Espresso facts & stats

Question 1

Which espresso-based drink did the most American adults have in the past week (2024)?

Accepted Answer

Latte (18% of adults). Straight espresso followed at 16%, then cappuccinos at 14%.

Question 2

In what year did Turin inventor Angelo Moriondo patent a steam machine for instant coffee — an espresso forerunner?

Accepted Answer

1884. His patent covered "new steam machinery for the economic and instantaneous confection of coffee beverage."

Question 3

True espresso is brewed at roughly how much pressure?

Accepted Answer

nine atmospheres. That pressure is what pushes water through finely ground coffee in seconds rather than minutes.

Question 4

Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni introduced the world to espresso at a Milan fair in what year?

Accepted Answer

1906. Their machine was a refinement of Moriondo's 1884 steam design.

Question 5

Pavoni's early espresso machine could make up to how many cups of coffee per hour?

Accepted Answer

up to 1,000 cups per hour. Before espresso machines, brewing a cup could take up to five minutes.

Question 6

By how much did past-week consumption of espresso-based drinks grow among U.S. adults from 2023 to 2024?

Accepted Answer

up 10%. It was the fastest-growing specialty coffee category that year.

The basics