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Interestingly it took until 1961 for the E61 group head to appear. This clever valve system with portafilter revolutionized consistency and took some of the fus

Interestingly it took until 1961 for the E61 group head to appear. This clever valve system with portafilter revolutionized consistency and took some of the fussiness (skill) out of shot-pulling process. The design is still going strong today, although there are definitely improved versions of it on super-high-end machines.

lostlogin 2y ago
You can still buy it. It doesn’t have the mercury switch or the open flame from the gas, but it’s a beautiful beast. https://www.faema.com/int-en/product/E61 https://www.faema.com/int-en/product/E61
- bch 2y ago
  I worked the 3-group version of this at Jet Fuel in Toronto some years ago; it’s lovely.
nomilk 2y ago
> Interestingly it took until 1961 for the E61 group head to appear. Espresso machines with group heads are ubiquitous (at least in Australia), I don't know of any cafe here that makes espresso without an espresso machine of group head design. Now I'm curious what cafes and coffee shops commonly used to make espresso before the innovation of the group head. Maybe they didn't serve espresso and only did drip/filter coffee instead?
- nikau 2y ago
  E61 is a partucular group head design, it provides temperature consistency and a form of pre infusion. Lots of commercially machines like slayer have a portafilter but that's where the similarity ends.
  - alfiedotwtf 2y ago
    And to add… most cafes in Australia (at least the ones I’ve ever been to) all use e61. Maybe something to do with La Marzocco having an almost-monopoly here
- sgt 2y ago
  If you go back to the 90s, most countries had no idea about espresso, cappuccino etc. I remember my dad making an instant cappuccino in the early 90s, but it was hard to find an actual espresso maker then.
  - Rinzler89 2y ago
    Coffee culture has evolved a lot since the 90s'. Espresso makers for home use were incredibly rare back then and still are today in most households, since they're large, expensive and difficult to use compared to the usual household coffee makers like drip filer coffee, French press, AeroPress, etc Most people who wanted espresso-like drinks at home used the Mokapot for that since it was much cheaper, smaller and easier to use.
    - sgt 2y ago
      Agreed. I still have a Moka pot for making espresso, but I rarely use it. Most of my brew is from a normal coffee maker (drip) - the type is Moccamaster and it's a dutch brand. Also built in the Netherlands. When I'm out, I go for cappuccinos as a treat.

lostlogin 2y ago

You can still buy it. It doesn’t have the mercury switch or the open flame from the gas, but it’s a beautiful beast. https://www.faema.com/int-en/product/E61 https://www.faema.com/int-en/product/E61

bch 2y ago
I worked the 3-group version of this at Jet Fuel in Toronto some years ago; it’s lovely.

nomilk 2y ago

> Interestingly it took until 1961 for the E61 group head to appear. Espresso machines with group heads are ubiquitous (at least in Australia), I don't know of any cafe here that makes espresso without an espresso machine of group head design. Now I'm curious what cafes and coffee shops commonly used to make espresso before the innovation of the group head. Maybe they didn't serve espresso and only did drip/filter coffee instead?

nikau 2y ago
E61 is a partucular group head design, it provides temperature consistency and a form of pre infusion. Lots of commercially machines like slayer have a portafilter but that's where the similarity ends.
- alfiedotwtf 2y ago
  And to add… most cafes in Australia (at least the ones I’ve ever been to) all use e61. Maybe something to do with La Marzocco having an almost-monopoly here
sgt 2y ago
If you go back to the 90s, most countries had no idea about espresso, cappuccino etc. I remember my dad making an instant cappuccino in the early 90s, but it was hard to find an actual espresso maker then.
- Rinzler89 2y ago
  Coffee culture has evolved a lot since the 90s'. Espresso makers for home use were incredibly rare back then and still are today in most households, since they're large, expensive and difficult to use compared to the usual household coffee makers like drip filer coffee, French press, AeroPress, etc Most people who wanted espresso-like drinks at home used the Mokapot for that since it was much cheaper, smaller and easier to use.
  - sgt 2y ago
    Agreed. I still have a Moka pot for making espresso, but I rarely use it. Most of my brew is from a normal coffee maker (drip) - the type is Moccamaster and it's a dutch brand. Also built in the Netherlands. When I'm out, I go for cappuccinos as a treat.