The process of brewing espresso has more or less stayed the same for the past 100 years ever since the invention of the espresso machine. However, Jura’s E8 espresso machine hopes to perfect the process of espresso brewing.
What does an espresso machine have in common with a car? As it turns out, more than you think. Combustion engines powered cars 100 years ago and are still in use in modern automobiles. Espresso machines today still work by pushing hot water through ground coffee, much the same way as they did 100 years ago.
Of course, the process of making espresso is far more efficient today. The Jura E8 espresso machine uses a pulse system to push water through coffee grounds, a gentler process than the traditional method. It’s also meant to extract more oils and aromas from the grounds, providing a barista-quality coffee at the push of a button.
Another way espresso making has changed over time is the added attention to water. Water has various levels of hardness depending on your location and might even contain chlorine or other contaminants. Jura’s solution? A built-in smart filter that removes heavy metals and chlorine from the water you use to brew espresso.
If you know the hardness level of your water, you can set a reminder on the LED screen that tells you when to change the filter. This same stylish LED screen also reminds you to dump out the spent grounds from the drawer and displays the available programming functions.
The Jura E8 is a real step up from the traditional coffee maker. By giving you the option of a Smart Connect wireless attachment, it allows you to customize your cup of espresso from an app that can be installed on smartphones and tablets.
At the end of the day though, an espresso machine needs to deliver great coffee. So, just how good is the Jura E8’s espresso?
As it turns out, the unique pulse extraction process makes a huge impact. The resulting espresso has a luxurious texture with a thick and frothy crema. This provides a rich “mouth feel” that other espresso machines often fail to deliver.
Obviously, high-quality and freshly roasted beans are imperative for a perfect espresso. Pre-ground coffee is convenient and quick for daily use. It’s especially convenient if a guest or someone in your household prefers decaf – you won’t need to empty the hopper and grind a new batch of beans. Instead, just use decaf powder! Even decaf espresso can taste as rich as normal caffeinated coffee with the pulse extraction process.
An important feature of this espresso machine is its automatic rinse system. Before a new batch of coffee is made, the machine will rinse itself with hot water. This warms the group head, keeping the temperature of the water consistent as it passes through the machine. In addition, this prevents residue or grime from old coffee grounds from contaminating your coffee, which would result in a less than perfect cup.
As with any other device, a bit of adjustment and customization is needed before you can achieve the perfect cup of coffee. Adjusting factors like your coffee grind, water temperature, and water level, will all help you to customize a cup of coffee that you’ll enjoy.
Can the E8 froth milk?
Yes! Milk frothing can occur at the push of a button, producing a fine microfoam to finish off a gorgeous cappuccino or latte. A hose extends from the espresso machine, to be inserted directly into your milk container. There are also vacuum sealed milk containers that you can plug this hose into, neatly and efficiently collecting the milk to be frothed.
Milk can be frothed right where your coffee is made, giving you a convenient one-touch experience from start to finish. Simply choose your milk temperature, which the optimal temperature is between 60 to 65 degrees. Then, choose whether you’ll be making a cappuccino or latte. The machine will take care of the rest, ensuring a perfect frothy and layered drink each time.
Is the optional E8 Smart Connect worth it?
That depends.
Are you a techie who loves using trendy high-tech apps and smart devices? Then, Smart Connect might be just your thing. But if you’re someone who can’t fathom the need to connect your espresso machine to your iPhone, you might prefer to skip the extra dongle attachment. Either way, the coffee will still taste great.
The best perk of investing in Smart Connect is the ability to program your perfect cup of coffee from afar. This could save you valuable time at the start of the day, allowing you to make your morning cup right from your bed. The app allows you to create, name, and save your custom coffee settings. Then, you can access this setting again and enjoy the same cup. Temperature, strength, whatever – all saved right on your phone. You can even add a photo for each coffee setting.
This app connects to the machine with Bluetooth, so it’s necessary to have Bluetooth 4.0 or later on your phone. It supports Android devices with v. 4.4 or higher, and Apple devices with IOS 7.0 or above.
Is the E8 easy to clean?
Firstly, the Jura E8 reminds you whenever it needs cleaning, so this should prevent it from getting too messy in the first place. When the cycle cleaning indicator reminds you of this, you’ll need to add a cleaning tablet to the machine. This deep cleans away coffee residue and build-up that might otherwise end up in your drink. This is usually necessary after about 200 cups of coffee. It’s an easy process that doesn’t require any disassembly or washing on your part!
Cleaning the milk hose will require you to pour 250mL of water and cleaning solution into a spare container and place another container underneath the frothing nozzle. The water and cleaning solution will run through the hose once you run the cleaning cycle for the milk frother. The hose is also dishwasher safe.
The hose does need to be cleaned with each use since milk in the hose can quickly go sour. However, that’s not particular to the Jura espresso maker, since anything that works with milk needs to be cleaned regularly.
Are there any drawbacks to the Jura E8?
Every espresso maker will have some drawbacks. There are going to be some tradeoffs when you’re looking for convenience.
One issue you might encounter is a jammed hopper. Using oily beans will increase your chances of encountering this problem since the oil in the beans can leave residue in the burr grinder. This could lead to a jam.
Switching to less oily beans might help avoid a jam. Remember, oily beans don’t necessarily mean a higher quality bean. If you’re set on using oily beans, you’ll want to clean the hopper once in a while to prevent any residue from building up.
Burr grinders are also loud pieces of equipment, prone to waking people up early in the morning. However, many coffee grinders are similarly loud, and people have different tolerances to noise.
Another minor issue is that Jura recommends placing coffee cups on the top of your machine to keep the cups warm. However, the machines just aren’t hot enough to warm the cups consistently. If you want a warm cup, you’ll need to invest in the optional cup warmer to achieve this, or just rinse the cup with hot water to heat it up. It’s not a huge problem, but given the price tag of a luxury espresso maker, it’s worth a mention.
Finally, the price of the Jura E8 is probably the most major drawback. Swiss engineering and high-tech features don’t come cheap. However, the Jura E8 is undeniably an incredible coffee machine, perfect for those who want a high-quality espresso at the touch of a button. When the alternative is a manual espresso machine that could run you up to $15,000, not to mention the cost of barista school to learn how to operate it, the Jura E8 starts to look like a good deal. Perfect coffee at the push of a button, every single time.