- Over 40 years of history -
Briel is a Portuguese brand of small domestic appliances, specialized in espresso coffee machines for home and semi-professional use. The brand is inextricably linked to the passion for the perfect espresso and defines itself as a unique blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.
We really love what we do. At Briel, we intend to distinguish ourselves from the mass-produced small appliances manufacturing by a great attention to the detail and focus on durability and functionality. Quality has always been, and will continue to be, the foundation underpinning everything we do.
1978
Briel was founded in 1978 by an entrepreneur and inventor from Porto, as a toy and electrical home appliances company. Hence the name Briel: “Brinquedos” = portuguese word for Toys; “Electrodomésticos” = electrical home appliances. The initial product range included mixers and vacuum cleaners.
1982
Briel launched the first espresso coffee machine using a completely plastic body, which was unheard of to date, taking advantage of its own plastic injection and tooling in-house industrial machinery, know-how and resources.
1990
Due to the great success of its espresso coffee machines, Briel abandoned its initial goal of producing all types of home appliances, to specialize in this sector. With great business dynamics and know-how, it has become a quality symbol over the years.
1994
1996
1997
A big fire destroyed the Briel factory in Leça do Balio.
Despite this unfortunate event, Briel won several awards in this year:
ES33 Estoril, Design Award “Selo de Design” – Centro Português de Design
ES33 Estoril, Best Buy – “Escolha Acertada”, Deco – Proteste, Portugal
1998
Briel moved to new facilities in Nogueira, Maia
1999
2001
2003
2004
Briel won another award in this year:
ES42 Artemis, Best Buy – “Escolha Acertada”, Deco Proteste, Portugal
2005
2006
Briel participated in the International Fair “Domotecnica” in Germany, where it presented the prototype of a new coffee machine: “Futura”.
Won another award in this year:
ES160 Domus Uno, Domotechnica Design-Special E-Selection, Germany
2007
All the company’s shares were transferred from the original founder to a private investor, who took control of the management.
2009
Briel introduced two completely new coffee machine concepts to the public, both in terms of operation and design: “Aquarius” and “Zenith”.
2010
Briel launched a restyling of the well-known 70 series coffee machines.
2012
In a turnaround, the brand was acquired by employees, with the support of suppliers, who started a new business project, moving the production to new facilities in Vermoim – Maia (Portugal), which integrate Briel staff, machinery and tooling.
2013
Briel participated in several International Fairs, presenting its range of products:
– “Ambiente” (Frankfurt);
– “IFA” (Berlim);
– “Host” (Milão)
2014
Briel participated in several International Fairs, presenting its range of products:
– “Ambiente” (Frankfurt);
– “Hostelco” (Barcelona);
– “Hotelimpia” (London), where presented the new semi-professional line-up;
2015
2016
Briel moved to all-new facilities in Matosinhos, Porto. The new plant has a production capacity of over 100.000 units per year, which can be extended to 300.000.
- Philosophy -
| The Legacy
The 40 years are not just history: it is a legacy of knowledge and expertise allowing us to claim ourselves in the market as true specialists in espresso coffee machines. The competence and skills that we have deepened over time, either by improving processes, by using more durable and ecologically sustainable materials, or by the continuous research and technological development.
Of the many thousands of coffee machines Briel produced over the years, equipments that are spread all over the world, the feedback we have is of total satisfaction for its flawless operation: extracting a perfect espresso coffee, day after day, year after year. This frankly positive and global opinion on our products, which speaks for itself, makes us very proud.
| The Perfect Espresso
Setting modesty aside, we really know how to make a good espresso coffee machine: it is not just engineering but an art. It is something that can only be fully understood by experiencing an espresso from a Briel coffee machine.
From the robust stainless-steel boiler to the special crema maker filter, to the use of electronic technology designed to control the operation on the latest models, everything is specifically designed, thoroughly developed and exhaustively tested, by ourselves, so that the final result meets any highest expectations.
| Proudly Made in Portugal
Our machines were designed, developed and are manufactured in Portugal, by Portuguese women and men. Briel team brings together people with multiple professional backgrounds: the elders who, with all the commitment and dedication, have been working with our brand since its beginning (for over 40 years); highly qualified and experienced technicians in areas with high technological development in recent times such as plastic injection, metalworking and tooling; and also engineers, from the most prestigious universities, sharing their advanced knowledge and expertise in the production and continuous improvement of our coffee machines.
More than 90% of the parts that make up our machines are produced in Portugal: beyond the assembly, all plastic and metal parts, including our exclusive stainless-steel boiler and special filter, are made in-house. Even the toolings for all these processes are developed and built, from scratch, by us. The remaining components are predominantly European, as we do not compromise on quality. All these parts are thoroughly checked and controlled before the final assembly, which is performed by very experienced people, with all the care and attention.
| Repairable and Serviceable
Briel coffee machines are built to last. However, if some maintenance or repair is needed, we guarantee spare parts supply for at least 10 years. We simply cannot see our coffee machines as throw-away small domestic appliances.
We believe that all consumers and manufacturers will think this way, getting engaged in an environmental-friendly and ecologically sustainable world development. But, as all Briel customers know, we have been thinking this way for over 40 years, since all our coffee machines are designed to be repairable and serviceable.
- Know-how -
We still use the portafilter system since we love the ritual of brewing an espresso, enjoying all the aromas of our favourite coffee, having a shot with perfect body, crema and flavour. Some say that capsules can be more convenient due to its ease to use – but, for us, it is an incomparably more relaxing and satisfying experience extracting a coffee the traditional way than simply placing a capsule in an electrical appliance.
Furthermore, at a time when environmental sustainability is a global concern, we cannot help thinking about the tons of aluminium and plastic wasted while consuming coffee capsules, most of which ends up in landfills – as recycling, although possible, is not a simple process as the capsule content has to be removed.
Another important factor is the cost-effectiveness: an espresso from ground coffee can cost up to 8 times less than a capsule coffee. Considering the hundreds of coffees that the average consumer and, perhaps, its family have each year, just imagine how much you can save thru the long lifespan of the machine.
If you prefer a more practical, quick and clean way to obtain an authentic espresso, our machines are ready to use both ground coffee and ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) standard pods, consisting of mono-doses of pressed coffee, with the appropriate grind and quantity, placed between two sheets of food grade filter paper, with the advantage of being more environmental-friendly than capsules.
All Briel coffee machines are equipped with an in-house produced stainless-steel boiler – with the superb ability to heat and hold hot water for a long time so that it can be always ready for use at perfect temperature, shot after shot.
A boiler heats water more consistently and maintain the desired temperature for longer time, featuring greater stability and control at consecutive shots, in contrast to a common thermoblock. It is no coincidence that boilers are the preferred technical solution of true professionals and it is the type of configuration we can find in the best and most expensive high-end coffee machines.
In addition to being 100% aluminium free – unlike some generic thermoblocks used by others – our boiler heavy-duty mechanism will last a very long time, with no leaks or breaks, which is demonstrated by the many thousands of units we have produced over the years and that are still working perfectly, all over the world.
After water at the correct temperature, the amount of pressure is probably the most important requirement to brew a perfect espresso. It all comes down to pressure: if too low, your espresso will be under-concentrated and weak.
Although not always necessary, more pressure helps the user to make a better-quality shot, offering greater flexibility and tolerance to different types of grinding and quantity of coffee. It also means that the pump the machine is equipped with is more robust and it will not always be working to the limit of its capacity, providing less wear and ensuring an outstanding durability, without loss of power or efficiency over time.
The mechanics of our coffee machines were engineered to work with a 20 bar pump, warranting the smoothest and creamiest espresso shots even in the most demanding situations. All equipped with the best Italian pumps, reliable and durable.
Thinking about the most demanding users, or simply for those who like to visualize the action in the whole process, some models of Briel coffee machines are equipped with a pressure gauge: the way of showing you exactly how much pressure it is applying to your coffee during extraction. It is a device that is usually found in the best and most expensive high-end coffee machines.
Optimum extraction should be between 8 and 10 bar, but this can vary based on if you are using ground coffee – depending on the bean, grind and tamp – or ESE pods at which a little more pressure is needed. If you want more refined results, revealing your motivation to be a true barista, you should keep the pressure fixed, using the grind, the time and the tamp as control variables, adjusting the latter until it feels like perfect to you.
Do you like a cappuccino? Or a latte macchiato? We have good news for you! Briel coffee machines with steam pipe have an excellent frothing capacity of milk, ensuring the very fast availability of a powerful and continuous steam, without the unwanted water remains. The result will be a milk foam at the right temperature, structure, and thickness, which you can use to prepare your favourite drinks.
The exceptional continuous steam function of Briel coffee machines is possible thanks to both the use of our boiler, also designed for this application, and the improved electronic control that, in some models, provides micro-injections of water into the boiler without affecting the required high temperature, thus allowing the continuous use of steam even for long periods.
