If you’ve read any of our other many Jura coffee maker comparisons, you know that Jura manufactures a range of machines from relatively basic to premium.
The Jura S8, a mid-premium model, and the Jura Z8, a premium model, are some of the more feature-rich and high-priced coffee makers that Jura produces. They share some premium attributes, such as touchscreens, lengthy menus, and dual spouts.
While the Jura Z8 is now discontinued, you may be able to find this model at some retailers. Let’s take a closer look and see if one of these luxury espresso machines is right for you.
| Jura S8 | Jura Z8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 11 × 13.4 × 17.3 in | 12.6 × 15 × 17.7 in |
| Weight | 22 lb | 29.5 lb |
| # of Beverages | 15 | 21 |
| Display | 4.3-inch touchscreen | 4.3-inch touchscreen |
| Water Tank Size | 64 oz | 81 oz |
| Bean Hopper Size | 10 oz | 10 oz |
| Grinder | Steel Conical Burr | Steel Conical Burr |
| Pot of Coffee Function | No | Yes |
Overview of the Jura S8
Jura touts its S line as the “mid-premium segment” It has all of the advantages of Jura’s more compact coffee machines while also sporting a few advanced features. Let’s examine these in further detail.
Jura S8: Brewing Options
The Jura S8 has 15 brewing options, including basic options like espresso and coffee in addition to milk-based drinks like a flat white, latte macchiato, and cappuccino.
The S8 will also dispense hot water, hot milk, or milk foam, and can make 2 servings at once of its non-milk beverages.
As well, quite a bit of customization is possible. For instance, there are 10 levels of coffee strength and 3 brewing temperature levels to choose from. The amount of water and amount of milk and milk foam can also be customized.
While freshly ground coffee beans will always produce the most flavorful brew and perfect espresso, you may sometimes want to use pre-ground coffee. You can do so on the Jura S8 using the ground coffee bypass chute, which is a nice feature for making occasional decaf drinks.
Features and Benefits
Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.)
The Pulse Extraction Process describes the way coffee or espresso is brewed in Jura coffee makers. Instead of using a steady stream of water, short bursts of pressurized water are pushed through the coffee grounds. This extracts the optimal amount of flavor from the grounds.
Integrated Cleaning Programs
I’ve owned manual espresso machines with separate milk frothers, and I often found myself not using them because I knew the clean-up process would be a pain.
However, that’s not the case with the Jura S8. It rinses itself automatically when it is switched on and before being shut off. When periodic cleaning and descaling cycles are necessary, the Jura S8 will prompt you on the touchscreen and you simply have to follow the on-screen directions. Overall, a super easy process!
If you make use of a Clearyl water filter, you shouldn’t need to descale at all. This filter is designed to remove the minerals that cause buildup from the water. Thanks to the Intelligent Water System, you’ll also be prompted when it’s time to change the water filter.
App Compatibility
Jura has an app called J.O.E. (Jura Operating Experience) that you can use to operate your coffee maker through your smartphone or Siri.
However, the transmitter you’ll need to connect your coffee maker to the app is sold separately. For the price of this espresso machine, we would have liked to see that accessory included.
Aroma G3 Grinder
This stainless steel conical burr grinder grinds coffee beans fresh for every cup of coffee, resulting in the best and freshest flavor possible.
What We Like
- The fine adjustment lever on the milk spout allows you to customize and dial in the texture of your milk foam.
- There are tons of beverage and customization options at the touch of a button.
- The grinder is high-quality and quiet.
Room For Improvement
- This machine is very expensive.
- Despite the high cost, the milk container and Smart Connect for use with the app are both sold separately.
Overview of the Jura Z8
Jura Z8: Brew Options
The Jura Z8 has 21 options for brewing coffee. To achieve this number, the menu includes everything that the S8 can make but expands to add a few more settings.
Most notably, the Z8 can brew a whole jug of coffee and can make two milk-based coffee specialties at once.
The Z8 is an upgrade in the area of customization, too. In addition to the 10 brew strength levels and 3 temperature levels available on the S8, the Z8 also offers 10 levels of milk foam temperature.
Like the S8, the Jura Z8 has a bypass for coffee grounds, which is a nice feature to have for making decaf or for your favorite pre-ground blends.
Features and Benefits
The Jura Z8 has many of the same features that the Jura S8 does, so you’ll find the Pulse Extraction Process, integrated rinsing, cleaning, and descaling programs, and app compatibility that we mentioned above in this model as well.
What sets the Z8 apart from its less upgraded sibling? We’d love to tell you!
Dual Thermoblock Heating System
A thermoblock is a block of metal with a small passageway. This block is heated via an internal heating element, and water is drawn from the reservoir through the passageway in the heated block.
The result is that the water is heated up quickly. The Jura Z8 is equipped with a dual thermoblock, which allows it to heat the water for coffee and the milk for milk-based beverages at the same time.
Further, the dual thermoblock should also allow for hot water temperatures that are more consistently hot.
Jug of Coffee Setting
Single-serving coffee machines are popular, but many people still want the ability to make a larger quantity of coffee for their household, guests, or even just for themselves.
Fortunately, the Jura Z8 has a “jug of coffee” setting that makes this possible.
Huge Water Tank
The Jura Z8 sports a huge 81-ounce water tank capacity. That’s enough to brew 10 eight-ounce cups of coffee before refilling, and if you’re brewing expresso shots, it will last even longer.
This larger water tank could appeal to large households or even settings like small offices where many people use the coffee machine.
Adjustable Milk Foam Settings
The Jura Z8 allows for 10 levels of adjustment for your milk froth and milk temperature. This makes it possible to fine-tune yet another element of your beverage.
What We Like
- The dual thermoblock heating system makes it possible to heat coffee and milk at once, making your beverage quicker to brew and more consistently piping hot.
- Tons of options for black coffee, milk-based coffee drinks, and even a whole pot of coffee.
- Smart Connect transmitter comes standard, so you can make use of the Jura coffee app right out of the box.
- The milk foam temperature can be adjusted.
Room For Improvement
- It’s very expensive, and probably only attainable for very few consumers.
Jura S8 vs Z8: Our Takeaways
The Jura S8 and Jura Z8 are both premium automatic coffee machines with extensive features and many specialty coffee options. They’re also both very expensive and are best suited for coffee lovers with a large budget.
Since neither of these coffee makers can be considered budget-friendly, we recommend going with the Jura Z8 if you have the budget to do so and can find it in-store or online (production on this machine is now discontinued).
It offers premium upgrades like a dual thermoblock heating system, the ability to make two milk-based beverages, a setting for making a single cup of coffee, and a larger water tank.
Is neither of these coffee makers what you’re looking for? Check out our reviews of more entry-level automatic espresso makers or our comparison to lower-cost brands like Philips.
Happy Caffeinating!
