The 9 Best Camping Percolators (Bought & Tested!)

Brew Time

For brew time (10% of the overall score), I timed the time to first perk (when the water starts boiling and percolation starts) and the time of complete brew, using medium heat. Fastest complete brew first:

*3-cup = 18oz of water, 6-cup = 36oz. The GSI Glacier’s figure is at its 2.5-cup (15oz) max. The Bialetti’s 6 cups are 2oz espresso cups (11oz of water). I timed until coffee started oozing into the collector.

• Complete brew: First perk + about 7 minutes of percolating on medium-low heat, so a 6-cup brew took 14 to 17 minutes
• Bialetti: Done in about half the time of a traditional percolator
• Materials: Stainless steel is generally a bit slower to first perk than enamel and aluminum. The Stanley was slowest of all, because its narrow base takes longer to heat the water
• Margin: All timings are estimates and can vary by 1-2 minutes with factors like surrounding temperature

Capacity

For capacity (20%), I compared each brand’s marketed maximum against my own tested maximum and minimum. The most flexible range first:

*1 cup = 6oz of water (the Bialetti’s are 2oz espresso cups, the GSI Glacier’s are GSI’s 5oz cups). Basket max = the filter basket packed to the brim.

• Only 2 of 9 marketed capacities survived testing: The Stanley and the Farberware. Some were just slightly overstated, and some were way off base
• How I tested the max: Filled with water to the bottom of the spout holes without boiling over. The Stansport and GSI Enamelware boiled over even way below the holes

• Don’t pack the basket to the brim: The basket can overflow and put grounds in the coffee. This happened on my Coletti, Stansport and Coleman, so I reduced their maximums. My dose: about 10-11 grams (0.35-0.39oz) of coarse grounds per cup
• The min matters too: Too little water and not enough gets pushed up the stem, so you get really diluted coffee, or just clear water with grounds
• Steam loss: Expect 1-2 cups less coffee than the water you fill, and use a coarse grind for a drinkable last cup
• Least flexible: The Stansport brews exactly 5 cups (no more, no less), and the Bialetti’s capacity can’t be altered or the coffee over-extracts

Ease of Use

For ease of use (30%), I looked at the cup or water level markings, the perk knob, the heat-resistance of the handle, the lid, stability, and grounds in the last cup. The most user-friendly first:

• Easiest markings to see: The Stanley and Bialetti’s protrusions; the Coletti and Farberware’s are inked (harder to see, since the Farberware’s sit behind the handle); the enamels have none, and their spout holes can’t even be used as a gauge because they boil over below them
• Perk knobs: Every percolator has one except the Stansport, which has a small rounded handle instead
• My favorite handle: The Stanley’s generously-sized removable silicone grip (take it off and the pot works over an open flame); the Coletti’s rosewood is a close second, and even its steel plate and rivets stayed cool on a medium flame

• Worst handles: The sunken-middle Stansport, GSI Enamelware and Coleman, all uncomfortable and hot, and the Coleman is the worst because it’s the heaviest
• Potholders needed only for the Stanley, Stansport and GSI Enamelware’s loose lids. The Coletti and GSI Glacier’s hinges hold the lid closed while pouring, and the Bialetti’s plastic top presses closed
• Stability: All fine except the top-heavy Stanley, whose 4in base is narrower than its 4.5in lid
• Grounds in the last cup: Minimal for all 9 (none at all for the Bialetti) as long as nothing overflowed; filter holes measure about 1mm, the Coletti’s 2mm, so no issue with a coarse grind

Ease of Clean Up

For ease of clean up (10%), I cleaned every percolator the same way, by dumping the grounds, taking apart all the componentry, and running water through them. The easiest first:

*Dishwasher info is from each brand’s product info or buyer reviews, because I don’t have a dishwasher. The Farberware is dishwasher-safe except for its knob and spring.

• All pretty easy to clean, but the Bialetti leaves zero oily residue; the others feel a bit oily after rinsing, so I percolate water and sometimes use soap
• Flimsy hinges: The Stansport and GSI Enamelware’s lid hinges bend with just my fingers
• Coletti care: The rosewood’s finish dulls slightly over time, so avoid washing the handle too much
• Farberware quirk: The rolled lip traps a bit of water and the small spout hole drains slowly, but a towel sorts it out

Quality

For quality (30%), I looked at the coffee pot, the inner percolator, the perk knob, and the finish of the materials. The highest quality first:

• Stainless > aluminum > enamel: My 5 stainless steel pots were the highest quality, and only the Coletti, GSI Glacier and Stanley are specifically 18/8, food-grade stainless steel (only Coletti publishes its gauge: 18)
• Caliper check: The Coletti measures slightly heavier gauge than the GSI Glacier: handle plate 1.3mm vs 1.0mm, spout 0.6mm vs 0.5mm
• Stanley: Noticeably lighter gauge, and a small dent appeared in its base a few weeks in, without ever being dropped
• Aluminum inners bend: 2 of my 3 bent within a few months (the Stansport slightly, the Primula severely); none of the stainless ones did. The Primula also started staining after just a couple of uses

• Enamel = rust: The Stansport had slight rust and coffee stains out of the box; the GSI Enamelware had heavier rusting and even chipping
• Replacement knobs: Only Coletti (glass) and GSI Outdoors (glass or resin) sell them, which is a big reason I like those two brands. And don’t screw a glass knob in too tightly; it needs space to expand when hot
• Bialetti bonus: No knob or moving parts to break at all, and I’ve only had to replace the gasket after a few years