Jura E8 review

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Jura's bestselling coffee machine has been upgraded with the same classic design and even more drink options.

The all-new 2021 model Jura E8 makes a whopping 17 different types of programmable drinks, including double shot coffee drinks for those who prefer a strong cup of joe. It also has an upgraded aroma grinder and an automatic milk cleaning system.

At $2,290, it's priced somewhere in between Jura's most budget-friendly model, the E6, and the premium Jura Z6 we reviewed last year. While it looks more like the all-black Z8, it has the same size water tank, bean container and coffee grounds container as the smaller E8.

Design

Design

• Has a 2.8-inch colour display with six buttons
• 1.9L tank holds enough water for several coffees
• One-touch milk system cleaning
• Only comes in black
• Brew unit can't be removed

The 2021 Jura E8 looks just like its predecessor at first glance. It comes in piano black with a silver dual spout, a milk foam dial and a 2.8-inch colour display on the front panel.

Unfortunately, the display isn't a touchscreen. Instead, it has six buttons (three on each side) that allow you to select your coffee, adjust your preferences and update the machine's settings. It offers 10 different levels of coffee strength, 3 levels of coffee brewing temperature and 3 levels of hot water temperature.

Measuring 28cm x 35.1cm x 44.6cm, the E8 takes up a considerable amount of countertop space.

Like other Jura models, it has a built-in water tank that can be accessed from a lid on the left side of the machine, which means you don't have to take the water tank out every time you want to refill it. All you have to do is lift the lid and pour more water into it. This is especially handy for those of us with small sinks that won't quite fit the entire water tank.

The E8 holds up to 280g worth of your favourite coffee beans at a time and it's also compatible with pre-ground coffee. The coffee puck container will hold approximately 16 servings before requiring you to empty it, though I found it often alerted me that it was full far before reaching 16 coffees.

The new E8 comes with an upgraded Professional Aroma Grinder and uses Jura's Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.) to pulse water through the coffee grinds, optimising the extraction time to give you a rich, creamy espresso.

Another upgrade to the new version of the E8 is the automatic milk system cleaning process. Once you're finished making milk-based drinks, all you have to do is touch a button and the machine will flush out the milk system in just seconds. While you should still deep clean your milk tubes and container regularly, the automatic cleaning considerably cuts down on maintenance and cleaning time.

Like all other Jura coffee machines, the brew unit of the E8 isn't removable so if you experience any malfunctions during the life of your machine, you'll have to send it back to Jura for maintenance.

Performance

Performance

• Pulse Extraction Process offers richer coffee than most home espresso machines
• Automatically features your most-ordered drinks on the home screen
• You can use voice commands to ask Siri to make you a coffee
• Add an extra shot to any coffee with the touch of a button
• Doesn't automatically detect presence or absence of coffee grounds container

One of the biggest selling points of the Jura E8 is the sheer number of drink options it offers. 17 different drinks, to be exact. Options are:

Getting the E8 set up is relatively simple. The display walks you through the steps to test your water hardness level, install the smart filter and add water and coffee beans.

Once it was set up, I found the display to be a bit less intuitive than other Jura models. The coffees on the main screen don't have names listed and it took me a few tries to figure out what was what. However, once I used the machine a few times, my preferred drinks started appearing on the home screen, which made it easy to make a coffee in just seconds.

The Jura E8 is comparable with the J.O.E. coffee app that allows you to make coffees with voice commands using your smartphone, tablet or another smart device. Just remember to put a clean cup under the coffee spout first.

Another handy feature of the new E8 is that you can add an extra shot of coffee to any milk drink with a single button, which is great for those of us who need an extra strong coffee first thing in the morning.

Unlike other Jura models I've tested, the E8 wasn't always able to detect the coffee puck container and drip tray. I forgot I had removed the coffee puck container to clean and dry it, then the machine began to make another coffee, which made a bit of a mess. Other models I've tested have a warning when any essential part of the machine isn't fitted properly (like the coffee ground container or drip tray), but this feature was either not included or not working properly on the model I tested.

Should you buy the Jura E8?

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Jura's coffee machines and the new 2021 E8 is no exception. However, not everyone will need to spend more than $2,000 to get a coffee machine with all the bells and whistles they need.

The Jura E8 is packed with features, but if you won't take advantage of them, you might be better off with a lower-cost model like the Jura E6. On the other hand, if you enjoy several types of coffee, or live with other coffee drinkers, and want to be able to make delicious drinks in seconds, the Jura E8 has a lot to offer.

The one-touch milk system cleaning helps reduce cleaning and maintenance time and the automatic favourite drinks programming makes brewing your perfect drink almost instantaneous. Plus, the huge range of coffee strength options and decent range of coffee temperatures means you can make barista-quality coffee at home.

If you're still not sure if the E8 is right for you, check out more top models from Jura and other manufacturers in our best automatic coffee machine and best coffee machine round-ups.

Pricing and availability

Price

RRP: $2,099.00

Where to buy

From $2,109.00 to $2,499.00 at eBay

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Specifications

Images: Jura