Nowadays, all you have to do is press a button on your coffee maker and you have delicious coffee ready in just a few seconds. Before the invention of the first coffee maker, coffee was mixed directly into boiling water. The Turks invented one of the first ways to prepare coffee manually. The beans were ground using mortars and pestles, added to water, and boiled in a vessel called a "cizve," or "Baghdad kettle." When coffee arrived in Europe, it was prepared by adding ground beans to water in a pot and boiling it.
These methods continued throughout the Americas until 1802 in France, when pharmacist François Antoine Descroisilles joined two connecting metal vessels with a sheet metal full of holes, like a sieve. When brought to a boil, the steam released by the water rose to the upper reservoir, passing through the filter and through the ground coffee, extracting its essence, color, and flavor. This invention was called the "Cafeolette." Later, in 1873, the first American coffeemaker appeared, based on a cylinder containing a filter inside that was lowered, pressing down the coffee grounds.
The 20th century
It was in 1901 that Luigi Bezzera, an Italian entrepreneur, created the industrial coffee maker, which years later was marketed in bars and restaurants. This is how the coffee bar culture that continues to this day was created. The next innovation in home coffee makers came from Melitta Benz, a German housewife who, in 1908, created the first coffee filter, which was so successful that she founded a company that still operates today with more than 3,000 employees.
In 1922, the "bar" coffee maker appeared, the first espresso maker that would become the precursor to the "De'Longhi" brand, the leading espresso maker today. Years later, in 1940, "Pyrex" was created, a high-temperature-resistant glass. German chemist Peter J. Schlumbohm grafted porous paper onto a container made of this material and poured coffee and water into the top. This is how he created the "Clemex" coffee maker. Below, I'll give you a brief account of the different types of coffee makers from 1901 to the present day.
The espresso machine
In 1901, a major revolution took place in the coffee world. A Milanese engineer, Luigi Bazzera, invented the first steam-powered espresso machine. Since then, coffee has been prepared faster in coffee shops around the world. These early machines, cylindrical in shape and rather imposing in size, were made of copper, bronze, and brass, which was the beautiful decoration of the time.
In 1948, the steam engine was replaced by a piston engine, introducing pressure extraction. This innovation produced a more concentrated and aromatic beverage characterized by a consistent, compact crema, which became known as "espresso." A year later, the first espresso machine with a horizontal boiler was created, bringing about a significant aesthetic change to the machines. In 1961, the Faema E-61 coffee machine appeared. Its main feature is the brewing unit, separate from the boiler and always hot due to the boiling water passing through the tubes. Thanks to the thermosiphon system, the water is maintained at a constant temperature, precise for espresso. To this day, the espresso machine continues to evolve, always offering exquisite coffee to all its consumers.
The drip or filter coffee maker
Invented by the German company Melitta Benz, it runs on electricity and consists of a water tank that is heated and passed through ground coffee, which is placed on a paper or aluminum or steel mesh filter to produce coffee.
The Italian coffee maker
Very similar to an espresso machine. It makes coffee by passing steam-pressurized boiled water through ground coffee. It's also known as a moka pot, which alludes to the city of Mocha in Yemen, a coffee-producing region since ancient times.
Neapolitan coffee maker
Conceived in 1819, it spread to Italy for home coffee making. It consists of two screw-on pieces with a filter at the end, each with a small hole for the coffee to drip into. Although it can be purchased, it is not widely used.
The French press coffee maker
It's a simple, hand-operated coffee-making device, providing stronger coffee than other coffee makers. It was invented in the 1850s. It usually has a handle so the contents can be poured from inside into a cup when ready. The plunger has a type of nylon, rubber, or aluminum filter capable of allowing only water to pass through and not coffee grounds or residue.
Ibrik coffee maker or Turkish coffee maker
It's a brass or copper kettle, similar in shape to a vase, wider at the top than at the bottom, and with a handle for pouring coffee. Sugar is added in addition to cold water and coffee. The ibrik is placed on the fire and removed just as it begins to boil. It is consumed mainly in the Middle East and the Balkan countries.
Automatic and super-automatic coffee machines
Automatic espresso machines regulate the entire coffee extraction process themselves. The machine determines the brewing time, water temperature, and pressure levels. You don't have to do anything for the machine to extract the coffee. Super-automatic coffee machines make it very easy to enjoy espresso at home with just the touch of a button. The machine handles everything from grinding the beans to preparing a wide variety of coffee and latte recipes. As you can see, the technological evolution of coffee machines is almost incredible, to the point that now, if you want, there are models that can prepare perfect coffee from a mobile app. And thanks to innovation, manufacturers are increasingly striving to present the best espresso machines in line with digital accessibility and the continuous technological advances of this post-modern era.