Percolator Training

Learning Objectives

After completing this training, you will be able to:

• Understand what a percolator is and how it works.
• List and identify standard parts.
• Give and understand troubleshooting

What is a percolator and how does it work A percolator is a type of coffee maker. Percolators use a pump system that brings hot water through the a tube and disperses it over the coffee grinds on the top basket. The pump tube is a long tube that sits vertically in the middle of the percolator and supports the basket. The basket of the percolator has an opening where the pump stem is inserted. There are tiny holes in the basket that are large enough to allow the water to pass through, but not the coffee grounds. (paper coffee filters are not used). Before placing the basket, the desired quantity of water is poured into the water chamber of the pot. It is important that the water level be below the bottom of the coffee chamber. After the percolator starts to work, the temperature rises until the water in the bottom chamber boils. When the water boils the air bubbles flow upward and through the bottom opening of the tube. The tube forces water up toward the basket, where it is dispersed over the coffee grounds. This water then seeps through the coffee grounds and leaves the coffee chamber through the bottom, dropping back into the lower half of the pot. The rest of the water at the bottom is meanwhile also forced up the tube, causing this whole cycle to repeat continually. As the brew continually seeps through the grounds, the overall temperature of the liquid approaches boiling point, at which stage the "perking" action (the characteristic spurting sound the pot makes) stops, and the coffee is ready for drinking. Brewed coffee left on high heat for too long will acquire a bitter taste.

How it Works

Perolator Sizes

Currently we carry 4 cup, 8 cup, and 12 cup percolators

Remember:

• A cup of coffee is not the same as a measuring cup.
• There is no industry standard for cup size in coffee makers. Most manufactures define a cup of coffee as 4.5 fluid ounces. To be consistent with most manufactures, we have chosen to also use 4.5 fluid ounces as the standard for our coffee makers.

Standard Parts

1. Lid with Knob (The lid and knob are normally sold together)
2. Spreader
3. Basket
4. Spring - (Part of Pump Tube Assembly)
5. Pump Tube Assembly
6. Power Cord (This part is date code specific)

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

• Percolator Troubleshooting

Quizzes

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