The History of Espresso Machines

The history of the machine that gives us this bean-drink-process is fascinating, and worth knowing a little about before you dive into actually making espresso.

Why Espresso? 

For historical context, let's dive into Italy at the turn of the twentieth century. During this period, Italians developed a fondness for Arabic coffee, which today is often referred to as Turkish or Greek coffee. This coffee is made by combining finely ground coffee with water and boiling it in an ibrik pot over an open flame or in heated sand, resulting in a thick and robust brew.

Simultaneously, Europe was undergoing significant urban migrations due to the Industrial Revolution. Many Italians were leaving rural areas to work in factories, yet they still cherished their coffee breaks. However, traditional coffee preparation took considerable time—brewing a cup required at least five minutes of boiling followed by cooling to avoid scalding one's mouth.

Then, Came Some Innovators

In 1901, Luigi Bezzera invented the first patented espresso machine, which he promptly sold to Desiderio Pavoni. Pavoni's name became synonymous with Italian-made espresso machines, a legacy that continues today. This groundbreaking machine became an instant classic, possibly recognizable to you if you've ever visited an upscale Italian restaurant. It operated by heating water with an open flame under a boiler and then forcing the near-boiling water through coffee grounds using a large "proto-portafilter." The result was a quick production of a coffee that closely resembled Turkish coffee but could be made in under a minute, allowing for more coffees in less time.

While this initial espresso machine didn't resemble the ones seen in high-end cafes today or the ones used by home baristas on compact countertop machines, it was a significant step forward. Generating a maximum of 1.5 bars of pressure, Bezzera's machine couldn't produce the characteristic crema, or foam atop espresso drinks. However, its speed of coffee production was a massive advantage for cafes.

Back in the day, the people making espresso machines weren’t really into coffee gear—they were mostly just good at making boilers. Unlike nowadays, where every new machine seems to come with some fancy new feature (and if it's whistling, you might want to get that checked!), those early espresso machines weren’t upgraded or updated as often.

So, the real espresso game-changer came in 1946 with Achille Gaggia’s spring lever innovation. These machines still boiled water, but pulling the lever compressed a spring and opened a valve, cooling the water a bit before it hit the coffee—a better brew setup. Releasing the lever then pushed the water through the coffee with that spring energy, hitting a high of 14 bars of pressure that slowly eased down as the spring bounced back.

This boost in pressure did wonders: brewing time halved to 30-45 seconds, and the pressure created that coveted crema! Fresh espresso with that enticing aroma—crema’s often the highlight for espresso lovers. Props to Achille Gaggia for that.