Which Italian company originally made coffee machines, especially espresso machines?

In 1938, Giovanni Achille Gaggia applied for a patent for a modern steamless coffee machine to be used commercially in his coffee bar. The machine forced water to flow over the coffee grounds at high pressure, producing the ‘crema’ (a foam with a creamy consistency) that is unique to espresso.

The Gaggia company was founded in 1947 and formally incorporated in 1948. It first produced machines for commercial use, but shortly thereafter released the Gilda, its first home machine. The company continued to produce espresso machines and accessories from a classic machine to the innovative semi-automatic and super-automatic models that have been recently added.

In 1999 the company was purchased by a fellow Italian competitor named the Sacco International Group, which in turn was purchased by Dutch manufacturer Philips in 2009.

As of 2010, the Gaggia espresso and coffee machines were still manufactured in Milan at the Robecco sul Naviglio factory located in the Lombardy region.

Seven years later, Phillips sold the Sacco Professional division including the Gaggia brand to N&W global Vending SpA, an Italian Bergamo based company leader in vending machines for drinks and snacks.

The other options include VIETRI (capital letters only), a company that offers fine Italian ceramic dinnerware and decor for the home and garden. Zanotta offers Italian made furniture while Bertazzoni is a family-owned Italian company that manufactures high-end kitchen appliances.