Perculators make much worse coffee than drip - it reboils the coffee - definitely go drip or French press if you like it stronger and more oily. The best drip coffee maker is the Technivorm - it's one of the very few that heat the water to the proper temperature. They have several models but I've got the Moccamaster Thermal and I'm very pleased with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Technivorm

We have a Cuisinart drip maker that we're very pleased with. Before that, we enjoyed Melitta drip coffee makers for years.

The coffee you use and how it ground can very much affect the result you achieve. Coffee beans should be ground in a burr grinder, not a blade grinder. They are more expensive, but worth it. If you do not like the idea of grinding your own beans, make sure the shop where you buy your beans uses a burr grinder.

I love my vintage GE percolator. It uses the same principle to make coffee as a the stove top percolators you see in Italy-- and the Italians know a thing or two about good coffee! I love the sound of the perc-ing, the smell, the taste, and especially that the coffee is piping hot-- not tepid like auto drip. Plus, the pot is pretty enough to set on the breakfast table.

Look into the Kuerig. It brews one cup of coffee at a time. You can purchase the K-cups of coffee from a variety of distributers. And there are many brands and flavors to choose from. And I'm an old fashion perk coffee drinker.

Enjoy the journey.
eal51 in western CT

I'm not sure I agree with one of the negative comments about percs. Maybe i'm wrong, but that's based on some extremely favorable comments from perc owners. Perhaps they love them b/c that's what they are used to, but i've read some terrific comments. I'm not looking for a fancy $200 coffee maker, just something simple that makes a good cup. It's actually for a vacation home, so it doesn't need to make a fashion statement, nor will it be used regularly.

Most people strongly prefer drip coffee. Ever see a perc in a restaurant? To perc, water must boil, which is perfect for tea, but too hot for coffee. Water that is too hot makes bitter coffee.

According to Consumer reports, the Black and Decker DCM 2500 or DCM 2000 were the top coffee makers in their tests. Both are under $40.

Myself, I prefer a carafe model, so the coffee never develops that burnt flavor from sitting on a hot plate. The Krups FMF5 and the Zojirushi Fresh Brew EC-BD15 scored well in that category.

Piggybacking on weissman's post, yes, the Technivorm is supposed to be an excellent drip coffeemaker. The temperature required for good coffee is right around 200 degrees F, and very few machines available on the consumer market achieve that; many which do (including the Technivorm) are around $200. The other line that well-regarded and which gives 200 degrees is Capresso. And there's one available that is a real deal: The ST600. I've had one for a few weeks and am very pleased with it.
Here's the best part: This is a machine that's priced at about $170 retail, but they are heavily discounted. I got mine through Amazon (from J&R Electronics) for $60. The reason that this model is probably discounted is styling. Go online and take a look at it. It's different, and appears to be massive(although it really isn't). It is all stainless steel and I don't think it looks out of place in my small, contemporary kitchen. It also has one particular quirk, in that the spout has to be engaged "just right" into the maker or it will stop brewing. I'm posting a link to Coffeegeek.com where you can read reviews of this machine and others, including my review of the ST600. It makes excellent coffee. I highly recommend it if like the styling and want a deal. If you can't stand the styling, look at the Capresso MT500 (you can see them at Willims Sonoma). It looks nice, but beware that it will take even more overhead clearance to open the top, due to the size of the top. There is at least one other machine that is supposed to give proper brewing temperature. I forget the name, but it's on Coffeegeek, too. It's a comercial machine and is mostly plastic (on the outside, anyway), but reviews are good. Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Coffeegeek

steve_a: You're right about the Capresso brewing at the correct temperature - my previous machine was an MT500 and although it made good coffee, it often flooded my countertop. I don't know about the ST600 but the MT500 had a known "quirk" where the filter basket would overflow. I finally got fed up and replaced it with the Technivorm.

weissman, I've had no flooding problems with the ST600 so far; I'm careful not to overfill the water chamber, etc. I read about its quirks and was willing to put up with them in return for the good price. So far, no regrets. I also forgot to mention that the thermal carafe is great at keeping the coffee hot. I considered the Technivorms also.

steve_a: with the MT500 you have to be careful about not grinding the coffee too finely when you're making a full pot - the valve can't keep up and the basket fills up and overflows.
I had accidents even when I thought I was being careful.

"I love my vintage GE percolator. It uses the same principle to make coffee as a the stove top percolators you see in Italy-- and the Italians know a thing or two about good coffee!"

Yes, they do know a thing or two about coffee, and that's why they don't use percolators -- they use moka pots! ;-)

-- Moka Pot

-- Coffee Percolator

Not really the same principal, other than they're both stove-top appliances. A moka pot sends the hot water through the coffee grounds once, and the resulting brew is held in the non-heated upper chamber until consumption. A percolator circulates hot water through coffee grounds over and over again. That's why percs get knocked by the 'geeks.

However that doesn't mean that the OP shouldn't try a percolator, as they would be able to find one very cheap at a second-hand store...

"I'm not looking for a fancy $200 coffee maker, just something simple that makes a good cup. It's actually for a vacation home, so it doesn't need to make a fashion statement, nor will it be used regularly."

Sounds like you should be seriously looking at AeroPress.

Aeropress is great, but you have to press so hard to get the water flowing you can almost get a hernia in the process. We gave up on it.

If you're pressing that hard, you're doing it wrong. With the correct grind of the bean, you should be able to push the plunger down with one hand in about 45 seconds.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Mother of All AeroPress Threads

Thanks for enlightening me as to the difference between a percolator and a moka pot, joe blowe.

Percolators are beloved enough that used ones, at least on ebay, are not cheap. Vintage GE percolators routinely sell for $40.

Chemex drip, non-electric. Most important, Chemex filters (cloth, not paper), along with Peet's Italian Roast in a #2 grind (yeah, we like it strong).

Drip it into a vacuum pot if you want to keep it warm, but we usually just make 4 cups of coffee and empty the pot in one sitting.

I love our Cuisinart coffee maker. It is easy to use, programmable if you chose to do so, and makes a perfect pot of coffee each time. Add some great ground coffee and you're set!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cuisinart coffee pot