Side by Side Comparison of: West Bend vs Hamilton Beach

This is my second one and I really like the short time it takes to perk and the larger numbers that measure the cups.

What great coffee pot!! Bought this over a year ago it gets used every single day often twice. The coffee is super hot and tasty. Everyone asks my secret and I tell them I swear by percolated coffee and this pot delivers every time

Love love love this coffee maker. We have a Cusinart percolator that was much more expensive and doesn't work as well! Too much grinds got in the coffee, tried all types of ground but nothing made a difference.However, the West Bend lets very few grinds into the finished coffee. It's fantastic.I highly recommend the West Bend if you want the best coffee maker and richest tasting coffee for the best price.

I am "old school" and grew up with a percolator. When my drip pot went on the fritz, I decided to go back to a percolator and see what I thought. I really like it! The coffee is great, I don't use as much of it and it's just as fast as a drip maker. This pot cleans up very easily, pours with NO drips or dribbles (unlike any other drip maker I have ever had) and takes up less room on my counter. I am very glad I purchased it and recommend it.

You can't beat the simplicity. We got tired of fiddling with the old drip maker just to get luke-warm coffee that never tasted right. This one makes nice hot coffee that can be easily tailored to your taste be adding more or less grounds. It seemed like the drip maker coffee always came out the same, regardless of the amount of coffee or water we put in it. I love the fact that it is so simple there's not even an on/off switch. Just fill it up and plug it in. This was a huge improvement in taste that got even better when we bought a water filter, also here on Amazon. Brewing strong now for 3 and a half years! Thanks Amazon.

I consider myself knowledgeable about percolators because I have been using vintage models for the past six years. Percolators from the 1950s and 60s were a highly polished chrome and sleek in design. I've gone through three of them prior to finally buying a new one. I settled on this model and definitely made the right choice. Here is why I love percolators and how this model ranks:1) Great-tasting coffee.I've always preferred the taste of percolated coffee. The model doesn't have settings for brew strength like some of the vintage models but the manufacturer's setting is perfect for my taste.2) Good-looking compared to auto-drip.This model is OK but not as shiny and "mod" in design as the originals, but it's attractive.3) No need to spend money on filters. No worries about dioxin from paper filters or paper affecting taste. Less waste.Applies here!4) Pleasant sounding WHOOSH!...WHOOSH! as the coffee heats up and can be seen in the clear bubble top.Applies here except that West Bend has a plastic bubble top instead of glass. That's better in one way because you don't have to worry about breaking it, but I prefer to not have my hot coffee come in contact with plastic. Not a big deal.5) You can place the percolator filled with hot coffee on a table unlike a glass pot from a auto-drip maker so that if you are entertaining or want to bring the "pot" of coffee with you, simply unplug then remove the plug from the percolator.This model does just that!6) No splashing or spilling when you pour coffee!The spout on this percolator is precision-perfect. Whenever I poured from an auto-drip carafe it almost always spilled a little no matter how carefully I poured.Keep in mind that you can't submerge a percolator in water. I recommend using filtered water for better tasting coffee and to prolong the life of your percolator. I wash mine by rinsing it out with hot water and I Windex the outside as needed. I've not had a problem with build-up. The inside is stainless so it rinses very well.I'm very happy with my purchase.

Best coffee pot ever! After years of Coffee Makers that break down, warming plate rust out and need constant system cleaning. At Last the good old standard coffee percolator is again the best of all. This HB Percolator is super easy to clean and coffee taste better than any coffee maker. Stays hot all day! A true plus!! We do 10 cups daily and coffee is ready in 6 minutes from time it is plugged in. Can't say enough great about this. We will never go back to the old coffee maker version!!!! The only down side if any is that its a bit difficult to see the water level located under the handle. We use our old coffee maker glass pot to measure the correct amount of water and pour it into the pot.

I got this to replace an older, failing percolator. So far, my household is very pleased with it!Pros:- FAST! Packaging stated <1 minute per cup, which we have found to be accurate- Makes GREAT coffee!- NO aluminum parts touching the coffee to ruin the taste! All parts of this percolator that come in contact with the coffee are stainless steel.- Glass knob, not plastic- Auto shut-off kicks in when the coffee (or hot water, if you're using it as an electric kettle) is ready, and goes into "keep warm" mode- Has a water-level viewing window in the handle- Ready light- No-drip spout really doesn't drip- No measuring grounds! Filter basket is pre-marked with fill lines for appropriate amount of grounds, from 4-12 cups.- Filter basket rests on a spring wrapped around the stem, which allows it to pop up slightly when lid removed for easy basket retrieval! LOVE this featureCons:- Did not come with power cord, but this may be because I purchased an open-box item that was used as an in-store display. Since it does use a standard 2-prong percolator cord, this was only a minor inconvenience.- Holes on filter basket are large enough to allow some grounds to wash through if not using a coarse blend ground specifically for percolators, or grinding your own beans. However, this is easily mitigated by use of a paper filter disk or wrap filter.Overall, I'm very pleased with this percolator! It's thoughtfully designed, makes great coffee with no metallic taste, and cleans up easily.

I ordered this coffee percolator, after the first one I ordered was not going to be delivered for about 6 weeks. It does the job.The manufacturing could be better - the materials appear thin and cheaply made, but it makes a great cup of coffee, fast!IMPORTANT: As another reviewer stated, what makes it work PERFECTLY, is to remove the spring, and stretch it out. THEN, the basket is pushed up against the lid, which means that the lid fits, the top of the basket does not spill grounds out into your coffee, and the percolator operates as it SHOULD!Seems the manufacturer could take a hint from the reviewers, and stretch out the spring before it is shipped to the customers.

This percolator is the best coffee maker I could find and purchased it replacing my automatic drip maker. If you think about it -- with any other maker, you are leaving water in or a wet coffee maker reservoir that you cannot clean or dry. This is a great warm wet place to grow bacteria. And then, you drink this mess in the morning. Not me! This is well made all Stainless Steel percolator with a glass lid so you can see the coffee color as it perks. It has a blue brewing light that turns green when it is ready to drink. A real plus is that it makes great coffee. The only problem you will have is finding "percolator-ground" coffee. I have a source of whole beans with a grinder that allows me to make course ground coffee for my percolator. I, also, bought 3/8 inch brushes to clean the 1/4 inch percolator tube.

We've been using a single cup "pod" coffee machine for a few years, along with a reusable metal screen filter. For those times when we want to make multiple servings at once, we purchased this percolator. This HB percolator is very solid feeling, and the glass top is a nice touch. Filling it with cold water, the full twelve cups is ready in twelve minutes. The coffee tastes great. The hole is large enough that I can put my entire hand inside for a good cleaning.

I've had this now for two months and love it! I've been using drip coffee makers for 25 years. When my last one died only after a year I thought it was time for a change. I also have a french press and single serve Kuerig which or ok, but each have their own issues. I make coffee every day and bring it in to work in a travel mug. When using the Kuerig the coffee wouldn't stay hot for the whole 25 min ride. With the HB percolator, the coffee stays hot for the whole trip into work and then some. The coffee also tastes better than any of the other coffee makers I've had. The percolator is well made and easy to use. I love the clear locking top and fill level. I usually make about 6 cups in the morning and its been taking about 9 min consistently. When its done the light turns green to tell you its done so there's no guessing. If you grind your own coffee just be aware you'll have to adjust the grind to be a little coarser compared to the drip coffee makers. So far I'm very happy with this purchase. Well worth the money!

This was a gift for my Sister. After a few months, the body of the percolator became out of round. That made the lid nearly impossible for her to remove. I called West Bend and they sent her a brand new percolator. She is very happy with it.

We've used this percolator daily since July of this year. Really, it's been great, no issues whatsoever. In the past few weeks, however, we've had difficulty removing the plug from the base of the percolator. Rather than just the plug coming out, the whole segment that houses the wiring has coming out as well. It takes a bit of effort to unplug it from the base without this happening. That's really the only complaint we've had. We use pre-ground coffee with the percolator and have had the best flavor results with Starbucks Pike Place blend.

Makes great tasting coffee but the cord is too short which is ok when moving the pot to the table but can interfere with sometimes pouring. I will try to find a replacement cord for this model that is much longer

hard to clean, but makes great coffee. I tried to find another pot that would be easier to clean but they didn't make coffee that taste as good, so I use it and go through the pain of cleaning it. The coffee is good and hot.

I reviewed lots of percolators before settling on this one. The biggest selling point was the water level indicator on the pot surface, under handle (not visible in photo). That helps a lot. I'm glad I made the transition from drip coffee maker to percolator as the coffee is much better. The clean up is not any more difficult than a drip coffee maker, IMO. The coffee is VERY hot when ready. The bonus is that we now only make one pot -- the hubby takes his out very early but mine is still tasty and hot enough, even 2 hours or more later. (It is not quite as hot as when immediately done brewing.)I've rarely experienced grounds in the coffee but have learned not to fill this pot past 10 cups and to let it settle after the last perk cycle. Dunkin' Donuts pre-ground coffee works fine. (8/1/16 update: I haven't found perk-ground to make a difference.) I've also used the Melita disk filters -- one on bottom of coffee basket and one laid very lightly on top. I'm not sure they matter, given that the coffee basket seems well designed. (8/1/16 update: I have given up the filters with better results)Yes, as others have mentioned, this lid fits very tightly. I don't try to take it off until the pot has cooled! It is very hot to the touch when the perk cycle completes. (8/1/16: the plastic knob has not held up well, one of the plastic tabs worn and lid is now difficult to remove, still very tight.)

So far all is going well with this purchase. I had a West Bend {persimmon colored} in the early 80's, it made the best tasting coffee with little clean up or care, meaning the manufacturer's recommendations. I have had 3 SS {single serve} coffee machines. They each worked for maybe 6-9 months, the SS cups were getting too expensive for the times,... I have one of those which still functions, sometimes,.. I also use another coffee machine, not a SS which I really like,... everyone in the family is a coffee drinker, so I am always looking for a functioning system,... I thought about the WB & started searching for one that looked & functioned the way the one from the 80's did,... I came across this one. We follow the instructions for cleaning & use, & have had "no" problems yet. We use one serving full tsp. for each cup & one for the pot,... it is delicious every time. I love listening to it perk & being able to see through the clear top {I do not believe it is glass}, I just wish it came in the same color as my older model. {That color machine,... that sound of the perk & that taste of the coffee is what I was going for.... love it !Update*Early October this coffee maker just stopped working,... early sign of dysfunction coffee got extremely hot, would not automatically shutoff,.. then just would not start again. Loved it while it worked,... it just didn't work for long!!!{It worked 5 months, that's all, and that is sad}

This is my first percolator purchase... I would buy it again!I was looking for something that would replicate the coffee my great-great grandmother made me as a child. It had a strong aroma, lots of body and could put hair on your chest!!!! Low and behold, this did the trick. I've had numerous brands and types run through all great... I've over packed the basket and boy was it strong.... the under packed basket was ok. 1 and a half tablespoons per cup seems to do the trick. Now all my money goes to buying coffee, cream and pastries! Only wish there was an auto shutdown.*Edited to add* after 2.5 months, it stopped making the pig snoring noise and started to make a whimpering noise. So now, every few pots is weak as hell and I never can tell when. So buy with caution.

I'm glad that the Hamilton Beach twist lid percolator is all stainless steel inside (although there are a couple of bolts fastening the handle). It is a good size, and pours easily. It is, however, really really cheaply made - the lid is very thin and edges are a bit sharp. Hoping it lasts awhile, but definitely be aware this isn't made like they used to be.

It got a little beaten up in shipping but not enough to bother with a return. It makes coffee really fast. I like that the lights are blue and green - no red. Also, I use a common drip filter - I just punch it down over the stem.This is a follow up to the my original review. I got this coffee maker in August and used it about once or twice a week through the fall, winter and spring until the beginning of June when it died this morning. RIP It was a good coffee maker up until the end. But I think I will try a different coffee maker to replace it.

We tend to "oscillate" between perc and drip style coffee makers, and so when our last drip model died we looked for a perc and bought this HB version. It is well made with only one little quality glitch that does not affect use - the lock/unlock icon on the lid doesn't properly line up with the indicator on the side of the pot. I just rotate until the lid finds it's place and then turn. The fill lines inside the pot are reflected in a built-in meniscus level indicator inside the handle. The unit starts heating up almost immediately upon plugging it in and quickly makes coffee in just a few minutes. The bright indicator light on the front is a nice feature that starts out blue and turns green when perc is completed and in warm mode. I expect that the pot will provide years of service delivering the aroma and taste that only a percolator can.

This percolator served me well for 11 months before it failed. After paying Hamilton Beach Warranty $12 for handling I received a Deep Fryer. I notified them of the OOPS. I few days later I received the replacement percolator and the following day I returned the Deep Fryer via a UPS label they emailed me. I would expect the percolator to operate for more than a year, but I wish to let readers know I am pleased with the warranty process. I actually brought two percolators from amazon at the same time, the other is a Presto 02811 which I have been using since the failure of the Hamilton Beach. I deem the Hamilton Beach to be superior for two objective points - 1. a clear dome that allows to see the coffee as it percolates (you may not want to waiting until the brew cycle is complete before your first cup). 2. the indicator light illuminates blue when you plug it in (assures you that you do have power) and the same light glows green at the end of the percolating cycle ( let's me know the percolation as stopped and the pot is still plugged in or I should say "unplug the darn thing before I leave the house"). The Presto is working as it should and I have no negative opinions of it actually making coffee. This could have been a 2 star review had I not been for the Warranty Dept.

I'm so happy to have a percolator again, I think they make the best coffee outside of a french press. The coffee is nice and hot, the perc is fast. The little water level indicator is handy. I like that the inside of the coffee maker is smooth without a lot of nooks and crannies that would make it hard to clean like my old ones. I'm not really thrilled by the length of the cord, though. It's very short, which is great for toasters and stationary devices, but for a pot that needs to be picked up and poured from it's inconvenient. I had to actually move where I usually put my coffee pot to a more inconvenient place in my kitchen just because my outlet was on the left side of the counter and the cord was too short for me to pour coffee with my right hand. I also feel that the percolator is loud, it's certainly louder than either of my old ones. It seems to be built well, and hopefully it will last as long as my ancient ones. I like the twist top, too. I feel it's more secure for the pour. Altogether, it's a good bargain, in my opinion.

Coffee is hot, percolates fast but not long enough. The coffee is mild. Wish I didn't buy a complete waste of money and time.

Great coffee pot, but if the cord was any shorter I'd not be able to use it without it being butt up against the wall. Such a great coffee pot but thumbs down on cord

Although I admit I have not done any scientific testing, I do not believe that this is stainless steel. The interior feels very much like aluminum and the outer shell actually feels like plastic, or at least a plastic coating. The percolator is ok, but I'd really like to know about the quality control and if there is any way to find out if it's truly stainless steel. If it is stainless steel, it's thin and low quality.

Maybe I am expecting too much from this new coffee pot. The last one I had was a Hamilton Beach and I thought it was broken or poorly made but this one does the exact same thing. Starting with about 54 degree well water it will sit and sputter after being plugged in for maybe three or four minutes while actually pushing a small amount of water up through the tube about every thirty seconds. This interval slowly decreases until it is pushing water nonstop at a speed the basket cannot handle (I keep the baskets bottom holes clean and open before every use, I use Folgers Black Silk coffee exclusively), causing grounds to float out the top of the basket. Other than that it makes good coffee if grounds don't bother you, I just use an old wire mesh strainer to filter the grounds out. Again, modern technology (design and manufacturing methods/processes/quality) has to improve on the tried and true making things work just barely adequately for what they are designed to do.

First time I used the pot it was great. Made terrible noise when perculating but the coffee was good. The second time I used the pot it kicked my breakers off in the kitchen. I checked everything and reset breakers - plugged in the pot and again it threw the breakers. I tried the pot in every outlet and each time it kicked out my kitchen breaker. I sat the pot aside and went back to my K-cups. Got an idea that the cord might be bad so I went to my old perc coffee pot and used that plug for this pot and OMG it worked and has worked ever since.

Pros: In comparison with the previous version of this model that had an iron nut inside of the container and in contact with the stainless steel body, the present version is totally stainless steel in contact with boiling water. The prior version permitted corrosion of the nut and eventually led to the bottom separating from the boiler; the current model should avoid this catastrophe. Also, the heater starts the boiling with only a few seconds delay and brews an excellent cup of coffee.Cons: The power cord is too short and is easily separated from the coffee pot's power receptacle during pouring. Also, the calibrated measuring column is inaccurate. A cup size is 8 fluid ounces and the column is off by a factor of twol. Thus 12 cups on the column is actually 6 true cups capacity.

Some days coffee is very hot...other days just warm..Not sure what the problem is...But will use until the warm days outnumber the hot days...then in the trash it goes.

Makes an awesome cup of coffee, but the cord that comes with it is only 2 feet long. This is not feasible or workable in todays kitchens. I had to order a cord of another supplier. Contacted Hamilton Beach and they only send these mico short cords citing some safety issues, I had never purchased a kitchen appliance with a 2 foot cord! This is the only reason I rated it 3 stars.

I have had 4 of these percolators in the past few years. I love the coffee they make, when working properly, but I am barely getting one years use out of them before the heating element goes awry and they start scorching the coffee. Have decided to try the Presto percolator this time, and I'm also going to buy a carafe. I'm the type who will drink coffee all day on the weekends, so that may be why I burn the heating element up so fast.

Noisy. The pot grinds and rattles during perk - sounds like it is about to fly off the counter. The perk flings the ground all around and they end up inside the cooked coffee. When cleaning the basket and lid - the grounds are everywhere. I tried adjusting the height of the water and found that if I get too close to the opening of the spout inside the pot, then the ground are worse. The lower the water level the more contained the grounds are inside the basket. I even tried a basket filter and it doesn't make any difference. It is better than the pot I had, but I am disappointed. Makes a nice cup of coffee.

It is nice to have an indicator light and gauge for water level. Pours nicely without running down the side of the spout. The warming feature is good to have. The hole for filling is a bit small for mens hands. The biggest drawback is the bathroom noises that it makes when it is starting up...gurgling, coughing, spitting, passing gas, you know the noises. Very unpleasant if there are guests. The noises are exaggerated when the pot is sitting on a formica counter so I put a hot-pad underneath and that quieted it a little. But, it is still very noisy if you are up early and don't want to wake anybody else in the house. Cleaned easily with a rinse and wipe down.

There are other percolators. The glass top is nice on this one, for those who rnjiy watching the water bubble up, and change from clear to the "coffee" color.A nice pour spout, plastic bottom, seems sturdier enough, easy to clean. Perk up your mornings with a bubbly start at the sound of your morning Java perking.UPDATE: 2/12/17 I've since realized after many perks and as many week cups of coffee, first scoops do not correspond with the measurement markings. And the basket markings seem too small for the cup narkings., if one would fill the basket with grounds to 8 - corresponding with the 8 reading on the pot, oneceoukd rnd up with a weak unsatisfying pot of coffee. Lesson learned. Fill the basket to at least a marking above the amount of cups you think your making.

I guess for a percolator it's okay. It does what it is supposed to do. A great cup of coffee? No, not by a long shot. It is okay but feels cheaply made. The old percolators had a basket that would stand on it's own, this one does not do that, looks cheap, feels cheap and really doesn't perk like the old pots used to. Going back to the plastic tasting drip coffee maker instead of percolator burnt taste coffee.

Returned immediately. The product I received had already been used, and there were water stains in the coffee pot. Would not reorder.

I really like this coffee pot until I started filling it up to 12 cups, then the coffee grounds were everywhere. I use the filter back it goes out the top. How do you make the coffee grounds keep from going out the top when it is peculating?

This percolator works great - the coffee comes out hot and delicious. My only problem with in involved the electrical plug. After about a month of daily use, unplugging the cord from the base of the unit caused the wire innards to pull out with it. I have been just shoving the innards back into the base when using the percolator, so it is more of an inconvenience than an actual problem. But I shouldn't have to play with the wires at all. So I am in the process of replacing the West Bend model with a Hamilton Beach unit that I hope is assembled better and lasts longer. So to sum up, great coffee, but flimsy.

I bought this because my Grandmother had one of these and its all she used. It made the best coffee EVER.. So I get this one in the mail. I will admit it makes GREAT coffee. But they are made cheap. The clear top is plastic after using the machine 4 times the seal on the plastic cracked making a mess. I do not understand why products from the 50's and 60's still work great but the so called great high tech crap breaks in 4 days. Grrrrr Please people if it worked great back in the day why change it? I posted a pic below to show where it was leaking. From what Ive read on all the other machines they are doing the same thing. ;(

I've had it just over a year now, and the mechanism does not run as long as it once did, therefore making weak coffee. Some days it's fine, while other days, I have to unplug it, wait for it to cool for a few minutes, then plug it back in to get the pot to run a few more 'perks' of water through the grounds. I feel I've been using more and more coffee just to get a good cup. After it's done and I pour my cup, I have to heat it up for 30 seconds or so in the microwave to get it to the temperature it used to make the coffee when the percolator was new.If it just ran a little longer it might be good. But I guess the temperature issue triggers it to stop perking, and I get weak coffee more than half of the time. I'm tired of having to reheat the coffee in the microwave. I'm replacing the West Bend Percolator today.

Beware! I am adding a new section to this review. Just heard from Hamilton Beach that they won't do any product support on anything bought on Amazon because we don't have a paper receipt--they don't accept the emailed transaction. Here is a copy of their response:HB: Unfortunately, we are unable to accept a copy and paste as proof of purchase.If you are able, please attach a copy of your receipt in a reply email or fax it to my attention (Jess W.) including your name, first and last, at 910-693-4246.Please do not discard your appliance.  Please be sure to include your original email when responding. Thank you again for contacting Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.  We look forward to further assisting you.Jess W. Consumer AffairsBought two of these...one for me, because I like decaf, and one for husband who likes full test. One works beautifully. The other never fully percs the coffee--after light turns green, there is just slightly brown water in the pot, and it tastes like it looks--too weak to be anything useful. Trying to get this defective pot replaced, however, is proving to be difficult. If you are lucky to get a pot that works...you'll love this. If you get one that doesn't--like we did--you won't be a happy customer.

There's a reason that technology marched on...if you want the retro "fun" of dissembling the pot and cleaning it's 5 separate pieces, yes 5, then you'll love this. Beyond the annoyance of all the cleaning, frankly the coffee is just not that good. It totally lacks the depth and richness of a good brew. Make it stronger you may think. I did too, but that just made a bigger mess and didn't improve the flavor at all.My grandma loved her old percolator, but that's just because she never had a modern machine.

The percolation is excellent. The glass dome spreads the water over the top of the filter basket with excellent coverage. This increases efficiency in terms of potency per unit volume of coffee grounds. The heating element heats up to percolation temperature faster than my older perc of the same class and sure enough, completes the percolation cycle a minute or two faster.The filter basket strain openings are relatively large compared to my older perc of the same class. It’s hard to describe but with my older West Bend, they are tight slits that you could barely get a hair through. With this unit they are more like apertures that you could easily put a sewing needle through. More grounds get through and the brew is muddier. No problem for me. I was going to use the basket from my older perc since it’s the same size, shape, form and fit all around except for the strain slits. Otherwise I would have had to consider paper filters or sending it back.In addition to the usual huffing and puffing and rumbling and roaring sounds you would expect from a perc of this type, this one adds some slurping and popping sounds at the outset of the perc cycle. I believe this is just due to temperature inversions between the water and metal while the heating element heats up relatively quickly while the water is cold. The slurping and the less-often popping subside and ultimately cease after just a minute or two.The glass top is excellent. The lid is composed of an old-school Pyrex-type dome-like glass top fused to a stainless steel base with silicone adhesive/sealant or something like that. Spreads the water over the top of the filter basket with excellent coverage.The status indicator is excellent and state-of-the-art. As opposed to how it appears in the picture, it’s actually a crystal-clear lens over very bright LED’s. These are not color-filtered white light. These are a pure green light-emitting diode and a pure blue one that are more or less invisible behind the clear external lens when off. Comes on one color (can’t remember which) as soon as you plug it in and remains so thru perc cycle. Switches to other color as soon as perc cycle ends and stays so for as long as it remains plugged in.The AC power receptacle on the perc is excellent. It’s the old-school widely spaced pair of cylindrical prongs. The mating plug on the cord is Bakelite-bodied! I haven’t seen one of these in decades if my recollection is correct. Amazing.There were some poor manufacturing qualities and flaws that didn’t bother me too much. The indentations on the inside of the rim to accommodate the lid-locking are flat, cold-pressed into the steel rather than hot-formed/contoured. Center post of basket was a little out of plumb vertically so as to require jimmying to get the basket lid to get seated all the way. Was afraid to try to straighten it for fear of breakage. Distinct very small off-color spot on the pot exterior that I think is either a piece of slag that was rolled in to the steel when it was rolled or else a solder patch to fix a nick or gauge. No biggies.The bottom is a somewhat thin layer of some kind of plastic or polymer. It’s not Bakelite but fair enough.Here's the kicker. It took me a while to figure this out, but the bottom line is that the stand-off extrusions you see in the picture on the bottom of the base, were gone. It was plain to see where they were and that they had been machine-milled off. It is not for looks that these are needed but to provide ventilation needed to prevent overheating underneath. They were milled away flush to the surface of the base ring. The cavity up underneath would have shallow enough to begin with! Without the stand-offs it’s even shallower AND the contact with the counter-top is now an unventilated solid ring. That’s why, when it sits there for an hour or two, the bottom gets incredibly hot as does the counter top. A lot of water condensation as well. The longer it sits, the hotter this gets. The heat build-up is bound to eventually damage the counter-top surface. In the case of formica, it’s bound to eventually warp and de-laminate it. It’s also potentially a safety hazard. This appears to be a mfg or post-mfg retrofit that couldn’t possibly have been product engineering-approved.This was a Hamilton Beach-branded percolator, model #40614, serial #A2451BW, mfd in China by Intertek. The slogan on the product box, “Good Thinking”, is easy to say (but what isn't?)

Nope. Filled this thing up right out of the box with straight water to run through before using. It all started leaking out of the reservoir window, at the bottom, and not just a drip either. Leaked pretty bad, returned it. Coffee from an old fashioned percolator personally seemed to taste better as I recalled when younger, in college in the 70's. Recall as a kid my parents had one, pre- auto-drip era, but it seems they don't make them as well today, not like an old Corning Ware the folks had growing up. This one looked pretty cool, but cheaply made, as a lot of appliances are today. Cannot recommend this one. Sorry Hamilton Beach.

I purchased this after mixed reviews and understanding that it was at a much lower price point than my previous percolator that had stopped working. I found the workmanship of the product to be that of which is in the price point. There are sharp edges on the spout and inside the lid. Glass top was chipped and there is no need for the manufacturer to use plastic in the lid under the glass dome but rather get a better design. The finish on the outside was random and an excessive amount of scratches that looks like from poor handling. As some have said, it is somewhat difficult to fill with water and see the marks. Now for the taste test. It does get hot enough for myself, however that taste is just, well, terrible. Or saying there is no taste. Basically like warm water. I used 12 scoops for 12 cups and nothing. My drip machine makes a better cup. As others also have said, another foot on the cord would be an improvement. Not sure if Amazon will take this back but going to try.

Agree with others that this percolator is sleek and pretty but that is all. It stopped making coffee after 4 months of use. I sometimes get coffee out of it but it is extremely weak coffee, most times it just makes hot water, no coffee. In my opinion it is not a 12 cup machine. Whenever I made more than 8 cups it was a mess. Grounds flowed into pot. 8 cups and under it was fine. The percolator gets extremely hot so removing the grounds before pouring requires heavy duty hand protection. If you don't empty the grounds you will get them in your coffee. I tried the filters and they just made the grounds overflow. All in all, too much work to get coffee made and poured and unreliable. Maybe I got a dud!

It worked great for 6 months, but then it started leaking. Not out of the top, but somewhere lower, maybe out of the area where the level indicator is located. Very disappointed in the poor quality of the construction.

I've been using percolators for years & have always loved the taste. However, I've been trying to get used to this percolator for 2 months, but every cup of coffee tastes burnt. I would like to return it, but the return window has closed. I'm not happy with this purchase & would like my money back.

I am giving this four stars only because the lid is very difficult to remove sometimes. The metal tags which should give it a tight fit stick out too far. After much difficulty removing the lid, I was able to push the metal piece back in with a screwdriver. This has happened twice now with my new percolator. I like an electric percolator for coffee and this is my third in six years but the only one that ever had this problem. Typically I like West Bend products.

Two issues. 1. At the end of the brewing cycle, the coffee somehow reaches the top of the unit and leaks out of the plastic see through cap. 2. I have use this product for a couple weeks and the last time I used this item it set the breaker off. I could not plug the coffee maker back in as it would continuously set off the breaker. Could be dangerous if left alone.

I retract my below statement. It just died the other day. I didn't even have it for a year. I will NEVER buy another perculator as long as I live. Going with a BUNN coffee maker. I want something to last. Not something I have to replace every year.So far so good. We'll see if it lasts. I bought it to replace my Hamilton Beach peculator, of which I bought 2, and they both lasted about a year. I thought I just got a bad one, and gave it another try. Hamilton Beach thumbs down. The West Bend seems like it is constructed better (where the plug meets the peculator), and I like the feature that shows you how many cups of liquid are in the pot.

#1 price was good.#2 Amazon originally estimated delivery for Dec.10th Fri.,2014. later Confirming email confirmed deliver came in with order details confirming delivery of Tues. Dec. 9th, 2014 to Sat. Dec 13th, 2014 , It was delivered on Dec. 8th Mon.2014. and no one was notified. We had rain and wind storm going on. The above Percolator in its manufacturer original box was left unprotected in the rain. The box was starting to ripple from the rain. I had looked at tracking delivery information and it said in transit.Who would expect it on a day other the the promised by date ? #3 The pot percs for 8 mins and stops when red indicator light comes on indicating ,coffee is done . I usually wait another 3 mins. for coffee to drain from the grounds before pouring a cup. After approx 1 to 2 min. waiting ,the indicator light goes out and the coffee pot begins to perc again for another 1 to 2 mins. The light goes out after another 1 to 2 mins at which time I'm fed up pull out the grounds container and pour a cup. Cause & Effect : Rain and Dampness. Or Inferior product. Flip a coin . See if you get a good one ! Or Not.

Since I had to click on at least one star, It will only be for the looks of it and there are no stars for it's performance. We went through 2 of these units in almost 4 months. Always a burnt wire smell. Always coffee tasting burnt near the end of the pot. And almost always poor peculation and we often end up with light coffee at the beginning of the pot. The first time it was replaced by Amazon without a problem. Now this time we have to go through Hamilton Beach and have to pay for shipping for a replacement I don't want anymore. Going to call them back now and beg them for money back. Do Not Buy This Thing!

I take back my positive review. Had 1 good cup of coffee the everything after was weak brown coffee water. I tried different coffee and filling the basket with grounds but it still made weak "coffee". I am returning and trying the "presto" brand, hope that turns out better.

Worked great for about a year and then stopped perking more than about a minute and says it's done but the coffee is not even close to being brewed, just tan-colored water. It originally perked for about 8-10 minutes the way an electric percolator should and made great coffee, now when you plug it in it perks for maybe a minute and clicks off saying it's done and it's clearly not. Do not buy, buy the Presto, they last forever and make perfect coffee everytime for many many years.

I purchased this percolator after my Farberware percolator died after 25 years of use. This percolator has a design flaw that pushes the coffee grounds out the top of the basket. I experimented with paper filter discs on the top and bottom of the grounds without much success. Lately I have been using a small strainer when pouring into a cup. I cannot recommend this product and will buy a replacement soon.

Update and downgrade from 5 stars. The percolator constantly percs. It's a shame really, but in line with almost anything made today. Our parents and grandparents didn't have to deal with product obsolescence like we do. Everything seems to break down. I'm very disappointed.

Piece of junk. I purchased this maching and 130 days in it failed. The heating element burned out and I had to call to get it replaced. Hamilton Beach wanted me to pay $10 shipping for a new unit. I told them that is ridiculous and had to fight with them over the cost. They eventually agreed to ship me a new one, which will probably be another piece of junk.The best percolator I ever had was a Mellita but it also burnt out after 3 yrs. DONT BUY THIS ITEM IT WILL ONLY INFURIATE YOU