Rancilio facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Domestic & Professional Espresso machines |
| Founded | Parabiago, Italy, 1927 |
| Founder | Roberto Rancilio |
| Headquarters | Parabiago, |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Espresso Machines |
Rancilio is a company that makes espresso machines. It was started in 1927 by Roberto Rancilio in Parabiago, Italy. For nearly a century, Rancilio has been known for making high-quality machines for both homes and coffee shops around the world.
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How Rancilio Started
Rancilio's very first espresso machine was called 'La Regina', which means 'The Queen'. This machine had a tall, vertical boiler. It looked a lot like other early espresso machines from companies like Bezzera. 'La Regina' had a fancy, old-fashioned style, typical of the 'Belle Époque' era.
New Ideas for Espresso Machines
In 1950, Rancilio introduced a new machine called the Invicta Horizzontal. This machine had a horizontal boiler, which was a more modern design for the time. However, it still used the same method of brewing coffee with forced steam.
A few years later, in 1953, Rancilio started using a new technology. This was the "lever piston" system, first made popular by the Gaggia company. This system helped make better espresso. By 1957, Rancilio made this process even easier with their H/L Automatica model. This machine could automate the lever process.
Working with Famous Designers
In the 1960s, Rancilio began working with famous industrial designer Marco Zanuso. He helped design some of their most iconic machines. The first was the Rancilio Z8 in 1965, followed by the Z9 in 1974. Rancilio continued to make several Z-series machines, with the Z11 being the last. Later, in the 1990s, their S-series machines became very popular, especially in North America.
Rancilio Silvia: Espresso for Your Home
In 1997, Rancilio created a smaller espresso machine. It was designed for home kitchens, based on their larger machines used in coffee shops. At first, this machine was only given as a special thank-you gift. It went to people who imported or sold Rancilio's big commercial machines.
Later, this home machine was sold to everyone and became known as the Silvia. The Silvia is a popular machine for making espresso at home. It uses a special pump and a brass boiler to make both steam and hot water. It's often sold with a matching coffee grinder called the Rocky.
Modern Innovations
In 2001, Rancilio updated their entire range of machines. They introduced the basic Epoca model and the more advanced Classe series. In 2011, they added a new brewing system called Xcelsius to their Classe 9 machine. This system allows for very precise control over the water temperature when brewing coffee. This helps make the espresso taste even better.
Super-Automatic Machines
Rancilio also tried to make a "super-automatic" espresso machine called the Classe 12. These machines do almost everything for you, from grinding beans to making the coffee. However, this model didn't work out as planned. After that, Rancilio bought a Swiss company called Egro. Now, they sell super-automatic machines under the Egro brand, like the Egro One.
Part of a Bigger Group
In October 2013, Rancilio became part of the Ali Group. This is a large company that owns many different brands in the food service industry.
See also
- Bialetti
- Cimbali
- De'Longhi
- Elektra (espresso machines)
- Faema
- FrancisFrancis
- Gaggia
- La Marzocco
- Saeco
- List of Italian companies
