Rancilio

Rancilio is an Italian manufacturer best known for its espresso equipment, founded in 1927 by Roberto Rancilio in Parabiago, Italy, near Milan. The company produces appliances for commercial and domestic use, especially espresso machines and coffee grinders, which it distributes worldwide. Rancilio's earliest espresso machine was La Regina: a steam-driven vertical boiler model, similar to the original Bezzera, Gaggia, and Victoria Arduino machines in function and gilded Belle Époque styling. In 1950, Rancilio released a horizontal boiler machine, the Invicta Horizzontal, showing evidence of the postwar shift toward spare, modern styling. The machine however, still used the same forced-steam brewing method from the early 20th century. By 1953, Rancilio adopted lever piston technology introduced by Gaggia. In 1957, Rancilio released a model which automated the lever process, the H/L Automatica. The company followed new technological trends towards continuous deliver brewing introduced by Faema in 1961. In 1965, Rancilio commissioned design work from industrial designer Marco Zanuso, beginning with the Rancilio Z8, and continuing with the Z9 in 1974. Rancilio continued with several Z-series machines, with the Z11 being the last.