Why Victoria Arduino?
Victoria Arduino is one of the oldest espresso brands there is – and one that several legends have grown up around. We checked the common claims against the manufacturer. One of them doesn't hold up.
Where the brand comes from
Victoria Arduino was founded in 1905 in Turin by Pier Teresio Arduino. The manufacturer describes him as a visionary who wanted to break with the conventions of his time – and that's more than marketing: in 1922, Arduino worked with Leonetto Cappiello, one of the best-known poster artists of his era. The poster shows the machine next to an express train – speed and elegance as an image. If you have a vintage coffee poster on your wall today, there's a good chance it's a reproduction of this one. Since 2001, the brand has belonged to the Simonelli Group.
The one claim that isn't true
It's often said that Victoria Arduino was the first company to bring PID temperature stability to espresso machines. Victoria Arduino states this nowhere. On the technology page, the only mention for the T3 Genius is «optimized electronics and PID».
The documented timeline looks different: in February 2001, Andy Schecter published the first PID conversion on a Rancilio Silvia; a few weeks later, David Schomer showed a modified La Marzocco Linea as the first commercial machine with PID temperature stability. PID as standard came with the La Marzocco GB5 in 2005. Nuova Simonelli and Victoria Arduino's T3 technology followed around 2011.
We're not writing this to diminish a brand. Victoria Arduino has enough real achievements of its own – it doesn't need the borrowed ones.
What Victoria Arduino actually brought
Gravitech. Load cells sit in the grid of the drip tray and measure the reference weight in real time while the espresso runs. This means the machine no longer doses by time or volume, but by what actually lands in the cup. Introduced with the Black Eagle VA388: prototype at Host in Milan in 2013, machine from 2014, with the gravimetric version available from SCAA in April 2015. From 2015 to 2021, it was the official machine of the World Barista Championship.
Whether it was the very first gravimetric espresso machine, we'll leave open – the manufacturer doesn't claim it, and we found no evidence either way.
And the design?
This is where retailers like to phrase things generously. What's documented are two selections for the ADI Design Index: the Eagle One 2020, designed by Giulio Cappellini, and the E1 Prima 2021. The manufacturer itself writes «selected for» each time – the ADI Design Index isn't an award, but an Italian annual selection from which the Compasso d'Oro is awarded in the first place. The E1 Prima «Black Out» took part in the Compasso d'Oro in 2022. We found no win, no Red Dot, and no iF Design Award.
What's documented about energy
Victoria Arduino cites concrete, model-specific figures and backs them with life-cycle assessments:
| Technology or model | Manufacturer's figure | Compared to what |
|---|---|---|
| T3 Genius | 37% less energy | conventional T3 |
| NEO | 35% less energy | machines in the same category |
| Black Eagle Maverick | up to 43% less | uninsulated steam boilers |
| T.E.R.S. (patented) | 8% of total consumption | total consumption of the machine |
These are manufacturer figures without independent verification, and each has its own basis for comparison. «Victoria Arduino is 40 percent more efficient» would be a wrong conclusion to draw from them.
Who is the brand interesting for?
Victoria Arduino builds primarily for professional use. If you're equipping a bar, a café, or a high-throughput office, you'll find machines there designed for continuous operation and consistency. For the kitchen table at home, the selection is smaller – and that's fine. Not every brand has to serve everyone.
With us
Our Victoria-Arduino selection and matching spare parts. If you're planning for a business, it's best to book a consultation – then we'll talk about throughput, connection, and space instead of datasheets.
- Bern – Gerberngasse 44, 3011 Bern. Monday to Saturday, 10h to 18h.
- Zürich – Hagenholzstrasse 50b, 8050 Zürich. Tuesday to Saturday, 10h to 17h.
Sources
- Founding in 1905 in Turin, collaboration with Leonetto Cappiello in 1922, membership in the Simonelli Group, Gravitech, Black Eagle VA388: victoriaarduino.com (history, heritage, product pages).
- Years 2013 and 2015 for the gravimetric version: Sprudge's coverage of Host 2013 and SCAA 2015.
- PID history: «History of the PID» on home.lamarzoccousa.com (a competitor's source, marked as such) as well as Victoria Arduino's technology page, which makes no claim to being first.
- ADI Design Index 2020 and 2021, participation in the Compasso d'Oro 2022: news items on victoriaarduino.com; classification of the index via adi-design.org.
- Energy figures: sustainability page and Eagle One product page on victoriaarduino.com. Manufacturer figures, not independently verified.
Frequently asked questions about Victoria Arduino
When and where was Victoria Arduino founded?
In 1905 in Turin, by Pier Teresio Arduino. Since 2001, the brand has belonged to the Simonelli Group.
Was Victoria Arduino the first with PID temperature control?
No, and the manufacturer doesn't claim that either. The documented timeline is different: Andy Schecter published the first PID conversion on a Rancilio Silvia in February 2001, David Schomer showed a converted La Marzocco Linea shortly after, and the 2005 La Marzocco GB5 was the first machine with PID as standard. Nuova Simonelli and Victoria Arduino's T3 technology arrived around 2011.
What is Gravitech?
Victoria Arduino's gravimetric technology: load cells in the grid of the drip tray measure the reference weight in real time. Introduced with the Black Eagle VA388 – prototype at Host in Milan in 2013, machine from 2014, gravimetric version available for purchase from SCAA in April 2015.
Has Victoria Arduino won international design awards?
Two selections for the ADI Design Index are documented: Eagle One 2020 and E1 Prima 2021. However, the ADI Design Index isn't an award but an Italian annual selection – only entries in it are eligible for the Compasso d'Oro. The E1 Prima «Black Out» took part in the Compasso d'Oro in 2022; we found no win.
What does Victoria Arduino say about energy consumption?
The manufacturer cites model-specific figures: 37 percent savings for the T3 Genius versus the conventional T3, 35 percent for the NEO versus machines in the same category, up to 43 percent for the Black Eagle Maverick's vacuum-insulated steam boiler, and 8 percent of total consumption through the patented T.E.R.S. heat recovery. Each figure has its own basis for comparison – no blanket statement can be drawn from them.
Was the Black Eagle the first gravimetric espresso machine?
We can't say. Victoria Arduino doesn't make that claim itself, and we found no evidence either for or against it.
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