Quickmill Vetrano Espresso Machine
An Overview of the Quick Mill Vetrano 2B Rotary Espresso Machine
Do you run a bustling business and want to provide specialty coffee drinks for your clients? Are you a member of a large household, brimming with power coffee drinkers who consume the stuff by the gallon?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you’re going to love our in-depth Quickmill Vetrano review. This is an insane semi-automatic coffee machine that gives you all the tools you need to create any specialty coffee drink you can imagine.
Unlike many of Quick Mill’s machines, this one does incorporate some fairly basic electronics, which do make some aspects of the machine easier and more convenient to use. While we didn’t rate it quite as highly as some of the company’s other models we’ve reviewed, for the right user, it would be an absolute masterpiece.
Are you that sort of user? We’ll detail everything this machine is capable of in the sections below, and outline where it’s lacking, so you have all the information you need to make that decision.
Form Factor, Footprint & Aesthetic
The first thing you’ll notice about the Quickmill Vetrano is that it can be unflattering, unfortunately. This machine has LED’s running down the outside edges of the housing, and if they’re on, some people have complained that it lends the unit a somewhat garish appearance.
Fortunately, these can be powered off via a switch discretely located at the bottom of the unit, so if it’s not your thing, it’s easy enough to simply turn them off and leave them off.
What you find when you look past the “running lights” though, is classic Old World Quick Mill styling, and the same rugged construction we’re used to seeing from this company.
Whereas many espresso machines sold exclusively for home use rely heavily on ABS plastic, you’ll find almost none of that here. The entire frame is constructed of stainless steel, polished to a mirror-like surface.
This plays a major role in the machine’s weight, which is an impressive 70 pounds. Honestly, given the Vetrano’s dimensions (16” x 12” x 18”) you wouldn’t think it would be so heavy, but the all-metal housing, stainless steel interior and the weight of the two boilers really add up.
Put all that together, and you have a machine that probably won’t fit into smaller kitchens with limited counter space, and it’s heavy enough that you won’t want to move it around often, if at all. In fact, moving it, once you find a home for it might not be possible, as this model gives you the option of running a dedicated water line.
Casual users, this is not the machine for you! This model is capable of pulling twenty shots an hour, so unless you drink a whole lot of coffee, it’s serious overkill.
Reservoir Size
For us, this is an important part of our Quick Mill Vetrano 2B review, because we drink a lot of coffee. “How big is the water tank?” is one of the first questions we ask, and here, the Vetrano delivers in style, boasting a massive top-loading, 3-liter (101.4-ounce) tank.
That’s big enough to keep up with even the most hardcore coffee drinkers out there, but it gets even better because the Vetrano also comes with the option to hook up a dedicated water line.
This, as much as anything else, is the feature that makes it ideal for large households with lots of coffee drinkers, busy offices, or small business use. It’s fantastic.
Note: The reservoir doesn’t have a place for a filter, so you’ll either have to make sure that the water you’re putting into the system is distilled or filtered via some other means or just resign yourself to doing periodic descaling.
No Integrated Grinder
Because the Quickmill Vetrano espresso machine is a semi-automatic, it’s not a “beans to brew” system, so it doesn’t come with an integrated grinder.
In some respects, that’s actually a good thing, because it means you can buy exactly the grinder you want, rather than being stuck with whatever the company decides to give you.
It also means that you’ve got a broader selection of coffee beans because the grinders in most super automatics don’t play well with oily beans, which rules out Dark Roasts. If you like Dark Roast beans, that can be a problem, but it’s not in this case!
Since you’re going to have to buy a grinder to pair with this machine, we’ll offer some general guidelines about what to look for.
In the world of grinders, you’ve got two choices. Blade or Burr. Blade grinders are considered the inferior choice. Sure, they’re cheap, but would you really want to spend a lot of money on a great coffee machine, then pair it with some piddly little ten-dollar grinder!? Probably not.
The biggest problem with blade grinders is that they don’t grind your beans as much as smash them into pieces. This results in a very inconsistent grind – some fine, mixed with some coarse, which gives you a very inconsistent coffee flavor.
Different drinks require different grinds, making blade grinders decidedly suboptimal.
Burr grinders come in two basic varieties: Stainless-steel and ceramic. Stainless steel grinders tend to be somewhat cheaper but come with one major drawback. They tend to heat up with use, which can burn your grounds, completely ruining the flavor of whatever drink you’re preparing.
Ceramic grinders are the top choice here, and they’re well worth the slight increase in cost. If you’re going to spend the money to get a top-quality espresso machine, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by skimping on the grinder!
Boiler System
The big news here is that the Quick Mill new Vetrano is a double boiler system, thus the “2B” in its name. Double boiler semi-automatics are somewhat uncommon, which makes this model a real gem for the presence of this feature alone.
As with other machines made by Quick Mill, the two boilers this unit features are insulated copper, not aluminum, lined with stainless-steel which is what most other machines on the market today utilize.
The primary (coffee) boiler has a 1.4-liter capacity, while the secondary (steam) boiler has a 0.75-liter capacity. Both are rapid heating and designed with top quality connecting components. Copper in the place of plastic, for instance.
Everything about this machine, from its casing to its components is designed with longevity and durability in mind. We’ll have more to say about the boilers in the section on the machine’s control system. For now, just be aware that a) the Vetrano has two of them, and b) they’re of the same exceptional quality that Quick Mill is known for.
Telescoping Coffee Spigot
This will be a short section because as a semi-automatic, the Vetrano Espresso Machine doesn’t have telescoping spigots. The coffee spouts are on the bottom of the two portafilters that you get when you buy the machine (you get a single shot, and a double shot capacity portafilter).
The Brew Unit and Control System
This is the heart and soul of any espresso machine, and as such, it’s a crucial part of our Vetrano 2B review. There’s a lot to like here, starting with the fact that the Vetrano uses the venerable E-61, commercial grade group, capable of pulling some 20 shots of espresso per hour.
Second, although most semi-automatic machines don’t use electronics, the Vetrano breaks the mold, utilizing a simple PID that allows you to control the temperature settings of both boilers from the front face of the machine.
This is a significant improvement. In most of the other models Quick Mill makes, you’ve got to open the case to access the knob that allows you to adjust the boiler temperature, which is highly inconvenient. Having the ability to make temperature adjustments from the front panel is a great addition, and our hope is that this improvement will eventually be rolled out to every model the company makes.
One final thing to note here: The temperature readout you get on the PID is the temperature of the water coming out of the spout, NOT the temperature inside the boiler!
The rest of the control system hews closely to traditional super-automatic design, although it should be noted that there are two power switches on the front face, allowing you to independently power the two boilers.
If you’re pulling a shot of espresso, and know you won’t need to steam milk, you can simply leave that one powered down.
You’ve got control levers and knobs, a few indicator lights to give you the basic status of the machine, and a single gauge that gives you a readout on both the boiler pressure and the pump pressure.
This is especially valuable to coffee purists who like Nth degree control over the drink-making process because it allows you to make adjustments to the pump pressure and experiment with it to alter the flavor of the drinks you’re producing.
The Quickmill Vetrano 2B’s pump is rated for a maximum of sixteen bars of pressure, which is more than sufficient to make world-class espresso (minimum of 9 bars of pressure) every time you use the machine.
Pro Tip: You can order this machine in either a 15-Amp or 20-Amp configuration, but to run both boilers simultaneously, you’ll want to get the 20-Amp version!
The Milk Frothing System
The Vetrano espresso machine utilizes a fully-articulated steam wand, which allows for fine-grained control over both the temperature of the milk and the quantity and quality of the froth it produces.
People who are new to the world of specialty coffee are often intimidated by the steam wand, but you shouldn’t be! While it’s true that it takes some practice to master its use, after your third or fourth drink, you’ll be producing high-quality froth with every drink, and the user manual comes with detailed instructions on milk frothing to get you started.
Note: Some of Quick Mill’s other models struggle with the steam function. It’s not that they produce low-quality froth, simply that they tend to be slow to build heat. This isn’t a problem with the Vetrano because if the heat is insufficient, you can simply increase the temperature of that boiler!
Cup Warming Tray
The QM Vetrano 2B has a cup warming tray on top of the machine, and the model has been redesigned so that you no longer have to move the cups out of the way to add water to the reservoir. The tray is passively heated but does a decent job at warming those cups.
If you’re new to the world of espresso, you might think the presence of a warming tray is no big deal, but it makes a bigger difference than you might think. To test its impact, try a quick experiment.
Pull two shots, dispensing one into a cold cup, and the other into a cup you’ve had warming on the tray. You’ll be amazed at the amount of heat you lose when you dispense into a cold cup, and it’ll make you a believer!
Surprisingly Easy to Use and Clean
Despite the presence of the PID used to control the temperature of the boilers, the Quick Mill Vetrano 2B EVO is essentially a low-tech, old-school machine. As such, the controls are straightforward and easy to use.
If you’ve never seen an espresso machine up close, you’ll be able to work out most of the functions just by looking at the machine, and where you need an assistance, the excellent, concise user manual will get you across the finish line.
By the time you run through the initial setup routine (also outlined in detail in the user manual), you’ll have mostly mastered the unit before you even pull your first shot.
In a similar vein, cleaning is a snap, although, by definition, none of the cleaning routines are automated, so you’ll have to do the manual work involved with keeping it primed and ready for use.
Broadly speaking, your maintenance tasks will revolve around:
Backflushing is to a semi-automatic what cleaning the brew group is to a super automatic. When you purchase your machine, you’ll get a backflushing disc. Just load this with a mild cleanser and follow the instructions in the user manual, which amounts to flipping the pump off and on a few times to cycle the cleaner through the system.
None of the maintenance tasks are hard, but again, if you’re looking for more automation on this front, then you want a super automatic, and not a semi.
Pros & Cons of Quickmill Vetrano Espresso Machine
The Vetrano 2B EVO is a superb, high capacity machine that’s built to last and offered at a great price. Our only real quibble with it are the “running lights” on the front edge of the side panels, but we just leave them off, and they’re not an issue. That’s more of an aesthetic complaint than anything, and other people will probably like them just fine.
All that to say, there’s nothing we’d change about the machine, and semi-automatics tend to be somewhat self-selecting.
If you’re considering buying one, then you know going in that you’re going to have to do most of the actual work of crafting your specialty drink. If that’s not your thing, you’ll gravitate to a super automatic, and won’t even give a machine like this one the time of day.
In the end, then, it comes down to having a clear understanding of what you want your espresso maker to do, and how much control you’re after in the drink making process.
Quickmill Vetrano Review Conclusion
And that wraps up our Quickmill Vetrano review. While we didn’t rate this model quite as highly as some of the other machines Quick Mill makes, it’s an excellent choice, and if you’re looking for a high capacity, double boiler system, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better one.
Having said that, this machine was not designed for casual coffee drinkers or smaller households. It’s best suited for:
If any of those describe you, then you’ll love this model!
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