Jura has made a name for itself for selling high-quality, high-price automatic coffee machines that have grabbed even the attention of the most traditional of connoisseurs.
With its sleek, boxy design and range of coffee types and strengths, the E8 sits squarely in the middle of the German-brand's machine range. It promises nuance and flavor with convenience and consistency but does it live up to this promise?
For my Jura E8 review, I’ve spent the past month testing the machine. I’ve made a range of drinks, from cappuccinos to macchiatos, and experimented with different beans.
Keep scrolling to find out if this machine is as good as the brand claims, and then head to our best coffee maker and espresso machine lineups to see how it compares.
Victoria is a freelance lifestyle and technology journalist with almost two decades of experience reviewing gadgets, beauty tech, and household appliances. She's a huge coffee fan and is signed up for multiple at-home coffee bean subscription services, which she used to put the Jura E8 coffee machine through its paces.
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: price & availability
You can buy the Jura E8 in black, white, chrome or dark gray. It's sold on Jura's own website, as well as Walmart and Best Buy with an RRP of $2,499 in the US. In the UK it costs £1,295 and is available from Jura, Currys and AO.
You then need to factor in the price of replacement CLARIS filters, which start at $20 each; the price of coffee beans or grounds; milk cleaning tablets ($45 for 180g); plus $60 for a Wi-Fi Connect accessory if you want smart features.
The price of the Jura E8 positions it in the middle- to upper-mid level of the automatic espresso machine price spectrum. The wide range of drink options, precise, built-in grinder and the small, but highly effective, cleaning and maintenance features go a long way towards justifying this price. As does the design, and importantly the taste. At $2,500 I would have expected to have smart features as standard, so it's a little galling to have to pay extra but the $60 is a one-off price and does open up a lot more opportunities.
All things considered, while the E8 is expensive, and could be out of reach of some budgets, it still represents good value; is high quality, and should last a long time.
Score: 4 out of 5
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: Setup
Given the large, bulky size of the Jura E8 I had prepared for it to be difficult and heavy to get out of the box but it was surprisingly easy. I was sent the machine in a sealed PR crate, rather than the manufacturer's original packaging, so I can't comment on the size of the purchased box. However, I've confirmed that the retail version ships with: E8 Fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine, welcome pack and warranty brochure, pack of 2 three phase cleaning tablets, gray CLARIS smart filter and extension, milk cleaning tabs (30g) and a milk cleaning container.
It's not the quickest of machines to get started with. You have to install the filter, test and set the water hardness, flush the system, and empty the drip tray before you can even see your drink options. The digital display does a good job of guiding you through most of these setup steps, but you'll still need the instruction manual to hand to know exactly where the filter goes, or what level of water hardness you need to set it at. This whole process took around 10 minutes from start to finish.
The Jura E8 is Wi-Fi compatible but you need to buy a separate Wi-Fi Connect accessory for $60 to enable these features. I wasted a further 10 minutes downloading the Jura J.O.E app and trying to work out how to connect the machine before realising I hadn't been sent the add-on.
Score: 3.5 out of 5
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: Design
The Jura E8 looks as high-end as its price tag suggests. At 21.6lbs, it's not the lightest of machines, but given its overall size – 11 x 17.3 x 13.8in (w x d x h) – and the features it offers, this is much lighter than I had expected. As a result, it's also easy to move around for cleaning.
The E8's surprising portability is due to the fact its largely made from plastic with a few metal accents throughout. From a distance, you'd be forgiven for thinking the drip tray, as one example, is made from metal but instead its silver-colored plastic. When you start using and cleaning the machine, this plastic feel lessens the premium first impressions a little but not enough for it to be a major issue. I reviewed the "Piano Black" model (article code #15661) and it looked great in my kitchen; it contrasted well against my white worktops and walls and made a statement without looking out of place. The glossy finish gives it a sleek aesthetic, although this can be hard to maintain as it shows up everything from water splashes to fingerprints. You do need a fair amount of free worktop space to accommodate the Jura E8, and its depth could be a problem in smaller kitchens, but its height means it fits comfortably under units.
The front of the machine is dominated by an easy-to-read TFT color display screen. It's not a touchscreen; it's controlled by buttons either side of the display and this often confused me as I tried to press the on-screen icons by mistake. That said, the buttons are intuitive to use and you can quickly scroll through the various brewing options and cleaning steps.
Below the display is the adjustable coffee spout and hot water nozzle that moves up and down to accommodate different sized cups or glasses. To the right of the coffee spout is the milk system with fine-foam frother, and below both is the drip tray, which also houses the coffee grounds container. This tray and container slides out easily and can hold up to 16 servings before needing to be emptied. At which point the machine itself will warn you that it's full.
The coffee bean container is on the top of the machine, and comes with an "aroma preservation cover" to keep the beans tasting fresh. On first glance, this container looks small but the beans slide into a compartment below the container and, as a result, the E8 can hold around 280g beans at any one time. Above this container is a small compartment where you can put coffee grounds, while on the left side of the machine is its 1.9 liter water tank. It may sound like a small, insignificant feature but the water tank features an adjustable handle for removing and refilling and this makes it incredibly easy to use. One of my biggest complaints of my own Smeg coffee maker is how awkward and cumbersome it can be trying to reattach the tank full of water onto the rear the machine without a proper handle.
To use the milk system, you need to attach a small tube which connects to a glass milk container. This is the worst part of the E8's design in my opinion. I'm yet to use an automatic coffee machine that has mastered the design of external milk containers. They always let down an otherwise attractive system in some way, and the E8's version is no exception. Granted, the use of glass and metal on the container does add a premium feel to the whole thing but the tube looks like something from a science lesson and this is a shame.
Design: 3.5 out of 5
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: Key specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 |
| Model no. | #15581 (Chrome), #15661 (Black), #15583 (Dark Inox), #15662 (White) |
| Type of coffee | Espresso |
| Coffee strength settings | 10 |
| Brew time | 30-60 seconds |
| Pressure | 15-bar |
| Water tank | 1.9L |
| Power cord length | 1.1m / 3.6ft |
| Average noise level | 55dB |
| Dimensions | 11 x 17.3 x 13.8in (w x d x h) |
| Weight | 21.6 lbs |
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: Performance
To begin my testing, I removed the water tank, fitted the filter, filled the tank with water to the maximum line, and slid it back into the machine. From there, I loaded the grinder with beans – as with all my coffee machine reviews, I used the Esquires Equatorial Blend coffee beans – and pressed the power button on the top of the machine.
After the Jura logo appears on the built-in display, a small thermometer icon and "Machine heating" message appears before the system begins rinsing itself. You'll need to place a container underneath the spout to catch this water if you don't want it going into the drip tray. The whole process, from switching the machine on to being shown the drink options on the display, takes just 15 seconds.
Once heated and rinsed, you then cycle through the drink menu using the button next to the on-screen arrow in the bottom-right of the panel. The drink options are:
- Espresso
- Cortado
- Americano
- Latte macchiato
- Coffee
- Lungo
- Macchiato
- Flat White
- Espresso doppio
- Cappuccino
- Hot water
- Milk foam
It's worth noting that the E8 doesn't offer a standard latte option, in case that's your preferred drink.
Beyond this list of default drinks, you also have the option from the home screen to add an extra shot – once selected, this becomes the default until you deselect it – or you can switch to using ground coffee.
Once you've selected a drink, you have around five seconds while the beans are being ground to change the size of the drink's volume before your coffee starts being dispensed. If you do change the volume, you then have the option to save this setting for the next time you make that drink. You can learn more about the individual volume, temperature and coffee strength settings for each of these drinks on the Jura website.
The Jura E8 does become a little more complex, however, when you start to add milk-based drinks to the mix. The first time you select a cappuccino, for example, it's far from clear where the coffee will come from. I had assumed the milk frother would create the foam before the regular spout dispensed the coffee. This is not the case. The coffee for a cappuccino is poured via a smaller spout at the rear of the milk system and nothing on the built-in display explains this. Granted this is only an issue the first time you make the drink but I did end up wasting a perfectly good shot of espresso.
Similarly, when you make other drinks it takes a bit of experimentation to learn whether the coffee or milk comes first, and under which spout you need to place your cup. This would be solved by simply having a message or icon appear on the display to explain. My only other minor complaint with this system is that you can't manually control the thickness of froth like you can on other Jura models, like the J8. The E8 instead automatically adjusts the thickness based on whether you're making a foamy cappuccino or smoother flat white. This still tastes good, but I'd at least like the option.
Speaking of milk-based drinks, Jura suggests rinsing the milk system after every drink and the machine itself even reminds you to do so. This helps to keep the machine working its best and guarantees great tasting drinks, but it's not the easiest or quickest of tasks. You need to place at least a 600ml container beneath the milk spout and wait more than a minute for the flushing to finish each time. Not to mention the fact the milk spout is on the edge of the machine so the container needs to balance a little precariously on the edge of the drip tray. As a result, I never felt comfortable leaving it to finish on its own and had to stand and watch and wait each time. I agree that it's worth doing to extend the life of your machine, but it made me err away from making milk-based drinks at times when I was in a rush. Opting instead for espressos and Americanos topped up from milk straight from the fridge.
A couple of other features to note. I love the fact you can adjust the temperature of the hot water from Low to Normal and Hot. One complaint I have about my Smeg machine is the hot water isn't as hot as I like, so I use water from the kettle instead. I don't have to do this with the E8.
The Jura E8 is also incredibly quiet. The grinding of the beans is barely noticeable, hardly shifting the decibel dial above my kitchen's baseline of 45dB. The pouring of the coffee is whisper quiet too. The only time the machine's decibels jumped up was when the milk frother first starts, and even then it only rose to 60dB on average. Throughout my review period, the average decibels sat around 55dB. Jura claims its machines use sound design inspired by Formula 1 technology and I can vouch for the fact this machine is the quietest I've ever tested.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: Taste test
When it comes to the actual taste of the coffee, I cannot fault the Jura E8. From the delicate froth of the milk to the creamy and deep, rounded aftertaste of the coffee itself, I loved my first cappuccino so much I immediately made a second. The Jura E8's built-in grinder allows you to use freshly ground beans each time, guaranteeing a stronger and fresher taste. This fresher taste then lasted in my mouth so much longer than it usually does and it was delicious.
One of my biggest gripes, typically, when using automatic espresso machines is the lack of customisation. Mainly because the presets have a tendency to leave the coffee tasting almost clinical and they often fail to truly extract the nuance of difference beans. The Jura E8 is an exception. It has seemingly perfected the balance of intensity and temperature for each of the drinks on its menu, giving you a consistently brilliant cup of coffee each time. During my review period I also tested Jura's own Cafe Crema blend and the machine did a great job of showcasing the differences in depth and flavor compared to my Esquires favorite.
Once you've mastered the differences between the drinks, and set and saved your preferred volume and extra shot settings, the Jura E8 is a joy to use. I'd like the option to manually adjust the milk frother settings as mentioned, and a little more control over the strength of shot would be great given the price of the machine but I'm a big fan of the coffee it produces, so in this case I'm happy to trust Jura's experts.
Jura E8 Coffee Machine: User reviews
The general sentiment among online reviews for the Jura E8 is positive.
On AO.com (UK), the Jura E8 has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Reviewers praise the machine for its ability to create barista-quality coffee at home and they like the sleek design and robust build quality.
One of the standout features is the automated cleaning process. Reviewers said they find this convenient because it makes maintaining the machine easy, and keeps it working well. However, the high cost of the Jura E8 is a recurring theme among the reviews. While most customers believe the machine is worth the investment, a few express reservations.
A smaller number of users also mention issues with temperature control, claiming that the coffee and milk aren't always as hot as they'd like. Additionally, some found the initial learning curve to be a bit steep.
The reviews on Best Buy (US) tell a similar story, with the Jura E8 achieving an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Customers similarly praise the the high quality of the coffee produced, along with the range of drinks available. The user-friendly screen and automation features are highlighted as major pros which make the process of using the Jura E8 quick and enjoyable.
Like on AO.com, the design and build quality are frequently mentioned, as is the convenience of the self-cleaning functions. A few users point out that the machine can be noisier than expected, which detracts slightly from the overall experience. There are also minor complaints about the need to buy proprietary cleaning supplies and filters, adding to the overall cost.
Should you buy the Jura E8 Coffee Machine?
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Price & availability | When you factor in the taste, versatility and quality, the Jura E8 represents good value for money. | ★★★ |
| Design | The E8 looks the part and is largely intuitive, give or take the odd flaw and frustration. | ★★★★ |
| Performance | Some fiddly, time-consuming tasks can't distract completely from what is a high-quality, high-performing machine. | ★★★★ |
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How does the Jura E8 compare?
Little separates Jura's three mid-range coffee machine models – the E8, S8 and J8 – in terms of physical specifications. They all weigh similar, have very similar dimensions and look almost indistinguishable from one another. Instead, the key differences come from the coffee and milk options they offer.
The Jura E8 is the cheapest. In the middle of the trio is the Jura S8 which, at $2,699 offers 27 drink options, including the addition of Sweet Cortado, and Sweet Cappuccino among others that take advantage of the advanced Sweet Foam Function. This function flavours the milk foam during preparation using a syrup attachment. It lets you choose the type and amount of syrup, you can then customise the flavor and intensity to your personal taste.
Spend a little more for the $2,999 Jura J8 and you'll get all of the features of the E8 and S8, including the Sweet Foam Function; a total of 31 drinks options including latte; plus manual control of the milk frother, and Jura's Coffee Eye feature. Coffee Eye is a smart cup sensor detects the position of the cup and automatically adapts the selection of specialities on the display to suit. For example, if you put an espresso shot glass, only shorter drinks will be displayed on the screen.
Outside of Jura, the De'Longhi Dinamica Espresso Machine rivals the E8 for price, at $1,195, features and design. It offers 18 specialties including latte, cappuccino, espresso, iced coffee and flat white, plus its LatteCrema system lets you manually choose the density and texture of your milk. It's also smaller than the E8 (9.3 x 11.8 x 16.3in) so may suit smaller kitchens better.
How I tested the Jura E8 coffee machine
- Used the machine to make an espresso every morning and afternoon for a month
- Experimented with different beans, milk and drink volumes
- Used the milk system to make multiple milk-based drinks
- Cleaned the machine using the built-in cleaning settings
- Tweaked quantities to get the best results
I tested the Jura E8 at home in Aylesbury, UK, for a month. I made at least one, sometimes two, espressos or espresso-based coffees daily and tested various beans from different brands. I experimented with different volume and shot settings and made different types of coffee.
Read more about how we test.
- First reviewed: July 2024
