The device that revolutionized printing in Europe during the Renaissance was the printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440. This invention allowed for the mass production of books, making literature, scientific works, and religious texts more accessible to the public. The printing press significantly contributed to the spread of knowledge, literacy, and the Renaissance itself by enabling ideas to circulate widely and swiftly. It played a crucial role in cultural transformation and laid the groundwork for the Reformation.