Bialetti

Years of change and the birth of Bialetti

The beginning of the 20th century is a time of great transformations: these are the years of Futurism, of technological progress, and of social revolutions. From the plane to the radio, people's daily lives are about to change radically. It was at this time that the success story of the Italian brand Bialetti began in 1919, when Alfonso Bialetti opened his workshop in Crusinallo, in the province of Verbania, for the production of semi-finished aluminium products. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit, he transformed the workshop into Alfonso Bialetti & C. Working in partnership with Fonderia Conchiglia, they began designing and manufacturing fully market-ready finished products.

At home and in the café

It’s then that Alfonso Bialetti decides to revolutionize a daily act and bring coffee – as good as the coffee you’d get in a bar – into the homes of Italians, creating a simple, easy-to-use object. To make it, he chooses aluminum: a light, resistant material synonymous with modernity.

Inspired by everyday traditions

Observing women doing their laundry, he discovers the lisciveuse: a container with a central steel tube that is filled with clothes and placed over the fire. Once the water started boiling, it went up through the tube, distributing the soap evenly.

The birth of an icon

The original Moka Express debuted in 1933, and has remained virtually unchanged ever since. It was Alfonso's wife who inspired the iconic 8-sided shape of the Moka with her silhouette: the head, the broad shoulders, the narrow waist, the arm on the hip and a pleated skirt...

And its name is in honour of the city of Mokha in Yemen, famous for a wildly popular coffee.

Renato Bialetti

Brought up within the family company founded by his father Alfonso, Renato Bialetti took over in 1946. Paul Campani, his friend and cartoonist, came up with the idea of the Man with the moustache, inspired by Renato himself, thus creating an advertising icon that has remained in the hearts and homes of all Italians.

The Man with the moustache

Our famous Man with the moustache, initially appearing in cartoon version, was made famous by TV show Carosello.

Becoming iconic thanks also to the advertising slogan “Sembra facile” (“It seems easy”), he is always portrayed with a raised finger as if ordering an espresso.

The Moka Express

An Italian icon that has won over every generation for over 90 years while remaining faithful to tradition.