Farberware FCP240 2-4-Cup Percolator, Stainless Steel

I've happilly enjoyed Farberware's larger 20-cup electric percolator that is still brewing some wonderful coffee after 10 years. All I had to replace was the electric cord, which petered out after 3 years.

I've had this model for a few months and think that it will also last a long, long time (don't know about the cord, though). This machine looks terrifically retro, is easy to clean and keeps the coffee consistenly hot for hours. After tasting coffee here, you won't go back to your old drip machine.

My advice to you is:

1. Don't overfill the basket with grinds, because it's very easy to make a STRONG cup of coffee with this. We like strong coffee, so this is a good thing.

2. Clean it w/soap & water as soon as you are finished with it to protect the pot. I also clean it out with Dip-It every 6 weeks or so to remove the coffee stains from the inside and make it shiny and new-looking.

3. At most supermarkts you can buy little paper disc filters that sit in the bottom... Read more

First, I have to say these units really do make the very best tasting coffee. But, I think Farberware's manufacturing quality has taken a nose-dive at some point over the last twenty years.

Both my mom and my mother-in-law used these Farberware percolators for years and years without breakdowns. In fact, my mother-in-law's 8 cupper is still going strong and she's been using it since before I met my wife in 1980. Then, about 21 years ago, we got a 12-cup Farberware percolator for a wedding present and used it for over 15 years without any problem. It ceased operation one morning and I assigned it to old age. 15+ years is all I could ask of a product that's used almost every day even though it has no moving parts.

However, since then, probably around 1996-1997, we've owned three other Farberware percolators, all 12-cup models. Each one has had one or more problem including broken top, broken base, broken handle, bad cord and electrical shorting. Now, I wouldn't say we pamper... Read more

had one for over ten years, loved it. now they're made in china and i've had to buy 2 in the last year. i'm an aircraft mechanic and the thermostat has failed. it's a 5 dollar part and farberware refuses to sell the part or even identify the part number for it. if the coffemaker is within 18 months of the datecode on the bottom they'll replace it. what a waste of time and effort!! if i had the part i could fix it in ten minutes. farberwares' customer service reps on the phone are the worst. you can get the thermostat for the larger models probably because of the higher cost. if this were an aircraft, there would be an emergency bulletin sent out to replace the part with one that is more reliable. farberware has really dropped the ball on quality and service. if this were one of my products i would be embarrassed to sell it. i would recall the entire lot until it was fixed. if you google fcp412 you'll find dozens of complaints.