I've had this model for a few months and think that it will also last a long, long time (don't know about the cord, though). This machine looks terrifically retro, is easy to clean and keeps the coffee consistenly hot for hours. After tasting coffee here, you won't go back to your old drip machine.

My advice to you is:

1. Don't overfill the basket with grinds, because it's very easy to make a STRONG cup of coffee with this. We like strong coffee, so this is a good thing.

2. Clean it w/soap & water as soon as you are finished with it to protect the pot. I also clean it out with Dip-It every 6 weeks or so to remove the coffee stains from the inside and make it shiny and new-looking.

3. At most supermarkts you can buy little paper disc filters that sit in the bottom of the jar and keep the smaller grinds from falling into the water. It also filters out alleged carcinogens that are not removed by traditional percolators or coffee presses.

I would actually give this 4.5 stars, because sadly, these newer models are now made in China rather than the Farberware factory in the Bronx.

183 of 189 found the following review helpful:

Farberware's not what it used to be  Mar 07, 2003

First, I have to say these units really do make the very best tasting coffee. But, I think Farberware's manufacturing quality has taken a nose-dive at some point over the last twenty years.

Both my mom and my mother-in-law used these Farberware percolators for years and years without breakdowns. In fact, my mother-in-law's 8 cupper is still going strong and she's been using it since before I met my wife in 1980. Then, about 21 years ago, we got a 12-cup Farberware percolator for a wedding present and used it for over 15 years without any problem. It ceased operation one morning and I assigned it to old age. 15+ years is all I could ask of a product that's used almost every day even though it has no moving parts.

However, since then, probably around 1996-1997, we've owned three other Farberware percolators, all 12-cup models. Each one has had one or more problem including broken top, broken base, broken handle, bad cord and electrical shorting. Now, I wouldn't say we pamper our appliances, but neither do we abuse them. None of our units were ever dropped and we never, ever submerged them in water. Some of the problems are dangerous, like the handle that chose to break (the top part of the handle simply came off) with a full pot of hot coffee in it. Fortunately, the bottom of the handle, which slides on, held on just long enough so the coffee didn't spill. But our most recent pot, purchased around the holidays in 2001, almost electrocuted me last week. Just after I plugged it in to make coffee one morning, I was checking to make sure the top was secure by pressing on the metal top. My other hand was resting on our metal range top. I got a very severe shock. That unit is on its way to a land-fill.

My advice is to steer clear of these units. I am looking for an alternative because we truly enjoy the great taste of coffee that comes from this percolator. I know that an Italian company, DeLonghi, makes an electric percolator in both 2-8 and 2-12 cup sizes. There may be others. If you know of other companies that make electric percolators, please post a review. I'm also considering trying to find an older Farberware model to buy if I can find one that's still boxed. The older units were of much better workmanship.

113 of 116 found the following review helpful:

The Best Little Perc in Town  Apr 27, 2005
By Sarah E. Markey "Manya"
For the coffee traditionalist AND for those who long for the taste and smell of home!

This little perc has been a presence in our family for thirty or forty years. After I left home several decades ago, I evolved into a coffee press/Peet's fanatic myself, but when I brought my parents to live with me, the little Farberware Perc came with them, and I quickly reverted back to that fresh perked taste and smell. The coffee makes up fast and goes fast, so you never have that old perked coffee smell in your house or that syrupy brown gunk to deal with, and these chubby little Farberware droids last forever. Fortunately my folks decided they liked Maxwell House Colombian better than the Master Blend, and we brew several pots of this delicious liquid a day.

Warning: do not compare this coffee experience to your Peet's or Zabar's cafe presse - instead think of diners and grandma's house!

70 of 70 found the following review helpful:

it's a lemon. don't buy it!  Oct 25, 2006
By Steven Matza "jet mechanic"
had one for over ten years, loved it. now they're made in china and i've had to buy 2 in the last year. i'm an aircraft mechanic and the thermostat has failed. it's a 5 dollar part and farberware refuses to sell the part or even identify the part number for it. if the coffemaker is within 18 months of the datecode on the bottom they'll replace it. what a waste of time and effort!! if i had the part i could fix it in ten minutes. farberwares' customer service reps on the phone are the worst. you can get the thermostat for the larger models probably because of the higher cost. if this were an aircraft, there would be an emergency bulletin sent out to replace the part with one that is more reliable. farberware has really dropped the ball on quality and service. if this were one of my products i would be embarrassed to sell it. i would recall the entire lot until it was fixed. if you google fcp412 you'll find dozens of complaints.

48 of 48 found the following review helpful:

I love perked coffee! Great little perk! Jr. size.  Jul 05, 2007
By Tara "Devoted online shopper and Amazon junkie"
This is a wonderful little perk. I've had it for almost a month and used it every day, sometimes twice a day.

Speed of coffee prep: A+ (doesn't really take longer than a drip machine)

Speed of perking: A+

Temperature and Temperature maintenance: A+

Ease of cleaning: A+
(Day-to-day cleaning: rinses out easily with very little elbow grease, and you should also buy some percolator cleaner - you can find it at most grocery stores hidden amongst the dishwasher stuff. You use this stuff about once a week - or approx. every 5-10 uses - to clean any stains or grounds buildup. I use about a TBS. of powder and one perk cycle, rinse powder residue, and voila, it's perfectly clean - cleans the "slots" without scrubbing)

Design: B+
(the manufacturer's label piece on the front started coming off immediately, but since this has absolutely nothing to do with the perk's function, I'm too lazy to return it).

If you have never used a perk before, or have used a different kind, you may need to experiment a bit with how finely or coarsely you grind your beans, and your preferred ratio of water to coffee beans. But when you find that right balance to suit your taste buds, well, you'll never want to go back to a drip coffee maker!

Note #1: This is a 2-4 cup perk. This means 2-4 SMALL cups of coffee. If you're like me, your coffee cup is more like a 12-16 oz. cup. I fill with water to the 3 or 4 cup (max) line, and I only get about 1 1/2 cups of coffee out of this. I think the 4-cup max means 4 6-oz or 8-oz cups of java. So if you want more than 2 decent-sized cups of joe without having to make another pot, I'd suggest buying the larger version of this perk. This size is perfect for a limited coffee drinker, or someone who's single. It's small (and kind of cute).

Note #2: I do wish they'd start making these with an auto shut off option. Some folks don't want an auto shut off, but some of us would. The perk does lower the temperature to a keep-hot setting, but if you leave this baby plugged in all day, you may arrive home to the smell of burnt coffee. Depending on how much coffee is left in it, the coffee will eventually reduce/evaporate even on the keep-hot setting. I made this mistake once, and so I've learned to always unplug the percolator after I pour my cuppa joe.

March 2011 UPDATE
Nearly 4 years later, this little baby still works great. I've washed daily with soap and water and maintained it with Dip-It cleaner every 2 weeks or so, and it's still in great shape and making great coffee.

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