The Quick Mill Evo 70 belongs to the family of thermoblock espresso machines. We took a closer look at it as part of our thermoblock test series. This text is a brief summary of our findings. At the end of the thermoblock series, this article will be supplemented by a comprehensive comparison test.
Our goal: we are looking for the best espresso machines for different needs. We want to identify what quality is available for what price. And we want to prevent you from buying junk. At the same time, we recommend machines that excel in certain aspects.
Unfortunately, we still haven't found the best espresso machine, and I'm afraid we never will. Because espresso machines are very different, with various weaknesses and strengths.
Strengths of the Quick Mill Evo 70
We tested the Quick Mill Evolution 70 3145. This is the model with an integrated grinder. The same machine is also available without a grinder under model number 3140.
The Quick Mill Evo 70 achieves a relatively stable brewing temperature within the target range of 93 – 95 degrees. Thanks to the integrated PID control, this can be adjusted. A constant temperature is difficult to achieve with most thermoblock espresso machines. A big plus for the Quick Mill Evo 70. The espresso tastes correspondingly good.
- The machine is robustly built. The entire exterior is made of shiny stainless steel.
- The water tank can be conveniently removed from the side.
- The beverage volume can be set volumetrically and is easily reproducible.
- The machine heats up very quickly, similar to other thermoblocks. However, a great advantage of the Quick Mill Evo is that the portafilter is also heated, reaching an internal temperature of 60 degrees after just 5 minutes. This is important for maintaining the brewing temperature later.
Weaknesses of the Quick Mill Evo 70
The Quick Mill Evo 70 exudes somewhat the charm of an aging espresso machine. The controls are so analog that the touchscreen generation will likely struggle to figure them out. "Hold down button when turning on. Press here 3 times. Wait for 5 flashes." This is roughly how the instructions read when you want to change the temperature setting.
- The integrated tamper on top is not effective. It's impossible to tamp straight or apply enough force. Perhaps the most important thing when using the Quick Mill Evo 70: buy a proper 58mm tamper.
- While the machine has a portafilter holder for 58mm portafilters, standard portafilters do not fit. This is because the Sage filters are flattened. This makes it difficult to purchase additional equipment, such as new filters, and limits the selection. It is incomprehensible that Quick Mill deviates from the industry standard here.
- The drip tray is wide but rather small. The space was not utilized effectively. The merely placed curved drip tray is very simple.
- The machine shines beautifully. However, every touch leaves fingerprints. This can drive not only photographers crazy.
- The milk frothing button comes pre-programmed from the factory with too short a steam time. Very important: definitely program it for much longer so that you don't have to restart constantly when frothing milk, which can ruin the foam.
Should you buy it with or without an integrated espresso grinder?
Clear answer: without!
No, the integrated coffee grinder is not fundamentally bad. And while the first model we bought produced smoke, the second one ground perfectly normally. But a permanently installed grinder has no advantages other than compactness, only disadvantages.
- Your machine is inextricably linked to the grinder. If one breaks down, you cannot simply set it aside or replace it.
- You limit your quality. It's better to invest more in a good grinder and a simple espresso machine when you first buy it, and then you can upgrade the espresso machine later – or vice versa.
- Incidentally, when we were adjusting the espresso grinder on the Quick Mill Evo, we were at the finest setting. If we had chosen a darker coffee, we would not have been able to grind finely enough.
- The grinder is also located very deep in the machine, which causes the beans to heat up. This can have a negative impact on the taste.
Therefore, a clear recommendation. Go for the Quick Mill Evo 70 03140. This is a model without a grinder.
