Students of coffee history will be aware of Faema’s award-winning machines, which for the past two decades have been made exclusively for the professional market. The Faemina marks the brand’s return to the home kitchen, and the highest possible grade of domestic coffee machine, based on one Italian company’s 75-year pursuit of the ultimate espresso.

The Faemina (from ￡4,570) may count as being a domestic appliance, but it cuts no corners, complying meticulously with standards set by the Istituto Espresso Italiano. In practice, that means a rock-solid double boiler (one for coffee, one for steam), an integrated water softener, a height-adjustable drip tray to achieve the perfect crema in your favourite cup, an optional Autosteam function (if your manual milk frothing isn’t quite on point) and an app that offers granular control of every aspect of the coffee-making process.

A Faemina-made espresso using Lavazza’s Great Marlborough blend (launched in November) is like no coffee I’ve ever tasted – sharp, sweet and with a spicy, wintry warmth. The machine’s skillset also extends to producing flawless filter coffee and, in an unexpected act of sacrilege, excellent cups of tea. It’s exquisitely designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and comes in a choice of finishes and colourways.