Swiss company Jura is known for its broad range of high-end bean to cup espresso machines. Any of these machines would make an excellent addition to a coffee-lovers home.
Yes, buying a Jura espresso machine is a financial investment. However, its high-quality manufacturing justifies the costs. Still, with over 20 available models, how can you be sure that you’re investing in the best one for you?
Which Jura coffee machine to buy?
With such an overwhelming number of models and a dizzying array of features, it can be challenging to know which is the best Jura coffee machine for you. And with their relatively high prices, you want to make sure you’re making the right decision.
Here are the reviews of our six favorites. Although they’re all great machines, each one excels in a specific category. This is why we made you a smart selection. Our top picks offer the best compact model, the best latte and cappuccino maker, or the easiest one to use. The choice is yours only.
Best Jura Espresso Machine Reviews
1. Jura IMPRESSA C9 Automatic Coffee Machine – Best Overall
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 13.5 x 11 x 17 inches
- User-friendliness: automatic
- Reservoir size: 63.6 oz
- Types of coffee drinks: coffee, espresso, cappuccino, milk, hot water
Choosing the overall best Jura is anything but easy. They’re all high-quality machines. Even the most basic models sport advanced technology.
The IMPRESSA C9 caught our eye for the number of features it packs into a compact machine with an affordable price tag.
With Impressa C9 you control the entire system with a user-friendly front panel. The panel gives access to several customizable pre-programmed drinks, as well as to dispensing hot water or milk. Like all Jura machines, it includes a built-in, conical burr grinder with six grind settings.
Unlike most of them, this machine also comes with a 14-ounce thermal milk carafe. The size of the milk carafe increases the machine’s value for money. Similarly, at 64 ounces, its water tank is quite large. The same goes for the 8-ounce bean hopper. If anything, you won’t need to refill them frequently.
Impressa C9’s 18 bar pump and two-step pre-infusion process guarantee optimal extraction and delicious espresso. You customize drinks to one of the three brew strengths and two temperatures.
Moreover, milky drinks (lattes and cappuccinos) are available at a single touch. Finally, if you prefer to work with a steam wand, you can swap out the automatic frother.
This machine excels from a sustainability standpoint, as well. It includes Jura’s energy-saving mode, which allows you to adjust power consumption to suit your habits, an energy-saving potential of up to 40%. Furthermore, Impressa C9 features the Zero Energy Switch.
So, when not in use, the machine pulls no power. Most importantly, energy-saving applies even when the machine’s not plugged in.
2. Jura ENA Micro 9 – Best Compact
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 17.5 x 9 x 12.7 inches
- User-friendliness: automatic
- Reservoir size: 36.8 oz
- Types of coffee drinks: cappuccino, latte, macchiato
Jura’s entire ENA line represents compactness and efficiency as its priorities. Practically every model is an incredible small option. However, the Micro 9 is the best bang for your buck.
It holds the distinction of being the world’s smallest one-touch cappuccino, latte, and macchiato maker. You operate this machine by using the intuitive Rotary Switch. The Rotary Switch makes drink customization pretty straightforward.
Despite its diminutive size, Micro 9 has a surprising number of flexible options. For example, there is a built-in, conical burr grinder. The grinder allows you to grind coffee beans to one of five sizes.
Furthermore, you can customize the machine’s water and milk volumes. Finally, there are also two different options for both coffee strength and temperature.
In a similar vein, due to Micro 9’s CLEARYL filter, you can adjust water hardness. Any coffee aficionado will know that some hardness minerals in your water improve extraction and enhance the creamy body of a coffee, a worthwhile goal. Too much hardness will lead to scaling in the machine. Jura cleverly gives you control over this balancing act, even in their micro-sized offerings.
This machine features a thermoblock heating system for rapid heating. Also, for optimal extraction, Micro 9 has Jura’s IPBAS. This system ensures the one-touch milky drinks and proper hygiene. The milk frother uses Jura’s patented Fine Foam technology for a long-lasting and finely textured milk foam.
Note that there still might be a chance that the Jura Micro line isn’t small enough for you. In this case, have a look at some of the best portable espresso makers.
3. Jura ENA 1 Automatic Coffee Machine – Best Budget
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 9.1 x 17.5 x 12.7 inches
- User-friendliness: automatic
- Reservoir size: 37 oz
- Types of coffee drinks: ristretto, espresso, lungo
ENA 1 is the smallest and lowest-priced model. It’s designed to fit comfortably in even the smallest galley kitchens. But, don’t be fooled by its tiny footprint. Despite its small stature, ENA 1 includes a built-in conical burr grinder. Its grinder has four options for grinding size.
If you want a great cup of coffee or espresso, made simply and with no frills, ENA 1 will serve you very well.
Its easy-to-use interface allows you to choose between two strength levels. But there are few other user-adjustable options.
The ENA 1 doesn’t include a milk frothing system, which is how such a high-quality product manages such an affordable price tag. If you’re not into milky drinks, this machine will be a great value. Alternatively, you can always purchase a separate milk frother.
The ENA 1 is a single-serve automatic coffee machine. With its built-in grinder, ENA 1 offers all the convenience of a pod-based system. The only difference is a better quality coffee, and no environmental cost.
Other sustainable features include an energy-saving mode, a programmable switch-off time, and the patented Zero-Energy Switch.
4. Jura Z6 – Most Advanced Machine
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 17.7 x 12.6 x 14.8 inches
- User-friendliness: automatic
- Reservoir size: 81.2 oz
- Types of coffee drinks: 13 specialty drinks
Jura’s Z line showcases their most advanced features. The Z6 was the first release to include Jura’s patented Pulse Extraction Process. This automatic coffee machine has all the bells and whistles, and it comes with a price to match.
The Z6 has a beautiful range of 13 pre-programmed drinks, with the PEP and pre-infusion technologies ensuring that each one includes an outstanding espresso. Moreover, the innovative milk nozzle automatically switches from steam to foam depending on drink selection.
There are a vast number of user-adjustable drink options, including ten coffee strengths, ten milk temperatures, three brewing temperatures, and even two water temperatures for different types of tea.
The award-winning design of the Z6 is surprisingly compact for such an advanced machine. And it’s not all about appearances. The particularly practical design feature is that both the water tank and bean hopper are accessible from the front for easy refill access.
The grinder in the Z6 is the newly updated G3 model. G3 is just as quiet as the famed Aroma+. Still, it’s twice as fast. Z6 also features an intelligent water system.
Your water filters and the machine will be in constant contact, monitoring water quality and keeping you up to date. When the time for cleaning comes, the simple touch of a button activates the cleaning cycle.
5. Jura E8 Piano Black Automatic Coffee Machine – Best for Lattes and Cappuccinos
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 17.3 x 11 x 13.8 inches
- User-friendliness: super-automatic
- Reservoir size: 64.2 oz
- Types of coffee drinks: 15 specialty drinks
It would be safe to say that Jura E8 is a great mid-range model. If nothing, it’s one of the cheapest to feature the PEP technology. PEP technology guarantees that E8 makes barista-quality espresso shots with authentic flavor and good crema. Jura E8 makes all this with an 18 bar pump.
Still, this machine shines the most with its milk frothing. This is why we recommend it as the best latte and cappuccino machine.
The milk frother features a dial that allows manual adjustment of the milk froth, from denser steamed milk to fluffy milk foam.
Ten minutes after brewing, the machine automatically rinses the milk plumbing with hot steam to keep it clean and ready for that next delicious latte.
There are dedicated height-adjustable milk and coffee spouts, which maintain a hygienic system and allows the brewing of one-touch milk-based drinks.
Additionally, there are 15 pre-programmed specialty drinks available. They range from a flat white to a macchiato. Each drink also has eight options for brewing strength; and two brewing temperatures.
Overall, Jura E8’s design is beautiful and practical. It’s featuring a sleek black exterior and a relatively large 64-ounce water tank.
The built-in G3 ceramic burr grinder is quick, quiet, and powerful. Last but not the least, this machine has the IWS system which makes the maintenance a breeze.
The Buyer’s Guide
Jura Vocabulary
Founded in 1931, Jura Elektroapparate is a Swiss company with a long history of making household appliances. (1) As of the 1980s, they began applying their expertise to superautomatic espresso makers.
Above all, they have become a global player in the market. Jura started to produce a wide range of sleek-looking and expertly manufactured espresso machines.
In establishing themselves at the forefront of the superautomatic espresso machine market, Jura has developed and patented many technological advancements.
With all this new terminology and its associated acronyms, reading a description of a Jura coffee machine can feel a bit like learning a foreign language. This is why we’re offering you a handy glossary of Jura technical terms. With this, you’ll know what you’re getting.
Aroma+grinder
All Jura coffee makers feature built-in high-quality conical burr grinders with adjustable grind size. The Aroma+ grinders are high-speed and quiet. In other words, they are up to 50% faster and quieter than standard burr grinders.
For this, we should thank Jura’s advancements in grinder geometry and more delicate teeth. As if this wasn’t enough, some Jura coffee machines include an updated Aroma G3 grinder. For these, Jura engineers have perfected the cutting angles and grinding cones to make them twice as fast as the Aroma+.
IPBAS
IPBAS stands for Intelligent Pre-Brew Aroma System. This term is Jura’s terminology for the pre-infusion system standard in many high-end brewers.
In short, to allow your brew to bloom, you add a small amount of water to the ground coffee beans. You should do this before the brewing. IPBAS will then enhance flavors in your coffee.
PEP
PEP is the perfect acronym for describing any caffeine-related technology. To clarify, PEP stands for Pulse Extraction Process. With this technology, Jura coffee machines pump water through the ground coffee beans in a pulsing rhythm.
This technique is opposite to the usual practice of pressuring water straight through. Therefore, pumping provides the best possible extraction. It makes a richly flavored espresso with a perfect crema.
Fine Foam Technology
Any cappuccino lover should seek out Fine Foam technology in their Jura. Fine Foam works by frothing the milk twice. That is, Fine Foam technology froths the milk in separate chambers.
After that, it slowly adds the milk to your drink. This process ensures a more compact and long-lasting milk foam with a creamy mouthfeel and sweet taste.
IWS
Jura’s incredibly advanced Intelligent Water Systems (IWS) feature runs internal tests to monitor water quality. Furthermore, it uses RFID technology to keep the machine in constant contact with the water system.
To sum up, the IWS automatically detects when you insert a filter. After that, it switches to the correct mode. The IWS will let you know when a new filter or a cleaning cycle is required.
CLARIS filter system
The CLARIS filter system is essentially a built-in water softener that helps to avoid scale deposits inside your machine. So, if you dread owning a fully automatic espresso machine because of the required descaling, you will love this feature.
Besides, many Juras will let you adjust the water hardness. This is especially useful knowing that some hardness minerals enhance the quality of your coffee.
CLEARYL filters
CLEARYL filter cartridges come in three color options. Each of the options suits specific machines. Most importantly, they all optimize the water for your coffee.
Like any water filter, these serve to remove many common contaminants, not just hardness minerals. But, unlike most water filters, CLEARYLs are equipped with modern RFID technology for easy monitoring.
TFT Display
TFT stands for a thin-film transistor. The acronym describes the technology used in the display screen. In short, a machine with a TFT display has a more interactive screen than machines with a simple text interaction.
Rotary Switch
The Rotary Switch is a standard feature on Jura espresso machines without an LCD touch screen. Its intuitive design allows you to navigate and program your Jura easily.
Zero-Energy Switch
Jura machines are renowned for their eco-friendliness, with many power saving options like auto shut-offs and energy-saving modes. The Zero-Energy Switch goes above and beyond.
For instance, it reduces the power consumption to less than 0.1 W, even when plugged in. Needless to say, this is well below statutorily mandated standards.
Jura Lines
Jura offers several different lines. Each of the lines is distinguished by its features, functionality, size, and purpose. In general, Jura manufacturers start a new line whenever they develop new technology.
New technology then serves as an anchor point for the new line. The important thing to note is that many features are available across different Jura lines.best
ENA line
The machines of the ENA line are ultra-compact. At the bottom end of this line are the least expensive Juras. These are single-serve machines that deliver a great espresso and nothing more.
At the higher end, the ENA Micro models scream with functionality. Despite their small stature, they have a price tag to match. This line is an excellent choice for those with limited space.
A line
Models in the A-line tend to be relatively basic in their functionality. They also come with affordable price tags to match.
Despite this, A-line models offer a fancy touch screen display with an intuitive swipe interface. Therefore, if the ease of use is your priority, consider the A-line.
Cline
The C line is similar to the A-line. However, the C-line espresso machines have a larger water tank. As a result, they have larger footprints. But, the C line is even more affordable than the A-line.
This is so because the C line doesn’t have a touch screen display. It relies on a Rotary Switch with a text interface. In conclusion, if you want a high-quality cup of coffee or espresso without paying for extra bells and whistles, the C line will appeal.
E line
The E line was released to feature two new technological upgrades from older models: the Pulse Extraction Process and the self-monitoring water filtration system (IWS). These popular features are now available across several lines.
S line
The S line is an ideal middle ground, as it balances price and functionality. The machines in this line are quite compact and affordable. Also, they offer some of the high-level features that are standard in the larger versions. For example, some of these Jura espresso machines have an interactive touch screen.
J line
The J line is a high-end line. It falls just below the flagship series in terms of features and size. Before anything else, this line prioritizes user control.
Thus, if you miss tinkering with a manual espresso machine, this Jura line is for you. Also, J-line’s design and style are at a premium level. If nothing, its models are countertop works of art.
Z line
The Z-line is a premium line, featuring some of the biggest, fanciest, most feature-packed, and most expensive machines. Expect all the bells and whistles from these models, including highly customizable drink settings, touch screen displays, and intelligent water systems.
Giga line
Giga machines are the crown jewels of the Jura family. They are essentially professional-level machines redesigned for convenient home use. Importantly, this line of machines offers the same advanced features as the Z-line, only doubled.
How to Choose the Right Jura Coffee Machine
Jura makes a lot of coffee machines. You might feel overwhelmed trying to find the right one for your needs and budget. But, you shouldn’t worry. In this handy buyer’s guide, we discuss the critical distinguishing features of these machines. Reading through it will help you understand what to look for to ensure you’re thrilled with your purchase.
Types of Coffee Drinks
A significant factor that dictates the price and size of Jura machines (and many other automatic espresso makers like these) is the milk frother. So, there are some non-technical things to consider when looking at which machine to buy.
First and foremost, think about your coffee drink preferences. If you are only interested in espresso and coffee, you can save a lot of money by opting for a model without a milk system.
The good thing is that the least expensive models don’t have Jura’s famed PEP technology. This is useful information for those who savor their espressos without milk.
If your drink of choice is a latte or macchiato, go with a machine that has a milk frother. Alternatively, find one with a one-touch system. These machines are perfect for cafe-style drinks.
In a different vein, if you want to save money and you don’t mind putting in a little elbow grease, another option is on the table. You can thus purchase a milk frother separately and pair it with a more straightforward Jura machine. As a bonus, you’ll have a little more control over your cup of coffee.
Size
Juras come in different sizes. They vary from the smallest one-touch cappuccino maker on the market, to a behemoth coffee brewing system that will occupy a good chunk of your counter.
The often deciding factor in size is the capacity of its water tank. So, make sure to balance your available counter space with your desired water tank capacity.
Most importantly, you should know that Jura offers some of its best features in some of its smallest models. There’s no need to feel like you need to choose between functionality and size.
Price
If you’re buying a Jura machine, you’ve already committed to spending a significant chunk of cash. Truthfully, there are no budget Jura models. But, there is a good reason for this.
Even the lowest-priced Juras are high-quality machines. The price range between the least and most expensive models is significant. This is why knowing your budget will help you in narrowing down your options.
Alternatively, you can find a refurbished Jura machine. There are two reasons for this. First, many of Jura machines are available as refurbished. They are much cheaper than new ones.
This might be the perfect way to get the features you’ve always dreamed of into a more affordable package. Second, Jura’s fine Swiss craftsmanship allows even the refurbished machines to be high-end pieces of equipment. In short, you can expect them to last a long time. If nothing, this is an environmentally sustainable choice.
User-Friendliness
User-friendliness is a crucial aspect to consider when buying a superautomatic espresso machine. The designers of super-automatics built them to eliminate the many finicky steps involved in pulling the perfect manual shot with a lever machine.
Ironically, though, superautomatic machines can be difficult to operate. They are often easy to break, and a hassle to clean and maintain.
Luckily, with Jura machines, user-friendliness is less of a deciding factor. Nearly every Jura model is incredibly easy to use and maintain. They all feature intuitive controls, and those with more advanced features have more advanced interactive displays to keep confusion to a minimum.
Cleaning and maintenance of superautomatic machines can be the worst part of ownership. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil. Keeping that machine running perfectly is a top priority.
When it comes to coffee, a lot of things are subjective. One thing that is not, however, is espresso machine maintenance.
Jura knows this and works very hard to make these tasks as simple as it makes the brewing. For example, brew heads in Jura machines aren’t removable. This “lack” in their design makes for super-easy cleaning. All you need to do is run a brew cycle with a Jura cleaning tablet.
Descaling, one of the worst parts of owning an espresso machine, is virtually eliminated in Juras. You have to make use of their included CLARIS filters first. These filters remove hardness minerals.
Moreover, Jura’s more advanced machines feature the patented IWS technology. The IWS self-monitors the machine’s functioning and keeps you apprised of any necessary maintenance.
Style
Part of the widespread appeal of Jura machines is their impeccable style. Each Jura model has a sleek modern look. As such, it is unlikely to clash with any kitchen decor. Surely, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider where your machine will sit.
Jura espresso machine’s aesthetics and size will interact with its surroundings. But the good news is that most Juras are either in polished black or silver color. As a plus, they come encased in high-quality plastic, brushed stainless steel, or aluminum.
Which Jura coffee machine to buy?
With such an overwhelming number of models and a dizzying array of features, it can be challenging to know which is the best Jura coffee machine for you. And with their relatively high prices, you want to make sure you’re making the right decision.
Here are the reviews of our six favorites. Although they’re all great machines, each one excels in a specific category. This is why we made you a smart selection. Our top picks offer the best compact model, the best latte and cappuccino maker, or the easiest one to use. The choice is yours only.
The Verdict
Swiss-made Jura espresso machines are some of the best on the market, with each of their 21 models offering a unique combination of technologies and features.
Though, the best Jura machine is the one that meets your household’s needs. Still, we recommend the Jura IMPRESSA C9 as an all-around winner. Its 18 bar pump and patented pre-infusion system guarantee a great espresso.
Moreover, its thermal milk container and affordable price tag make it a great value. Any coffee-lovers home will whole-heartedly welcome the addition of this machine.
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