Coleman Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator, 12-Cup Capacity, No Filters Needed Review (2026)

What it is and how it works

This is a traditional percolator style coffee maker built from stainless steel instead of the enameled steel used on many camping percolators. It works by heating water in the base while a center tube pushes hot water up and over a basket of coffee grounds repeatedly, brewing coffee without any paper or reusable filter. The set includes the base, tube, basket, and basket lid, so there is nothing extra to buy before first use. It is designed to sit directly on a campfire grate, a propane camp stove, or a stovetop burner, which makes it a flexible option for RV owners who cook both inside and outside depending on the site.

Capacity for RV use

The 12 cup capacity is sized for a family or small group rather than a single traveler, since percolator cup measurements are smaller than a standard mug. That makes it a reasonable centerpiece for a shared campsite coffee run in the morning, brewed once and poured out rather than needing multiple batches. For a couple or solo traveler, this is more capacity than needed most mornings, and leftover percolated coffee tends to get more bitter the longer it sits on residual heat. Owners who mainly make coffee for one or two people may want to look at a smaller percolator instead, since this one is built around serving a crowd.

Build quality and materials

Stainless steel is the standout feature here compared to the enamelware percolators that dominate the camping coffee category. Enamel coatings can chip when they are jostled around a storage bay or dropped on a rock near the fire pit, exposing the metal underneath and eventually rusting. Stainless steel resists that kind of chipping and corrosion, which matters for something that is going to get tossed into a cargo area repeatedly on road trips. The percolator is rated at 18 out of 8 grade stainless steel, a common designation for durable food grade cookware, and it includes a side handle meant to make pouring from a full pot more controlled and comfortable.

No filters needed, with a trade-off

Skipping paper filters is a genuine convenience for RV and camping use, since it means one less consumable to pack, restock, and generate as trash at a campsite. The basket and lid are designed to keep most grounds contained during brewing, but percolators in general let more fine sediment through than a filtered drip method, so a little grit at the bottom of the cup is normal rather than a defect. Percolated coffee is also easy to over-brew, since continuing to heat the pot after the coffee is ready will keep extracting bitter compounds from the grounds. Pulling it off the heat once it reaches the desired strength avoids that problem.

Who should buy it

This percolator suits RV owners and campers who want a low maintenance, filter-free way to make coffee for several people over a campfire, camp stove, or stovetop, and who prefer metal that will not chip like enamelware over years of travel. It is less suited to anyone brewing coffee for just one or two people daily, since the 12 cup batch size and percolator method are built around volume rather than single servings. Shoppers who prefer a smoother cup without any grounds sediment may also be happier with a filtered camping coffee maker instead of a percolator.

Frequently asked questions