JURA E8 Review (2023): Does It Just Look Pretty?

JURA E8

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Overview

At A Glance...

• One of the best-looking super-automatic espresso machines in the market, made of premium materials and great attention to detail to ensure a luxurious experience.
  
  
• Operated using a 2.8” color display and 6 buttons by the screen’s sides.
  
  
•  Includes a total of 17 pre-programmed One-Touch specialty drinks.
  
  
• The JURA E8 makes one of the best coffee drinks you can make at home using a super-automatic espresso machine. This is thanks to JURA’s Pulse Extraction Process, 3D Brewing, Intelligent pre-heating, and the Professional Aroma G3 grinder.
  
  
• The Professional Aroma G3 grinder is one of the quickest and quietest in the market. The quieter sound level difference is quite noticeable.
  
  
• The HP3 milk system has been updated to be fully automatic. There is no longer a dial to define the milk texture. Instead, the HP3 milk system automatically uses an innovative fine foam technology to dispense the appropriate milk texture for each specialty drink.
  
  
• All drinks are highly customizable. You can customize the coffee strength (10 levels), coffee volume, hot water quantity (for americanos), temperature for brewing and hot water (3 levels), milk foam quantity, and the interval time between the milk pour and the espresso pour (for layering purposes for the latte macchiato)
  
  
• The Intelligent Water System (IWS) in conjunction with a CLEARYL Smart water filter eliminates the need for descaling.
  
  
• The JURA Cockpit allows you to easily manage the cleaning and maintenance of your machine using an easy-to-understand graphical user interface.
  
  
• The HP3 milk system can be removed and disassembled for a thorough cleaning.
  
  
• The large removable 64 oz water tank has a handle - a nice touch that helps with daily chores.
  
  
• The JURA E8 does not have a cup warmer
  
  
• The JURA E8 does not include a milk jug upon purchase
  
  
• The JURA E8 lacks user profiles
  
  
• Although the E8 can be connected wirelessly to other JURA devices or to your smartphone, it does not so right out of the box. You will need to pay extra for the JURA WiFi Connect adaptor.

Some Useful Specs...

• Model: JURA E8 (model tested: 5422, Piano White -  NAA)
  
  
• Type: Super-automatic espresso machine
  
  
• Water tank capacity:  64 oz (1.9 l)
  
  
• Bean hopper capacity:  10 oz (280 g)
  
  
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 11 x 13.6 x 17.5 in (28.0 x 34.6 x 44.4 cm)
  
  
• Weight: 21.6 lb (9.8 kg)
  
  
• Spout height adjustment: 2.6 to 4.4 inches (6.6 to 11.2 cm) for the coffee spout; 4.4 to 6.2 inches (11.2 to 15.7 cm) for the milk foam spout
  
  
• Grinder Type: Professional Aroma grinder (stainless steel conical burr)
  
  
• Dose Amount: 5 g to 16 g
  
  
• User Profiles: None
  
  
• Number of Pre-programmed Drinks: 17
  
  
• Display type: 2.8-inch TFT color
  
  
• Brewing System: Jura Capresso-Impressa E8-E9-E75 Brew Group 
  
  
• Milk Frothing System: HP3 milk system
  
  
• Ground coffee bypass: Yes
  
  
• Warranty: 2 years or up to 6,000 coffee brewings, whichever comes first.
  
  
• Power Requirements: 1,450 W

Design and Build Quality

The JURA E8 is a stylish super-automatic espresso machine that will look great in any kitchen. It has a modern design with a fairly large footprint with glossy plastic finishes and touches of chrome.

At the time of writing, this coffee machine comes in Chrome, Piano Black, and Piano White colors. This review is based on the JURA E8 Piano white, as you can see from the pictures.

It is beautifully made. Small attention to details such as the LED lights illuminating your cup, the subtle ventilation slots on the upper casing, or the JURA logo and clean lines at the back, which most people will never see, remind you this is a luxurious super-automatic espresso machine.

The 2.8-inch color display is also large and gorgeous, but it's not a touch screen (for that you will need to upgrade to the JURA S8). Instead, the E8 is controlled instead by 6 multi-function buttons, which are by the screen's side.

Measuring 11W x 13.6H x 17.5D inches (28.0H x 34.6H x 44.4D cm), the E8 is a fairly large appliance, and it could be too large for some kitchens. If you don't have lots of counter space, you should consider the JURA ENA 8.

This automatic espresso maker comes with two spouts. The one in the center is for black coffee drinks only, such as espresso or Americanos. Behind it, you will find the hot water dispenser.

The one on the right side is behind the HP3 milk frother. It's used for coffee milk drinks, to avoid exerting yourself when moving your cup from the right to the left.

Yes, this is indeed a luxurious machine!

The height of the spouts can be manually adjusted from 2.6 to 4.4 inches (6.6 to 11.2 cm) for the coffee spout, and from 4.4 to 6.2 inches (11.2 to 15.7 cm) for the milk foam spout.

The removable water 64 oz water reservoir comes with a handle which really helps when placing it back into your machine.

This water tank is compatible with CLEARYL Smart water filters since the E8 is fitted with the Intelligent Water System (I.W.S). Besides telling you how smart and intelligent JURA's engineers are, this means the coffee machine and filter communicate with each other to be able to tell you when to replace the filter, or whether there is an actual filter fitted.

Other design features worth mentioning include the large hopper capacity of 10 oz (280 g) with a sealing lip for freshness. This capacity is quite large for home coffee machines.

Further back, you will see an openable panel that hides the ground coffee bypass chute (if you need decaf but we recommend you use coffee beans), as well as the Professional Aroma grinder adjustment dial.

In short, the JURA E8 is a gorgeous luxurious automatic espresso machine. The attention to detail is amazing; from the LED lights to its glossy finish and multiple coffee spouts - this is indeed one of the most luxurious and best-looking machines in its class.

JURA E8

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Features and Ease of Use

The JURA E8 is full of make-life-easy features and customization options for your coffee.

It comes with 17 pre-programmed drinks, including the double-shot version of some specialty drinks. The different types of coffee drinks the JURA E8 can make are:

1. Espresso
   
   
2. Espresso x2
   
   
3. Americano
   
   
4. Flat White
   
   
5. Flate White (extra shot)
   
   
6. Latte Macchiato
   
   
7. Latte Macchiato (extra shot)
   
   
8. Coffee
   
   
9. Coffee x2
   
   
10. Café Barista
    
    
11. Cortado
    
    
12. Macchiato
    
    
13. Espresso Doppio
    
    
14. Cappuccino
    
    
15. Cappuccino (extra shot)
    
    
16. Hot Water
    
    
17. Hot Milk

Selecting the drinks is a breeze via the main menu, which displays each drink with unique icons.

The main menu can be configured to show either two drinks or four drinks per screen view. Drink labeling can be turned on or off.

Each of the 17 drinks can be customized to suit your preferences. This can be done while preparing a drink, or by using the "Product Settings" by pressing or holding a drink button for 2 seconds.

For black coffee drinks, the following settings can be changed:

• Coffee strength: 10 levels spanning a dose of 5 to 16 grams.
  
  
• Brewing and hot water temperature: 3 levels temperature levels to brew coffee or for the hot water dispenser.
  
  
• Coffee drink volume: how much water is mixed with the coffee. This is specific to each drink.
  
  
• Bypass water amount: how much hot water is added to americanos or café barista drinks.

For milk-based drinks, in addition to the above settings, the following can be changed:

• Amount of milk/milk foam: how much milk or milk foam is dispensed, in seconds.
  
  
• Milk interval: this only applies to the latte macchiato. The milk interval is the amount of time the E8 waits to dispense the espresso shot after the milk foam. This is for layering purposes.

We should note that the HP3 milk system has been updated. Previously, one could customize the amount of foam by manually turning the dial on the frother. JURA refers to this system as the Professional Fine Foam Frother.

With the newest versions of the JURA E8 (2021 and beyond), you don't have to dial-in the amount of froth anymore. Each pre-programmed drink has a specific milk texture appropriate for each drink - the system is now fully automated.

The E8 comes with the latest Professional Aroma G3 grinder, which can be adjusted during drink preparation using a continuous dial. Grinding fresh coffee beans has never been so quick and quiet.

Other features worth mentioning include intelligent pre-heating (to ensure a hot cup of coffee even if it's the first drink of the day), Smart Mode (arranges the main menu drinks based on your habits), wireless internet connectivity and connectivity to other JURA products, power saving features (Energy Save Mode, Zero-Energy Switch or power switch, programmable switch-off time), adjustable coffee spouts, and a robust set of integrated rinsing, cleaning, and descaling program via the JURA E8 cockpit.

So the JURA E8 has indeed MANY features; however, it lacks a few that can be considered as basic by some people:

• No cup warmer: you will have to preheat your cup by either pouring hot water in it, or by coughing up $250 for JURA's cup warmer.
  
  
• No milk jug: you will have to use your expensive JURA E8 by putting the milk pipe directly into an unsightly milk carton. Otherwise, you could get the JURA glass milk jug ($50) or the JURA Cool Control for...$360.
  
  
• No user profiles: if two or more people live in the same household and like the same drink, you may have to customize the drink in question before every preparation which can be annoying.
  
  
• No connectivity from the get-go: Although the JURA E8 can be wirelessly connected to your smartphone or another JURA device, making it a smart coffee maker, you will need to purchase JURA WiFi Connect for another $60.

As you can see, the E8 is not perfect. It's a bit disappointing that JURA has decided not to include even the most basic milk jug; you're left using your beautiful espresso maker with a milk carton. Even the Miele CM6350 which costs less comes with a nice stainless steel milk jug.

In short, the JURA E8 has a ton of features that make your coffee life easier. You can control virtually everything when it comes to drink preparation, including volume, strength, temperature, and more. The latest HP3 milk system has been updated and is now fully automated. However, the JURA E8 lacks user profiles and a cup warmer. It also lacks a milk jug, for that, you will need to pay even more.

JURA E8

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Coffee Drink Quality

Although the JURA E8 is so nice that it would do fine as an adornment, it actually makes delicious tasting coffee with feather-light milk foam - arguably one of the best coffee drinks within the world of super automatics.

As we've noted above, all pre-programmed coffee drinks are highly customizable but what makes the coffee drink quality so high with this JURA coffee machine is the technology that has been incorporated.

It of course features JURA's Pulse Extraction Process (PEP), which consists of short bursts of high-pressure hot water being pushed through the coffee grounds. This process optimizes the extraction time and the flavor of the coffee grounds.

Another important component is the super quiet and quick Professional Aroma burr grinder which is an upgrade from previous versions of the E8. JURA guarantees 12.2% more aroma and a consistently high grind quality (i.e. uniform grind).

Next to the list of coffee-related technologies is the Intelligent pre-heating system which ensures all the components of the E8 are hot prior to dispensing the first cup of coffee of the day.


The 3D brewing technology ensures the water flows evenly through the coffee grounds, enhancing flavor extraction.

Finally, we get to the HP3 milk system. It simply makes divine foam. Note that the HP3 has been updated from previous versions - you can no longer move the dial to adjust the milk froth texture.

Instead, the milk froth texture is automatically adjusted based on the drink you select. This adds fewer steps to coffee preparation at the expense of control.

This is likely the right decision since people in the super-automatics market are not looking for a manual process. If they were, they would get an espresso machine with a steam wand instead or something with a portafilter, and a manual coffee grinder.

In short, the JURA E8 makes one of the best espressos and coffee & milk drinks within the world of super-automatics. Very few machines can beat it. However, it lacks ristrettos, and it's not designed to make latte art (like most super-automatics)

JURA E8

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Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance

The JURA E8 is easy to clean and maintain, thanks in large part to the automatic cleaning programs.

First, you won't have to worry about the brew unit because it cannot be removed for cleaning.

This is typical of JURA coffee machines, and you'll have to trust their technology to keep the brew unit clean.

The E8 comes with the JURA Cockpit. The JURA cockpit allows you to manage all the cleaning and maintenance settings of your machine, while graphically showing you with progress bars when the next maintenance cycle will take place.

Another highlight is the Intelligent Water System (IWS) which in conjunction with a CLEARYL Smart water filter eliminates the need for descaling.

That's right - less work for you!

If you decide to filter your own water or not filter it at all (the CLEARYL smart filters are expensive after all), the IWS will detect a lack of filter. After some time, it'll prompt you to descale the machine.

Besides the brew unit, most components needing cleaning can be removed and disassembled. The drip tray can be pulled for rinsing and washing. The drip tray and the coffee grounds container are dishwasher safe.

Milk is the worst when it comes to bacteria. So we're glad to see the JURA E8 automatically rinses the HP3 system after you make milk coffee. Beyond the rinsing, JURA states in their manual that the fine foam milk frother should be cleaned daily which requires one dose of JURA milk system cleaner.

The process is really quick and you should not skip it, or else you risk getting your machine clogged up with nasty stale milk chunks.

You can also remove the milk system and disassemble it for a thorough full cleaning.

In short, the JURA E8 comes with a robust set of cleaning and maintenance features. You can keep this super-automatic espresso machine clean and well-maintained without too much effort on your part. For example, with the CLEARYL smart filter long are the days of descaling. However, we are a bit skeptical about not being able to remove the brew unit.

JURA E8

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Value for Money

At the time of writing (August 2022) the JURA E8 retails for $2,399 (Piano Black) or for $2,499 (Piano White or Chrome) which is on the high end for super-automatic espresso machines.

So, is the Jura E8 worth its price tag? This depends on your current habits and how much of a coffee fiend you are.

Let's do a bit of math to see if this is a good value purchase...

If you buy flat whites, for example, from a coffee shop every day at $5 per drink, then you are spending about $1,825 on coffee per year. Your return for that money is only the experience of drinking that coffee every day. There is also a cost component related to the time spent on that detour to get coffee, but we'll ignore this to keep things simple.

Note that if two people in your household drink a daily coffee, the above cost balloons to $3,650 per year. Ouch!

So, if you live with a family who drinks coffee, the JURA E8 could potentially pay for itself within one year!

And at the end of the year, you'll still have a great machine that will last you for years to come.

The JURA E-line is also known for its reliability and low maintenance, so the likelihood of needing repairs is quite low.

So the Jura E8, in general, offers good value for money if you're looking for a luxurious super automatic.

However...

JURA should really include a milk jug upon purchase. It's a bit silly to use such a nice machine with a milk cartoon. There is also no cup warmer, for which you will have to pay extra.

In short, the Jura E8 is a great investment for coffee aficionados. It offers many features, good build quality, ease of use, and most importantly - great-tasting coffee! If you can afford it, we say go for it!

Final Verdict

JURA E8

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Who is the JURA E8 For?

The Jura E8 is great for those who want an extensive One-Touch menu, and want the best of the best in terms of design, features, and coffee quality. If you have the budget for it and you're a true coffee aficionado, then we say go for it!

Not sure if the Jura E8 is for you? Check out our other reviews of super-automatic espresso machines to find the perfect one for you!

Who should avoid the JURA E8?

If you're looking for a machine with user profiles, or if you want to be able to make ristretto drinks, then the Jura E 8 might not be for you. You should also avoid it if you're on a tight budget as there are other machines that offer similar features for a lower price tag.

If that's the case, check our top selections for espresso machines under $1,000.

Another option that is more budget-friendly is a pod machine like a Nespresso machine, but consider the cost of pods as well as it can add up over time. Also, they do not make true espresso but are a good budget option.

If you have a small kitchen, then we recommend you check our JURA ENA 8 review. It’s quite compact and has similar features as the E8.

If you're looking for an automatic machine of a similar price tag but want portafilter coffee, consider the Breville Oracle Touch.

Frequently Asked Questions