Summary
Pros
- One-Touch function
- Professional Aroma Grinder
- 4.3" high-resolution touchscreen colour
- Wireless ready
- Active bean monitoring
- High-performance pump, 15 bar
Cons
- High price tag
Jura Z8 Overview
There are those of us who like coffee. Some love coffee. And then there are the people who own Jura coffee machines. These connoisseurs live and breathe coffee. With such an affinity for that caffeine, you can’t be running out to coffee shops whenever you need your hit. It’s impossible to get your coffee drink made perfectly for you and personalized exactly to your liking, every time. That’s why Jura invented the Z8.
The Jura Z8 is a top of the line, superautomatic espresso machine designed to do what your local barista does, and more. Though expensive, it costs significantly less than other Jura coffee machines. The Z8 can operate at a high demand and has a huge capacity, which makes it a tad exorbitant for casual coffee drinkers. If you’re the right person, however, this machine is a fantasy brought to life.
There are a great many reasons why this machine is a dream come true for coffee perfectionists. One that should be highlighted is its one-touch lungo function. After years of refining the espresso-making process, Jura engineers have created a specialized method of making this particular drink. During the extraction process, the Z8 combines the coffee with hot water to make a full-bodied, light tasting long coffee.
Let’s talk about the process of making espresso. The Jura Z8 uses a patented technique for an unbelievable development of flavour in their espresso and/or ristretto. The Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.®) can achieve the maximum aroma, even for such small, specialty coffees. This process pushes water through the ground coffee beans in short pulses to perfect the extraction time.
This machine showcases how technology makes all of our lives better. To start, the Jura Z8 has a touchscreen. Beyond that, a 4.3” intuitive touchscreen colour display. Choose between 21 different specialties from the fully operational screen displayed in high-quality graphics. The Z8 is far different from your average joe – it connects with the J.O.E. application so you can make drinks right from your smartphone.
We know that the Z8 sets an incredibly high standard for coffee machines. The technology, the refined processes, and many features are just a few reasons why. But we need to know if it truly is the best machine for you. Let’s take a closer look at the Jura Z8 to see if it satisfies your caffeine needs.
First impressions of the Jura Z8
What’s most obvious about this machine is how big it is. You’ll need to clear space on your counter, as it measures 32 x 38 x 45cm and weighs 13.4 kg. Such a large size, however, is concurrent with a great number of features and an ability to meet a high demand.
Despite its industrial dimensions, the Z8 is a beautiful machine. While it meets the standards of a machine you might see in a coffee shop, it deserves to be seen on a kitchen counter. Its exterior boasts a stunning silver front, inlaid with a 4.3” high-quality colour touchscreen, and adjustable milk and coffee spouts set perfectly above the drip tray.
The Z8 packs a huge punch despite its petite appearance. Its touchscreen alone hosts 16 different drinks you can make with just one touch, and there’s a total of 21 beverages you can choose from using the rotary dial. More than that, there is room for personalization of each drink. Power your imagination with the caffeine!
What is the Jura Z8 capable of?
In terms of features, it’s hard to find where the Z8 falls short. It boasts 3 new specialties you can take advantage of at the touch of a button. Utilizing the Pulse Extraction Process, the Z8 makes a delicious caffè Barista, lungo Barista, or pot of coffee.
Jura Z8 technology is top of the line. Swiss engineering has brought forth the Aroma G3 grinder. It runs twice as fast without changing the aroma of the coffee beans. If you’d like, the Z8 features a grinder bypass option. This means you can bypass the grinder with your coffee grinds, should you crave a decaf, or want to indulge in a different blend.
The Jura Z8 offers a wide range of technical capabilities, including integration with the free Jura Operating Experience (J.O.E) application. All you need to do is download the app, connect to your machine, and you can have your coffee made without having to lift a finger. The Z8 showcases how engineering innovation over the years has streamlined the process of making coffee.
Craving a dose and need it fast? The Z8 has a dual thermoblock system that reduces wait time for your coffee drinks as one thermoblock is dedicated to making coffee and the other to steaming milk. You can impress your friends and show up to work on time, with coffee.
If you’re picky about how you take your coffee, the Jura Z8 won’t fail you. This machine is fully programmable right from the touch screen. You could even rename drinks and choose which ones are displayed on the home screen!
The Jura Z8 is also able to make milk-based drinks to perfection. Its automatic ceramic milk valve allows it to switch between milk and milk foam during the preparation process. It also has a highly refined foam frother that can steam milk better than most baristas. It can create silky microfoam; test it out with almond milk! Speaking of milk perfection, the Z8’s self-cleaning milk process ensured flawless performance and hygiene. You won’t need to clean any milk frothers or tubes thanks to this process.
High-quality water is essential to making a great cup of coffee, as 98% of coffee is water. The Intelligent Water System (I.W.S) in the Z8 utilizes RFID technology to continuously communicate with the CLARIS smart filter. The Z8 can recognize whether the filter has been inserted and will automatically adjust itself to activate the appropriate mode. As it’s collecting information from the filter constantly, it can tell its user when it needs to be changed. Its 2.4L water tank is front loading, so you don’t have to worry about height restrictions.
The inner workings of the Jura Z8 have some amazing features. It has a brand new G3 Grinder that grinds beans quickly and quietly while preserving their aroma. Plus, there’s no need to tinker around the inside of the machine as it’s completely self-cleaning.
The Z8’s design is sleek and modern. Its subtle chrome features accent its strong aluminum panels. It also includes a glass drip tray cover. These subtle highlights create an eye-catching look with its curved face, water tank, and lit up spouts. The Z8 will stand out on every counter.
Some say, ‘life is about the little things.’ Well, the Jura Z8 has some small features that help to make it so great. When you buy a Z8, you also get the Jura Care Kit. This kit includes cleaning tablets, a Claris smart filter, helpful user manuals, a pre-ground Coffee Scoop and funnel, a hose with two Connectors, one cappuccino cleaner, a microfiber cleaning cloth, an easy cappuccino cleaning container, a filter extension, a Jura storage bag for accessories and a water hardness testing strip.
What are the cons of the Jura Z8?
No espresso machine can be perfect. The Jura Z8 gets pretty close, however, with such revolutionary technology and so many automated processes, there’s bound to be shortfalls.
Starting with the price, the Z8 is extravagant. This machine is the same price as some used cars. Unlike a car, however, the Jura Z8 is an investment. Think about all the coffees you’ve had in coffee shops, costing between $3 and $5 (maybe closer to $8 if you add fancy syrups and non-dairy milks). That type of spending adds up over time. The Z8 can produce higher-quality coffee, faster than most baristas at your local coffeehouse. Plus, you don’t have to go anywhere to get it! If you use the J.O.E application, you don’t even have to move to get your caffeine fix.
The Jura Z8 is a big machine. It will take up a lot of counter space and it will have a bigger carbon footprint than most espresso machines. If you compare it to a capsule-based coffee machine, however, it creates far less waste. The Z8 only uses freshly ground coffee beans for your coffee, creating only compost. No capsules, no garbage!
To take advantage of all of the Z8’s features, you may want to consider buying its accessories. Having to buy these additions can be a nuisance if you want an all-in-one machine. Moreover, the Z8 is an older model. Jura has a new version of the Z8, which means there’s limited support for this particular machine.
Lastly, if you set up your Jura Z8 underneath your kitchen cabinets, you’ll run into a slight problem. The powder chute intended for pre-ground coffee is hard to get to if you set it up this way.
The Z8 is a perfect machine – small but mighty
The Jura Z8 is perfect for coffee snobs who aren’t ready to invest in an industrial-caliber machine. It provides the ability to make a variety of caffeinated beverages at the press of a button. It’s 4.3” touchscreen is user-friendly, simple, and makes it easy to customize drinks to your liking.
While the Z8 is small by superautomatic espresso machine standards, it holds considerable technologies. The new Pulse Extraction Process, the smart water filter, and smartphone connectivity are just a few high-tech features of the Z8.
This machine packs in all the features of an industrial machine at the size of a home espresso maker. With such a great combination, the investment will be worth every penny. More than that, you’ll enjoy barista-quality coffee in the comfort of your own home.
What’s especially great about the Z8 is that it has revolutionized the making of long coffees. Its special preparation method, the pulse extraction process, combines coffee with hot water during the coffee-making process to produce amazing specialties such as a Lungo Barista, a pot of coffee, or cafe barista.
Perfect for any coffee-lover, the Jura Z8 will put an amazing cup of coffee in your hands without any effort required on your part.
- RANGE OF BEVERAGES: 21 Specialty drink options
- SIMPLE TO USE: Intuitive operation using 4.3" Touchscreen or App
- CONVENIENT: One-Touch, Americano function for long coffees
- TECHNOLOGY: Flavorful ristretto and espresso with P.E.P technology
- GRINDER: AromaG3 grinder is 2X faster than previous models