Norelco Dial-A-Brew

[david]

Dial a Brew rrevisited

Oh gosh, I hadn't thought about this pot in years. I was in the service and a buddy and me lived in a mobile home to get off base for awhile. Barry had bought one of those Norelco dial a brew pots and we started having coffee all the time. I didn't know how to use an automatic drip as they were relatively new (this was the mid 70's). I think this one did have an on/off switch,; I don't remember anything unusual about it. Before he came home with that, I think I was using an electric GE perc, which I would give anything to have now. Incidentally, I have in my possession one of those banned Corning ware with the metal rim around the top percs. It's electric and makes pretty good coffee. Did have a stovetop but don't know what happened to it. And I have always wanted one of those Sunbeam coffeemaster vacuum pots. An aunt of mine had one, it made great coffee.

 

[spiralactivator]

Little round filters?

I didn't know the Dial-A-Brew used special filters. Are they still available? Mom just uses a regular paper filter; the post at the center of the basket jabs through it, but the grains don't escape.

 

[kenmore1978]

Norelco special filters

Those filters aren't SUPER hard to find, it's just that not every store will carry them whereas the cone and gasket type filters are available everywhere.they also sell them for use in percolator baskets, I use them in my Corning Electromatic and Kenmore percolators. They come partly die cut so if you have a percolator with a deep, narrow, basket,(like my Kenmore) you tear off the outer ring of about 1/8" or so to make it fit. I find that I still get grounds in the coffee, though, because the paper makes it drain so slow in the Corning that the water level rises and overflows the top lid, taking some of the floating coffee grains with it down into the pot. In the Kenmore the problem is that the basket has holes in the SIDE of the basket as well as the bottom, so some grinds escape there since the filter only covers the bottom holes. Because of these problems I'll probably go back to a type I used previously, which consists of a square sheet of filter paper with holes in each corner and the center. You put the stem through the center hole, add the coffee, then fold over each corner with the holes over the stem so the coffee is completeley surrounded by the filter paper. The brew then comes out as grind-free as a vacuum or drip coffeemaker.

 

[Ultramatic1]

cool percolator

I have a 1957 Futuramic (yes,FUTURAMIC) percolator with a Westinghouse thermostat. It came in the original box with instructions and warranty. Futuramics (made by Century) make great coffee.

 

[kenmore1978]

Ultramatic

So is your name from a washer or a Packard automatic transmission?

 

[drmitch]

I`ve got some old perks but I use a Cusinart with the water diverter dial like the Norelco your talking about. Used it about 2yr,and happy with it. We used Bunns n the 70`s and if one went bad you just ship it back in orignal box and they gave you a new one. They started charging a flat fee in the later 80`s but they made great coffee. I would like to try the Sunbeam c50 though.