The Jura ENA Micro 1 Espresso Machine Review

If you’re after a compact, practical super-automatic espresso maker that grinds and brews your coffee with the touch of a button, you might be in the right place.

Read our Jura ENA Micro 1 review to discover all the features of this stylish ultra compact model, and decide if it suits your caffeinated habits. While this model has recently been discontinued by Jura in the U.K. and Australia, it is still available in the U.S. and from alternative sellers.

Summary: The Jura ENA Micro 1

• Lets you brew and customize ristrettos, espressos, and americanos
  
• Ultra-compact design
  
• Made in Europe and built to last

Micro brewing unit extracts the coffee under the ideal conditions. The intelligent preheating feature ensures that the coffee, crowned by a feather-light crema, is always dispensed piping hot.

– Jura USA

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The Jura ENA Micro 1 Review

Jura, a Swiss company, has been making pioneering automatic espresso machines since the 1980s (1). They claim their ENA Micro 1 ultra-compact coffee machine makes the perfect espresso. Let’s put this machine through its paces and see how good it actually is.

Jura Ena Micro 1 Review

• Design
• Brewing System
• Coffee Quality & Versatility
• Cleaning & Maintenance
• Value For Money

4.1

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Design – 4.5/5

It’s in the name: thanks to its micro-brewing unit, the Jura ENA Micro 1 is designed to have the smallest footprint on your countertop. The Micro 1 is currently Jura’s most compact model, only 9.1 inches wide, 12.7 inches tall and 17.5 inches deep – slightly smaller than the Jura A1. But be prepared, the Micro 1 is heavier than it looks..

Although it’s made of plastic, the fact that it’s black and sleek results in a stylish front panel that will look elegant in any kitchen. Its icon-based control panel is touch-sensitive, intuitive, and easy to use.

It’ll let you prepare 3 different specialty drinks with the touch of a button.

Manufactured in Portugal by Capresso, with a 2-year warranty (or 6,000 brewing cycles, whichever comes first), the ENA Micro 1 is built to give you peace of mind for years to come.

Brewing System – 4.5/5

The Jura ENA Micro 1 is an efficient bean-to-cup machine that guarantees you a quick and practical brewing experience every single time. It grinds, doses, tamps and extracts the coffee beans with the touch of a single button.

It has a 4.4-oz bean hopper and an adjustable integrated grinder with conical burrs, which have been the industry standard for years when it comes to grinding for espresso as they ensure aroma preservation: (2)

This machine has 4 grind size settings, meaning that you’ll be able to affect coffee extraction by experimenting with finer and coarser grind sizes. It’s also quieter than most models (always a plus when you want to enjoy some freshly ground coffee in the morning without waking up the entire neighborhood!). You can also skip the bean hopper and use pre-ground coffee, thanks to the bypass doser, which means endless coffee choices, including decaf.

This model comes with a removable 36.8-oz water tank located in the back (but accessible from the top) and an adjustable coffee dispensing spout that can accommodate a cup size from 2 to 5.5 inches.

This machine won’t keep you waiting, either. The aluminum boiler lined with stainless steel features a quick and efficient Thermoblock heating system, so this coffee machine goes from bean to cup in less than 2 minutes, which is pretty good for a super-automatic espresso machine.

The Jura ENA Micro 1 features an energy switch and uses freshly ground coffee rather than K-cups or capsules. It is a greener and more eco-friendly choice than one-cup coffee makers that rely on single-use pods resulting in a terrible environmental footprint. (3)

Coffee Quality & Versatility – 3.5/5

Brewing at 15 bar pressure, which is above industry standards (4), you certainly won’t be disappointed by the aroma levels and the overall quality of your espresso shot, which will always have a nice layer of crema. If you’re used to capsule-based coffee makers, you won’t believe the difference in taste and aroma preservation. But don’t be tempted to down your espresso shot immediately as the coffee that you get is piping hot!

Considering that this is an espresso-only machine, we were surprised by the level of customizability. The intuitive interface lets you change the aroma levels, a.k.a, the strength of your coffee (normal or strong) and tweak the hot water volume to get a perfect ristretto, espresso, or americano.

The Jura ENA Micro 1 loses points for not having a milk frothing feature and allowing you to brew just one drink at the time, unlike most Jura coffee machines. If you’re enjoying a coffee break with a friend, you’ll have to run the brewing cycle twice, but, again, since this machine brews swiftly, we doubt it will be a problem.

Cleaning & Maintenance – 5/5

Cleaning an espresso machine is one of the worst nightmares for coffee lovers (second only to stale K-cups), so we’re sure you’ll be happy to know that the Jura ENA Micro 1 is incredibly easy to look after.

You just need to rinse the drip tray occasionally and empty the dregs bin around once a week, since it can hold 9 used coffee pucks. The brew head is non-removable, so you won’t be able to rinse it under the tap as you’d do with similar coffee machines. However, you can simply chuck a Jura tablet into the bypass doser to let the machine do its thing when the descaling reminder is flashing, which is usually every 200 brewing cycles.

You can also adjust the water hardness levels and add a Clearyl water filter (one of which is usually included) to the water tank to prolong this coffee maker’s life and ensure that you use the purest water. The Jura ENA Micro 1 will even remind you when it’s time to fill up the tank.

Value For Money – 3/5

The Jura ENA Micro 1 is certainly not the cheapest super-automatic coffee machine (although it is when it comes to Jura models), but it’s not the one of the most expensive like the Giga 5 either. While it loses points for not including a milk frother, we think that the price is justified by the high levels of customizability and its robustness.

Due to this machine’s sturdy build-quality, you can usually find refurbished models on the market. If you can find one in stock, we highly recommend getting it as it’s worth every penny.

Imagine the price of buying a coffee every day or relying on espresso pods for a year or two, and you’ll see why this espresso machine could be worth your money.

Do Not Buy The Jura Ena Micro 1 If…

You want a more affordable super-automatic espresso machine – We recommend the DeLonghi Magnifica. Since it’s an older model, you can get a band new machine for about the same price as a refurbished Jura ENA Micro 1. The Magnifica comes with a dual boiler system and a dedicated steam wand, in case you want to have a cappuccino. We rated the DeLonghi espresso machine quite highly here.

You prefer drinking cappuccinos and lattes – Unless you already own a device for milk frothing, we believe that the Gaggia Brera or the Jura E8 would be a better match for your coffee preferences.

While the Brera includes an efficient stainless steel steaming wand that produces silky smooth milk foam, the E8 uses a flexible silicone hose to draw out steamed or frothed milk. We were delighted by both machines’ performance in making milk-based drinks.

You want to dial in the shot and experiment more – Automatic espresso machines, like the Jura Z6, the A9, and the Breville Oracle, are a life-saver for any espresso lover who wants to enjoy a great coffee at the touch of a button. However, if you were hoping to let loose you inner barista and experiment, the Oracle lets you take complete control of the brewing process. We explored the full range of this “super” super-automatic in this post.

The Verdict On The Jura ENA Micro 1 – 4.1/5

We think that the Jura ENA Micro 1 is a great choice for lovers of black coffee. Its compact design makes it easy to fit any kitchen, and it’s incredibly easy to maintain. Not to mention, it goes from bean to cup in a couple of minutes, and makes fantastic espresso. While we lament that it has recently been discontinued in some countries like the U.K. and Australia, it is still available in the U.S. and from alternative sellers online!

If you would rather start your day with a strong shot of espresso made from freshly-ground coffee beans, you will love this machine. Don’t forget to check if refurbished Jura ENA Micro 1 models are available, as they could save you a pretty penny.