As you can see in our “Diane Sawyer Loves Junk and Howe” post from a few days ago, they (ABC News) had a hard time finding a coffeemaker that is made in the United States. They couldn’t find one at all, actually.
Many nights, Jules and I will make coffee, and we make it the “old fashioned” way. We use a Pyrex Percolator – made in the USA. It may take a few minutes more than an electric coffeemaker, but it tastes much better, no matter what kind of coffee you like, and you never have to flush clean a coffeemaker. I saw a commercial for CLR the other day, demonstrating how to clean your coffeemaker with this toxic product. And then you’re supposed to brew coffee through that? And drink it? Multiple cups? Ack.
I’m quite fond of this classic piece of flameware by Pyrex. It’s one of my favorites, and probably the one we most often use. We have a 6-cup – they also made 4 and 9-cup versions. Since we have the 6-cup, we use 6 tablespoons of coffee for 6 servings. Here are the instructions.
1. Fill water to the line at 6.
2. Place a filter in the glass and metal basket. You will have to poke a hole in the center/bottom of the filter in order to do this.
3. Fill the filter with 6 tablespoons of your favorite coffee. We recommend Chicago favorite, Intelligentsia.
4. Place the top on the glass basket, and place the stem and basket in the middle of the pot. Put the lid on.
5. Turn the flame on high. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT use glass percolators on electric range tops. They will shatter. Flame only!
6. It should take 8-12 minutes for it to begin percolating, causing the water to begin turning brown. After about 30 seconds or so, the entire pot of water should be brown.
7. Keep flame on high and let the coffee percolate for 4 more minutes.
8. Turn off the flame.
9. Using a kitchen towel, carefully remove the lid. Wait 2 minutes, and then carefully remove the stem and basket.
10. Replace lid and pour your coffee.
To clean, simply use a sponge with soap and water as you would with any other dish. The inner pieces – the glass stem and glass basket – are fragile, and should be handled with care. You can leave the handle and stainless steel band on for several uses, but it is ok to unscrew it and the handle to clean under the band once in a while. I would not put any pieces in a dishwasher.
We will have a few in the Junk and Howe store in the first couple weeks of May. There are a number on Ebay, but they’re often overpriced. If you can get your hands one, we’d recommend it. You’ll never want to use anything else.
After having to replace modern coffee makers every two years or so, I gave up on them altogether, and now use my Pyrex 9-cup. I originally bought it (and a pyrex teapot) just because I thought they'd make cool kitchen decorations. But when I actually started using it, I was surprised at how good the coffee is. Modern coffee makers don't make coffee that tastes better, they just make coffee with a little less work. And they certainly won't last fifty years.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the article, and I'm glad there is another Pyrex percolator fan out there. I was beginning to think I was the only one!
just got one vintage love it and no longer taking up added space on counter with coffee maker. Use for tea as well and of course the glass pot is a great accent piece to any decor in one's kitchen.
DeleteI have had this one for years but only used it for tea as I was raised by English immigrants. lol We have had a lot of power outages so it will be nice to not have to resort to instant coffee this time.
DeleteThanks for sharing! The 9-cup is the mammoth - I'm patiently waiting to find one at a rummage sale this spring and summer. They're great for entertaining because you only have to make one pot!
ReplyDeletethanks for these instructions, what an excellent job you have done of explaining it, I scored one of these pyrex perculators from a St Vinnies store here in South Australia for a couple of dollars, I had been looking for one for years as my mum had one when I was little, and even on ebay they were priced considerably more. Natural Gas is cheaper here than Electricity at the moment so I am looking forward to a decent cup of coffee. :) without the joy of an over priced electricity consumption
ReplyDeleteI have one of these as well, and they are amazing. Just one note: You can use them on electric ranges.. but if it's a coiled stove, you need to use a small wire trivet for it to sit on (which came with the original percolator) -- if you have a glass top electric range, you can place it right on the glass.. as the glass acts like a buffer.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the glass top instructions..I really appreciate it!
DeleteI love these percolators, they just make better coffee and use less grounds to get strong coffee. I don't use paper filters, it works fine without them, and I don't remove the basket before pouring the hot coffee into a cup.
ReplyDeleteexactly, as do I. Have a 4 cup and Two 9 cup ones!
DeleteAs soon as the water begins to boil, you need to LOWER the heat to medium/low. Do not keep the flame on high. It will still percolate, but just below the boiling point of 212 degrees. Coffee should be brewed below this temperature.
ReplyDeleteGood point! and correct as well
DeleteWhat he/she said. If the flame is so high that coffee is boiling up the sides of the pot you're doing it wrong.
Deletedon't boil it, you'll spoil it. Whole idea is the liquid boils only under the pump, and cools as it travels upward. Also a Mr. Coffee #40 wrap filter will keep the coffee clear and free of sediment.
DeleteI have a 6 cup pyrex glass percolator and most of the time I love it. Sometimes however, the water shoots out of the pot and explodes all over my stove and my kitchen cabinets. Has anyone else encountered that problem?
ReplyDelete#1. use a little less water in the pot...
Delete#2. lower heat once the perking starts, but I just leave a love (gas) flame and it generally does not overflow/explode...be patient and you'll always have a decent cup of coffee...good luck...
I have a 6 cup pyrex glass percolator and most of the time I love it. Sometimes however, the water shoots out of the pot and explodes all over my stove and my kitchen cabinets. Has anyone else encountered that problem?
ReplyDeleteI have a 6 cup pyrex glass percolator and most of the time I love it. Sometimes however, the water shoots out of the pot and explodes all over my stove and my kitchen cabinets. Has anyone else encountered that problem?
ReplyDeleteI have a electric stove. can i use my glass coffee pot by useing a trivet on top?
ReplyDeleteYou can buy a metal heat diffuser (looks like a small wire hanger in a shape like a clover, triangle or squiqqle) and they are still available brand new-I just saw them on Amazon-or used on ebay.
DeleteCindy you can! I broke the glass basket and was able to buy a replacement on Ebay.
ReplyDeleteI have read so many times people saying do not put on an electric coiled stove. Scroll up and look at the picture on the original box. Looks like an electric coiled stovetop.
ReplyDeleteoriginal unit came with a wire trivet for electric coil stoves. not necessary for use with gas range but recommended and instructions specify use on old fashioned electric range. Glass top range may not be needed though.
DeleteDon't confuse marketing with instructions for use.
DeleteI perk my coffee differently. Once the water is boiling, I turn it down and let it perk for 10 minutes, then I turn it off and let it sit for about 5 minutes so it can finish perking and let the water drain out. I pour the hot coffee in a thermal coffee pot to keep hot and fresh for hours. I never did think about using a regular paper filter, I'll have to try that.
ReplyDeleteWith minor variation this is the same technique I use.
DeleteRegarding the paper filter issue: I use one as it seems to cut the acidity. If I don't I have heartburn issues - same as with any unfiltered coffee.
I just found a this same Pyrex 7756-B locally. What I consider a lucky find as I've been wanting to try one as opposed to the various other types of percolators I own made of various materials.
ReplyDeleteThe one I found was complete and is in pristine condition, aside from a few coffee grinds and a couple very minor coffee stains which were easily washed off. It reminds me of one my grandmother used. I can't wait to try it out.
I will third the manor in which you perk coffee. You don't want it on high as the article suggests. Percolators should "perk" coffee at a slow perk.
You're not trying to boil the water. Or over heat and burn the coffee which you will by doing so. You're trying to get a slow steady perk going. It takes some practice like anything. Think drip coffee maker... it doesn't perk-perk-perk-perk real fast. It's more of a perk..... perk.... perk...
And of course grind size matters and will effect the taste of your coffee. Experiment to find what you like best as far as grind size. Start with a coarse grind and go finer each time to find your sweet spot of flavor. And you can mix grinds as well. There's no law that says you can't.
Total percolating time is generally between 5 and 10 minutes depending on how you like your coffee and size of percolator.
I use my percolator for herbal tea. Unfortunately I forgot it one day and let the pot boil dry and it shattered. I have the basket and need a new pot but now I don't remember what size my pot was? Can someone tell me what pot fits a basket that is 4 inches across the bottom of metal part of the glass basket? Thanks!
ReplyDeletesounds like a 9 cup. How tall is the glass stem? Two different sizes of 9 cup pyrex percolator pots
DeleteA few notes:
ReplyDelete1) Paper filter are not necessary unless you are afraid of a little seepage from using the finest ground of coffee. This is why you should always use coarse grind with this percolator. bottom part of the basket IS the filter.
2) Start the flame on high, but once you see it percolating and the initially coloring of drippings hit the clean water through the strain basket, turn the flame down on low to maintain a more gentle perc and reasonable temperature that will not exceed 210F. This will ensure that you don't steam the coffee to too high of a temperature.....In the even you do brew too high of a temperature DON'T take the lid off until the coffee has rested considerably. If you do the moisture will escape and the coffee won't be as flavorful and even taste burnt. If you have ever had Dunkin Donuts and couldn't drink it at first because it was too hot, but then it tasted great after resting you should also have noticed the inside of the lid was sweating. You will see the same on the pyrex clear lid to indicate it has properly rested.
Thomas has it right! And there’s no NEED to take off the lid or take anything out. Just perc and pour. Just make sure the rotation is correct so it’s secure when you pour your coffee.
DeleteAnd yes.. I use coarse ground.
I have this percolator but am missing the top part of the filter, the part that covers the grinds. Is there any way to make some kind of cover to keep the grounds in? I tried putting a hole in the bottom of a paper filter and flipping it over, but it didn't work. And I haven't seen just this part for sale on ebay, at least not at a reasonable price.
ReplyDeletethe top spreader plate is for some reason a hard part to find.
DeleteDoes anyone know if the 6/9 cup stem is also usable in the 4/6 cup model? I'm trying to replace the part on a 4/6 cup model. Thanks!
ReplyDeletenot likely. too tall I'd bet.
DeleteI use mine all the time
ReplyDeleteCan you make a heat diffuser out of a metal clothes rack
ReplyDeleteI cut a thick clothes hanger and sanded off the protective coating and bent it into a tri-angle. It works great!
DeleteIve been using my Pyrex 9 cup coffee pot for over 45 years and it makes the best coffee! However, I read in the above comments & instructions that the Pyrex coffee pot should only be used with flame heat and not on an electric element, I use mine on a smooth glass cook top and I've never had any problems brewing delicious coffee. Perhaps an electric cook top with coiled burners may not be safe but the comment didn't specify the burner configuration.
ReplyDeleteElectric coil stoves which was the only option in the 40-50"s when these were made, aside from gas, were the reason for the trivet which came in the box from Pyrex if purchased new. Available on Amazon, search Chemex Trivet.
DeleteI've had an old Pyrex sitting on the shelf for years, and recently started using it. It makes better coffee than my French Press, Pour-Over, Fancy espresso machine, and Keurig.
ReplyDeleteI quite agree!
DeleteI would like to know if anyone has discovered what the basket material is. I’ve been using my 6 and 9 cup Flameware percolators for soups and boiling water only without the percolator baskets because I’m concerned that they are made out of Aluminum. I’ve gotten all Aluminum items out of my kitchen, so this concerns me since I drink about 5 cups of coffee per day.
ReplyDeleteI hope someone has the answer. I don’t know if this is covered somewhere.
Blessings!
Is aluminum bad for you?
Deletetop and bottom of coffee grinds basket (ie; the strainer and spreader plates) are in fact aluminum
DeleteAluminum is bad for mental health. Has anyone found stainless steel replacement parts?
DeleteDo you know talk the stem is? I just bought a 9 cup percolator and the stem is shorter than I remember, and the water is wetting the bottom of the basket. Thank you.
ReplyDeletePyrex made at least 5 different 9 cup percolator models.
Deletesome shared parts such as the 3 interior parts which hold the coffee, but I know of at least 2 different stems and 3 completely different carafes. The biggest difference is in handle design, there must be at least 6 or 7 different handles.
in time and a with a diligent scouring of the internet, I suggest Ebay, YES! Parts are available but educate yourself about these pots and the different models. Pyrex made many different models and not all parts are interchangeable even between the same size pots. Here i use size as in 4, 6 or 9 cup sizes. Some 9 cup pots are much shorter for example than others so the parts need to be from the same model. Many sellers online are less informed about what they have than others.
ReplyDeletesome 9 cup stems are 6.5 some are 7 inches. what model pot?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the instructions !!!
ReplyDeleteI am just trying it out now for the first time.
🙏
My grandma used clr to clean her percolators
ReplyDeleteAre the safe to use on top of a woodstove?
ReplyDeleteif you use a metal trivet designed for glass coffee pots, I don't see why not. They were supplied with these coffee pots from Pyrex originally but are available on Amazon for around $6.00. This is essentially a thick metal wire, bent into a triangle or similar shape that sits under the glass carafe and the surface of the hot metal such as the coil on an older style electric stove.
DeleteDoes anyone know the difference between a 5579 P and a 5579 B?
ReplyDeleteFor a model 775x series:
DeleteThe last numeric digit is the size. A 7754 is a 4 cup.
B designates a part type. A 7754B is the percolator body.
Likewise 7754P is the part number of the percolator stem.
Are you sure about those numbers you provided?
BTW, I have been using my Pyrex percolator and double boiler on a glass top stove for years. The secret is that you never put cold on hot, or IN hot, or vice versa. It will explode! (Especially don't do it by putting a room temp spoon against the inside of the pot that holds your entire annual crop of figs. Sticky, sad, glass shards mess!)
ReplyDeleteI just bought one in mercari but its missing the top strainer cover can I still use it without it....
ReplyDeleteRight you are. Since they were sometimes advertised as 4-6 cup and 6-9 cup, eBay sellers ofen list incorrectly. They will list a 9 cup glass basket as 6 cup. The 4 cup and 6 cup use the same glass basket.The 9 cup basket is bigger and a different shape. The 4/6 cup is narrower,at the top. The 9 cup is narrower at both ends. I am not sure about the pump (stem) interchangeability.
ReplyDeleteJust picked up one today for $5! I’ve been looking for a long time. A little elbow grease and Brillo and is sparkling clean!
ReplyDeleteOh what a great idea to use it for tea! Of course this means procuring some proper loose tea but I will definitely give it a try. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOf course I have two parts but even with a tea cozy the tea doesn’t stay hot whereas in the pie racks it would because you can just heat it up on the stove so this has me thinking it’s a great idea! Cheers
Tea pots not “ two parts”. ☺️
ReplyDeletePyrex not pie racks!!
ReplyDeleteI want to ask about the aluminum issue. My guy and I are concerned about the toxicity of the aluminum parts. Sad because the coffee aroma and taste are sooo good when brewed in our perc!
ReplyDeleteare steel parts available????
Hello, an amazing Information dude. Thanks for sharing this nice information with us. Buy Essential Oil Diffuser Online
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have found these directions..I found this vintage percolator at an antique sale in Maine. I use it every time we lose the power or go camping with the gas stove but I always forget where I’m supposed to fill to. Haha. Camp coffee is the best tasting coffee!
ReplyDelete