What is the Jura E6 Coffee Machine?
The brand name of Jura is synonymous with the world of automatic bean to cup coffee machines. They set the coffee world alight with the wonderful Jura Z8 automatic coffee machine but the high price excluded many coffee lovers from enjoying the coffee it makes.
This is where the Jura E6 steps in and takes many of the best features from its more pricey counterpart and packages them in this affordable and quite brilliant automatic coffee machine. Some of these brilliant features include:
- Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P)
- Intelligent Water System (I.W.S)
- Wireless ready
- Multi-Level Aroma Grinder
- Jura Fine Foam Milk Technology
- Machine Integrated rinsing, cleaning and descaling for milk system as well
- Energy Save Mode (E.S.M)
- Programmable
- Touch display (TFT Dsiplay)
Jura E6 PROS AND CONS
 |  |
|---|---|
| Makes a great, smooth tasting, espresso with great crema | The milk frother is not up to barista standards |
| Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P) Ensures a much richer, more rounded coffee taste | Plastic housing feels a bit cheap |
| Has a simple user interface on its TFT screen | No option to use pre-ground coffee or pods |
| Plenty of adjustment to get the right coffee strength | A limited selection of coffee drinks are available |
| Very fast in operation and quite quiet as well | The hopper can only take one type of coffee beans so cannot alternate between decaffeinated or normal caffeinated. |
| Program the E6 to store your favorite settings | |
| Quality burr grinder ensures a nice coffee grind every time | |
| Wireless capability to access the E6 remotely | |
| Looks amazing in my kitchen | |
| Large capacity water and tank and bean hopper |
Jura E6 Design and Specifications
The Jura E6 is an impressive looking bean to cup coffee machine. With its modern contemporary look and sleek grey and black plastic casing, it certainly would take pride of place in any coffee lover’s kitchen. The question is though, can it also pack a punch when it comes to making coffee?
Weighing in at around 22 lbs it won’t break your back lifting it out of the box but its heavy enough to tell you it means business. It fits nicely on a normal kitchen counter top. Its actual dimensions are 17.3 x 11 x 13.8 inches which is about the size of a small microwave oven.
It has a 15 bar pump which is great for pumping those espressos and ensuring a great crema.
Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P)
Jura has developed a way of pulsing the water into the coffee grounds and have called it the pulse extraction process. The idea being that by pulsing the water and optimizing the time that the water infuses the coffee you can get a richer coffee taste. I am not sure personally if this is a bit of a marketing spiel or an actually useful function, to be honest. However, the coffee really does taste great so I will take their word for it.
Multi-Level Aroma Grinder
If you are used to burr grinders sounding like a chainsaw cutting through a bag of bolts then you will be pleasantly surprised by how quiet the Jura’s burr grinder actually is. It also can grind beans at a very fast rate with no loss of quality either. In fact, because it grinds faster, the beans are not affected by the extra heat. In turn, more oils can be extracted from the coffee beans resulting in a lovely crema. It really does extract as much flavor and richness from every bean.
The grinder has an adjustment situated just under a flap next to the hopper. It is important to only make adjustments when the grinder is in operation. The adjustments range from a fine grind which is great for espressos through to a coarse grind which is nice if you prefer a longer coffee. You can, of course, adjust anywhere in between that as well to suit your own personal coffee preference.
Intelligent Water System (I.W.S) & CLARIS Smart Filter
When you first install your Jura E6 coffee machine, it is really important that you check the hardness or softness of the water that you are going to be using with the machine. Thankfully, Jura has included some water test strips with the machine so that you can find this out immediately.
After you install the water filter and go through the simple setup instructions, the machine will automatically detect that a filter has been fitted. It is during this process that the Jura will ask you to input the actual water hardness from your test strip. The smart filter will communicate with your E6 wirelessly to ensure optimum water quality at all times and tell you when to change the filter. Jura does say that by using this filter it does negate the need to descale the machine. This is next-level stuff. Genious!
The Jura E6 water tank is very generous in size at approximately 64 oz which will do about 8 big cups of coffee.
TFT Display
The Jura E6 comprises a nice little TFT display situated front and center of the machine. Next to the display are some buttons that correspond to the choices being shown in the display.
The display is bright enough to be seen if situated in a bright sunlit room. It is also very clear as to what is on offer and the choice of drinks you can make.
To operate you simply click the relevant button that corresponds to you drink choice. You can access the program section and also the settings section too (more on this later).
Drip Tray
The drip tray at the bottom of the machine will collect both any water or milk that has been spilt plus there is a bin that collects all the used coffee grounds . It is very easy to pull the tray out and it separates into sections to enable easy cleaning. The coffee grounds bin just pulls out of this and you can easily dispose of all the waste grounds.
There are sensors on the back of the drip tray that prevent the machine from being used if the drip tray is not present in the machine.
Intelligent Pre-Brew Aroma System (I.P.B.A.S)
The Jura E6 automatic coffee machine comprises a unique state of the art brewing system which they call the intelligent pre-brew aroma system or I.P.B.A.S for short.
What this actually is, is a brewing unit where you select an amount of ground coffee to have a small portion of water extracted onto it. This allows the aroma of the coffee to be then passed through the Pulse Extraction Process ensuring the best coffee aroma and taste you can get from your beans.
It is true, that the aromas emanating from the Jura E6 certainly conjure up images of a cafe in a small Italian village.
Fine Foam Milk Technology
Of course the secret to many types of coffee drinks is how good the milk micro foam is. From Cappuccino to flat white and of course a good old fashioned hot chocolate, they all require different bubble sizes in the micro foam.
The Jura E6 has this covered thankfully. To get the type of milk that you want, it is simple to just select from the myriad of options via the TFT display and the Jura E6 will do its magic.
The milk nozzle also doubles up as the hot water nozzle too and is controlled via a knob on the front right of the machine. To use milk, you connect the pipe to this nozzle and put the other end in your milk jug.
JURA Smart Connect
The Jura E6 coffee machine really is a 21st-century product and it cements itself in the new world by incorporating its “smart connect” technology. Essentially, the user can download an app from Jura for their smartphone and can make their coffee of choice via the app while sitting in their garden. This does require the purchase of a separate smart connect device to be attached to the machine though.
Jura E6 Setup & User Interface
Straight out of the box, the Jura E6 was very easy to setup and make my first espresso within 10 minutes. There are a few steps you need to take to set the machine up initially. You need to fill the water reservoir up with water, test the water hardness with the supplied tester and then select your water hardness in the settings.
The Jura E6’s user interface is really nice and simple to use. Just click the button corresponding to the TFT display options and it will bring up a new menu. If you are one of those people that only skims through a manual before they dive in, then it will be in your interest to actually read the setting up phase so you do not miss some of the important sections like this.
Once you have entered your water hardness into the machine, the machine will detect that you have installed the smart water filter correctly and tell you if it is not. The next step is to put your favorite coffee beans into the hopper at the top and then put the aroma preservation cover, (or lid as I like to call it) back onto the hopper.
If you are after a milky drink, connect the milk pipe to the milk nozzle and place the other end in a jug of milk. You are now ready to brew your first cup of Joe.
The process of making your coffee to the taste you like will be a bit of trial and error but thankfully the Jura E6 makes this process very simple. You could of course just let the Jura decide the coffee for you with its factory settings but you will miss out on the taste you deserve.
The Jura conical burr grinder does a great job of grinding your coffee beans and it also gives you control over how fine or coarse you want your beans. Just select the taste you are after on the dial next to the bean hopper.
The menu structure on the TFT display for whatever type of coffee you are making is pretty much the same for all of them. Essentially for an espresso, you can set the amount of espresso poured, the strength, and also the temperature of the drink.
If you are choosing a milky drink like Cappuccino, you also have control over the length of time the milk will pour (amount of milk) and the temperature also. You can also set a delay between the milk pouring and the start of the coffee pouring to allow a layered effect in your cappuccino. This granular control really does enable you to make a drink that suits your taste.
Incidentally, if you are using milk then you should consider purchasing a Jura milk jug and possibly one of their cool control jugs. The beauty of these refrigerated jugs is that it will keep your milk at the optimal temperature (39–46°F) ready for you to use in your drink when needed.
Jura E6 Performance & Functionality
When you first switch on your Jura E6 and you have completed all the setup steps, you are presented with a lovely welcome message on its TFT screen.
The machine then goes through a process of heating the machine and rinsing water through the system ready for use. At every step of the way, the Jura E6 will prompt you from the screen if there is something that needs your attention. Typically, it will inform you when the water tank needs refilling, the coffee grounds container needs emptying or the bean hopper needs filling. It is pretty foolproof, to be honest.
You are then presented with your coffee drink options. The options on offer are:
- Espresso
- 2 x Espresso
- Coffee
- 2 x Coffee
- Cappuccino
- Caffè Barista
- Lungo Barista
- Espresso doppio
- Macchiato
- Portion of milk
- Hot water
These drinks should certainly satisfy the palates of most people but I was a bit surprised not to see a flat white on there, to be honest. However there is a huge scope for programming your own drink preference in the menu and even though your favorite drink may not be available as an option, it is easy to create it.
To use the Jura E6 you simply press the corresponding button to your drink of choice, of course, ensuring that you have a cup in place below the dispenser. For example, if you would like a shot of espresso, just click the espresso button. If would like 2 shots of espresso then have 2 cups under the dispenser and press the espresso button twice. It really is as simple as that!
The process for making cappuccino is slightly different in the sense that you need to ensure that the milk jug is connected to the machine. It really is very simple to do but I couldn’t help thinking it looks a bit ugly having that milk pipe trailing in front of this beautiful machine. A small point but thankfully there is a more elegant solution to this, with an optional stainless steel milk pipe that connects the machine to your milk container.
You need to have your cappuccino cup placed strategically under the coffee dual spouts and fine foam milk spout also, which is easy to achieve. You then press the cappuccino button on the Jura E6 and then turn the steam knob (top right) to the open position (counter-clockwise).
During the setup process, you can set the amount of milk you want in your cappuccino by selecting how long it needs to pour. Every time you create a cappuccino it will dispense the same amount of milk every time. The display will also tell you when the switch is open and when the milk has finished dispensing. You then need to turn the steam knob clockwise to close it and the Jura will start pouring the beautiful espresso coffee.
The functionality of the Jura E6 couldn’t be easier to get to grips with and I particularly love the way it will inform you via the TFT screen on every step of the way from milk pouring to coffee dispensing.
Jura E6 Build Quality
Lets face it the Jura E6 is a beautiful object and even if you didn’t want it for its superb coffee making skills, it would still look amazing and take pride of place on any kitchen worktop. It is available in platinum or piano black colors, whichever one you decide upon they both look wonderful.
The casing is made from tough plastic and looks like it can withstand the daily rigours of coffee making for a family for many years. The buttons next to the TFT screen are also very responsive and give a slight click feel when you press them.
All in all the Jura E6 is a very well made machine and you get the idea that it will stand the test of time.
Jura E6 Maintenance
One of the great things about the E6 is that it will tell you when something needs changing, like the filter for example or if the coffee grounds bucket is full. So, you can never get it wrong as the machine gives you plenty of feedback.
Periodically, the E6’s display will show a red “P” in the display and will invite you to clean or descale the machine.
As you can see in the video, it really is a simple process to achieve. To clean you need the Jura cleaning tablets, just pop them in the machine at the top by lifting the flap and then follow the simple instructions on the screen.
To descale, you should remove the water filter and then fill the water container up to 500 ml. Then add the Jura descaler to the water and follow the simple on screen instructions.
The Jura E6 will also regularly rinse through the water system and you can also do this manually. If you have been using the milk foam, you should also rinse through the milk system as well to keep it fresh and clean.
Jura E6 Accessories
The Jura E6 comes with a few things to get you started:
- 1 x CLEARYL smart water filter
- 1 x 6-pack of cleaning tablets
- 1 x stainless steel milk frother jug
- 1 x espresso cup and saucer
- 1 x 1lb bag of Capresso medium roast coffee beans
- Instructions
There are many optional extras that you can purchase for your Jura E6. One of the most interesting accessories is the Jura Smart Connect Bluetooth adaptor which enables you to control your coffee machine via your smartphone. To do this you can download the free app available for both Android or iPhone called J.O.E. (Jura Operating Experience)
It actually works really well and you can also program your favorite cup via the app as well. Just don’t forget you still have to place the cup under the spouts first!
Other accessories available include but not limited to:
- Various milk containers
- Various cool control units for keeping your milk cool
- Various professional fine foam frother’s for a more barista style milk finish
- Jura cup warmer
Who Is The Jura E6 For?
The Jura E6 would not look out of place in your home or in an office. It is not the cheapest bean to cup machine on the market but you get everything you pay for with this machine. If you are the sort of person who most days will not think twice about going to Starbucks for your coffee, possibly more than once a day, then do yourself a favor, save your money and buy this machine instead. After a while, it will pay for itself!
Jura E6 FAQ
Here are the most common questions people ask about the Jura E6 coffee machine.
Can the Jura E6 Make Latte Coffees?
Although the E6 does not have Latte as one of its options on the screen, it is fully programmable and you can create a latte type drink very easily.
Where are Jura Machines Made?
Jura are a company from Switzerland and they still have offices and factories in Switzerland. They sell their coffee machines globally.
How Long Does a Jura Machine Last?
The Jura E6 has a 25 month manufacturer’s guarantee from date of purchase. Realistically, if you look after your machine it can last for decades.
Jura E6 Verdict
Although the Jura E6 is not that cheap, it is also not as expensive as its big brother the E8 but to be honest, the coffee it produces in my opinion is just as good as the E8! It does lack the bells and whistles and doesn’t have the amount of drinks on offer that the E8 produces but who cares when the coffee is this good.
The Jura E6 is easy to use and very programmable, so with some tinkering then you can easily make ristrettos, flat whites, cortados or whatever you like. It just doesn’t come as an option on the main screen.
There are some complaints that the milk produced is not hot enough but in my experience with the machine I did not find that to be a problem. The temperature of the milk is also adjustable in the settings so maybe more tinkering is needed by these people.
Overall, I love the Jura E6 and if you decide to purchase it, I am sure you will not be disappointed. In fact, quite the opposite, you will love it!
