The Quick Mill Orione 3000 was on our test bench about two years ago . Back then, with a few tweaks, the espresso machine performed well as an entry-level espresso machine. However, an important question with more affordable espresso machines is always: how do they perform when subjected to daily use over several years?
That's why we like to lend out interesting espresso machines to shared flats. The Quick Mill Orione 3000 is one of them. Now it's back. In this article, we briefly summarize the results from that time and then let the shared flat share their thoughts.
A quick preface: Our conclusion remains unchanged. The Quick Mill Orione 300 is consistent and, with a little temperature tweaking, brews good espresso.
Pros and Cons of the QuickMill Orione 3000
Pros:
- Solid workmanship, lots of stainless steel, and even after two years of use, still as beautiful as the first day, with a bit of patina.
- Heats up quickly and is therefore ready for use quickly.
- Compact and weighty.
- Constant in inconstancy (temperature). This allows the temperature to be assessed and controlled.
Cons:
- Outdated milk lance
- Poor temperature behavior during normal use
- Small drip tray with poor cover
Important tips for the QuickMill Orione 3000:
- Get a replacement for the plastic tamper
- Better strainers lead to a more consistent extraction. Either flatten the edges of VST strainers or IMS strainers, or follow this tip posted by a YouTube user: replace the four screws on the stainless steel brewing bell with countersunk or raised-head screws, and all E61 strainers will fit. (They just don't always seal properly, as they seal on the inside, not the top.)
- Rinse with water for 6 - 8 seconds to reach ideal brewing temperature
- Follow milk foam tips
- Use a good espresso grinder for beginners, such as the Sage Smart Grind Pro or Eureka Mignon Perfetto
After we got the QuickMill Orione back, the temperature curves weren't the same as they were two years ago. Although the machine had been well maintained and descaled, it had been quite some time since it was last descaled.
So we set about descaling and measured again. Afterward, we were able to reproduce the same temperature curves as two years ago. Accordingly, our tips, as presented in the following video, still apply.
Our conclusion on the Quick Mill Orione 3000
The Quick Mill Orione 3000 is a good choice for getting started in the world of espresso machines, provided you're willing to get to grips with it and follow our tips. Without adjustments, the machine will be less enjoyable to use, but with a little experimentation, you can get a lot for little money. And the machine will still perform well even after several years, as our test after two years of sharing a flat proves.
Report from the Espresso Machine WG Zeit
The QuickMill Orione 3000 has been at home with my wife (Fabienne) and me (Benjamin) for over a year now, serving us as a coffee machine for espresso, cappuccino, and other coffee beverages. During this time, we were able to thoroughly test the machine, including its thermoblock and steam wand. Before that, we had a used Bezzera BZ07 dual-circuit espresso machine, which unfortunately gave up the ghost (or its thermostat) shortly before the coffee makers were called for testing.
The advantages of a thermoblock machine are obvious: it heats up quickly, is inexpensive, and, thanks to its often compact design, fits easily on any kitchen counter. We were actually looking for all of these features in a new espresso machine. So, we were delighted to be able to test the Orione for a year.
As already hinted at in the coffee maker's video, not everything that glitters is gold, and so the Orione has a few weaknesses. We'll let you know in advance – these didn't go unnoticed by us either – and yet we discovered a trick or two.
Temperature stability and taste of espressos
In addition to cappuccino, I also really enjoy espressos, and in addition to classic dark roasts, I also enjoy light and acidic roasts. In the coffee maker test, the temperature stability and temperature curve were specifically criticized. It clearly shows that the temperature is much too high with a short rinse, and only a long 8-second rinse reaches a temperature of 93 degrees Celsius, which doesn't really remain stable during the brewing process.
With this prior knowledge, I approached the machine and was actually able to notice a difference between a long, short, or no rinsing. Our house roast is the Nutcracker, a Brazilian Direct Trade from Bösigers Kafignuss and comes from the APAS cooperative. At first, I liked the result with an 8-second rinsing, and I didn't question it too much. But since I knew that the temperature curve can vary greatly, I began to experiment and after a while realized that these 8 seconds are actually quite difficult to use as a rule of thumb. One time, the espresso was great with 8 seconds, then it was even better with 6 seconds or even 4 seconds, and every now and then it didn't really taste good at any of these times. The coffee makers' saying: "Constant in inconsistency" actually applies very well here.
For a while, Don Roberto coffee was used, a heavy, rich, and fruity espresso from El Salvador, roasted by the coffee makers. Luckily, I was able to taste this espresso in one of the coffee makers' coffees, so I knew roughly what it would taste like.
The Kryptonite – Milk Frothing
We mostly drink cappuccino at home, whether first thing in the morning or when we have visitors. But this is precisely where the Orione reveals one of its greatest weaknesses. Since it only has one thermoblock, it takes a few seconds for it to heat up to steam. When the next espresso is ready, the thermoblock must first be heated down again by a longer empty brew, otherwise the temperature is far too high.
If the frothing power were at least good, the heating-up and heating-down process could be forgiven. But when it comes to power, there's really not much good to say about the machine. It takes over a minute to froth the amount of milk needed for one cappuccino, even if the milk is fresh from the refrigerator. Sometimes the power drops completely, which the coffee makers experienced several times in their test, and the machine has to heat up again. If you do happen to try to froth the milk for two cappuccinos at once, this power drop almost always happens. So I can only advise against it...
Nevertheless, by heating the milk slowly, you can practice frothing very well, and you can easily separate the pulling and rolling phases. With a little patience, you can also make beautiful cappuccinos, including latte art, with the Orione!
Over time, the machine's steam power seemed to decrease more and more, and a lot of steam would come out of the brewing group during frothing. After a bit of Googling, I seemed to have found the problem: the machine seemed to have built up too much limescale despite using filtered water. With the help of the following YouTube video, I then descaled the machine, paying particular attention to the three-way valve that sits between the steam lance and the brewing group. When limescale builds up, steam comes out of the brewing group during frothing, and over time this also damages the valve. Since descaling, the machine has more steam power than ever and, in my opinion, performs even better than it did shortly after I picked it up. The problems with stagnating steam power during frothing have also been reduced to a minimum if you follow the tips below.
Tips and tricks
Even before I got the machine, I was determined to find a way to address the problem of stagnant steam power mentioned by coffee makers. I spent a lot of time and played around with the machine until I finally came up with the following solution:
The solution for strong steam without stagnation
No stress, the machine just needs a bit of time. After an espresso has been brewed, the machine heats up again, indicated by the red light. If you start folding out the steam wand and blowing out the steam while it's heating up, the thermoblock will have absolutely no desire and will punish you with a massive drop in steam during frothing. However, if you give the machine time until it has heated up (red light off), then wait another 5-10 seconds and only then blow out the steam wand, I rarely, if ever, have had problems with stagnant steam. It's important to note that you should only froth the amount of milk needed for one cappuccino, otherwise this trick unfortunately won't work. Therefore, frothing two cappuccinos at once is unfortunately not possible with this trick either.
If a drop in steam does occur during frothing, the biggest problem is that the foam settles on top of the milk, preventing proper mixing because the milk is no longer swirling properly in the jug. This can be counteracted by immersing the milk jug deeper during frothing and then manually stirring the milk. This isn't particularly practical and isn't really the goal, but I still managed to get acceptable milk foam for latte art using this technique.
Last but not least, do your machine a favor and descale it! It's not rocket science, but if you're unsure, you can always take it to a specialist.
Using other sieves
I was using a VST precision screen from my previous machine, which I was very happy with and actually wanted to use again. The Orione requires the classic 58mm screens, so this doesn't seem to be a problem.
But wait. Classic 58mm strainers have a curved edge (left in the picture).
After the Orione splattered the tray with water and coffee, I realized that the Orione absolutely needed a sieve with a flat rim, because otherwise the sealing ring and the sieve wouldn't be able to hold the pressure. Well, the internet has a solution for almost every problem, and this was no different. I quickly found people with the same problem on the Kaffee-Netz forum. One user then reported that they had simply bent the rim of the standard 58mm sieve using flat-nose pliers and a hammer. The plan was clear: I had to try it! After a short bending and hammering, the rim was flat, and I was able to use my newly purchased and modified sieve (pictured right) in the Orione with almost no problems!
At first, a little water was still being squeezed out, but it only flowed slowly down the plunger and handle. After I flattened the sieve's rim a little more evenly, this problem was solved.
General conclusion
I had a lot of fun testing the QuickMill Orione 3000 and it produced many delicious coffees! There were a few issues to overcome, but (almost) everything eventually found a solution. One problem that can only be solved with considerable expertise or by QuickMill itself is the missing pressure relief valve. Unfortunately, the QuickMill doesn't have such a valve, which is why the pressure is very high at the beginning during extraction and then slowly levels off. This probably also leads to the described different results with espressos. Even if the grinder is correctly adjusted and the coffee grounds are pressed with the same pressure, the result will always be slightly different due to the varying pressure.
For me, a portafilter machine means a constant pursuit of the perfect coffee/espresso/cappuccino. Unfortunately, I was never truly able to achieve that with the QuickMill. There's no question that some of the espressos and cappuccinos I've had have been very good, but after a year, it feels like I've maxed out the machine and there's no way I can improve my results.
Personally, I would only recommend this machine with reservations, and I personally wouldn't buy it or need it again. I've enjoyed it, but it needs a new challenge. I'm very interested in flow profiling and playing around with different temperatures. But the Orione can't offer either. I also find the machine problematic for beginners, as in my experience, it only offers limited reproducibility and requires a fair amount of experimentation to produce a good espresso/cappuccino. However, if money is a significant limiting factor, the machine is definitely worth considering, and I believe it's certainly a valid option even as a second-hand machine.
Finally, I would like to thank the coffee makers for this opportunity, look forward to many future test videos, and wish them continued success!
