Sunbeam Electric Percolator

Sunbeam manufactured this automatic electric percolator during the 1950s. In a general trend of electrifying kitchen appliances, the electric percolator and coffeemaker replaced the old kettle. In the electric percolator, the base is filled with water and heat is supplied from an electrical element built in to the base. Once the percolator is plugged in, the heated water is driven up a hollow stem and through a filter basket containing the grounds, and “repercolated” again and again until the desired coffee strength is reached. This Sunbeam model has a dial at the base allowing the coffee to be brewed milder or stronger.