Jura Z8 Espresso Machine Review for 2021

When it comes to automated espresso machines, no brand is as competitive as Jura. The Jura Z8 is just one such example where the company has showcased the pinnacle of its technology.

Apart from the aluminum construction and high programmability, the Z8 is best known for its larger capacity. This means you get a fully-automatic espresso machine that works wonders in your coffee shop.

You also benefit from the classic Jura technologies, such as PEP and Aroma G3. All of these come together to add saturation and taste to your coffee.

But there are some downsides to this, such as the lack of clearance and high cost. Also, keep in mind that this machine is harder to use and program.

Given all that, one question sticks to our minds: Is the Jura Z8 worth it? 

We take an in-depth look at the espresso machine and write down our honest opinion. Take a look!

Should You Choose an Automatic Espresso Machine?

Before we begin the review, it’s important to know why you need this type of machine. 

An automatic espresso is a luxurious machine where every task is executed by the machine itself. The level of automation can vary from just the brewing process to even frothing and cleaning. These differ from the semi-automatic machines where the extraction pump is not manual. 

So why would you need one? Well, for starters, they’re a great commercial investment. You only need to feed in the recipe, and your machine will start brewing in no time. 

However, if you’re buying one for personal use, be wary of the complicated controls. These machines are generally harder to use as they feature lots of programs. Stick to a semi-automatic machine if you’re used to those.

Jura Specialty:

In the past few years, the Jura brand name has introduced a multitude of new technologies. Some of them are:

Pulse Extraction Process (Pep): Through the PEP, a minute amount of coffee is bled through the brew unit in pulses. This ensures maximum saturation and taste retention.

Aroma G2/G3 Grinder: Jura’s espresso machines use a special type of burr grinder that is designed to retain as much aroma and taste as possible. 

Clearyl/Claris Filters: The CLEARYL and CLARIS filters clean the water as it enters the unit. This eliminates unwanted tastes from your coffee. 

Intelligent Water System (IWS): The IWS can detect when your filter needs a replacement or cleaning.

Comparison Table:

Features	Jura Z8	Jura S8	Jura E8
Taste	Highly saturated, no after-taste.	Highly saturated, retains aroma.	Saturated and fragrant.
Brewing capacity	81 single shots, 40 doubles.	64 single shots, 33 doubles.	64 single shots, 33 doubles.
User-friendliness	Digital display with 6 different functions.	Digital display with 6 functions and on-board steam spout.	On-board steam spout and digital display with 6 functions,
Design and materials	Aluminum and plastic housing.	Aluminum housing and boiler.	Boiler and Aluminum housing.
Cleaning and maintenance	Smart Filter comes with IWS.	CLARIS Smart Filter with IWS.	CLARIS Smart Filter along with IWS.
Frothing	10 temperature settings, no texture control.	No temperature settings, 2 textures.	No temperature settings, 2 textures.
Grinding	Aroma G3 grinder can use grounds.	G3 grinder can use grounds.	Aroma grinder can use grounds.
Additional features	Smart Connect, JOE compatible, ESM, and Zero-Energy Switch.	Zero-Energy Switch, Smart Connect, JOE compatible, ESM,	ESM, Smart Connect, JOE compatible, Zero-Energy Switch.
Value for money	Meets the price.	Meets the price.	Slightly overpriced.

The Jura Z8 Automatic Coffee Machine Review:

Taste:

Taste and aroma are one of Jura’s specialties. Both these are contributed by the brand’s signature technologies. Like its predecessors, the Jura Z8 features Pulse Extraction Process technology. Shortened as PEP, this technology is what allows the Z8 to add extra saturation to your coffee.

Along with that, it makes use of a specialized burr grinder integrated with Aroma technology. Through this, more taste and fragrance are retained at the end of the grinding process. It also features the CLARIS smart filter, so your coffee won’t taste odd.

The Jura E8 features the same technologies. There’s the PEP technology that produces barista-quality espresso. It’s also integrated with the Aroma G3 grinder that retains both aroma and taste.

The same goes for the Jura S8. It features a multi-level Aroma G3 grinder along with the classic PEP for maximum coffee saturation. The result is a cup of espresso that tastes divine.

Brewing Capacity:

The Jura Z8 is designed with capacity and longevity in mind. This model features a water reservoir that can hold up to 81 fluid ounces of water. Let’s say that a single shot of espresso is 1 ounce in volume and a double shot is 2 ounces. By those measurements, this model can make up to 81 single shots of espresso and 40 double shots. 

When you compare with other espresso machines, this comes with a higher capacity. Due to this, the Jura Z8 is the best for use in commercial areas. It won’t require frequent refills, and a full tank can last you a day or two.

The capacity may not suit you if you use the Z8 for personal use unless you’re a frequent coffee drinker. It’s great for office use, especially since it automates the entire brewing process.

As for the Jura E8, it has a brewing capacity of 64 fluid ounces. This is the same capacity seen in most medium-sized machines. It lies in the grey area between commercial and personal use. So, you can use it as an all-rounder.

The Jura S8 has the same capacity as the Jura E8. As stated, this capacity is more flexible and versatile. But for a purely commercial setting, you may be better off with a higher capacity.

User-Friendliness:

In terms of functionality and user-interface, the Jura Z8 doesn’t hold back. This is a highly sophisticated and deluxe machine that offers 6 settings through an interactive digital display. You can use it to brew up an espresso, coffee, cappuccino, and Ristretto. You can also brew latte macchiato, espresso machinates, and Caffe Barista.

The front features a sleek design that is minimal with straightforward components. The brew unit has two spouts for filling up two separate shot cups. There is also a milk pipe that can be connected to a milk frother for easy frothing.

Similar functionality can be found in the Jura E8, but with a better interface. This model has a digital display that can be used to simulate 12 different functions. But what sets this aside is the dedicated steam spout at the side. There’s a knob to control the texture of the steam.

The Jura S8 follows through with the same design. There is a steam dispenser at the side, which means you don’t have to connect a pipe to a frother. Simply place your coffee mug or glass underneath the spout and steam will come gushing out.

Design and Materials:

With regards to the materials, the Jura Z8 makes use of the best materials. Its brew unit is made of plastic, which is both corrosion-resistant and traps heat inside. The bean hopper is also made from the same plastic. The main housing, however, uses a combination of aluminum and ABS thermoplastic.

Aluminum is a decent choice for its noble nature and the fact that it’s lightweight. The lightweight is much needed in a product as massive as this. 

The Jura E8 makes use of stainless-steel lined aluminum in the brew boiler. This makes it more resistant to impact and dust damage and prevents overheating. The brew unit, however, is still made from plastic. 

A similar design is followed in the Jura S8. However, it uses a stainless-steel drip cover, which is a much better choice than glass. 

Cleaning and Maintenance:

This is where Jura’s products outshine the rest. Jura’s espresso machines feature some of the most intricate and artful technologies. One such technology in the Jura Z8 is the CLARIS Smart filter cartridge.

Through this cartridge, a majority of the impurities get removed from the water. This means that the coffee you get at the end is free from impurities and sediments. The CLARIS filter is comparable to the CLEARYL filter and is made for larger machines which is the only difference.

What’s more; you don’t have to constantly keep checking up on the filter from time to time. The Jura Z8 features a special Intelligent Water System (IWS) that immediately notifies you when the filter needs changing.

The Jura E8 features the same technology, along with cleaning, descaling, and rinsing program. The cleaning status is shown on the display, and each component features TUV-certified hygiene.

The Jura S8 goes so far as to even monitor the drip tray and the beans. All three of the products make use of the CLARIS Smart filter cartridge.

Frothing:

Jura’s frothing system requires you to connect an external frother through a milk pipe. The external frother comes included with the machine. Setting it up and frothing milk is ever-so easy.

The Jura Z8 makes use of the HP3 milk system along with an integrated frother cleaning program.This means that you get TUV-certified hygiene every time you steam your milk. There are 10 programmable temperatures for the steamed milk. But there seems to be a lack of a program to change the texture of the milk.

As for the Jura E8 and the Jura S8, both feature an onboard milk frothing system. This means that you can simply place your milk jug underneath the steam spout. This is good for commercial use, where you don’t have time to use the separate frother.

Unfortunately, neither of these two products allows you to program the temperature of the milk. However, you do get to change the texture via the in-built knob.

Grinding:

Jura is the pioneer of smart grinding technology. The Z8 makes use of Jura’s specialized Aroma G3 grinders that traps aroma and taste. This is a steel conical burr grinder with angled blades that allow the beans to get ground without reducing their flavor content.

The bean hopper can hold up to 280 grams of beans, and the coffee grounds container can make 20 servings at max. Adding to that, you can feed ground coffee directly to the unit as well.

The Jura Z8 features the Intelligent Pre-Brew Aroma System (IPBAS) as well. Through this, it’s able to allow the texture and flavor of the coffee to fully develop. 

Both the Jura E8 and the S8 feature the Aroma G3 system. Each shot of coffee packs 12% more flavor and fragrance as compared to any other brand. However, in these, you can only make 16 servings with one grinding cycle. The bean hopper capacity is pretty much the same though.

Additional Features:

One of the most major features of the Jura Z8 is its Bluetooth compatibility. You can connect your coffee machine to your phone to monitor temperature, water capacity, and cleaning status.

Another unique feature is, this machine is compatible with JOE. For those of you who don’t know, JOE is a special app that allows customers to order coffee. This makes it the best choice for use in commercial areas, especially in office cafeterias.

Additionally, the Jura Z8 makes use of a thermoblock heating system that ensures hot coffee every time you brew. There’s also the fact that the brew and steam boilers are completely separate. So, you can brew and steam milk at the same time, significantly reducing brewing time.

The Jura E8 and S8 are also wireless ready and compatible with JOE. They also feature the special ESM (Energy Save Mode) that allows you to cut down on power bills. There’s also a Zero-Energy switch that disconnects the machine from its power supply. This prevents the machine from consuming power when idling.

Value for Money:

Finally, we look at how good the products are compared to their price. The Jura Z8 is on the higher end of the price spectrum. It’s one of the more expensive models, but rightly so. First of all, it has a larger brewing and grinding capacity. And it can make 80 espresso shots before you need to refill it.

On the other hand, this product is made of the finest materials. The aluminum housing is the primary reason for the price spike. And let’s not forget all the integrated technologies that it features. 

This machine is highly adapted to the commercial environment. It’s also compatible with Smart Connect, a feature rarely seen in espresso machines. When you consider all of that, and the base price of a typical automatic machine, the Z8 doesn’t look all that overpriced.

The Jura E8 costs significantly less, and it’s mostly to do with the smaller tank size. One more thing that lowers the price of the E8 is the fact that it only features one boiler.

And the same goes for the Jura S8. It uses only one boiler and has a smaller tank capacity. However, it’s priced slightly higher than the E8, and we’re not sure why. So it may be slightly overpriced.

Who Should Buy the Z8?

The Jura Z8 is the best choice for commercial use. It has a higher tank capacity, wireless connectivity, is compatible with JOE, and is fully automated. 

This product is also recommended for those who can’t make their coffee for themselves. The wireless connectivity is an exceptional feature here, as it makes monitoring and cleaning the machine a lot convenient.

If you’re constantly struggling to get the perfect barista-quality taste, this is for you indeed. It adds the most saturated flavor and aroma to your coffee. 

You may find it a good choice for office use, but that depends on whether you can afford it or not. A semi-automatic espresso machine would do better in that circumstance.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Z8?

If you are not high on budget, you should not opt for the Jura Z8. Most likely you don’t need the extra functionality at home.

It is also advised to not use the Jura Z8 if you haven’t used an automatic espresso machine before. Programmable machines are too complicated, and brewing may take more time.

Also, don’t consider the Z8 if you don’t want the extra tank capacity. You can find smaller models such as the E8 which provide similar functions at a lower cost.

FAQs for the Z8 Automatic coffee machine:

The Verdict:

All in all, the Jura Z8 is a highly advanced espresso machine that takes automation to the next level. It comes with one of the coffee industry’s most intricate technologies.

With the Jura Z8, you get the full benefit of automated cleaning, aroma retention, and wireless connectivity. It’s the best companion for use in your coffee shop to cater to the needs of your customers.

But you won’t believe it till you get one for yourself. So grab your very first Jura espresso machine and kick start your café!