I definitely do not recommend any coffeemaker that cycles the brew over the grounds multiple times, as in the case of the perculator. It tends to over-extract the grounds, introducing bitterness. If you're ready to depart the beaten path of brewing checkout Chemex manual drip, the vacuum pot, or the Turkish ibrik. There are a number of easy filtration methods for home and field. It's a simple way to improve flavor.
Coffee is best as soon as the brewing is done.
Use a thermal container to perserve temperature instead of the constant heat of a warmer plate. For practical reasons I will often leave the coffee on the warmer plate, but for no longer than 20 minutes. After that you'll notice that the flavor starts changing toward sour and bitter. Thermal French Press Step 1. Boil some good tasting water.