Angelo Moriondo

Angelo Moriondo is frequently cited as the "godfather of the espresso machine." Born in Turin, Italy, in 1851, Moriondo was an entrepreneur and hotelier who sought a solution to a common problem: customers were frustrated by the long wait times required to brew coffee. In an era when coffee was typically brewed in large batches, Moriondo envisioned a system that could use steam pressure to extract coffee more efficiently.

In 1884, Moriondo received a patent for a "new steam machinery for the economic and instantaneous confection of coffee beverage." His machine was a massive, vertical cylindrical boiler heated by gas, capable of brewing multiple cups simultaneously by forcing hot water and steam through a bed of coffee grounds. While it successfully reduced brewing time to under a minute, it was essentially a batch brewer rather than the single-shot espresso machines we recognize today.

What is Angelo Moriondo’s legacy in coffee? Although his specific machine design did not achieve widespread commercial success outside of Turin, his patent marked the first time steam pressure was utilized to accelerate coffee extraction. This innovation provided the conceptual blueprint for later inventors like Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni, who would refine the technology into the modern espresso machine.

In practice, Moriondo’s contribution is a reminder that the quest for speed and efficiency has always driven coffee innovation. While his machine lacked the consistency required for modern specialty standards, his pioneering spirit transformed the way coffee was prepared. Today, he is celebrated as the visionary who first bridged the gap between traditional brewing and the rapid, pressure-based extraction that defines the espresso experience.