Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Love my red "cafetera greca". It makes ONE strong and LARGE cup of coffee. Fills my standard mug to the brim, barely room for cream. By "6 cups," they must mean espresso shots. If you like an old-school, piping hot, single cup of coffee that'll put some hair on your chest, this is for you. Of course, you can put less coffee grounds and make it less strong. Very versatile. Best of all, it looks great sitting out on the stove and takes up very little room. It's a cinch to clean too! Using it takes a little finesse. It's not a pod coffee maker, and there are inconveniences if you don't use it correctly. Some common challenges: 1) You have to let all the parts dry completely after washing before putting it back together. If you seal it up with moisture in it you might end up with a musty metal smell next time you use it. 2) The color will change with use. I've used this red one over 90 times and the red on the bottom is just starting to turn a bit brassy (See photo). Character! My last one got REALLY discolored on the bottom after a year of use, and it wasn't as pretty anymore. So I got a new one. $20 a year isn't a huge deal to me.  3) It gets VERY HOT. I had the handle melt off my first one after I forgot about it and let it cook on the stovetop for 30 minutes. As with all pots and pans, this is not a "set it and forget it" appliance. To avoid overheating the pot, you can add boiling water to the base, then add the coffee, screw on the top tightly and set it over the burner to percolate. It'll be ready in 30 seconds. Also, make sure the size of your burner/flame is not much larger than the base, or you risk heating the sides (bad) as much as the bottom. My smallest burner is larger than the pot, so I boil the water in the base first (see photo), then add the coffee and twist on the top. The biggest mistake people make with these is overheating the entire thing, burning the coffee and possibly melting off the plastic parts. 4) This pot "leaks" when you pour it in the sense that coffee will run down the side unless you pour it slowly. This is due to the small spout and the lid not creating a water-tight seal. It wasn't designed to be dumped into your mug in 2 seconds flat. Take a moment to stop and smell the coffee while you gently pour it into your mug. I guarantee no spills if you do it that way. :) Enjoy!