The QuickMill Orione 3000 is an interesting entry-level espresso machine. The thermoblock heats up quickly and, with our tips and recommendations, can be screwed together to achieve good results. Straight out of the box and without the willingness to experiment with the machine using our advice, we advise against it. But if you are willing to work your way into the machine, you have made a good choice of espresso machine for relatively little money.
In a nutshell – pros and cons of the QuickMill Orione 3000
The QuickMill Orione 3000 has:
- Solid construction, lots of stainless steel.
- Heats up quickly and is therefore ready for use quickly.
- Compact and weighty. Other machines in the price range slip when clamping the portafilter.
- Constant in inconsistency. See temperature chapter and cons.
The following speaks against the QuickMill Orione 3000:
- Milk lance from the last millennium. However, this weakness can be compensated for by dismantling the plastic attachment and using our tips.
- Poor temperature behavior when used “normally”. The temperature of the brewing water is far too hot and promotes unpleasant, bitter flavors. Can be reduced using our temperature instructions.
- Small drip tray with flimsy cover.
The QuickMill Orione 3000 costs around 750 francs in Switzerland. In Germany we saw the espresso machine for around 650 euros. We generally recommend buying espresso machines from local dealers, as support is then guaranteed. The machine is also available on Amazon *.
Size, weight and appearance
The QuickMill Orione 3000 weighs 9.2 kilograms and stands firmly and powerfully on the table. This means that it feels more valuable to use than other machines in the price range that slip when the portafilter is clamped. 25 cm in depth and width and 38 cm in height are reminiscent of the dimensions of smaller two-circle cars. With cups on the machine, it can get tight in a kitchenette upstairs. Measuring makes sense here!
A 58mm portafilter is reminiscent of the classic Faema E61 principle. But be careful, both the suspension in the portafilter and the sieve are shaped differently. Classic portafilters snap into the brewing group in two places. The QuickMill Orione 3000 has three locking points. The screen is also flattened and cannot be easily replaced.
Also included in the delivery: a plastic tamper, which can only be used for winding up headphone cables or something similar. Definitely replace it, you won't be happy with it!
Temperature at the limit
If you use the QuickMill Orione 3000 as standard, the brewing temperature is far too hot. Standard means: you grind coffee into the portafilter, press the coffee powder with the tamper and rinse water for two seconds in order to remove coffee residue from the shower and to slightly cool the temperature.
Our tests have shown that the QuickMill Orione 3000 has temperatures of up to 105 degrees with a short rinsing time. The ideal brewing temperature for espresso is 93 degrees Celsius. 100 degrees and more manifest themselves in a dominant bitterness in terms of taste. (How we measure temperature on espresso machines.)
Our aim is to develop profiles for smaller machines from the entry-level espresso machine segment that still produce good tasting results.
A lot of espressos and tests went through the Orione 3000 and led to the following profile.
Before making the espresso, water should be rinsed for at least 8 seconds. This reduces the temperature to the desired brewing temperature of 93 degrees. It then drops to 89 degrees during brewing, which is slightly too low. However, the central brewing time at the beginning is in a temperature range that produces good sensory results in the cup. Yummy!
Espresso tastes too sour or too bitter – what should I do?
If the espresso in the cup is still too acidic or bitter and all other sources of error such as channeling, incorrect grinding or the choice of coffee can be ruled out, the temperature can be changed by rinsing for longer or shorter periods.
If the coffee is significantly too bitter, you should rinse for 10 or 12 seconds instead of 8 seconds. If the coffee is significantly too acidic, the rinsing time should be shortened to 6 or 4 seconds. Have fun trying. With these tips you can turn the QuickMill Orione 3000 into a good entry-level espresso machine.
Milk Anachronism – welcome to 2021
The QuickMill Orione 3000, with its plastic attachment on the milk lance, is not intended for foaming latte art cappuccinos. The plastic attachment draws air into the milk and produces coarse-pored, airy foam. This was how it was done in most places until 2010. Mountains of foam piled up on top of the cappuccino. In the last 10 years, the milk foam has become thicker and creamier. There are taste and aesthetic reasons for this. The silky foam combines better with the espresso and leaves a creamy, soft mouthfeel in the mouth. In addition, only a creamy foam can be poured into a latte art pattern.
The good news is: the QuickMill Orione is able to produce such milk foam. Here too, a trick from us helps.
- Remove the white plastic attachment. You don't need that.
- Froth a small 0.35 l milk jug, as the pressure in the QuickMill Orione 3000 is low and otherwise it would be difficult to get the milk to roll.
- Use cold milk to froth. Cold milk gives you more time for the individual steps.
- The frothing of milk is easier to see than explain. That's why a video about foaming with thermoblocks will be released on Tuesday, March 16th. In this video we also show how you can produce really good latte art foam with the QuickMill Orione 3000.
No good espresso without a grinder!
We are often asked which espresso grinder we recommend in the entry-level range. The cheapest and best grinder we've tested so far is the Sage Smart Grind Pro . The grinder grinds espresso finely, is consistent and can be adjusted quite precisely.
If you want something more solid, Eureka's entry-level grinders are a good choice. In the video we use the Eureka Mignon Perfetto.
Conclusion on the QuickMill Orione 3000
We can recommend the QuickMill Orione 3000 for preparing espresso and coffee milk drinks such as cappuccino or latte macchiato. The machine is a problem child out of the box . Without adjustments and without adjusting to the machine, neither the espresso nor the cappuccino will be enjoyable. With our tips and advice, the machine is an interesting choice for getting started.
Yes, it takes the willingness to work your way into the machine. Anyone who is willing to do this will get a lot for little money. For more money there are machines that require less starting help. In our opinion, the Gaggia Classic is of similar quality. But then the further selection becomes narrow.
*Links with an asterisk are commission links. If you buy a mill via this link, you support us with our work. This means the machine doesn't cost you any more and we fill our test machine box. But: if possible and available, we always recommend you buy a grinder locally from a small dealer or roastery. They can advise you directly and you will have contact persons in the future. If a machine is only available on Amazon and you buy it there, we would be very happy if you purchase via our link. Thanks!
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