We all know how popular the Jura WE8 has been in recent times. It has created some vibes on the market because the machine is capable of producing some high-quality drinks in no time. There are different programmable drink options available and it also has a large water reservoir. Therefore, it will keep your coffee requirements at ease.
We are here to find out whether its hefty price tag is justifiable or not. When it comes to serving small crowds, the WE8 certainly lives up to the expectation and it can deliver some highly customizable drinks. The operation is very simple to handle so you can serve your coffee avid fellows very much like a barista.
However, as big as it is in size, Jura has used a high quantity of hard plastic in its making so it is not very resilient in terms of durability. But if you use your appliances carefully, that will last longer.
With that being said, let’s get into details and find out how it performs against various metrics that we have set to assess it.
Pros
- Effortless to use and maintain.
- Can manage 12 different coffee specialties.
- Aroma G3 grinder is highly efficient in preserving the aroma and taste of coffee grounds.
- Plenty of customization options available.
- Integrated smart technology.
- Very quiet in operation.
- Best for home and small office use.
- Extremely lightweight despite having a large footprint.
Cons
- Made of plastic.
- Not a suitable option for small spaces or countertops.
- The milk frother is distant from the coffee spout.
- Prone to fingerprints.
Should You Choose an Automatic Espresso Machine?
An automatic espresso machine is truly a blessing in disguise for all those people who don’t want to get into details of coffee making. Such a machine can control all the aspects associated with your cup including temperature and pressure. You just need to add the beans and water and get a delicious cup of coffee.
But of course, if you like to get into details behind the cup of coffee that you are drinking and like to experiment with different techniques; you certainly need to go for a semi-automatic machine. A fully automatic or super-automatic coffee machine adds to the convenience and every coffee recipe is just a push-of-a-button away.
Comparison Chart
| Features | WE8 | Giga W3 | Giga 6 |
| Taste | Creamy, rich, and aromatic. | Rich, creamy, and flavorful. | Rich, creamy, and toothsome. |
| Brewing capacity | 101 oz water reservoir capacity with 17.7 bean hopper capacity. | 88 oz water tank capacity with two 10 oz bean hoppers. | 169 oz water tank capacity with 35.3 oz bean hopper. |
| User-friendliness | TFT Color display with buttons, and knobs. | TFT Color display with buttons, and knobs. | Touch screen with color display and knobs. |
| Design and materials | Plastic body. | Aluminum body. | Aluminum body. |
| Cleaning and maintenance | Integrated cleaning cycles. | Inbuilt cleaning processes. | Integrated cleaning cycles. |
| Frothing | Fine frother. | Dual systematic frother. | Dual systematic frother. |
| Grinding | Aroma G3 grinder. | High-performance grinder with angled blades. | Dual grinders with automatic adjustment. |
| Additional features | Pulse extraction process, 21 different coffee specialties, and smart technology integration. | Dual thermoblocks, 43 different coffee specialties, and one-touch brewing. | Dual thermoblocks, 28 different coffee specialties, and automated grinder adjustments. |
| Value for money | Meets the value. | Expensive. | Expensive. |
The Jura WE8 Review
Taste
Since you cannot judge a coffee machine by its looks only. We had to taste the coffee produced by all three of these machines under consideration. And we have come up with some interesting findings as well.
First of all, the taste that the Jura WE8 coffee machine can produce is exquisite. It can produce a cup of coffee that seems like it has been prepared by a pro. Of course, it can produce 12 different tastes and each of them is heavenly. The flavor that you will get from your cup is perfectly balanced with the aroma. So if you are an avid coffee drinker then you won’t be disappointed.
The Jura Giga W3 is the powerhouse of a coffee machine. It can manage up to 43 different types of coffee specialties and if you want a true barista in your home and office, you need to bring in the W3 for sure.
The taste that this machine can produce is great as well and similar is the case with the Jura Giga 6 as it can also produce 28 different coffee types. Both Giga W3 and Giga 6 can also manage 2 different milk specialties at the same time. So both the Giga models are more versatile. But in terms of taste, all these 3 machines are amazing.
Brewing capacity
The brewing capacity of a coffee machine depends upon what is its water reservoir and bean hopper capacity if there is any. The water tank capacity of the Jura WE8 is 101 ounces, whereas, the capacity of its bean hopper is 17.7 ounces.
It means that the machine can manage more than 12 and a half cups before you need to refill the reservoir. It means that a machine is a good option for you to consider if you spend your time amid the coffee lovers; either home or at work.
The Giga W3’s water tank capacity is 88 ounces and there are two bean hoppers each with a capacity of 10 ounces. W3 can conveniently manage 11 cups without any refills, so it does the job pretty well too.
The Giga 6 comes with a water tank capacity of 69 ounces and a bean hopper capacity of 35.3 ounces. Therefore, it can produce more than 21 cups simultaneously. It is indeed the crowd-pleaser and the right choice if you frequently host coffee parties. The WE8 is smack in the middle of both these machines and an ideal choice for the majority.
User-friendliness
When it comes to user-friendliness, we noticed that all three of these machines are very much alike and user-friendly. The WE8 comes with a highly intuitive TFT screen with a color display and has multiple buttons for distinguished functions.
You can’t find any difficulty while choosing from 12 different coffee specialties. And the milk frother is very simple to use as well. This machine also allows you to program your coffee volume and strength according to your requirements. It is extremely convenient to access the water reservoir and bean hopper.
Giga W3 also comes with a screen that has buttons on it and all the features that boast WE8. But this machine can make 43 different coffee recipes which are more than three times what the WE8 has to offer.
When talking about Giga 6, it also features all the traits of the WE8. The only difference of W3 from the Giga 6 is; it doesn’t come with buttons on the screen, but it comes with 28 different coffee specialties that are more than double to what the WE8 offers.
Therefore, if you are looking for user-friendliness, simplicity, and a bit of variety; choose the WE8 without any hesitation.
Design and materials
The WE8 has a contemporary and stylish look. If you have a modern kitchen, this machine will add to the overall magnetism of your space. This portable Jura has used a lot of plastic in the construction of WE8.So despite being a big unit, it is as light as 22 lbs.
The machine is not very impact resistant so if you have kids or pets around; you need to be cautious that it doesn’t fall off your counter. It has a big footprint, so it will be arduous to place this coffee machine on the counter if it is already crowded.
Jura has used high-quality aluminum in the construction of Giga W3 and Giga 6. They are approximately the same in size as of WE8. But both these machines are made of metal so they weigh almost double the weight of WE8. These machines are heavy yet durable, so it is your choice which one to pick!
Cleaning and maintenance
Jura is one of the top brands on the market that has made cleaning and maintenance of coffee machines very simple and trouble-free for the users. Jura has taken different steps to make sure that these machines don’t require much effort.
The company has not only elaborated on the cleaning and descaling princess in its instruction manual but has also integrated inbuilt maintenance cycles that the user can run when the machines notify them.
The Jura WE8 and Giga 6 come with a container along with a solution for the cleaning of the machine’s milk system. The Giga W3 also comes with integrated cleaning cycles that are very easy to run.
Therefore, all three machines have similar features to offer and can be maintained effortlessly without any external assistance.
Frothing
The WE8 comes with fine milk that can produce a rich creamy taste. The froth that it produces is airy, but the cream content is there too. So the overall taste of your coffee will remain less burnt.
The taste that the machine can produce is very special in its way. But in terms of versatility, Giga W3 and Giga 6 take the lead. As both of them come with dual spouts, they can handle two different frothings at the same time. They can automatically switch from milk to milk foaming and it becomes a necessity when there are several coffee drinkers with varying tastes.
The WE8 does the job well in terms of the creamy content but it can take care of a small group of coffee lovers. For a much larger group, the 2 models from the Giga Series are the ideal choices.
Grinding
The WE8 comes with a serious upgrade as it features Jura’s Aroma G3 burr grinder. Aroma G3 burr grinder does everything that the Aroma G2 could do. It is way more efficient than its predecessor in terms of preserving aroma and flavor from the beans into the ground with the angled blades.
The grinders that are present in the Giga W3 and the Giga 6 are diverse. The Giga W3 features blades that can automatically adjust to ensure that the grounds can have the optimum level of flavor and aroma in them.
Now when we talk about the Giga 6, this machine comes with a disc grinder that can automatically adjust to ensure that the coffee grounds maintain the flavor and aroma of the beans.
However, if you are looking to extract the most out of your investment and are looking for a machine that features a grinder that takes out most of the taste from the beans and into the grounds then the WE8’s Aroma G3 should be your ideal choice.
Additional features
With just one-touch preparation the entire process takes about 60 seconds and your cup is ready to sip. Different coffee volumes and strengths are available and you can also adjust the spout according to the height of your cup.
If you are interested in latte art then the foamy milk frother of this machine will not disappoint you. The Pulse Extraction feature makes sure that you get an even extraction and saturation throughout.
The W3 machine also comes with its unique set of features. First of all, this machine comes with double thermoblocks so you can prepare two different coffees at the same time. There are different coffee specialties that you can manage and alter your coffee volume with strength.
The Giga 6 also comes with different coffee specialties and there are the double thermoblocks that allow you to take care of two different frothings at the same time. You can alter the volume and strength of your coffee with Giga 6 as well.
The WE8 is more focused on the basics while the Giga W3 and the Giga 6 are more focused on versatility.
Value for money
Durability, ease of use, and maintenance are some of the core factors to be considered in terms of a great buy.
Jura has used plastic in the construction of this machine so it doesn’t resist any heavy ground impacts. But the use of plastic makes it lighter than the other two and it is advantageous if you keep moving your machine from one place to another. On the contrary, the other two machines feature aluminum which is almost double the weight of WE8. So they both are durable but are also heavy to move around.
And when we talk about ease of use and maintenance, all three machines are equipped with user-friendly controls, well-integrated cleaning, and maintenance cycles. So it’s up to you which means do you want to prefer out of the three for the best value of money.
If you are looking for a good cup of coffee and would like to serve a small group of people, then the Jura WE8 will suffice.
Eventually, for a larger audience, you need more capacity and versatility for which you have to pay bigger. So you can pick Giga W3 and Giga 6 then.
Who should buy the WE8?
The WE8 is more suitable for people who prefer a good quality cup of coffee with some latte art.
You will also have some control over the volume and strength of the shots with pulse extraction paired with Aroma G3.
The coffee that will come out of this machine with a subtle and flavorful aroma will be divine. There won’t be any hints of over-boldness or burnt aroma here.
It can even serve a small group of coffee drinkers either at your place or at work.
This machine is a good choice for anyone who likes a little bit of experimenting with the cups as well.
Finally, if you prefer to move around your machine in your kitchen, then this lightweight machine will do the needful.
Who shouldn’t buy the WE8?
Jura has used hard plastic in the construction of this machine. And despite being large in its footprint, this machine is very lightweight to move around. So if you have mischievous pets or kids in your home then this is not the one for your kitchen, as it won’t resist a ground impact.
It is also not the right choice for you if you are looking to host a small gathering of coffee lovers with varying tastes. It can handle a small group of people but not with altering tastes.
FAQs for the Jura WE8
How often do I need to clean my Jura WE8 coffee machine?
All Jura machines prompt you to clean your machine when it’s time and similar is the case with the WE8. Usually, the prompt comes when the machine uses at least 50 liters of water or around one or two months. But it entirely depends upon how frequently you use your machine to make coffees.
The milk is not flowing through the frother, what should I do?
In such a scenario you need to disassemble your WE8 frother according to the instructions in the manual and then clean each of its components thoroughly. You will have to reassemble to test the frother. See if there are any blockages and get rid of them to make sure the milk starts to flow again.
What should I do if the milk frother is not properly frothing the milk?
If the frothing is the problem then you need to have a close look at the nozzle of air intake. It might be dirty, old, or blocked. You either need to clean it or replace it, this nozzle is an integral part of your machine’s further assembly.
The Verdict
The Jura WE8 coffee machine can handle small groups of coffee aficionados and can produce 12 different specialty coffees. The machine is very simple to use and maintain and it certainly delivers the value for money if you take proper care of it.
But make sure that you don’t put too much pressure on it as its plastic body is not going to resist any falls. The machine comes with an upgraded Aroma G3 grinder along with the Pulse Extraction process that ensures coffee saturation remains even in each shot. The milk frother is also good enough for you to work up some latte art.
So what do you think about the WE8 Jura? Do you think it’s worth a shot or not? Have your say by leaving your comments below!
