The Atomic stovetop espresso coffee maker is an object of great reverence amongst aficionados, and an equally great mythology has grown up around it. The Atomic is a classic of Modern Italian design, with patents being taken out in Italy, Germany, UK and the USA. The machines were mostly manufactured in Italy, with the patents being held by Giordano Robbiati of Milan. Machines were also manufactured by Stella in Vienna and by A&MG Sassoon in the UK. There is some doubt as to whether Qualital Atomics from Hungary were properly licensed or an unlicensed copy - but either way they are still rare!  Some of the very earliest machines, including the ones badged by Qualital and by Stella in Vienna, have a more “flattened” form and lack the later front plug in the water reservoir. The later, more rounded shape was manufactured virtually unchanged from the 1950s until production reportedly ended in the mid-1980s. The “modern” machines, while broadly similar in size and shape, do have many variants. There are at least two different sizes (the ‘Atomic B’ is smaller), and differences in the design of filler knob, placement of the steam valve, grinds holder design, thickness of metal in the body, etc. While early machines were of polished aluminium alloy, later ones were also produced with enamel finishes in orange (1960s) and brown (1970s). The bakelite knobs are predominantly black (filler) and red (steam), but a few machines have green bakelite parts and some early Sassoon models have a light blue steam knob.

Apart from colour changes, the major design changes that occurred between 1950 and 1986 were the addition of the steam (frother) wand for making cappuccino and the addition of a brass rod to insert into the base of the grinds holder while making steam. Early Sassoon steam wands were mounted in the head; this proved unsatisfactory and later wands - when this innovation was picked up by Robbiati -  were eventually positioned partway down the neck of the Atomic.

Resellers in various parts of the world re-badged the machines without changing the design. Some of the common badges are from Stella (Austria), Qualital (Hungary), Robbiati (Italy), A&MG Sassoon (UK), Bon Trading (Australia), La Sorrentina, Thomas Cara. Thos. Cara added a pressure gauge to the top of some machines and marketed them as a ‘deluxe’ model. However, there are many other badges to be found: Little, Cuba, Life-Ware, Aetna, A.Gorrea, F.Fwd, Stemac, Culinor and Hogar for example

Some parts are still available new, although modern components can often be distinguished from vintage ones by subtle differences in manufacturing. For example, modern filter baskets have concentric hole patterns, while vintage ones have a 5 or (more commonly) 6-pointed star. New filler knobs have a flat back plane, while vintage ones have a cutback behind the flutes.




What do I look for when buying?

Some of the key things are:

General condition - the value, aesthetics and practicality of your Atomic will be influenced by obvious things such as completeness and cosmetic appearance. Check for all parts (body, jug, grinds holder, filter(s), head filter and screws, filler knob, steam rod if grinds holder has space for it.

Collectable condition - here, in addition to the above, factors to consider are the state of the badge, which badge, does it have a frother wand, are the instructions and/or box included (box and instructions can add $100 to the price)? Has it been repolished or is the finish original? What colour is the bakelite knob on the frother (blue or green knobs are much rarer than red ones)?  A mint machine is worth significantly more than one in worn condition.

Common faults - these include frozen filler knob, missing or rusted screws in the head filter, hard or damaged seals, faulty pressure valve in the filler knob, pressure cracks in the filler knob. Some of these faults are more serious than others, but almost any Atomic can be salvaged if you are willing to spend enough time and/or money.

• Worn badge - for a collector, a worn badge destroys most of the value. The difference between a machine with a perfect badge and one with none, could be 60% or more. Some non-collectors will not worry about the badge, however, so a worn badge is not a guaranteed sign of a cheap Atomic.

• Frozen filler knob - also guaranteed to reduce the price significantly. But unlike the badge, a frozen knob can usually be fixed, provided you can get hold of a spare filler knob. While the price drop can be around 50%, the cost to fix can be $100 or less.

• Dents or chips in enamel - enamel finishes cannot be repaired by amateurs, so chips in the enamel are there for keeps. If they are major, value could drop by 15% or more. Even a machine with enamel in good condition will be worth a bit less than the equivalent machine with aluminium finish - maybe 5% less.

• Missing head filter - this is usually terminal, as they are virtually impossible to replace. Expect to pay 10-15% less for a machine without its head filter.

• Pressure gauge - Thos Cara marketed a range of Deluxe models that had a pressure gauge screwed into the head. These were of no practical value, destroy the clean lines of the basic machine, and the plastic face panels are prone to warping, yellowing and loss. Expect to pay 10% less for a machine with one of these.

• Missing parts - a missing grinds holder or jug means a 5% drop in value, but missing filter baskets, knobs and seals are less of a problem because they can be easily replaced.

Authenticity – In March 2006, reports surfaced of cheap fake Atomics coming on the market. Early reports identified models with a “Bou Trading” badge as being fakes, but as the fakes were modelled on a genuine batch, not every “Bou Trading” Atomic is a fake. And in time, it is reasonable to assume that the “Bou Trading” error will be corrected. Specific warning signs to watch out for are:

• poor quality workmanship
• casting plug at front of reservoir protrudes
• steel steam valve rod instead of brass
• horizontal moulding marks on grinds holder arm
• machining marks on the jug

Modern Reproductions - In 2007, the La Sorrentina was released, a modern reproduction made to the same specifications as the original Atomic, and selling for similar prices.  In mid-2009, watch for the Otto Espresso, a contemporary reinterpretation of the Atomic shape, but engineered to produce a smaller coffee more like a conventional espresso.  These modern forms are not fakes nor, to the best of my knowledge, do they infringe any intellectual property rights.  They make great coffee, look good and use modern technology and materials.

In late 2008, Bon Trading in Sydney also restarted selling "modern" Atomics. These are distinguished from vintage models by an embossed "Made in Italy" stamp on the underside of the kettle.  However, by June 2009, Bon Trading were once again signalling problems with supply.