In 1903, the birth of espresso occurred in Italy, when Luigi Bezzera patented a device that could send hot water under high pressure through some finely ground roasted coffee. Other devices had been used similarly, but Bezzera’s machine was more reliable and produced a new kind of coffee drink, topped off with a thick layer of rich coffee foam called crema. Bezzera’s machine was quicker than the other hot water pressurizers around, too, and so the drink was named with the Italian word for “fast” – “espresso”! Two yeas later, in 1905, Desiderio Pavoni purchased the patents for the espresso machine and set up a large factory in Milan. Thus, La Pavoni was present at the birth of espresso, and thusly did La Pavoni begin its journey to the status of a multinational corporation, manufacturing more espresso machines than any other company in the world today.

La Pavoni today has expanded its operations to include all sorts of coffee equipment, from coffee grinders to hand-pump machines, from traditional models to ultramodern espresso machines. It has avoided diversifying into kitchen or household goods in order to maintain its position atop the espresso culture, and currently maintains a museum dedicated to its role in the history of espresso. This gives the La Pavoni machines a cultural cachet that no others have.

In the United States, a La Pavoni machne was brought to Reggio’s restaurant in 1927, signaling the first tastes of espresso in the country.

The espresso machine remained essentially the same in its design until 1948, spreading the espresso culture throughout Italy and most of Europe. Thought the La Pavon machines were reliable, occasional bursts of steam were known to overcook the ground coffee and produce sour flavors. Engineers at la Pavoni were shaken out of their complacency by the cataclysms of World War II, and they developed a new method of pumping the water with spring-powered pistons that avoid the steaming of the grounds. This was the Model 47 series of La Pavoni machines, called “La Cornuta,” or “the Horn.”

Then came the first domestic espresso maker in history! In 1961, La Pavoni created the “Europiccola,” an espresso maker that could be employed in private homes, using a gallon of water and electric power. This brought coffee beans, coffee grinders and espresso drinks like mocha and latte right into the kitchen of ordinary Italians. It would take a culinary revolution in the United States before we would see this equipment available in U.S. at reasonable prices, but that day did arrive, in the 70’s and 80’s. Today La Pavoni is a popular vendor both online and in the retail stores of America, and its position as the premier maker of coffee machines of various types is unchallenged.

In Italy and Europe, La Pavoni has also, through its intensive focus on coffee machines, taken possession of the public vending quarter. La Pavoni espresso machines can be found on any street corner, where a small cup of espresso can be had for a decent price. The influence of La Pavoni can be felt in the appearance of similar equipment in U.S. offices and public areas, as public vending machines have begun to offer true espresso, rather than the instant abominations of the 1950’s.