The La Piccolina was made by FE-AR of Milano and is an earlier version of the La Peppina. All functional elements are identical in the two machines and all of the gaskets, valve washers, and seals are identical. The challenges in rebuilding the two machines are also identical.....brittle brass flathead screws in the group that tend to break, the usual accumulation of scale in the bottom of the kettle, the usual.
The biggest differnces are in the cosmetic design elements. The kettle is egg shaped and has a less aggressive look than the La Peppina, but the La Piccolina kettle has a rolled over top edge which acts to control bubbling water a bit better than the outwardly flared La Peppina kettle. The La Piccola lid is a similar design but smaller.
The FE-AR lettering on the handles is lower case and a cursive type font rather than the bold capitals of the La Peppina.
The biggest difference is the drip tray grate....the La Piccolina is pressed aluminum while the La Peppina is chrome plated pot metal, and of course the shape is different. The bases are the same shape and use the same bottom trim piece.
One small difference is that the La Piccola uses a pan head screw as a group set screw on the basal column of the machine while the La Peppina uses a hex socket set screw. The weep hole is also a bit larger on the La Piccola.
There is no cast lettering on the bottom "FE-AR Milano Italy" on the La Piccola but a stamped number is the only marking. All badging on both machines is a glue on foil label on both the plug shield giving volts and watts and the front badge above the group. This la Piccola is rebadged La Carimali and has an additional foil badge above the plug socket.
The La Piccola has no option for steam as on the La Peppina, just the plain kettle lid.