Jura ENA 8 Automatic Coffee Machine Review

The Jura ENA 8 is a new addition to the company’s extensive line-up of super-automatic espresso machines. It’s the tiniest Jura model to offer milk-based drinks like cappuccinos and macchiatos at the touch of a button, making it perfect for smaller kitchens or the office.

In this Jura ENA 8 review, we’ll dig into everything this model has to offer, including its design, coffee quality, and ease of use and maintenance. By the end, you’ll know everything you need to decide if this is the right Jura coffee maker for you.

Summary: The Jura Ena 8 Automatic Coffee Machine

• Beautifully designed compact super-automatic coffee machine
  
• Very versatile, with 10 fully customizable one-touch specialty coffees
  
• Includes the Aroma G3 grinder, PEP, and Fine Foam technologies

Love all the different drink options, and each one has a unique flavour according to grind, temperature, volume, addition of milk, and sequence of being made.

– Customer Review

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The Full Jura ENA 8 Review

The Jura ENA 8 is a brand-new coffee maker that seems poised to be a big seller. It combines the drink selection and advanced technology of some of the larger and more expensive Jura coffee machines, keeping an entry-level machine’s compact footprint. If you’re a small household looking for a reliable way to get a cappuccino at the touch of a button, keep reading.

Jura Ena 8 Automatic Coffee Machine Review

• Design
• Brewing System
• Coffee Quality and Versatility
• Cleaning and Maintenance
• Value for Money

3.9

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Design – 4.5/5

Many Jura coffee machines have very similar brewing capabilities, so the design is one of the main selling points of the ENA 8. It is one of Jura’s most compact coffee machines, and it’s nearly as small as Jura’s entry-level A1 model. But unlike the A1, it can also prepare milky drinks.

The ENA 8 measures 32.3 cm tall by 44.5 cm deep by just 27.1 cm wide, and it weighs just over 9.4 kg. If you have a small kitchen but don’t want to make any compromises when it comes to your morning latte, this is the compact-size model for you.

Of course, its small size does come with some capacity limitations. The bean hopper capacity is only about a quarter-pound of coffee beans, the dregs bin can fit about ten coffees worth of grounds, and the water tank measures just 1.1 litres. This is more than sufficient for an average household of two coffee drinkers, but busier homes consuming lots of specialty coffee might eventually get tired of all the refills.

From an aesthetic standpoint, all Jura coffee machines are similarly beautiful. The brand showcases Swiss design sensibility, favouring clean lines and timeless, classy designs. The ENA 8 stands out from the rest of the line-up, however, thanks to its gorgeous cylindrical water tank, patterned to resemble premium crystal carafes. This impeccable design is available in Metropolitan Black, Nordic White, and Sunset Red.

Brewing System – 4/5

While the size of this coffee maker might remind you of the entry-level Jura A1, the features of the Jura ENA 8 are anything but basic. That’s what makes this new super-automatic espresso machine so unique. 

The ENA 8 uses a thermoblock heater, so it takes under a minute to heat up. This is paired with a standard 15 bar pump, which has more than enough pressure to produce a proper espresso with a rich layer of crema.

You will use a large 2.8″ TFT color display for all aspects of this machine’s operation, including adjusting settings, running cleaning cycles, and preparing drinks. The screen has beautiful clarity and makes this model easy and intuitive to use. For example, suppose you don’t want to learn the proper Italian names of the available coffee drinks. In that case, each one-touch drink option is also designated with a picture showing ratios of milk and coffee.

Like all Jura machines, this one has a built-in burr grinder, the upgraded Aroma G3 grinder, which is faster and quieter than previous models. The bean hopper is equipped with an airtight silicone seal, assuring coffee beans stored there to stay as fresh as possible.

PEP technology in Ena 8

The Jura ENA 8 is equipped with Jura’s patented Pulse Extraction Process (PEP) technology, designed to optimize the coffee flavour and aroma of espresso, ristretto, and espresso doppio shots. Rather than a steady pressure, hot water is pulsed through the ground coffee. Testing both by Jura and independent researchers, like data scientist and espresso enthusiast Robert McKeon Aloe, has shown this to yield a better-extracted shot (1).

But this isn’t just an espresso machine; it also has a milk system. Using a milk siphon tube coupled with Jura’s Fine Foam technology, it can just as quickly prepare milk-based drinks at the touch of a button. To make a milky drink, like a latte macchiato, just put the siphon tube in a container of milk, and it will suck it up the correct quantity of milk and froth it perfectly for whatever drink you ordered. The Fine Foam technology adds just the right amount of air to yield a frothy cappuccino or silky latte.

The siphon tube has several advantages versus a built-in milk carafe, which is the other popular style of milk system found on super-automatic espresso makers:

1. It allows this coffee machine to maintain its compact footprint.
2. It makes it easy to switch between milks if, for example, one member of your household prefers dairy milk while another wants oat milk.
3. It’s one component less to clean, as the tube is self-cleaning via a short burst of steam after each use.

With the siphon tube, you can use any vessel of your choice to hold the milk, but if you don’t have anything handy, Jura sells two different carafes for just this purpose. There’s an inexpensive plain carafe and a pricier but practical refrigerated option.

Coffee Quality and Versatility – 4/5

Any espresso nerd will tell you that the coffee quality from a super-automatic espresso machine won’t match that of a semi-automatic espresso machine operated by a skilled barista. But that isn’t the comparison here, and with ongoing advances in automation technology, it’s also no longer always true (2). 

The Jura ENA 8 is a one-touch coffee maker with impressive user functionality comparable with something like a Nespresso. And in that comparison, Jura’s coffee quality is far superior (3). A capsule machine like Nespresso cannot compete with freshly ground beans. On top of that, while a Nespresso coffee machine confines you to only coffee bean brands that make capsules, with the Jura ENA 8, you can use any excellent coffee you want and still enjoy one-touch convenience.

The Jura ENA 8 has a lot of versatility, even with the rest of the ENA line. It has ten coffee specialties, including milky drinks, available at the press of a button. According to the National Coffee Association’s annual report, espresso-based drinks are growing in popularity, with cappuccino being the most popular (4). The ENA 8 caters to this by allowing you to prepare a ristretto, espresso, coffee, cappuccino, double espresso, macchiato, and flat white, as well as a portion of milk foam or simply hot water for tea.

You can set the volume of water, choose one of ten coffee strengths, and choose one of three brewing temperatures. Suppose you’re just getting hot water for tea or an Americano. In that case, you can also change the hot water temperature, which is vital as tea is perhaps even more sensitive to brewing temperature than coffee (5). 

All coffee recipes are easily programmed using the TFT colour screen, but because this coffee maker is wifi enabled, you can also use the Jura app, JOE.

Another nice option adding to the versatility of this model versus some of the cheaper coffee makers is the bypass doser, which allows you to add pre-ground coffee and skip the grinder. This is great if you prefer to buy a preground brand, but it’s handy if you occasionally like to enjoy a decaf or flavoured coffee and don’t want to empty the bean hopper.

The coffee spout is height adjustable, varying from 6.8 – 13.8 cm, and this accommodates all but the tallest travel mugs and thermoses. An unexpected by appealing feature is the amber or white cup illumination. If you’re preparing an early morning coffee in stealth mode while your family sleeps, you won’t even have to turn on the lights.

Cleaning and Maintenance – 3.5/5

One trait common to all Jura machines, which might be a pro or a con depending on your perspective, is that the brewing unit isn’t removable for cleaning. Instead, you simply drop one of the Jura descaling tablets into the bypass doser and run the cleaning cycle, and it will even prompt you when this is necessary. 

Most users love automatic cleaning because it’s incredibly convenient, and buyers of Jura espresso machines tend to value convenience. However, it is also more expensive to keep buying cleaning tablets. And if something does go wrong, it’s challenging to gain access to the interior to do repairs yourself, and instead, you’ll have to send it to a dealer.

The only regular cleaning required of the user is to empty the drip tray and grounds bin, which is marginally more of a hassle than it needs to be. The drip tray is very large, with the back half extending far into the coffee machine and houses the coffee grounds waste bin. So there is no simple way to empty just the tray. 

When you pull the whole assembly out, it’s four parts:

• The base drip tray
• The grounds bin
• The metal front piece
• A plastic drip tray lid

While the lid is nice in that it will keep you from spilling on your way to the sink, it does feel like a lot of pieces to clean.

Value for Money – 3.5/5

There is no denying that Jura espresso machines are expensive, and the Jura ENA 8 is no exception. If we’re being honest, cheaper espresso machines can make better coffee. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper espresso machine that can make coffee this good this easily, and that is what you’re paying for.

Let me put it this way. For convenience equivalent to a Jura coffee maker, you have two options. You can get a capsule machine like a Nespresso, which will be less expensive upfront but requires expensive capsules and produces inferior drinks. Or you can go to a coffee shop, where a professional barista can likely prepare a better cappuccino, but you’ll pay way more money if you’re a regular coffee drinker (6). The Jura splits a nice middle ground between these two options, and from that perspective, it provides excellent value.

The Jura ENA 8 vs E8

Don’t worry; you’re not alone if you find yourself confused between the Jura E8, a longtime bestseller, and the new ENA 8. So let’s make a quick comparison here between the two. 

The Jura E8 has long been one of the most popular Jura models because it falls near the middle of their line-up, both in terms of price and functionality. It is a step up from the base models but is still significantly more affordable than other Jura models like the upper-end Giga W3.

Compared with the Jura ENA 8, the E8 is slightly larger, which could be a pro or a con depending on your needs. The bean hopper and water tank have higher capacities, but it takes up more space on your countertop. The Jura E8 offers a few more one-touch drinks than the ENA 8, but it is also more expensive. 

In summary, both are great coffee machines that produce the same quality of espresso and should last for many years, so it just comes down to your priorities.

Don’t Buy the Jura ENA 8 If…

You don’t drink milk drinks – If you love espresso but have no interest in frothed milk, you can save a lot of money by opting for a model without a milk foam system. Take a look at the Jura A1, which is more compact and affordable than the ENA 8 but includes the same Pulse Extraction Process to ensure top-notch espresso.

You want something more affordable – Jura machines are pricey, though I would argue that the espresso quality and Swiss engineering make it money well spent. However, if you lack the budget and still want the convenience of a super automatic espresso maker, consider the Gaggia Anima Prestige espresso machine, the DeLonghi Magnifica, or Phillips 3200, both of which are less than half the cost of the Jura ENA 8.

You want to be more hands-on – If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of convenience in favor of more control, there are plenty of great options. The Breville Barista Express, which still includes a built-in grinder, has been a best seller for many years. Or, if you want to step it up a notch, look at buying the Rancilio Silvia or Gaggia Classic Pro paired with a decent espresso grinder, which won’t cost any more than buying the Jura.

The Verdict

Jura has a well-deserved reputation for making some of the best super-automatic espresso machines in the game. There is just no other brand offering the same quality in this market, though you pay a premium for it. The newly released Jura ENA 8 is perfect for the coffee lover who wants espresso and milk-based drinks at the touch of a button but doesn’t have a lot of counter space to spare.