Who Invented the Coffee Maker?
We live in a coffee-conscious society--with coffee shops on every corner and coffee makers in every breakroom, it's hard to resist the temptations of that morning cup (or two). Coffee has a rich history dating back thousands of years, yet we are constantly finding new ways of roasting, brewing and serving it. The invention of the modern coffee maker was a big step in bringing coffee into vogue, but there's much more to the history of coffee makers than the simple drip pot in your kitchen. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Origins of Coffee
-
The coffee bean originated in Africa, however, the earliest records of coffee consumption come from Ancient Egypt. In addition to building the pyramids, the Egyptians figured out the process of roasting the coffee bean over a fire before adding hot water to it. Coffee was considered something of a luxury back then, and it was bartered and traded. Things didn't change much over the years, and this system of roasting and brewing continued until the very recent past.
Drip Brewing
-
The "Biggin" is what you might call the first drip coffee pot. Although the science has advanced, the concept behind drip brewing remains much the same today. The Biggin was invented in France around 1800, and it consisted of a pot with two levels. The upper level held the beans or grounds, and water was poured in over the top, allowing the coffee to drip down to the lower level.
The first commercial-use drip coffeemaker was made available by the Bunn company in 1963, thanks to the enterprising mind of developer George Bunn. The first coffee maker available for the home was made in 1972 by the Mr. Coffee company. It added features that were common in the most popular brewing method of the day-percolation. -
Percolating Pots
-
The percolating coffee pot was developed in the early 19th century by Sir Benjamin Thompson, or Count Rumford. He is best remembered as a scientist who made great strides in understanding the molecular breakdown of heat. Perhaps it was his understanding of heat and nutrition that helped him to improve the health of the Bavarian army while visiting the Duke of Bavaria. In addition to dietary changes, he invented a percolating pot for use by the army. He went on to write essays on why coffee was the superior beverage to tea. In 1865, however, James Nelson was granted the first patent for a percolating coffee pot.
Coffee Filters
-
Coffee is a staple for many people, but most of them couldn't imagine drinking it without a filter to keep the grounds out of their cups. That filter can be attributed to a German housewife by the name of Melitta Bentz. She wanted to find a way to eliminate the bitterness of overbrewing. After experimenting with a few fabrics, she found that the blotting paper from her eldest son's schoolbook was the most effective at filtering the coffee.
Espresso Machine
-
The espresso machine was developed and patented in 1901 by Luigi Bezzera, in the hopes that a faster coffee machine would increase productivity at his company. However, the coffee that came out of the machine was bitter. Desiderio Pavoni figured out the perfect temperature for espresso in 1905, and that perfect formula is what continues to be used today. It wasn't until 1947, however, that the first commercially available espresso maker was put on the market by the Gaggia Company.
-
