TOPS RAPID BREW PERCOLATOR REVIEW: IS A PERCOLATOR FOR YOU?

The TOPS Rapid Brew Percolator balances tradition and modernity, delivering bold coffee flavor from a sleek and shiny package.

Sometimes, I just want a coffee at the press of a button. But on slower mornings, I find that engaging in the brewing process is an important part of enjoying a delicious cup of joe. On those days, I value simple manual methods like pour over, French press, or percolation.

If you feel the same way, you might appreciate the TOPS Rapid Brew Percolator. This stylish coffee maker blends traditional elements with modern design, producing the robust and piping hot coffee that percolator fans know and love.

A Full Review Of The TOPS Rapid Brew Percolator

I’m a big believer in the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Brewing methods that have been around for decades endure for a reason, and the percolator was once the most popular brewing method in America (1).

How I Rated It

• Brewing Capability
• Ease of Use
• Coffee Flavor
• Build Quality
• Value for Money

3.9

• See On Amazon

Sure, percolation may have fallen out of fashion with modern specialty coffee geeks, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the right coffee maker for you.

In this review, I’ll explain what to expect from the TOPS Rapid Brew Percolator. If you’ve tasted and enjoyed percolator coffee before, you’ll be happy to hear that they haven’t “fixed” anything.

How Does The TOPS Rapid Brew Work?

The Rapid Brew percolator consists of a large brewing chamber with a hollow tube running up the middle. A filter basket full of ground coffee sits most of the way up the tube, near the top of the pot.

You add water to the main chamber and set it over a heat source. As the water boils and fills the chamber with steam, hot water is forced up and out through the central tube, where it showers over the ground coffee and falls back to the chamber. This “perking” process is repeated continuously, with the coffee in the pot getting stronger each time. 

You take it off the heat when it reaches the coffee strength you prefer. This brew strength control is the main reason percolators are so popular, especially among people who enjoy an extra-strong cup.

What’s the difference between a percolator and a Moka pot?

To my ongoing frustration, these two brewing methods are frequently confused online – sometimes even by so-called “coffee experts.” In fact, they are quite different, with the main commonality being that both are traditionally stovetop coffee makers.

In contrast to the percolation method of the Rapid Brew described above, a Moka pot only extracts once; it doesn’t continuously circulate the brewed coffee. It achieves a bold coffee flavor by using a higher pressure and finer grind, closer to espresso than percolation.

How To Use The Rapid Brew Percolator

This percolator is incredibly easy to use, though it may take a few attempts to figure out precisely the brewing time that corresponds to the coffee intensity you enjoy. 

Here is a rough set of instructions for brewing with the 6-cups TOPS model based on my experience, but feel free to experiment with variables like grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, and brew time.

1. Add 30 ounces of water to the brewing chamber.
2. Add 50 grams of medium-ground coffee to the filter basket, and place it in the kettle.
3. Put the percolator on the stove over medium heat.
4. Monitor the perking process through the clear top knob. It should be a gentle simmer. Turn the heat down if you start to see a rapid boil. 
5. Take the percolator off the heat after 7 minutes – or when it hits the strength you prefer.

Bonus Brewing Tips

Here are a few other things I’ve learned while making coffee with the Rapid Brew.

• Just as when brewing with a Moka pot, you can minimize any burnt or bitter flavors by starting with hot water in the brewing chamber. I find this inconvenient when I’m out camping but worthwhile at home.
• For a cleaner cup, you can add a small paper filter to the percolator. Look for 3.5” disc filters.
• The stainless steel Rapid Brew works on all stovetops, including induction. Since it doesn’t require any electricity, it’s also perfect for traveling and camping. I’ve used it on a camp stove, BBQ grill, and even directly on a campfire. In the latter case, I definitely recommend an oven mitt, as even the handle gets very hot.

Cleaning And Maintenance

Keeping your percolator clean – particularly the metal filter – is vital to ensure the best coffee flavor. A blocked filter interferes with steam pressure and extraction consistency. Fortunately, the Rapid Brew is dishwasher safe, so cleaning is totally hands-off.

I’d also recommend descaling it if you notice any mineral deposits building up inside. How often this occurs depends on the hardness of your water, but every 6 months is a good rule of thumb.

Percolator Coffee Is A Very Specific Style

Coffee percolators are a retro brewing method that have largely fallen out of favor among modern specialty coffee lovers. However, they maintain an avid fanbase who loves their particular style of coffee.

I wouldn’t recommend this brewer for your subtly flavored light roast beans showcasing notes of florals and herbs. Instead, pull out the TOPS percolator when you want to be smacked over the head with medium or dark roast chocolate and nut flavors. 

This brew is bold, full-bodied, and mouth-coating. And it takes well to the addition of milk, cream, or sugar, if that’s your thing.

The biggest risk with a percolator is over-extraction and the resulting bitter flavors (2). But in my experience, this can be avoided by using good brewing techniques. 

You can also minimize bitterness by skipping a dark roast in favor of a medium roast blend or single origin with a sweet flavor profile. My current favorite coffee to brew with the TOPS is a naturally processed medium roast from Brazil.

Style, Capacity, And Build Quality

From the outside, the Rapid Brew looks like a sleek stovetop kettle. It’s available in four sizes: 3-cup, 6-cup, 9-cup, and 12-cup. 

It’s made of high-luster heavy gauge 18/8 stainless steel, which I prefer to the cheaper aluminum models. It’s more durable, less likely to impact coffee flavor, and works on induction cooktops; the only trade-off is that it’s a bit heavier when you travel.

The wooden handle gives it a warm aesthetic appeal and, more importantly, stays cool to the touch during brewing. Unless, as I said earlier, you have it right in a campfire.

The top knob is clear plastic, which is a key component of any good percolator. This isn’t a style choice. It’s crucial to monitor the intensity of the perking inside the chamber to avoid overcooking your coffee.

Durability

The Rapid Brew doesn’t come with any kind of warranty – though if you buy it off Amazon, you can enjoy a 30-day risk-free trial period. I don’t find that particularly concerning because there is very little that can go wrong here. The Rapid Brew is made almost entirely of stainless steel, with no electronics or moving parts. 

The only thing I noticed was that the lid felt a little flimsy. It doesn’t fit quite as flush against the main chamber as I would like, but I didn’t find that had any impact on brewing performance.

Is The TOPS Rapid Brew Worth Its Price?

The TOPS Rapid Brew is good value for money given its durability. Because there is so little that can break on these brewers, I know people still using stovetop percolators from the 1980s.

The Rapid Brew runs between about $30 and $60, depending on the size you choose. You certainly won’t find an automatic coffee maker at that price that’s going to last for decades. Plus, it doesn’t require any extra accessories for brewing, cleaning, or maintenance, like filters or special tablets. Spend once, and enjoy forever.

Of course, the value for you really comes down to how much you enjoy the coffee. If you love a piping hot and extra-strong brew, you’ll absolutely get your money’s worth from the TOPS Rapid Brew.

Don’t Buy The Rapid Brew Percolator If…

• You actually want a moka pot: As I already mentioned, moka pots and percolators are often confused (3). If you’ve read this review and realized that a moka pot is more your style, you can’t go wrong with the classic Bialetti Moka Express or the more polished Cuisinox Roma.

• You want something more hands-off: A stovetop percolator requires near-constant attention to avoid overheating or over-extracting. For something a little more user-friendly that delivers a similarly bold cup, try the DeLonghi Alicia electric moka pot.

• You want something for backcountry camping: Percolators are popular among campers because they don’t require electricity, but the steel Rapid Brew is too heavy for an epic backpacking trip. Instead, I’d go with the tried-and-true Aeropress or its more travel-friendly little brother, the Aeropress Go.

The Verdict

The TOPS Rapid Brew percolator is a lovely example of a traditional brewing method updated with a modern aesthetic. Its sleek and shiny design delivers classic boldly flavored percolator coffee while looking great on your coffee bar. 

As someone who works in the specialty coffee industry, I know that not everyone loves a percolator brew. But if that extra-hot, extra-strong, extra-full-bodied coffee is what gets you going in the morning, this beautiful brewer will not disappoint.