Stovetop Percolators

If you're wondering whether or not to buy a stovetop percolator, then rest assured that buying one is generally a good idea. Of course there are some pros and cons to this idea, but in general, if you can't afford a high end Italian espresso maker, then a stovetop espresso maker can be a great substitute at a fraction of the cost of a high end automatic espresso maker.

A good espresso maker costs hundreds of dollars. There are cheaper substitutes available, however they don't make quite as good a shot of espresso. That's where stovetop percolators come in - they make great tasting espresso at a fraction of the cost.

Stovetop percolators are apparently the "original" espresso makers that were first used in Italy. So you're definitely following the best practices of espresso connoisseurs when you use one. 

Using a stovetop percolator is simple. Make sure it is clean, and seperate the parts.

Fill the water reservoir with the desired amount of water. Place the grounds filter on top, then add the grounds. The amount of grounds you use will depend on your preferences - I like strong coffee so I tend to use two or three teaspoons of grounds to make one shot of espresso. I generally press the grounds down evenly, though this is not strictly necessary. Then, screw on the top part of the percolator and put the percolator on the stove. After four or five minutes, your espresso will be ready!

The best stovetop percolators are easy to use, and make great espresso. The Bialetti percolators are among the best stovetop espresso makers out there, although these days there are some other good options available as well.

My favorite coffee drink is the cappuccino, and it's simple to make one with a percolator.

Simple set your percolator on the stove, and while the espresso is being made, make your milk froth. It's important to remember that a cappuccino is 1/3 espresso, 1/3 warm milk and 1/3 milk froth. I like to pour out my milk into a micro-wave safe bowl and then microwave it for one minute.

After that, I simply froth it quickly using my hand-held coffee frother.

After I've poured out the espresso into my mug, I pour an equivalent amount of warm milk into it as well, and then I carefully pour my freshly frothed milk on top. I like to sprinkle some chocolate powder on top, to make my drink even more yummy!