Quick Mill Alexia Evo

Wonderful machine! I was looking for an espresso machine to use alongside my lever-based Elektra Micro Casa a Leva, and was specifically interested in a machine with an E61 grouphead. Since I can always use the Elektra to steam milk in parallel to brewing coffee with the new machine, the obvious category was a single-boiler. The finalists were the ECM Classika II, the Bezzera Unica and two Quick Mill models – the espresso-only Carola and this Alexia Evo.

I decided to skip the ECM because of the higher price and several bad reviews (mostly about reliability). The Carola looked great and its tiny size was an advantage, but I eventually decided to skip it because of the less convenient PID control (based on DIP switches on the back of the machine, with no display) and the concern that the lack of a steaming wand may make it more difficult to sell if I ever decide to upgrade. Also, it wasn’t much cheaper than the Alexia Evo.

The finalists were the Alexia Evo and the Bezzera Unica, and I eventually decided to get the Quick Mill because of the following advantages:

– 0.75 L boiler (50% larger than the Unica)
– Brewing timer
– Brewing pressure gauge
– Switches are at the top of the machine and not close to the drip tray where water can get into the electronics
– No-burn steam wand, makes it easier to clean (in the rare cases where I decide to steam milk with it and not with the Elektra)
– Smaller size – 2 cm narrower, 2.5 cm less deep
– Water tank can be accessed when there are cups on the cup heater
– Ability to finish brewing the last shot when the tank is empty (I couldn’t find info about whether this is possible on the Bezzera)
– In addition, the Quick Mill has a couple of advantages that are less important for me, as I don’t plan to steam much with this machine – knob type steam control (instead of an on/off joystick on the Bezzera) and a steam mode switch (instead of having to tamper with the PID control to activate this mode)

The Bezzera also has a couple of advantages, but they were less important for me:

– Shorter warm up time. The Alexia Evo is supposed to require about 45 minutes warm up. To me that’s less of an issue, because I can always use the Elektra when I want to brew a quick an unplanned espresso (12 minutes warm up time). The Bezzera is supposed to be somewhere in between.
– Taller and nicer looking feet

After a few weeks with the Quick Mill I can say I’m absolutely happy with it. Here’s a short list of the main things I like about it, and also the ones I like less:

Pros
– Easy to use and easy to get consistent results with. Just let it warm up sufficiently and adjust your grind level and ground coffee weight aiming for 25 ml of espresso in 25 seconds (for a single shot)
– Wonderful espresso. It does require about 11 gram of ground coffee, but I’m ok with this. Whatever it takes to get good results.
– Beautiful design, high quality materials. Quick Mill knows how to build good looking machines.
– Compact. This is extremely important when I have (and intend to continue having) another espresso machine on the counter.
– E61 lever provides good control for pre-infusion, brewing and pressure release
– Huge drip tray and water tank
– Very quick to steam milk once hot (though warm up time in this mode takes about a minute)
– Many advantages compared to other models in the same category (see above)
– Several advantages compared to E61 machines with heat exchanger (HX), including: More stable temperature; no need for cooling flush; ability to descale the machine without sending it to the lab.

Cons
– Cup heater is small and isn’t very hot (though this is a good sign of boiler insulation)
– Brewing pressure gauge not perfectly aligned (tilted by a few degrees clockwise, enough for the OCD in me to notice)
– Long warm up time. This can be mitigated with a timer, which I plan to connect to the machine.
– Documentation is confusing and relates to the previous (non-EVO) model. One example where good documentation could help is operation of the power switch. I had to search the web to learn what its three modes mean. “0” is for off, “1” is for initial filling up of the boiler, “2” for regular use, which also turns on the heating element. This is a bit confusing and I have yet, for example, manage to figure out if there’s any use for the “1” mode except for the initial use.

With that said, these cons are not significant and If you’re looking for a single-boiler E61, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you get this one. It’s fantastic. I can’t think of any machine I’d prefer.

Last but least – it’s the first time I buy a machine from Caffé Italia and my experience is excellent. The drip tray that originally came with the machine was bent (possibly due to shipment), and after contacting Customer Service the issue was resolved very quickly. Matteo sent me a replacement part at no cost and using fast delivery, and I’m now more than happy with my purchase. Thank you!