Certain companies and brand names are all about what they create. They live, breathe, eat, and drink their creations. They swim in the culture and embrace their consumers, happy to be doing what they do and their dedication and steady company history proves that they are unwavering. Whether the product is plastics, toys, chocolate, or, in this case, espresso and coffee. Other companies diversify, which is always a fine idea, but others settle into their niche, focusing intently upon what they are doing, what they create, how they can make it better, and how they can please those who seek out their products.
Gaggia espresso machines and other similar product lines made by the Gaggia company is one of those businesses that is immersed in what it does. They are nestled deeply into their coffee colored world, a place that is all metal levers, enticing aromas, diligent research, glossy design, the dripping sound of liquid into cups, quaint buttons, professionalism, and more. It’s more than a company that has plants and factories; they want to be the heart of the espresso world, refining techniques and becoming the one and only place to turn for a fantastic tasting cup of espresso. Not in a domineering way, but to be that good that no one turns elsewhere. Now that is true devotion.
Gaggia History
Gaggia espresso machines have a rich and colorful history situated in Milan, Italy, and while other companies only offer snippets of what happened in key years, they want you to know every detail, every little thought and action that the company has dealt with and implemented over the years. Knowing the company and where it came from, what its roots are, and where it is going builds trust and they are proud to show you their heritage.
Unlike other companies who didn’t add espresso machines until later on in their development, this story starts with the Gaggia espresso machine itself. Achille Gaggia was a coffee barman, but wasn’t exactly happy with the way his machine made coffee. He didn’t know why it kept burning the coffee and leaving it with a bitter taste – the beans? The maker itself? Whatever the case, he met a woman named Rosetta Scorza, who had been left with a patent when her husband died. While no one is sure of the exact years of the two meeting, it is said that Gaggia saw the patent and, building on the basic idea, lodged a patent application in 1938. The original patent was for a screw piston that forced water through the coffee maker. Gaggia’s was quite similar; using a rotating screw piston made of a combination of aluminum and brass, but was forced to deal with a good number of trials and errors. The water was too hot, leaks appeared, and overall, things were not going well.
The encroachment of World War II slowed his progress, but after the war, he went right back to work on creating a machine that would brew good coffee. Finally he realized that a lever piston would work much better and in 1947 lodged another patent application. He understood what he could develop should his plans come to fruition. This was a one of a kind undertaking and he remained persistent until finally he created his first cup of espresso utilizing his new idea. Not only did he get a rich cup of espresso – it came with a frothy cream on top! Sticking a sign into the window, he created and installed several machines to begin selling the new product. It became enough of a success that he created a small company in order to manufacture the machines and sell them to other bars. In 1952 the Gilda model was launched. Machines began to sell to the far corners of Europe and quickly, throughout the world. People realized espresso was an intense but enjoyable drink and a culture was quickly following behind it.
Though Achille Gaggia died in 1961, his company continued on and in 1977 it began to build Gaggia espresso machines specifically aimed at home use. Sales took off and the company became a status symbol of espresso and the machines that created the drink. New lines comes out of the company often enough to stay on top of the market and allow for improvement when necessary. Every Gaggia espresso machine is still built in Milan, and more and more products are made to be streamlined, environmentally friendly, and always aimed at producing the best cup of espresso possible. They began to include products like steam cleaners and other accessories in 1997, and in 2000 they introduced a new line of small appliances. The company continues to add on new ideas and implement items, like the line of ironing systems in 2001, but their main focus is still on coffee, always coffee. Though they don’t consider themselves as an explicit producer of coffee machines, the very first thing you see on their website is the Gaggia espresso machine line.
What Gaggia is Known For
The company continues to honor tradition and strives to always make the best product possible for customers, all the while looking toward the future for ways to better the company and its service. They are deeply rooted in their concern for care, details, and quality of their products, but are unafraid of evolving in order to meet the needs of the people and ways to further expand their market without losing their attention to what really matters. Their mission is to bring new ideas with Old World precision. They have an impressive list of products: automatic machines, manual machines, capsule machines, coffee grinders, a cleaning line, and a kitchen line.
Their website showcases all their products, especially making sure you know which products are new and ready for use, giving viewers a quick description, unique symbols explaining the features, and a list of detailed technical information. Gaggia is nothing if not meticulous and helpful, offering information beyond what most buyers would expect. While they have diversified here and there, their coffee machines are still at the top of the line.
