West Bend 54159 Classic Electric Coffee Percolator
Whether you’re a seasoned coffee connoisseur or someone looking to upgrade from drip machines, the West Bend 54159 delivers a classic coffee experience with modern conveniences. This electric percolator offers consistent brewing performance, a durable stainless-steel build, and a nostalgic percolating charm. It’s an excellent option for those who value hot, flavorful coffee throughout the day without dealing with burnt aftertastes or cold pots.
Ideal for home kitchens, small offices, or entertaining, this 12-cup percolator provides a dependable brewing process and keeps coffee warm automatically after brewing. While some users find the percolating noise a bit loud, most praise the flavor and temperature of the coffee it produces.
Product Highlights & Features
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Brews 2–12 Cups: Perfect for individual servings or entertaining multiple guests.
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High-Quality Stainless Steel: Mirror chrome finish with stainless steel stem, basket, and spreader ensures durability and easy cleaning.
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Automatic Keep Warm: Maintains ideal coffee temperature without overcooking.
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Ready-to-Serve Light: Indicator illuminates when brewing is complete.
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Coffee Level Indicator: Easy-to-view window on the handle lets you monitor levels.
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Heat-Resistant Handle & Base: Ensures safe handling even when coffee is hot.
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Detachable Cord: Offers hassle-free serving directly at the table.
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Dishwasher-Safe Components: Lid, stem, and basket are top-rack safe for quick cleanup.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Brand | West Bend |
| Model Number | 54159 |
| Capacity | 12 cups (96 fluid ounces) |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Finish | Chrome Mirror |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 9.57″ x 5.91″ x 11.82″ |
| Item Weight | 2.74 lbs |
| Wattage | 950 Watts |
| Coffee Type | Ground Coffee |
| Operation Mode | Manual |
| Power Cord | Detachable |
| Keep-Warm Function | Yes, Automatic |
| Special Features | Ready light, coffee level window, durable build |
| Safety Features | Heat-resistant base & handle |
| Dishwasher-Safe Components | Lid, Stem, Basket (Top Rack) |
| Warranty | 1 Year |
| Country of Origin | USA |
Final Verdict
The West Bend 54159 Classic Percolator is a reliable, no-fuss solution for those seeking a rich and hot brew without the complexity or fragility of modern drip or pod machines. While it lacks smart features like timers or programmable settings, it more than makes up for it with robust construction, consistent performance, and exceptional coffee flavor.
If you’re nostalgic for the satisfying perk-perk sound or simply want your coffee to stay hot for hours without bitterness, this percolator is an excellent value. It’s especially suited for those who prioritize durability, simplicity, and taste over flashy digital displays or one-touch features.
✅ Recommended for traditionalists and serious coffee lovers.
⚠️ Not ideal for users needing auto-start or silent brewing.
Suze –
Great Tasting Coffee
I have always used a drip coffee maker or a pod. This percolator was purchased as we were going through a few drip machines a year. Will never go back-percolated coffee is as good as any coffee house! This model looks and works great!
One person found this helpful
Dr. Driveway –
Great Item
We have used percolators our entire marriage. We have bought this brand and model more than once and wore them out. Bought another one and it seems to be the same good value and product it has always been.
RMonty –
Great coffee
Love the percolated coffee taste. Gives more flavor to each cup.
moira –
Makes very hot coffee.
Perfect. Makes perfect and very hot coffee.
Ralph J. Sama MD –
Electric coffee percolator
Great percolator. Keeps coffee hot and fresh. Excellent value, about half off the farbereare brand.
Leigh Ann –
Perfect Old School Type of Coffee Pot
I was looking for a coffee pot that had no plastic due to my worry of micro plastics. This old fashioned pot is the best. The quality and taste is the same as the “new type” of coffee pots, if not better. Cleaning the pot is simple and easy. No need to buy filters, the metal filter seems to be working fine without any extra paper filters. I highly recommend this coffee pot.
6 people found this helpful
Afidei –
Now that’s a good cup of coffee!
What coffee SHOULD taste like! Easy, robust, HOT coffee. Simple deal. Just like mom used to make. Will never go back to drip.
2 people found this helpful
wineysue –
The best home brew you will ever get!
Been using electric coffee pots all my life! (63 years). Fresh, hot, smooth cup of coffee every time! It is a little louder than my previous makers. But who cares? The price for these have raised considerably since my last maker purchase in 2018. This is great product at a great price. Fast, easy, quality coffee. Made to order! If you like strong or mild coffee…it’s your choice.
8 people found this helpful
Kalaab M. Pickering –
I’ll Never Go Back to Drip-Brewing
I bought this unit as a replacement for a Mr. Coffee drip-brew that died after 5 months. This was a very disappointing turn of events because I expected a lot more out of that coffee maker. I brew coffee daily, but coffee makers should be able to last longer than 5 months. Anyway, I decided to switch to a percolator because I decided the bells and whistles of the modern drip-brew didn’t really do me that much good and the quality of the coffee was only decent at best.I originally ordered a percolator made by Presto, but the shipping was so slow I cancelled the order and opted for this West Bend model, which was Amazon Prime-Eligible and arrived in two days. I usually use a dark roast (French or Italian roast) with distilled water (the tap water where I live has a lot of lime in it). The coffee out of this percolator is fantastic. It’s quick to brew and easy to use. The best feature of this percolator is something very simple, the thermostat. This percolator brews at the perfect temperature, and when it’s done it’ll leave the coffee at a perfect temperature, about 200 degrees. Also, there is no auto-shutoff, so you can expect your coffee to be at a perfect temperature until you unplug the percolator. This is really great to me because my previous maker shut off after two hours, but the coffee wasn’t hot enough to enjoy until it had been sitting on the burner for about 40 minutes. That meant I had to slug down all the coffee in the remaining time or turn the burner back on, which was a slight pain in the neck. I pace myself, but I drink coffee from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, so I like it hot and ready when I want a cup.Some reviewers have complained that this percolator has a plastic dome rather than glass, but I don’t really think that’s a big concern. Firstly, this percolator is very affordable, so you have to expect cheaper materials. Second, considering the era in which it is manufactured, it’s not at all unexpected that a manufacturer would use cheaper materials without compromising quality. Some percolators out there don’t even have a clear plastic dome, so being able to watch it percolate is kind of a cool treat. The overall fit and finish of the percolator is quite nice, especially considering its price.If you’re a coffee drinker that depends on timers, auto-shutoffs, pre-ground beans, built-in clocks, and other amenities, this might not be the maker for you. However, if you are enthusiastic about the flavor and quality of your coffee, percolators in general are a great choice, and this percolator specifically is a cheap and easy way to try it out. The quality of the coffee that comes out of this percolator is amazing. This is my first percolator, and I just figured bitterness and harsh flavor were something that you just had to expect from some blends, but this device proved me completely wrong. For the first time, I brewed a strong French roast and got a rich, brown, flavorful cup of coffee without any bitterness. It was almost off-putting because it didn’t taste anything like what I was used to, so it took a bit to appreciate the pureness of the brew from this machine.I highly recommend this percolator.
115 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Love My Westbend Percolator!
After our last ‘modern’ brewer became possessed – the grinder (which hadn’t worked at all in quite a while) on the stupid thing would start up on its own – I decided to go back to a good old reliable percolator. After much thought, I decided on this one. Glad I did! This is a very nice percolator and it does everything I expected. I also love the fact that it doesn’t take up half my counter space like the fancy new drip machines that don’t last long anymore. I read all the reviews and took some advice from other reviewers (like making sure the basket is wet before putting the filter in, especially if using finer (drip grind) ground coffee – genius!) I’m using regular basket filters … just take a little stack, fold in half, make a snip; fold in half the other way, make another snip; now you have a filter with a ‘hole’ in it to fit over the stem in the basket. A couple of reviewers said they have had problems with coffee dripping from the clear knob on the top. (The clear knob is plastic, by the way … but what else can you expect in today’s throw-away world?) Mine has had maybe one drip on a couple of occasions, but no big deal. I just make sure the lid is securely fitted onto the pot and haven’t had a problem since. Since this percolator does not come with a timer on it, I plug it into an outlet timer, and taa-daa! Freshly brewed coffee when I wake up! It smells wonderful as it brews and I can’t help it, I love the percolating sound and watching it perk (fond childhood memories). The coffee is HOT and tastes so much fresher than drip. It stays hot until it shuts off (if empty) or you unplug it – without that hot plate burned taste to it (and I’ve left it on for 3-4 hours…). There are only 2 negative things I can say about this pot: 1- it seems kind of loud, but you get used to it pretty quickly, and I rather expected it for this kind of brewing process; and 2 – unless you grind your own beans (or can grind them at the store), it is difficult to find “percolator grind” coffee, which is coarser than drip grind. But the grind is not the percolator’s fault! If using a drip grind, make sure you use a filter! I have made both grinds with and without filters and there will be a little bit of grind residue without a filter with the percolator grind. Drip grind without a filter leaves a LOT of grounds residue … but it’s no big deal to me, I just close my eyes, enjoy the aroma and taste, look out at all my trees and remember the good old days of camping and coffee by the fire 🙂 Overall, I’m very happy with the purchase and would buy it again.
114 people found this helpful