Thrift store percolator

[justjunque]

Hi all,

I know some here collect coffee makers, and percolators specifically.
I just thought I'd share a recent thrift store find.
I already had a Universal Coffeematic, in a more traditional style. This one kind of caught me by surprise. It too, is a Universal Coffeematic, but a Model 4582.
I wish I could take more pictures, to show you just how clean it is. The inside, including the basket and stem and everything, is just as clean and shiny as the outside. It's actually chrome on the whole inside as well! It truly looks like it's never been used.
There are a couple of small scuffs on the outside, probably from handling, storage, getting sent to the thrift store, etc.
The main thing that concerns me is that the bottom plate is a little loose, even with the center screw completely tightened down.
I just got it, and gave it a quick wipe-down. Normally, when I get a coffee maker, I give it a good cleaning, then brew some coffee. With this one, I'm hesitant. I'm not sure about the bottom being loose.
Also, if it's truly never been used, I have a thing about hating to be the one who stains it with coffee after all these years.
Does anyone else have this model, can you tell me anything about it, and do you know approximately when it was made?

Thanks,
Barry

 

[ea56]

Barry,
That’s a swell Coffeematic! I’d estimate that the vintage is late 50’s-early 60’s. I used to collect coffeepots and percolators in particular, but when I had to give up drinking coffee 2 two and a half years ago I stopped collecting coffee pots and gave away most of my collection.

As far as the loose bottom, if it were mine I’d carefully remove the center screw and the bottom of the percolator to see just what may be the cause. Since the Coffeematic is is such pristine condition I doubt that the cause is stripped threads in the hole that the screw goes into. Perhaps there is something loose inside that is preventing the bottom from being securely attached with the screw. At any rate I bet that you’ll be able to get the bottom attached more securely.

Even though the inside is spotless I’d still at least run a full pot of water through a brewing cycle with a couple of tsp. of cream of tartar and then let it sit for about 30 mins after the perking stops, then pour out the water and rinse it thoroughly. Then you should be good to go.

When I used to buy a really dirty old percolator I’d use 2 tbs of powdered dishwasher detergent or one DW detergent pod in a full pot of water and follow the same procedure as above, except after the cleaning cycle I’d run another cycle with clean water only to be certain that ALL of the DW detergent was removed before brewing a pot of Joe. If you’ve never cleaned a percolator this way you’ll be amazed at how filthy dirty the water is that you’ll pour out of the percolator once the cleaning cycle is complete.

I think that with a bit of perseverance you should have your “new” Coffeematic up and running with a nice pot of freshly brewed coffee staying piping hot while you read your morning newspaper.

Good Luck and congratulations on a great vintage percolator score.

Eddie

 

[justjunque]

Thanks, Eddie!

I always enjoy your replies!
I've used vinegar and water, and I've tried cream of tartar to clean other percolators. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong, but I never get what I would consider good results. Maybe, when I have a badly stained one, I should try the dishwasher detergent method. I know you shouldn't use certain cleaning products/methods on certain types of metal. I don't know what this one is made of. But, a magnet sticks to the main body, but not to the lid. I didn't test the innards yet.
And, this one doesn't need a hard core cleaning anyway.
Agreed...no matter how clean it looked inside, I would never brew coffee without first doing some sort of cleaning cycle!
I guess I should try taking the bottom off, and just seeing if I can spot anything obvious. I normally don't tinker with appliances; large or small. But, maybe it's something simple that even an idiot like me can figure out.

 

[ea56]

Barry,
Regarding DW detergent to clean percolators, as far as my experience goes the only metal that you should avoid using DW detergent to clean with is aluminum. But that being said I’ve used it in perks that have an aluminum stem and basket and they didn’t discolor, go figure?

I once bought a mid 50’s vintage Universal Coffeematic for $3.00 at a thrift store. The inside was like the “Black Hole of Calcutta” no kidding I doubt that that percolator had EVER been washed out after use, just rinsed and reused repeatedly year in and year out. When I got it home I ran a cleaning cycle with DW detergent and the water looked like f’ing Espresso coffee when I poured it out! But the results were spectacular! Shiny brite chrome inside and spotlessly clean basket and stem. It looked just like new.

I believe that the chemical makeup of most powdered DW detergents is similar to the old powdered version of Dip-It coffeemaker cleaner, but a whole lot cheaper than Dip-It!

Eddiei

 

[tomturbomatic]

That super bright shiny surface is called Permatel and GE/Universal came out with it because coffee oils do not cling to it. We had some in the store when I worked in Housewares. Universal was bought by General Electric and was considered their gift line. If you Google Permatel and tab down, you will see a picture of your perk. Congrats.

 

[polkanut]

I did the DW detergent trick with a Corning Electromatic coffee maker I found at an estate sale a few years ago, and the difference was unbelievable. The inside was as black as night before I cleaned it. Afterwards it looked like brand new. I'm sold on this cleaning method! 

 

[gansky1]

 

 

Nice find - good to see them still out there in the wild.  I've found a couple of these faceted models over the years, one of the prettiest of the Universal pots.

 

Can you post a pic of the bottom of your pot?  Not sure what would be loose, but perhaps we can compare them and figure it out. 

 

[jakins]

Have You Tried it yet?

This is my Favorite percolator. the basket design is great. little to no grounds get through. the one I am using now is a Universal and it says 12 cup. I have a new in box GE same size and design it says 10 Cup.
had This Ad this was the first ad I have seen that offerd a rebate.

 

[justjunque]

I'll try to get a picture of the problem area. It may not show up well in a picture.
I'm wondering if there should be a gasket or washer or something between the base plate and the screw that secures it. That seems like it might help.

John,
I haven't tried it out yet. I want to get the situation with the base figured out first. And, as usual, I have too many irons in the fire, and it takes me forever to finish anything.
Thanks for posting that ad! That's the first one I've seen. That's good to know about the basket. Do you just use regular coffee? I'm a Maxwell House fan myself. With past percolators, I've used a disk filter in the bottom of the basket.

 

[jakins]

Coffee

I am also Maxwell house Original roast. I have used disk filters but with this one I find They were not needed.

 

[ea56]

I haven’t been able to drink coffee for over two years due to acid reflux, but while I was still drinking coffee and using vintage percolators IMHO Maxwell House Colombian coffee was the best ground coffee that money could buy, MUCH better than Maxwell House Original Roast.

To me Maxwell House Colombian tastes like coffee USED to taste back in the old days of the metal cans with the key that you opened the can with. Remember how when you made that first turn of the key and that first whush of fragrant coffee aroma escaped into the air? Well thats how Maxwell House Colombian coffee smells when you first pull the foil seal off the can. BTW, those old metal cans with the metal lids with the key to open them kept the coffee MUCH fresher too! The plastic cans are CRAP!

The fact that their Colombian blend is so hard to find is indicative of just how good it is, people buy it up as quickly as it hits the shelves.

Eddie

 

[justjunque]

The cans with the key were a little before my time. But, I certainly remember metal cans with the plastic lid. I'll have to try the Colombian some time...if I can find it.

I'm posting a picture of the bottom screw, and how it doesn't fit flush against the bottom plate itself. It's tightened as far as it can go. That's why I thought maybe there's supposed to be a washer or something between the screw and the plastic or Bakelite bottom of the percolator.

 

[justjunque]

Just to be sure, and this will probably be a stupid question.
Dishwasher detergent isn't foamy/sudsy, is it?
I don't want to start perking a pot of detergent water, and have the kitchen look like a bad sitcom, or the Lawrence Welk show or something.

 

[ea56]

No Barry, your percolator won’t send forth a mountain of suds if you clean it with DW detergent.

Eddie