Giovanni Achille Gaggia (1895–1961) was an Italian inventor who revolutionized espresso coffee.
Working as a barista in his family's coffee bar, Caffè Achille, in Milan during the 1930s, he became dissatisfied with the bitter, burnt taste of coffee produced by the steam machines of that era .
On September 5, 1938, Gaggia filed a patent for the first modern steamless coffee machine, which used hot water pressure instead of steam to extract coffee.
This system, which he called "Lampo," forced water through ground coffee at high pressure, producing something revolutionary: the natural "crema" that is unique to espresso.
In 1947, he registered a second patent for a lever-piston mechanism, inspired by the hydraulic piston system of an American Army jeep.
This spring-loaded lever design became the foundation for manual espresso machines and remains influential today.
Gaggia formally founded his company in 1948 and began producing the Tipo Classica machine for commercial use.
His machines were quickly installed in prestigious Milanese cafés like Motta and Biffi in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II(shopping center in midtown Milan), with signs proclaiming "Crema caffè di caffè naturale".
The response was immediate—long lines formed as people rushed to experience this new style of espresso with its distinctive crema.
Gaggia later launched its first home espresso machine, the Gilda, said to be named after the character played by Rita Hayworth in the 1946 film.
Achille Gaggia died in 1961, with management passing to his son Camillo and business partner Armando Migliorini.
His invention fundamentally transformed coffee culture, establishing the template for modern espresso and spreading Italian café culture worldwide.
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