Jura Z6 Bean-to-Cup Automatic Coffee Machine
As with all Jura automatic bean-to-cup coffee machines, the expectation levels are through-the-roof when it comes to performance, features and quality of the coffee produced. The Z6 has been around for a few years but it is still regarded as one of the finest machines that Jura has produced.
This was the first machine produced bu Jura that introduced its revolutionary P.E.P. pulse extraction process for rich extraction of its coffee grounds. More on that later in this review but P.E.P. really does make a difference to the quality of the espresso made.
The first thing that strikes you when you set eyes on the Jura Z6 is the beautiful brushed aluminum finish on the panels with the huge color display and butterfly style adjustable nozzle unit. It looks very impressive straight out of the box.
As with all Jura coffee machines the real acid test is how good is it at making great coffee? Let’s just say, as always with Jura, I was delighted by the drinks it made.
The Jura Z6 can make 13 pre-programmed speciality drinks and this is the list:
- Latte macchiato
- Flat white
- Cappuccino
- Macchiato
- 2 x Coffee
- Coffee
- 2 x Espresso
- Espresso
- 2 x Ristretto
- Ristretto
- Milk
- Milk foam
- Hot water
The Jura Z6 has a ton of great features which makes this machine such a good choice for coffee lovers.
- Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.®)
- Intelligent Pre-Brew Aroma System (I.P.B.A.S.©)
- AromaG3 grinder
- JURA fine foam technology
- Integrated rinsing, milk rinsing, cleaning, and descaling program
- CLARIS Smart filter technology
- Energy Save Mode (E.S.M.©)
- Programmable and individually adjustable amount of water
- 10 Programmable coffee strength levels
- 3 Programmable brewing temperature levels
- 3 Programmable hot water temperature levels
- Beautiful TFT display
- Use coffee beans or pre-ground coffee
- Compatible with J.O.E® (smartphone app for remote brewing)
- Amber/white cup illumination
- Blue LED light water tank illumination
Jura Z6 Pros and Cons
 |  |
|---|---|
| Huge selection of coffee specialties available | Only one bean hopper |
| Awesome tasting drinks | Hidden costs of filters and accessories need to be considered |
| Looks beautiful | |
| Great maintenance programs | |
| Fully programmable to suit all tastes | |
| Makes great milk-based drinks with variable milk foams |
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Jura Z6 Design and Specifications
With its stainless steel panels and sleek design, the Jura Z6 is a beautiful looking coffee machine that would take pride of place anywhere you decide to place it.
Here are some of the design specifications for you to see:
- Weight – 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg)
- Height – 14.8″ (37.5 cm)
- Width – 12.6″ (32cm)
- Depth – 17.7″ (44.9 cm)
- Water Tank Capacity – 81 oz (2.4 L)
- Bean Hopper Capacity – 9.9 oz (280 grams)
- Coffee Grounds (Max Servings) – 20
- Dual Spout Adjustment – 3.2″ to 6″ (8.1 cm to 15.2 cm)
- Width Adjustable Coffee Spout – 0.8″ to 2″ (2 cm to 5 cm)
- Hot Water Spout Adjustment – 3.2″ to 6″ (8.1 cm to 15.2 cm)
The Jura Z6 is available in 2 different styles but both have exactly the same specs. It is available in black and brushed silver.
Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.)
The Jura Z6 is the first Jura machine to introduce the wonderful pulse extraction process. I demonstrated how pulse extraction works in my other reviews of the Jura E8 and the Jura E6 coffee machines. Essentially this is no difference and the results on the coffee extraction are equally as brilliant.
When running, you can hear like a slight chirping from the extraction, this is in fact the pulse effect in action. Just as a reminder, the pulse extraction will allow more extraction to take place because the same volume of water takes longer to drip through the coffee grounds. This allows more flavor and aroma to be produced from the extraction process.
Jura Fine Foam Technology
The Jura Z6 is equipped with a truly amazing fine foam milk spout. To operate, you just attach the included milk pipe to your milk receptacle. I thoroughly recommend that you invest in one of the Jura milk coolers, especially if you have many milky drinks to make during the day.
The great thing about the fine foam technology is that it is very easy to switch between fine foam milk and just hot milk. You can even do this mid-pour of the milk. This ensures that you get just the perfect consistency for all your milk creations.
Intelligent Pre-Brew Aroma System
This is a nifty little function unique to a lot of Jura automatic coffee machines. The pre-brew aroma system will allow a small amount of hot water to permeate through the coffee grounds to release more aroma and essentially prepare the grounds for full extraction.
The Clarys Smart Filter
The Clarys smart filter will always ensure that your coffee machine will stay perfectly scale free, even in the hardest of water areas. They are not cheap but they do provide 2 free ones with the Z6 which will keep you going for a long time.
When you first install the smart filter you need to tell the machine what your water hardness is. This is accomplished by testing the water with an included test strip and then inputting the data into the machine. The Z6 will recognise that the smart filter is fitted correctly and it will not allow you to operate the machine while it is not fitted correctly. It will also tell you when the smart filter needs replacing. I guess that is why they call it smart.
Aroma G3 Grinder
All Jura machines come complete with grinders and the Z6 includes a great one as well. The grinder is fully adjustable with a dial under the flap at the back of the machine. You can adjust from fine ground to coarse. Jura have ensured that you can get the perfect extraction time and aroma by the precise design of the grinder where the finer the grind the better the espresso extraction and aroma.
Color TFT Display
The Jura Z6 has a nice, clear TFT display to make selections. It also incorporates a rotary dial selector at the top of the machine to fly through the many pages when selecting and programming the Z6. Next to the screen are 6 selection buttons for quick 1 touch coffee selections.
Removable Drip Tray
There is a drip tray at the base of the machine that can be pulled out and emptied when needed. It is the same tray as used on the Jura E6 and also in the Jura E8. It comes apart into 4 bits and is very eas to keep clean also.
Read Also: The definitive Jura E6 review
Jura Z6 Setup & User Interface
When you first set the Jura Z6 up, there are some procedures that need to be done first. You need to remove the aroma preservation cover and fill with some good quality beans. Jura recommends that you only use quality beans with no additives that could damage the burr grinder.
You need to fit the Clarys smart filter into the water tank and also input the water hardness from the supplied test strip into the machine. This will ensure that the water will be optimal in terms of removing minerals and other deposits from the water. It is very easy to change things in the menu. You use the rotary wheel at the top of the machine to highlight functions things and then click the button in the middle to select it.
The color screen provides some great feedback every time the machine is doing something. It will inform you when the filter needs changing or the milk system needs cleaning for example. It really is very intuitive and helpful to keep the Jura operating properly.
The Jura Z6 has 13 drinks that are pre-programmed into the machine, but everything is programmable via the rotary dial to change things to suit your taste. In fact, there is a level of artificial intelligence in the machine as well. It will take note of the drinks and selections you make regularly and prioritize those on the front page of the color display for easy and quick selection.
Overall the rotary dial and 6 buttons are quick, intuitive, and easy to use. The operations happen quickly and the screen instructions give you good feedback all the way.
Jura Z6 Performance & Functionality
You can measure the quality of a machine purely by the results of its espresso shots produced in my opinion. To be fair to all Jura machines from the top of the range Giga range down to the more budget-friendly range, they all produce exceptional espresso. It is almost a given when you invest in a Jura automatic coffee machine that you will get a great shot of espresso. The Jura Z6 is no different you will be pleased to know.
What impressed me most about the Jura Z6 is its ability to not only create a great variety of specialty coffee drinks from the front panel, its the versatility and depth of programming that can be done to perfect that drink to your coffee-loving, precise needs.
Espresso not hot enough? No problem, a simple twist of the rotary dial, and let’s raise the temperature of the brew. Milk too hot? Easy… Let’s reduce that milk temperature. Coffee too strong for my palate? Leave it to me, says the Z6, just tweak my 8 levels of strength to something that you like. Too much milk? Do I need more foam than milk? Can I have less milk? Can I have a longer espresso? Yes, yes, yes, and yes… Everything can be achieved with the Jura Z6!
You can even set delays between espresso shots being delivered and the start of the milk stage for some delightful milk and espresso layering. It is simple to get creative as well by changing the milk from foam to milk during the pour itself for a nice creamy cap to your drinks.
Jura Z6 Build Quality
For all its functionality, you would expect a bigger unit to be honest but the Z6 is fairly compact and doesn’t take up a huge amount of worktop space. However, because of where the bean hopper is located and also the two flaps for ground coffee and grinder settings, it cant be situated under a cupboard.
The aluminium panels and nice casing give it a robustness that gives you a good impression that it is built to last. The rotary dial also has a good tactile feel to it as well and is very responsive.
The water tank has a delightful blue LED under it too which gives off a nice glow through the water. A nice touch of class there. It is easy to remove the water tank to be refilled and you do not need much clearance above to life it out. It also has a strong handle to enable lifting rather than lifting from the flap which is a good addition.
Jura Z6 Maintenance
The Jura Z6 has a regular schedule of various maintenance that needs to be carried out to keep the machine in good order. The good news is that it will give you reminders on the screen when this needs to be done. It is pretty much foolproof.
When you make a milky drink, it is imperative for the sake of hygiene that the milk system is flushed out. To help with this task, the Z6 comes with a milk cleaning unit which you simply add water to and connect the milk pipe and press a button to start the cleaning process. It is very easy and takes around 30 seconds.
There are other cleaning processes as well and you need to pop one of the cleaning tablets into the back flap every now and again just to give the brew head a good clean. Once again, the Z6 makes this procedure very easy to do.
Jura Z6 Accessories
The Jura Z6 does require you to change the Clarys smart filter when it has run its course. It does come with two to get you started but you need to factor in the cost of buying these annually as a running cost of the machine.
One of the best accessories available for the Jura Z6 is a dedicated milk cooler unit. It keeps your milk at the optimum temperature, ready for use when needed. It’s just like having a mini-fridge that looks great as well and saves you from having to keep adding milk when you need a drink.
I also loved the Jura cup warmer that you can buy. There is nothing worse than a great espresso being poured into a cold cup! It is one of the golden rules of espresso-making that the cup needs to be warm. The Jura cup warmer not only looks amazing next to the Z6 but does an amazing job as well.
Who Is The Jura Z6 For?
The question about who the Jura Z6 is best suited for can be answered simply by, anyone who loves coffee and has a big budget. The Jura Z6 is amazing at making great coffee drinks but there are cheaper models that also make great coffee drinks. Take a look at the more budget friendly Jura E6 for example if budget is your primary concern.
However, if you just want the ultimate coffee making experience where all your desires are catered for in a very convenient, quick, beautiful, and impressive way, then the Jura Z6 is for you.
Jura Z6 FAQ
How Often Do You Need To Clean The Jura Milk System?
The best practice is to give the milk system rinse through every day. Depending on how much you use it, it will need a proper clean with the milk cleaning system at least once a week to keep it hygienic.
How Long Do Jura Filters Last?
It is recommended that the filters are replaced every two to three months. The machine will tell you when this needs to happen and there are a finite amount of brews that can happen before it needs changing. The answer really depends on how much you use the machine ultimately.
Jura Z6 Verdict
Quite simply, the Jura Z6 is a real powerhouse of the automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine world. It has many advantages over its peers but the price does reflect this also.
I would thoroughly recommend this machine if you have the budget to buy it and it will last you potentially a lifetime.