Dear Heloise: When the coffee can is close to empty, I turn the can upside down over a large bowl and hit the bottom and sides of the can. I can rotate it while hitting the sides until it looks clear of most of the grounds. Then I use a soft brush inside the can to collect whatever grounds are still remaining.

If the can is to be reused, it can then be wiped clean. I also make coffee in an electric 12-cup percolator that was purchased online. My husband and I have been making our coffee for several years this way, and it tastes great. All the parts are metal, so no plastic comes into contact with the coffee-brewing process. We order paper filters online to use with the percolator. This old-fashioned technique still seems to work for us. — Marlene S., in Tucson, Arizona

THE SILENT GENERAT

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