The group size: 1.8 liters, which keeps four or five people in coffee through a slow morning. GSI build it entirely from marine-grade 18/8 Glacier Stainless, welds included, so there is no coating to wear through and nothing to react with the coffee. Capacity is 1.8 liters; it measures 9 x 5.9 x 8.6 inches and weighs 2 lb 1 oz. Comes with the percolator and its insert.

Two details you notice every morning: the silicone handle stays cool, so you can pour without hunting for a cloth, and the lid is hinged, which means it is still attached to the pot instead of in the dirt. The clear PercView knob lets you watch the color come up.

What GSI means by a “cup”

A percolator cup is not a mug, and it never has been. GSI do not print a per-cup figure anywhere, but on the stainless models they do publish a capacity in liters, and the arithmetic lands at roughly 5 fluid ounces per cup. So a 12-cup percolator holds about 1.8 liters — call it six generous mugs, not twelve. That is our arithmetic from GSI's own capacity figures, not a GSI specification, and we would rather you knew before it arrived than after.

Where you can use it: GSI's page for this model says it is “great for use on stove tops” and their product summary adds camp stoves. Their own blog describes this percolator as usable over a campfire, but the product page does not say so, and we would rather quote the page than the blog post. Stainless with no coating is the right material for fire, and GSI openly sell a larger stainless percolator as campfire-rated — so if open-flame use is the plan, ask us and we will get it confirmed before you buy.

Safety — the one that matters

Never open the lid or remove the PercView top while it is heating. That is GSI's own instruction in capitals, and it is the one that causes scalds. Do not overfill it, do not let it boil dry, and if it overflows turn the stove off and let the whole thing cool before you touch it. Brewed coffee and grounds are very hot. Keep it away from children and pets, let it cool before cleaning or taking it apart, and never try to cool it quickly.

Care

Hand wash with warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly; avoid abrasive cleaners. GSI do not list any of their coffee gear as dishwasher safe, and several pages warn that dishwashers may age components early. Hand wash it.