Haha... yeah, my manual one has a glass viewer. The entire pot is made of clear glass but I still can't make good perked coffee.
I occasionally use my manual percolator on the range upstairs and can make a pretty good cup, although I have only the tiny glass viewing area. I think a percolator makes better coffee than other types that I have used; of course, my electric percolator stops when the coffee is done, and the light turns blue.
Manual grinders are better than electric ones anyhow. If I am in a big hurry, I might use my electric one but otherwise I will use my manual grinder. I even have a small grinder that I can use while camping, although I haven't done that yet.
I have a small battery-operated spice grinder that I could probably use in a pinch. With all the power outages we are having lately I have learned to keep ground coffee on hand, though. Which reminds me... I opened a new container of coffee the morning that our power came back on and I was trying to decide how best to keep that coffee fresh since we mostly use k-cups and don't make full pots on a daily basis. I ended up vacuum sealing the ground coffee in a freezer bag, then put it in the freezer. I have read that freezing coffee isn't a great idea so we'll see.
I thought that freezing coffee was the best place to keep it, and have a perpetual note to pick up a bag of ground and put it in the freezer for such emergencies (although I don't like opening up my freezer during an outage.)
I think vacuum sealing is the best. I read a while ago that freezing ground coffee allows moisture to form or something. I can't really recall but I was surprised that freezing wasn't recommended. Of course "recommendations" are all over the place. I just want to avoid instant coffee, lol.
OK, I decided to look that up. Apparently the issue with storing ground coffee in the freezer is that ice crystals can form if the container is opened then resealed and returned to the freezer. Like if you were using that coffee daily and keeping it in the freezer. I'm sure it wouldn't matter for long-term storage.
If you can boil water, even on a wood fire, a tsp or two of coffee in a coffee filter, tied with a twist tie (or dental floss) works like a tea bag.
I just pour boiling water over the grounds that are set up in a brew basket...provided I have ground coffee kicking around.
I remember years ago I used to make a pot of coffee in the morning, then unplug the electric percolator or Mr. Coffee machine. (Remember when MrCoffee first came out? So thrilling, lol. ) Then I would drink that same coffee all day, pouring a cold cup and microwaving. Back then we were too poor to waste coffee. I have read that brewed coffee can be refrigerated for a day or two as well.
Although I can't say that I really want coffee today, I am making another pot. I am nearly 73 years old, so I figure if coffee has carried me this far, it would be foolish to abandon it now.