The invention of the espresso machine is attributed primarily to Angelo Moriondo, an Italian inventor who patented the earliest known espresso machine in 1884. His machine used steam and boiling water to brew coffee efficiently, but it was a bulk brewer and did not serve individual cups. Later, around the early 20th century, Luigi Bezzera, a businessman from Milan, created improvements to make espresso brewing faster and to prepare coffee in individual servings. He invented the single-shot espresso machine, adding features such as the portafilter. Bezzera's patents were bought by Desiderio Pavoni, who further improved the machine and commercialized it, making espresso popular worldwide. Therefore, while Angelo Moriondo is credited with the first invention of the espresso machine, Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni played key roles in developing and popularizing the espresso as we know it today.