Quick Mill · Dual boilerEssence
A prosumer Italian dual-boiler with a rotary pump, proprietary Quick Mill brew group, OLED display, and Wi-Fi app control for scheduling and temperature tuning — a quieter, more connected alternative to E61 HX machines at the same price point.
The short version
The Essence delivers genuine dual-boiler independence — separate brew and steam temperatures, a silent rotary pump, and a 2-litre steam vessel that sustains milk service — all managed via a smartphone app rather than panel dials.
The trade-off is a proprietary brew group instead of a standard E61, and temperature adjustments locked behind Wi-Fi rather than accessible at the machine face.
Why people buy it
- Rotary pump is near-silent and supports direct mains plumbing without extra hardware
- Large 2-litre steam boiler with 1400W element sustains back-to-back milk drinks without pressure drop
Why they don’t
- All temperature and pressure adjustments require the Wi-Fi app — there are no front-panel dials, so initial setup has a learning curve and app dependency is a long-term risk
The full tally
- Rotary pump is near-silent and supports direct mains plumbing without extra hardware
- Large 2-litre steam boiler with 1400W element sustains back-to-back milk drinks without pressure drop
- Wi-Fi app allows scheduled auto-start, independent boiler temperature control, and remote steam-boiler shutoff for energy saving
- Full stainless steel body and insulated boilers suggest solid longevity from an Italian manufacturer active since 1945
- All temperature and pressure adjustments require the Wi-Fi app — there are no front-panel dials, so initial setup has a learning curve and app dependency is a long-term risk
- Proprietary Quick Mill brew group rather than a standard E61, limiting third-party aftermarket part availability compared to peers
- At ~26 kg, it is heavier than comparably priced single-boiler or HX machines, making countertop repositioning awkward
What the community knows
Years of owner threads, distilled — a niche favourite.
Premium Italian engineering with rotary pump and dual boilers at mid-prosumer price, but almost no English-language owner footprint means you're betting on brand reputation rather than lived community proof — Quick Mill's Vetrano/QM67 pedigree is solid, but the Essence itself…
Built to last
years before you outgrow or replace it
Ceiling per dollar
how far the cup can go, per dollar
Value
price-to-performance the community respects
All 9 community measures
price-to-performance the community respects
shows up every morning, year after year
parts and repairs — you are never stranded
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
kind to first-timers
years before you outgrow or replace it
how far the cup can go, per dollar
speed and simplicity, day to day
Worth knowing before you buy — Most owners of other Quick Mill models don't talk about this one — it's a competent overshadowed sibling.
“The Vetrano was exceptionally well-built, featuring a whisper-quiet rotary pump (quieter than the LM Linea Mini and Micra), and it delivered consistent and reliable performance - using it was a real pleasure.”
The measurements
Scored 0–5 on the same rubric as everything on file — the words matter more than the numbers.
The measurements
0–5, one rubric- Shot ceiling
- serious4
- Steam power
- confident4
- Built to last
- durable4
- Easy daily
- demanding2
Position in the market
Every dot is a rival, measured the same way. The gold one is this.
- Upper half for shot ceiling
- a higher ceiling than 149 of the 237 machines we’ve measured
- A value pick at this level
- 88% of machines this capable cost more
- Upper half for build
- sturdier than 56% of the field, by the community’s own record
Every dot is a machine measured on the same rubric. See the whole market
Living with it
The part spec sheets skip: counter space, upkeep, and what owners learn later.
The honest note — Most owners plateau here for years — the dual-boiler with rotary pump is a legitimate end-game for a home barista making 2–4 drinks daily. The natural next step would be a machine with flow-control capability (e.g. Lelit Bianca, ECM Synchronika with flow paddle) for those who want to explore pressure profiling.
The full spec sheet
- Type
- Dual boiler
- Heat-up time
- ~10 min
- Steam power
- 4/5
- Brew + steam at once
- Yes
- Guest recovery
- 4/5
- Shot quality ceiling
- 4/5
- PID temperature control
- Yes
- Milk system
- Manual steam wand
- Removable brew group
- No
- Hot-water tap
- Yes
- Workflow demand
- 3/5
- Maintenance
- 2/5
- Noise
- 1/5
- Build longevity
- 4/5
- Dimensions
- 33 × 47.5 × 38 cm
Before it arrives
What completes this machine — the faded pieces can wait.
Water filter / softener — Plumbed-in machines need inline filtration to keep scale out of the boiler — it is cheaper than a repair.
- Water filter / softener — Plumbed-in machines need inline filtration to keep scale out of the boiler — it is cheaper than a repair.
- Descaler & backflush kit — Electric boilers scale up and grouts gunk up — a descaler plus backflush routine is what keeps the machine alive for a decade.
- Coffee scale with timer — Espresso is a ratio. A 0.1g scale with a built-in timer is the single biggest consistency upgrade for any manual machine.
- Knock box — Somewhere to bang the spent puck that is not your kitchen bin.
- WDT distribution tool — Breaks up clumps before tamping — a cheap fix for channeling on any portafilter machine.
- Espresso cups & glassware — Proper demitasse and latte glasses keep the drink hot and look the part.
Feed it right
Week one is dial-in — and stale beans will lose it.
Coffee more than a few weeks past roast won’t extract predictably, and a new machine gets blamed for it. A machine in this class will show you the difference between roast dates — it deserves beans that change week to week.
Pick your coffee — any of these dials in beautifully here:
Sergio - Brazillian Fazenda Joia Rara Aerobic FermentedSCA 88Medium-light · Cerrado Mineiro · Aerobic FermentedHoney · OrangeEnough brightness to show what this gear can separate.CA$29.18 · roasted to order
Honeycrest - Costa Rican Volcán AzulSCA 87Medium-light · West Valley · Red HoneyRaisins · Maple SyrupEnough brightness to show what this gear can separate.CA$19.50 · roasted to order
Wild Ember - Ethiopian Buno Dambi UddoSCA 92Medium roast · Odo Shakiso, Guji Zone, Oromia · NaturalBlueberry · MarmaladeEnough brightness to show what this gear can separate.CA$26.83 · roasted to orderNo proper grinder yet? Sort that first — it decides more of the cup than the machine does. We ship whole bean, roast-dated, timed so it lands fresh the week your burrs do.
Roasted to order, daily, in Ajax, Ontario · ships Canada-wide. We’re the roastery behind this database — measuring the machines is how we make sure the coffee gets a fair shot.
On film
How it runs on camera, from around the community.
Common questions
Can I use the Quick Mill Essence without plumbing it in?
Yes. It ships with a 3-litre side-access water tank that covers normal home use. The plumbing connection is an option for offices or installations where refilling is inconvenient.
Do I need a smartphone to operate the machine?
For temperature adjustment and scheduling you do — those settings are controlled via the Wi-Fi app (accessible from a smartphone, tablet, or browser at the machine's local IP). Basic shot-pulling works without the app once temperatures are set, but initial setup requires it.
Is the steam boiler always on?
No. The app and OLED display let you switch off the steam boiler independently to save energy when milk drinks are not needed, while keeping the brew boiler at temperature.
What portafilter size does the Essence use?
Sources confirm it ships with single- and double-spout portafilters; the basket and portafilter size is not explicitly stated in manufacturer specs found — verify with your dealer, but Quick Mill typically uses 58mm across this range.
How long does the Essence take to heat up?
No exact manufacturer warm-up time is published. With a 0.75-litre brew boiler and 2-litre steam boiler both at 1400W, typical real-world readiness for a dual-boiler of this size is 10–15 minutes, and the scheduled auto-start feature is designed to handle this.
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