Jura Giga W3 Professional Automatic Coffee Machine Review

For the budding home barista, a fully automatic espresso machine might take away some of the fun of brewing. But in an office, getting coffee at the touch of a button makes life easier for everyone.

Jura Giga W3 is one of the most “super” of super automatics, with versatility and convenience you won’t find elsewhere. This Jura Giga W3 Professional review has everything you need to know about this state-of-the-art machine.

SUMMARY: The Jura Giga W3 Professional

• 43 pre-programmed drinks
  
• Huge 169-ounce water reservoir
  
• Automatic cleaning and descaling

…built like a tank and it delivers great quality drinks all day long with minimal amount of effort.

– Drew M., Customer

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The Jura Giga W3 Professional Review

The Jura brand is famous for its super-automatic machines. The Swiss manufacturer brings professional quality to home espresso makers, so it makes sense that they have a line of commercial machines too. The Giga W3 stands out as one of the most versatile, but is it a suitable machine for you?

• Design
• Brewing system
• Coffee quality and versatility
• Cleaning and maintenance
• Value for money

4.5

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Design – 4.5/5 

One look at the Giga W3, and it’s instantly recognizable as a Jura coffee machine. It’s got the same slick design as other models, but they made it supersized to meet the demands of office use.

With a 22.2″ x 14.6″ x 19.6″ footprint, the Jura Giga W3 demands some space. Still, the payoff comes with this capacity. For example, the water reservoir holds a massive 169 ounces, around twice as much as the Giga 5. That’s going to get you plenty of coffees without refilling, but the option for a direct water line would be a nice addition for busy workplaces.

The bean hopper will hold an impressive 5 pounds of your favorite coffee, and that’s not even the best thing about it. It’s also got an aroma preservation cover to keep your beans fresher, and you can remove it for easy refilling – a feature we’d like to see more often.

Front and center is a full-color TFT display, which gives users a visual guide to the drink options. It’s not a touch screen, but the rotary switch and simple side buttons make it a reasonably intuitive interface.

Jura has a reputation for reliability, and the fact that this model is designed to make up to 120 coffees per day gives you an idea of just how durable this thing is. If you think this sounds ideal for a coffee shop, you’re out of luck – it doesn’t have the required NSF certification (1).

Brewing system – 4/5 

The Jura brand perfectly encapsulates the idea of superautomatic espresso machines, with everything done at the touch of a button. All you need to do is choose your drink.

Your beans are dealt with by the high ceramic performance, which you can adjust electronically. We are a little disappointed to see there are just five options for grind size, which is on par with the minimalist A1 and Ena Micro 1 models.

Otherwise, the performance is everything you’d hope for from this high-end espresso machine. Thanks to the thermoblock heating system and dual boiler design, the Giga W3 will make you an espresso in under 30 seconds. It stands out from other super automatics in making two milk drinks simultaneously and at an equally impressive speed. We’re talking about two latte macchiatos in less than 1 minute 30.

Considering the price you’re paying, you might be surprised to see there’s no milk carafe – instead, there’s a siphon system. However, this makes a certain sense, as people can switch between different kinds of milk without wastage.

Coffee quality and versatility – 5/5

Versatility sets this espresso machine apart and makes it so suitable for a workplace. The machine features an incredible 43 drink options: 31 programmable coffees and 12 barista recipes for specialties.

You can select favorites from the TFT display, like a single cup flat white or latte macchiato or two cups of each at once. There’s also hot water and hot milk for non-coffee drinkers. Unusually for an espresso machine, you can also make jugs of coffee, which will grind and brew five portions of coffee at once. But it’s the milk drinks where the Giga W3 shines.

The key to nailing the recipes for drinks like lattes is the adjustable air intake. This allows the boiler to create both hot milk and milk foam for the same drink.

Coffee experts will appreciate the ability to customize pretty much any part of the brewing process. Dive deeper into the settings: adjust your coffee strength, the size of your cup, the temperature of both the coffee and milk or the amount of milk foam. You can even change the name of the pre-programmed coffees.

Cleaning and maintenance – 4.5/5

Machine maintenance is a boring but necessary part of coffee making and presents a particular problem in an office situation. If you think about how forgetful people become when it’s time to refill a coffee pot, you can be sure they’re even less likely to clean an espresso machine.

Jura has thankfully taken human nature into account when designing the Giga W3. The machine automatically starts a cleaning cycle (including the milk frother) at startup and shuts down, so you don’t even need to remember to do it. If you’re worried about waiting for your coffee, you can program the machine to switch on before the workday starts. The efficiency of the system has earned the Giga W3 TUV certification for hygiene (2).

The Giga W3 Professional has a CLEARYL water filter, which the company claims will remove the need for descaling altogether (3). If you’re not using the filter, you will be alerted when it’s time to descale. You’ll also get an alert if it’s time to empty the drip tray, but the generous size means this won’t be a regular task. 

We are taking off half a point here for the used grounds container, which only holds the pucks from 40 coffees. In a busy office, you will have to empty it a couple of times a day.

Value for money – 4.5/5

Jura machines are not cheap to start with, and this model belongs to one of the more expensive lines from the brand. For the price, you’re getting one of the most versatile machines around, but what you’re paying for here is convenience. An espresso maker that will do the rinsing and cleaning for you is worth its weight in gold.

We’d like to see a couple of extra features included for the price but, namely, a more versatile grinder and the option for a water line to save time refilling.

Do Not Buy If…

You’re looking for a machine for home use – As well as the fact that the Giga W3 is prohibitively expensive for most households, it’s also wholly unnecessary. Especially when you have so many great super-automatic machines to choose from. For a wide range of one-touch drink options, check out the Saeco PicoBaristo, or look into the Gaggia Brera if you’re on a tight budget.

You want something a little smaller – Not all workplaces are going to have enough space that they can dedicate to a coffee machine the size of the Giga W3. The Jura Z6, the Jura S8, and the Ena 8 are parts of the brand’s line of domestic espresso machines but would suit a small office just as well. You’ll still get the same quality build, large water tank, and good programmability, but with a smaller footprint and price tag.

The Verdict 

If you want to serve a different cup of coffee to a lot of different people, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better espresso machine than the Jura Giga W3 Professional. The 43 drink options make it possible for everyone to get what they want, and the automatic cleaning and descaling means it’s simply more practical for an office than other coffee makers. 

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