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PREPARATION

THE FIRST COFFEE MACHINE

When he founded illy in 1933, Francesco Illy was driven by a dream: to produce the best coffee that nature could offer and distribute it all over the world. To do this, he not only had to produce excellent coffee, but he also had to develop the technologies necessary to prepare it. This is how Illetta was born, the forerunner of espresso machines available today in cafés all over the world. In the 1930s, espresso machines "burned" the coffee due to the high temperature and low pressure of the water. Francesco's stroke of genius was to create a new technology capable of using compressed air, in addition to steam, as a source of pressure. This ingenious innovation allowed Illetta to prepare an espresso very similar to the espresso we drink today.

FROM ILLETTA TO IPERESPRESSO

Since the design of Illetta, we have always pursued research and development into innovative systems to perfect the ways we prepare and enjoy coffee. Iperespresso, to date, is the most advanced method: a truly integrated system consisting of a capsule, and a machine designed entirely around it, protected by 5 international patents.

NOT JUST A CUP

The illy cup, which has become a true icon, was created to be the ideal vessel for our espresso, capable of enhancing the tasting experience from every point of view: sensorial, intellectual and aesthetic. Created in 1991, the work of the prestigious designer Matteo Thun, it preserves heat, directs the diffusion of aromas, and offers tactile and visual pleasure. Over the years, this cup has been transformed many times, becoming an unprecedented source of inspiration for some of the world’s greatest artists.