Water is slowly filtered by the ground coffee absorbing the oils, caffeine, acids and other components.

The paper filter stops the coffee grounds from falling through assuring the drink is free from grounds.
This filter can then be thrown away making for ease of use.

The paper filter was invented by Melitta Bentz of Germany in 1908 as she found the coffee of the time was over brewed and often had coffee grounds in the drink.

This simple filter has not changed much since this time and is now used the world over.

In some countries metal filters are used as these do not need to be replaced each time, but of course require regular cleaning.

A commercial filter coffee machine

Filter coffee machines are used through out the world, but have a greater prominence in North America where filter coffee is the more popular version of coffee.
Through Europe, espresso based coffee, coffee produced in a cafetiere and instant are the more dominant drink served.

The first automatic drip-brew coffee maker was produced by Bunnomatic in 1963.
Since then the design has not changed much as per the example above.

The first coffee machine was made in 1818 by Mr Laurens of Paris, France.
His machine was a percolator type coffee machine.
His percolator consisted of a metal pot with a chamber at the bottom which is placed on the heat. A vertical pipe extends from the chamber to the percolators top.
Just below the top of this pipe is a perforated chamber.
The water when heated rose up the pipe and infused the coffee above.

Traditional Coffee Percolator

James Napier was an English engineer who created the vacuum siphon coffee machine in 1853.
In the vacuum siphon coffee machine the coffee, when ready, was drawn a jug by a into a globe top using a vacuum, from where is was poured out through a tap.

The filter coffee machine was not invented until 1908.
Melitta Bentz, a housewife from Germany was looking for a way to brew coffee without it becoming bitter due to the common over brewing of the coffee machines at the time.
She experimented with pouring boiling water over coffee sat in different types of paper.
She eventually found that blotting paper was the most effective and the filter coffee system was born.
In December of that year Melitta and her husband Hugo founded the Melitta Bentz Company selling over 1200 coffee filter the next year.
Mellitta Bentz patented the filter bag in 1937 and also patented vacuumpacking in 1962.

Espresso Machine

The espresso, not eXpresso, machine was first invented in 1822 by a French man named Louis Bernard Rabaut.
His espresso machine used steam to force hot water through ground coffee, creating the first espresso coffee machine.

The first Italian coffee machine dates back to 1901 when an engineer, Luigi Bezzera registered his patent in Milan.
This machine had a column shaped body made from copper and brass and had a very imposing presence.
Bezzera’s design became the standard for decades and is still being made by companies today for business looking for a more traditional style machine.

Traditional Espresso Machine

Dr Ernest Illy invented the first automatic espresso machine in 1833, he went on to found Illy Caffe (Caffe is Italian for Coffee).

Today’s modern espresso machine was invented by Achilles Gaggia in 1946.
On the 5th of September 1938 Achilles Gaggia filed patent no. 365726 and the modern steam-free coffee machine had arrived.

Gaggia achievement was soon after put on hold due to the out break of the Second World War.
After the war had ended Achilles Gaggia created his company Gaggia who are still making espresso machines today.

Modern Espresso Machine