own I had a stovetop percolator that
made the worst coffee ever. Maybe the water was bad or at 17 years
old I just didn't know how to make coffee, but it was always weak,
burnt tasting and acidic like i brewed it with vinegar instead of
water. Yet every time anyone saw it on my stove or heard that I had
one they'd say "those make the BEST coffee you'll ever have".