The Revere Ware 14 cup indoor / outdoor percolator is make of all metal construction, perfect for cooking on a stove top or an outdoor grill.
Based on our historical documents, this large percolator was first introduced in 1955. Our instruction booklet has a date of 1957, so it is one of the early ones. This style, bearing the vintage process patent stamp, would have lasted until 1968 or so, and it does appear in one of our 1968 price lists. In all, we’ve found it in catalogs from 1955, 1961, 1966, and the 1968 price list. A 1985 parts list includes other vintage era coffee items, but not the 14 cup percolator.
Features
Besides it’s large capacity, the 14-cup percolator contains a heat shield over the bottom of the pump (the flattened piece at the bottom of the stem, in which heated water expands, and is forced up the stem) which helps concentrate heating water around the pump.
It is also the only one of the vintage coffee items that claims to be for outdoor use.
Instructions
It took us a while, but we finally found the official instruction manual for this large size percolator; you can find it here.
In short:
1. Fill the coffee maker with cold water to desired level, indicated by markings on side. This is most easily done by removing coffee basket and water d i ff user.
2. Rep lace coffee basket, and for each cup of coffee desired, measure in 1 heaping table spoon or 2 level tablespoons of your favorite coffee blend (regular grind}. Distribute coffee evenly in basket.
3. Place water diffuser over coffee, making sure it contacts coffee bed to give best filtering action. (See diagram.)
4. Cover and place over high heat until perking begins.
5. As soon as perking begins turn heat to lowest point which will maintain perking and perk for 6 minutes.
Note: Preparation time usually 18-21 minutes, for full capacity.
In terms of outdoor use, the instruction booklet does claim proudly For Indoor or Outdoor Coffee Making, but doesn’t go into any detail on what outdoor means. They do however show an image of its use over a camp grill.
Note that they also show a standard sauce pan with Bakelite handles on the same grill. It isn’t clear whether use in campfire coals is a good idea or not, but given the all-metal construction, other than blackening the outside, it probably won’t harm the percolator to do so, if it isn’t left there indefinitely.
Replacement parts
For the glass knob, luckily, Fitz-All makes a universal percolator glass knob that works fine for the Revere Ware percolators. It has two pieces, the glass part above the lid and a “nut” below the lid, so it clamps on, rather than screwing in like the original knobs did; but it works great. You can find it here.
However no other replacements are available, such as for the interior elements, the pump and stem, the spreader basket, the basket, and the heat shield. For those you’ll have to find something on eBay, perhaps another unit to use for parts.