PED (Pressure Equipment Directive)

The European Union directive covering the design, manufacture, and testing of pressure vessels — including the steam and brew boilers inside espresso machines.

Why it matters — Commercial espresso machine boilers operate under pressure and must meet PED certification appropriate to their volume and pressure. PED Category I, II, III, and IV indicate increasing levels of certification stringency.

Good to know

• Higher categories cover larger and higher-pressure boilers — typical 2-group commercial machines fall in Category II or III.
• PED applies to manufacturing — your responsibility as an operator is maintenance, not re-certification.