The myth of the 'caffè all’Italiana' was born from the ingenious idea of Achille Gaggia, an Italian barista who in 1938 filed the patent that revolutionized the way the aromas are extracted from coffee.  Prior to Achille's innovation, coffee was prepared using a steam machine that often burned the coffee making it bitter.  He revolutionized the coffee industry by inventing the current process by which hot water under high pressure passes through the coffee; the espresso with a natural crema was born. Today, the Gaggia Classic is one of the most popular home espresso machines on the market. You can also browse our full range of Gaggia portafilters here.