***BEWARE*** This percolator is bad news... I was excited to go back to the robust taste of the perked coffee grandma used to make in her Farberware percolator. This item however is not designed to do that. It will perk the coffee for about 5-7 minutes. All good so far... But then, rather than cutting back to the "keep warm" setting as advertised, it will BOIL THE COFFEE for a solid 5 minutes before it cuts back to "keep warm." Nothing like a yummy BOILED cup of coffee in the morning. I returned the first one because I was sure it was a defect. I received a replacement from Amazon and it did the same thing. At that point I figured that a call to the manufacturer would straighten things out. The nice customer service lady I reached (at a contracted customer service house for all manner of consumer junk manufactured by companies that license the rights to use recognizable names like "Farberware") said that she personally knew nothing about coffee or coffee makers but that when she asked her supervisor on my behalf was informed that this model is designed to BOIL THE COFFEE and that as long as it made something hot and brown it was considered to be working just fine. Bye-bye percolator....

It meets my basic needs. My coffee is much hotter than the drip method which always required a quick 20 sec microwave zap to start. I don't need to do this anymore. However, the inside pour hole is quite small, making it a slow process each time I pour a cup. I suppose for the price, it's what you deserve. I would happily have paid more for a bigger hole if I had but known.

I have always liked my coffee HOT not burnt. This is always uniform hot and as strong as I want. I do transfer my very hot coffee; upon completion of perk process; into a silver crome thermos. Placing the preheated thermos, on the table for all to help themselves. My freshly ground coffee bean was just placed into a coffee pot that will due justice to my chosen bean to please the most discriminating taste. I like coffee beans from around the world but I need that trustworthy coffee pot that does the job right. PS I actually purchased 2 new pots for both n.y. And Florida.

I know this is not the latest and most popular coffee maker on the market but for taste and temperature it beats those fancy systems hands down. The last Faberware percolator lasted me about twenty years. It works well. It takes up less counter space. It makes a better tasting coffee. The coffee is much hotter. This new unit seems a bit lighter and the lid is not as smooth to engage but it is still a great unit. I hope this one lasts as long as my last one!Here it is several months later and I am much less enthusiastic. The cord is so rigid that it easily gets pulled away from the unit but the bigger problem is the lid. It pops off when the pot is brewing. I guess the poster who mentioned the lesser quality of the units made in China was correct. It is highly unlikely this unit will have as long a life as my last one. Can we get some American made products that actually have some quality?

This is my first experience owning a percolating coffee maker. We've had traditional, plastic, top-drip style, coffeepots for years. I didn't expect such a drastic improvement in taste. The bitter aftertaste I've grown accustomed to is gone. I don't know if it's the completely stainless steel interior or the percolating style of brewing, but I'm a believer. But, lest this turn into a debate of percolating vs. drip-style coffee makers, let's move on to the pros and cons.Pros:- Stainless steel construction is always superior to plastic for anything food-related (or drink-related). It's so much easier to keep clean and won't degrade like plastic or cloud up like glass. The polished look of the exterior and components is very nice.- While I'm not generally a fan of plastic parts, the parts that are made from plastic on this unit are sensible. The plastic handles make it possible to grab the lid or the pot without a hot-pad. The plastic base helps prevent damage to countertops or tables, either from burning, scratching, or gouging.- The handle on the pot is nicely balanced, so pouring is smooth and easy whether the pot is full or nearly empty. This is definitely a plus compared to the traditional "restaurant-style" pots that almost strain the wrist as they become empty.- The cup-a-minute brew rate is as advertised (though a "cup" is only something like 5 ounces). I filled the pot up to the 6-cup mark this morning, and it brewed in about 6 minutes. It's easy to tell when the brewing is complete because it stops making the typical percolator "putt-putt-POP" sound. It then goes into "keep warm" mode, so a hot cup can be had long after the brewing is done (great for us cup-every-other-hour types).Cons:- The handle on the lid seems a bit of a weak link. The lid snaps on pretty tightly, requiring a bit of strain on the plastic handle to get the lid off. I like the seal this provides, but I worry about the longevity of the top handle over time. Then again, the lid closure may loosen a little over time, too.- The cord is very short, only about 2 feet long. This limits the placement of the pot while brewing or warming. This probably isn't a problem in most kitchens, but if this would be purchased for an office or other room with less abundant outlets, the length could be an issue. Most people don't have short extension cords with grounding (three-prong) lying around.- It's a little noisy, but that's a characteristic of percolators in general, with this being no exception.The Bottom Line:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is a well-made percolator, made from a good combination of stainless steel and plastic. There's a lot to like about it, including the balance, polish, operation, and of course, the taste of the coffee it makes. The only cons are either nit-picky with the noise and cord length, or speculative with the longevity of the lid handle. It definitely earns 5 stars. I'd recommend it to my friends, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

Fantastic coffee for a short time. Now it must be a defective heating element some reviews have mentioned. Coffee perk time short, week coffee, not hot. Have contacted Faberware to replace under warrenty. Also glad I purchased 3yr. SquareTrade replacement warrenty in case there are further problems. I had Presto that lasted 2 yrs. and figured if perculators only last that long I 'll get another for $10,(warrenty cost) instead of $70. (new perk). Never thought I'd have to deal with replacement so soon though!