Coffee culture

Do You Know Who Invented the Espresso Machine?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Every coffee shop catches your eye not just with its unique decor, but with various espresso machines that showcase each establishment's distinct character! Despite the diverse models, their operation follows a unified approach, requiring just a few simple steps to deliver a rich, crema-filled cup of coffee.

It's believed that what catches your eye in every coffee shop, aside from unique decor, are the various espresso machines that showcase the distinctive character of each establishment!

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Although the machines come in all shapes and sizes, their operation methods are remarkably consistent. Just a few simple steps can bring us a cup of rich, crema-filled coffee! However, have you ever wondered while using them: who invented this machine?

Who Invented the Espresso Machine?

Before the birth of the espresso machine, people had been using moka pots, saucepans, and various drip tools to extract coffee. Without exception, all these coffee extraction methods required long waiting times! There would always be someone who grew tired of this waiting, and Mr. Angelo Moriondo from Italy was one of them. Consequently, he began dedicated research, proposed the concept of a coffee machine, and unveiled the machine itself at the World Expo held in Italy in 1884!

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This machine featured primary and secondary boilers - the main boiler for producing hot water and the secondary boiler for generating steam. When someone needed to extract coffee, the steam from the secondary boiler would force the hot water from the main boiler through the coffee grounds, completing the extraction! Although this machine wasn't quite an espresso machine at this stage, its appearance held epoch-making significance in the world's coffee culture!

Mr. Angelo invented this initial coffee machine, but he only applied for a patent for a "steam-operated device for quickly making coffee" and didn't put it into commercial production! It's worth noting that this was the fastest coffee-making device of its time!

Fast forward to 1901, a mechanic from Milan improved the initial version of the coffee machine, making it more suitable for widespread public use! He then applied for a patent for a commercial coffee machine. Four years after the application, in 1905, Desiderio Pavoni of La Pavoni Company purchased his patent and made improvements, adding brewing groups. Thus, the world's first espresso machine was born!

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Because the previous initial coffee machine only produced black coffee, not espresso, the initial machine could only be considered the world's first coffee machine, while this one was truly the world's first espresso machine!

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The Evolution of Espresso Machines

The coffee machines commonly seen on the market today are mostly rectangular in shape, but La Pavoni Company's first-generation espresso machine didn't look like this at all - it actually resembled something of a fire hydrant... This coffee machine featured a 140°C high-temperature brewing group and 1.5 bar extraction pressure, allowing coffee to be extracted within 45 seconds! As for the taste of the coffee, it would inevitably be inferior to today's coffee. After all, besides the relatively backward technology, the beans of that time weren't as refined as they are now, so there's no real comparison! However, its appearance led to the term "espresso" being included in Italian dictionaries in the early 20th century, with the annotation: "concentrated coffee made using pressurized machines or filters!"

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The Path to Modern Espresso Machines

The reason our modern coffee machines can achieve 9 bar pressure is thanks to a Milanese barista in 1947! (It turns out baristas back then were more competitive - they not only had to know how to make coffee but also how to make coffee machines!) He invented the piston manual lever coffee machine, which allowed for greater air pressure to extract more coffee flavors while also producing a larger amount of golden crema!

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This patent was also acquired, and the company that bought it was Faema. They used this technology to launch the "Faema E61" in 1961, which successfully gained worldwide acclaim! This coffee machine used a water pump to increase pressure to 9 bar, and it performed very stably in terms of water temperature and extraction! Therefore, it caused phenomenal popularity upon release and instantly became famous. Moreover, many modern semi-automatic coffee machines are based on it for research and upgrades! Therefore, it's not an exaggeration to call it the father of semi-automatic coffee machines!

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Modern Coffee Machine Diversity

Gradually, the coffee machine market has become increasingly rich, with various novel coffee machines featuring different advantages dazzling consumers. There are even small household machines that allow friends to enjoy a cup of rich espresso at home. Speaking of which, FrontStreet Coffee turns around to make themselves a cup, finally satisfying their craving that has been lingering for a while~

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FrontStreet Coffee

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