Espresso, as most coffee gourmets know, is made by forcing water under pressure through finely ground coffee, resulting in a strong, full coffee flavor. Inventors have been perfecting the espresso machine and the taste of espresso for over a century.

The origin of the word "espresso" is debated. Some say it is because the amount of coffee made was "espressly" for one. It may have been an earlier Italian word for "pressed coffee." Clearly the name has ended because it reflects the speed at which the coffee is made.

Early Attempts to Make Espresso

In the late 19th century, as the pace of the world sped up, inventors started looking for faster ways to make coffee so that people did not have to wait for it to brew to get a fresh cup. At first, steam was used instead of water. A version of the first espresso maker was exhibited at the 1896 World's Fair.

Unfortunately, despite it was fast, it was far from gourmet coffee, because coffee tastes best when brewed at just below boiling. Enter the man widely known as the father of espresso – Luigi Bezzera of Milan, Italy. In 1901, Bezzera built a machine that had a boiler and four divisions. It forced steam and boiling water through coffee and into the cup.

Bezzera's patent was purchased by Desiderio Pavoni and the Pavoni Company began manufacturing the machines in 1905. The "La Pavona" machines became very popular. They arrived in the US in the 1920s.

Improvements During the Early 20th Century

From the 1920s through the 1940s, Italian engineers experimented with pumping devices to increase the brewing pressure and further alleviate the burnt taste that came from the steam and boiling water forced through the machine. The first practical model of this type was developed in 1938 by a coffee grinder factory worker, M. Cremonesi (His first name seems to be a mystery). Cremonesi's machine had a screw piston that forced hot rather than boiling water through the coffee.

Achille Gaggia used this machine in his coffee bar. However, a bomb during World War II destroyed his machines. After the war, Gaggia improved the coffee maker by incorporating a spring lever piston.

Not everyone appreciated the unique coffee. It has been said that customers at Gaggia's coffee bar asked, "What's this scum on my coffee?" Gaggia decided to market the coffee as "caffè crema" instead of espresso, and that was the more common term used for a time.

More Modern Developments

The next significant design change occurred in 1961 when Ernesto Valente created a machine with an electric pump that forced water through the coffee. This was the first pump-driven machine. It was sold as the Faema E61.

In the late 1970s, the Ulka Company introduced a small, inexpensive pump that allowed the manufacture of small home espresso machines at affordable prices. These pumps are found in home, Rancilio, Gaggia and Saeco machines. Ever since then, people who favorite coffee is espresso can make and enjoy it in the comfort of their home or office.