Evolution of the espresso machine

Over 110 years of Italian research to improve coffee extraction

Espresso coffee is a marvel of chemical and physical engineering. It is the coffee preparation system which enables the extraction of the largest number of aromatic substances from the coffee. The result is a solution of proteins, acids, caffeine, sugars and an emulsion of colloids. “Espresso” means “made on the spot” and involves the use of dedicated machines. The technique of espresso preparation has been refined over the years thanks to the numerous espresso coffee machines that have been invented (almost exclusively in Italy).
Steam machine 1901 In 1901 in Italy the first espresso coffee machine was created... The model featured a column containing a mechanism using steam for the preparation of coffee. Right from the beginning much attention was paid to the aesthetic appearance of the object. The history of espresso machines can be seen as a chapter in the history of Italian design, The column, in particular, took on decorative elements influenced by the art of the period. These machines made excellent coffee, but could not guarantee consistent results.	Pressure machine 1945 In 1945, steam was replaced by the pressure mechanism... In 1945 a new model of machine featured a pressure mechanism replacing the steam, in the form of a large spring for compressing the water. This model made it possible to obtain a true crema, dense and aromatic, on top of the coffee.	Continuous delivery machines 1960 1961 saw another great invention: Continuous delivery... Invented by Ernesto Valente, it was based on the replacement of the spring by a rotary pump. This was the start of continuous delivery, which is the system still in use.	Paper pods coffee espresso machines 1980 The 1980s saw the introduction of the first paper pods coffee espresso machine... The innovation had a decisive effect on exports. With the coffee already properly milled by the producer and measured into individual portions, the operator no longer needed any special experience. The Italian espresso ritual could thus be exported with confidence in the results, and with extreme practicality. This marked in effect the transition from the “four ‘M’s rule” to the “two ‘M’s rule”.

			With the arrival of the pod machine, milling is the exclusive preserve of the company producing the pods, and the operator’s manual skill, which was once in control of the milling and the measuring, has been 80-90% replaced by the pod.