All you ever wanted to know (and some things you probably didn't) about percolators.
Key difference being that the moka pot separates the brewed coffee from the clean water, whereas percolators re-heat brewed coffee to be circulated back through the grounds (thus burning a significant quantity of the resulting brew).
No, the moka pot is different from a percolator. A percolator produces coffee in a method similar to drip coffee, where as the moka pot produces coffee under pressure (making it slightly more similar to espresso)
In a percolator, the coffee drips back into the water/heating chamber, while in the moka it bubbles into a separate chamber. In the percolator the coffee continues to boil after brewing.
Oh damn I'm going to be one of those guys. Apologies in advance.
Burr grinders, especially manual ones, are fairly cheap. A $40 Hario Mini Mill does a fine job at a fine grind, and won't produce as much powder as the blade grinder.
Pre-heating the water before filling the base will reduce time on the stove, which will help prevent the grounds from cooking while they brew.
I’m not convinced I can taste the difference. People think they can. ;)
A better grinder may help avoid powder that can be a problem with some brew methods. And a nicer manual grinder will usually grind faster, which can be convenient in the morning.
But I used a blade grinder and a French press for years. It’s fine. :)
I've been using mine more frequently during the lockdown but I notice that sometimes a lot of water is left in the base. Happens maybe a third of the time even though I follow your routine to the tee. Any ideas what might be causing that?
It's normal for water to still be in the bottom, since the funnel piece doesn't touch all the way down
Some tips/common issues:
1. Make sure the base is screwed on tight. An air leak could cause water to be left (and burnt coffee)
2. The gasket on the top chamber could need replacing (try wrapping a towel tightly around the seam if you can't get a gasket easily/quickly)
3. The coffee could be packed too tightly
4. The bottom chamber could have water above/in line with the safety valve. This will cause the safety valve to leak water
5. Clogged filters in the top chamber or funnel piece