If you don''t plan to make use of milk steaming, my original 4 star rating stands, and I might even bump it to 4.5 stars. But the milk frothing IS a big part of the selling point of the machine (otherwise, you could buy a much cheaper, much smaller unit for just making espresso/coffee). And they still didn''t get it right this time, although it IS better than the previous model. They completely removed the horrible steam wand from the previous ENA version, and incorporated the FrothExpress accessory into the new models, as the sole milk frother. The problem is that the heat is just not there for the (barely) steamed milk. I can literally put my finger under the stream of milk before it goes into the cup, and it''s BARELY warm. Warm, not even hot. In frustration, I just got my dedicated milk frother from the garage and started using that instead. Very disappointed that they couldn''t get this right, since both my wife and I are heavy latte drinkers. IMO, Jura should scrap this FrothExpress deal altogether, as it has been shown to not work over several iterations, in different units. Add in a traditional steam wand, but one that doesn''t try to kill you (as in my previous gen Jura). I guess there is a reason that so many other companies just use a basic steam wand instead of this high tech voodoo gadgetry to do the same thing. I really hate to, and hesitated to knock off a star for what is otherwise a spectacular piece of machinery and technology, but I just can''t overlook this big of a flaw.]
Get comfy, and grab a coffee this is going to take a while. :D I''m going to split this review into three parts, since it''s long (this is a very complex machine, with many functions, and expensive to boot, so I think it warrants the length):
First, how this machine performs on its own. Second, how this new model compares to the ENA 5 in their classic line (in case someone is wondering what the differences are, and since the Jura website doesn''t really do any kind of comparison for you). And finally, some "pro" tips, since I have used one of these machines for more than a year, at least three or four times a day, to make all kinds of drinks, and am very familiar with all the little ins and outs. These are so-called super automatics, but there are plenty of tweaks and tips that are not immediately obvious, that can seriously affect the way your drinks come out.
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1. On its own:
PROS:
Small (compared to other superautos)
Aesthetically, awesome
Fast (both in delivery of the final product, and in usage)
Built in conical burr grinder, with SEALED compartment for beans
Jura brand superautos seems to have much better reliability than other brands (again, used one for a year, daily, and never a problem)
Delicious output (with some tweaking). Even default output is surprisingly good.
Lots of options to make drinks customized to your taste
Potentially replaces a LOT of stuff on your counter top bean grinder, coffee maker, espresso maker, hot water pot, milk frother, beans container
CONS:
Small RELATIVE to other Superautos, but this is still a big machine (not really a con for me personally, but if you are seriously low on counter space, just consider the dimensions since the "micro" is a wee bit of a misnomer IMO.
STILL not quite as good output as a good barista. :D Pretty darn close with some settings tweaks though
Cost (obviously, but then again, go price a very good conical grinder, with a very good espresso machine, and you will easily be close to this cost)
Requires some significant and frequent cleaning to keep in top shape. This could be the Achille''s heel for some, but you MUST clean these per instructions, if you want to keep your machine running smoothly. I really think this is where the complaints of reliability of superautos comes from people not cleaning as often and as thoroughly as they should (it IS a pain, but worth it IMO)
Cost of filters and cleaning materials you have several recurring costs here, and due to the amount of cleaning required by these machines, it''s nothing to sneeze at: Clearyl filter (for the water tank, which I personally do not use more below), replace milk hose every 6 months, descaling tablets (unless you use the Clearyl filter), cleaning tablets (everyone needs these)
lack of an actual temperature setting. It would be nice to dial in EXACTLY how hot you want your steamed milk and/or coffee/espresso/water. As it is, you have just two settings, and even the hottest setting is not as hot as I would prefer personally. In fact, I am adding this bit several weeks after writing the initial review because sometimes my lattes come out just "warm" (usually the first one I make, but what am I supposed to do, throw that one out?!) Not acceptable in this price range IMO. I even considered knocking off a star for this, but I am going to keep working with it to see if I can somehow overcome that issue (will also call Jura to see what they say). Stay tuned.
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2. Relative to the previous gen model (ENA 5)
When I was shopping for a superautomatic coffee machine last year, after much (and I mean MUCH) research on the subject, I settled on the Jura ENA 5, which is still being sold today. With the exception of one major problem with the steam wand (you can see my review of that model here () on Amazon), I have really enjoyed using it on a daily basis (at least two latte''s a day, plus espresso at night, for the past year or so).
First off, the "micro" designation, due to this unit being 11% shorter than the older models. That translates to about an inch and a half shorter, and when I put the two units side by side, my wife just laughed, because the overall difference is so minimal, but I had told her (before unboxing) that this was a mini version of the one we had.
The footprint of the two units is exactly the same, the width and depth is the same, etc, only that the new model is slightly shorter. Now if you have very little space between your counter and the bottom of your cabinets where you want to put the unit, this could be significant, so YMMV. I ordered this unit, without really reading the details about the size, thinking "hey, a mini/micro version of the ENA I have at home could work in my office" but this, like all superautos, is a large countertop appliance (yes, relatively small considering the sizes of other superautos, but still big if you are not familiar with superautos).
Overall, I definitely prefer this new unit, and it has nothing to do with the fact that it is marginally shorter, but with the many, small changes (and some big ones) and tweaks they have made to the user interface. In almost every way, it is superior to the normal ENA line (again, at least to the 5 model that I have), so IMO, if you are considering the two product lines, I would definitely recommend this newer Micro model, even though it likely costs much more.
In terms of similarities, the most important features of any espresso-based auto machine IMO, are the quality and pressure of the pump and the type of bean grinder. Both of these models have a 15 bar pump (plenty), and both have conical burr grinders, so the output of the two models should be very similar, and it is. The differences, though seemingly small individually, add up to a much slicker, more polished, and ultimately more enjoyable user experience with the new Micro model.
Here are the main differences between the two:
The ENA 5 has a much ballyhooed "dual spout", so in theory you can make two drinks at once. However, the reality is that the amount of coffee ground is the same as if you were making one cup, so to me, this is a useless feature (selecting TWO CUPS on that model simply forces the unit to the STRONG setting, and doubles the water amount, effectively watering down a regular shot). The new Micro model does not have dual spouts, but again, not a big deal IMO since the feature on the original was a bit deceptive anyway.
The awesome height adjustable spout has more travel in the new model, so now you can fit taller mugs underneath. The new spout can go both lower, and higher than its predecessor (a common complaint for the older ENA was that travel mugs would not fit underneath). A big ol'' travel mug will not likely fit under even this new taller spout, but that is asking too much IMO...some of those things are monsters!
This new unit is made in Portugal, the older ENA was/is made in Switzerland, if that matters to you (interestingly, the new model "feels" better made somehow, somehow tighter in operation).
The whole system of creating milk based drinks has changed, and for the better IMO (this is the biggest difference between the new model and the old). With this new model, you can simply press one button for the type of drink you want, and as long as you have your milk hooked up, that''s all you need to do to produce a latte or a cappuccino. Love it. With the older ENA, it was so complicated (and dangerous, at least using the unpredictable steam wand (aka hot metal bottle rocket of death)) to create a latte, that I ended up buying a separate milk frother, which kind of defeats the purpose of these superautos.
Overall, I highly recommend this unit, and there are only two small nits (and 1 big nit added in later) I have to pick about the new model. One, is that the clear plastic cover over the LED display seems to make the display blurry in comparison to my old ENA. This could just be specific to the unit I got though, and I doubt anyone would notice unless you were directly comparing the two models. Second, the new dial that you press to "select", is quite a bit harder to press, but perhaps it will become easier over time/use. I actually prefer the dial on the older model, as it both turned more easily, and was easier to press. I feel like I am fighting the dial and select button on the new Micro ENA. Biggest fault currently, is that the milk output is not NEARLY as hot as it should be. Interestingly, I only noticed this lower temperature output after several weeks of use, so I am thinking it is something that can be adjusted, or fixed or cleaned maybe. It is a pretty big deal though (the milk is coming out JUST warm on the first prepared drink, not even hot), so if I can''t resolve it, and have to resort to a standalone frother again, I will be disappointed (and possibly take star away)
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TIPS AND TRICKS (not necessarily specific to this model, but probably all ENA''s):
EXTRACTION AND FLAVOR SETTINGS
I find that Jura "cheats" in some ways, to make the drink making process as simple as possible, with as few steps as possible, at the expense of the quality of the drink (a decision that many people would probably agree with since most buy these machines for convenience over all else) The good news is, you can EASILY adjust settings (which are saved), to optimize the way the machine works, and IMO results in a much, much better end product. I personally prefer my espresso and resulting coffee drinks to be strong, so I set all FLAVOR settings to strong, immediately. On my previous ENA, in searching for the strongest possible coffee, I also turned the bean grinder settings to the finest (something I have not yet done on the Micro, but will play with later) which in theory should give you a stronger shot.
On to an example of flavor tweaks: the default latte. You CAN simply push the latte button, and in about a minute, you have a beautiful looking, layered drink. The problem comes when you drink the latte, because it will most likely be bitter and weak (for MY tastes, YMMV). Why? Because instead of a multi shot process (again, to save on steps I guess, and for simplicity sake), Jura''s answer to more coffee = more water through the same grounds. That results in over extraction, which makes things more bitter and watery than they should be. The easy solution to this is to reduce the amount of water (I think the default latte water amount is something like 3 or 3.5oz or even more IIRC) that the machine uses in the process, to a more normal 1.5 oz (typical shot) or 2.0, then if you are like me, and prefer a stronger latte, you just hit the "espresso" button after the latter completes, and voila...double shot latte, and not over extracted. Of course this makes the machine work harder, and longer, and will require you to dump more grounds and water, more often, but still worth it to get a decently strong drink IMO.
Related to that is their "coffee" setting. Jura''s answer to making "coffee" is to simply run a ton of water through a tiny bit of coffee grounds, again, resulting in some seriously bitter coffee (which they call "crema coffee" I believe, and I call "''tastes like someone ground up an uncoated aspirin in my coffee'', coffee'') The preferred way to do this, IMO, is to simply make an Americano, which is one or two shots of espresso (at 1.5oz ea or maybe 2oz at most) then simply add some hot water from the hot water spout on the ENA, amount according to your taste. The difference in taste and smoothness (and flavor) is significant, and I really don''t understand why anyone would want to drink the default "coffee" output when it''s so simple to make an Americano with this machine. I fully understand this sounds like snobbery, but guess what, you are considering paying $1400 for a coffee maker let that sink in, oh newest member of the coffee snob club! :D
TEMPS
You definitely will want to heat up your coffee mug before using these machines, especially if you are making a milk based drink, and especially if you are making the FIRST drink after powering on the machine. So put that handy hot water spout to good use for your first drink at least, and just run a few seconds of water into your mug, and let it sit for 15 secs or so (then dump it out of course). Amazing how much of a temperature difference that simple act makes (Edit: but this is still not enough see above notes about temps with milk based)). Also check to make sure the settings in the various drink menus are set to the highest temp setting (iirc, all the defaults are set to that anyway, but doesn''t hurt to check if you temps seem low).
WATER
I find the water reservoir to be annoyingly too small, considering I often make 3-4 lattes every morning, depending on who wakes up when. One very easy way to help with this problem, is to simply not use the Clearyl filter in the tank. That thing displaces a LOT of water, and IMO is unnecessary if you are already using filtered water (like from your fridge). This also eliminates the cost of the filters, BUT does add the cost and pain of descaling (which you don''t have to do if you use the filter). It''s a good trade off because you only have to descale rarely (much less often than CLEAN for instance), and the cost of the descale tablets compared to the filter is significantly lower. OTOH, the small size of the reservoir forces you to constantly put fresh water in the machine, so I can see why they might have designed it that way (and they do stress to use fresh water, daily).
While this sounds like some kind of cheap skate workaround (which I am normally all about with other products), I do HIGHLY recommend that you actually pay attention to the cleaning messages when they appear, as well as to use Jura cleaning products only. Why? These are extremely high precision machines (for coffee machines at least), and high precision machines require constant upkeep to perform well, and stay running. If you read reviews of superautos (not just Jura, which have better reliability records than most), you will see a lot of complaints about reliability, and I feel certain that the reason lies with users not doing the proper, required (and frequent) maintenance. I understand completely, because it''s a big pain, but do you want to some small, but annoying regular maintenance, or do you want it to break down and have to send the monster in for repair? Easy choice IMO. Also, after doing a full "cleaning" or descaling (to a lesser extent), there is a noticeable increase in taste quality.
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Final thoughts:
Think of these Juras (and really all superautos) as Lamborghinis, which are notoriously high maintenance divas. You just have to be anally pro-active about their maintenance and upkeep, and you are rewarded with a marvel of high performances engineering that goes like Superman. It won''t hurt to whisper sweet nothings in its ummm...steam holes/speakers. On the other end of the scale is maybe your typical Bunn commercial coffeemaker, and in car terms....maybe a VW bus. Basic, frumpy (or retro hipster cool, depending on your age), but simple, and very few parts to break down. It can stay on, without being cleaned or maintained...for seemingly years on end, 24 hours a day (and of course your coffee tastes like that too). You can (and should) verbally abuse these machines on a constant basis, and they will continue putting out their swill, day in and day out, unaffected by your lack of respect, love or maintenance (hell, don''t even bother cleaning the pot it''s going to taste the same anyway! ;D )
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section, as I know I had tons when I was researching which superauto to go with. I have also tried pretty much every coffee and espresso maker out there, to be able to compare, if you are interested how these stack up. From the AeroPress, to Italian moka pots, to normal auto coffee makers, to espresso machines, capsule based, pod based (three kinds!), french press, single servers...you name it, I''ve tried it.
In summary, I can easily, and highly recommend at least this particular superauto, for anyone in my situation (which is Dad of a young family, where lots of caffeine is required by Mom and Dad, and pronto, every morning), or anyone that prefers convenience without sacrificing too much quality. I previously did the manual routine every morning, in which I would transfer coffee beans from their container, to a separate burr grinder, then scoop out the grounds, turn on espresso maker, steam the milk with the wand, tamp grounds just so with a specific tamper, pull a shot, knock out the old grounds, and repeat multiple times to make two large lattes (two shots each). The resulting time required, and mess from so many machines, and grounds and water and beans everywhere was too much, especially as I usually had the baby with me while I was trying to do all this. Yes, you do sacrifice some output quality with superautos, but for me, at this time in my life, the trade off is well worth it. IMO, if you use good, fresh beans (this is so key), you can easily beat Starbucks (which I am not a big fan of) in terms of taste, but you will still not outdo a barista in a non-chain atmosphere that knows what they are doing. I can make VERY GOOD lattes (I would rate a Starbucks latte as POOR) with either of my ENA superautos, but I can not make a GREAT one, like I could when I used the separate machines. For what it''s worth.
A mere 12 minutes passed between the second it took me to open the Jura box to the moment I took my first sip of REALLY delicious latte macchiato. That included running the hard water test. If you are looking to save time, you can''t get much faster than that. The Jura ENA Micro 9 is very fast, great looking and (most importantly) it makes a DELICIOUS espresso and espresso drinks. You could add a pair of googly eyes and name it Javabot 3000 to really feel like you are living the sci-fi future we all wanted as kids.
WHAT CAN IT DO?
Once set up, I made two shots of espresso, two latte macchiatos, a cappuccino, a cafe crema and poured hot water for tea before I needed to refill the water tank. These were all done using the Jura factory presets for each drink. During this run of 7 drinks I didn''t have to stop to empty the knock box or drip tray; so if you have a dinner party going you could serve everyone in under 10 minutes with no interruption. A note about using ground coffee bypass shoot: unlike other automatic Jura machines that accept 2 scoops, this Jura ENA Micro only accepts one scoop.
HOW DID THE DRINKS TASTE?
All drinks were nicely hot and full of rich espresso flavor. They tasted like a skilled human made them. The simple shots had very nice crema on their surface, the latte macchiatos were well delivered with color striations as you made your way down the glass. The cap was as good as I get in a cafe. The crema cafe was good and the water for tea was instant, no waiting required for the water to come to temperature. I should add that all drinks were hot but immediately drinkable; if you want a lava-hot milk drinks you should try a Jura machine that has programable temperature options since this unit does not.
DRINK TIP:
When you run through the menu to see and sample the amounts the machine presets deliver, I recommend using a large squat pub-style glass (an "old fashion"), that way you can see what is delivered and not run the risk of overflow. I overflowed on my first latte macchiato because my glass was too small, but it ran into the grid-topped drip tray so no immediate action was needed, I just cleaned it up later. After you are familiar with quantities find tall and skinny glasses to hold your latte macchiatos since the striations look best in a tall and narrow cup in comparison to the cappuccinos.
WHAT ABOUT THE FOAM?
I used to pull espresso shots at a cafe in college and am impressed with the density this machine can accomplish with the foam. It is also instant, no waiting for the milk to get hot: I poured a glass of whole milk and sat it next to my machine, inserted the tube and that was all I had to do. Espresso and milk come out the same adjustable tower spout, so you don''t have to move your glass for milk drinks. I do not have other milk in the house to try, but have read elsewhere that lower fat milks also foam up nicely. After you make a milk drink, the unit will auto rinse when you turn it off, so make sure you have a cup under the spout when you do. It is very easy to disassemble and rinse the hose and spout.
FOAM TIPS:
To deliver the beautiful striations on the latte macchiatos you need to have the adjustable spout tower just above the rim on your glass, too high and the momentum of the pour will simply mix your drink below the foam cap. The foam this automatic machine delivers is firm and thick.
A fun thing for your cappuccino: Since the espresso comes out from one tube (not two) located in the front of the spout tower, you can "draw" with the stream of espresso on the foam layer if you fancy making a little doodle to make your hubby smile.
I use a 16 oz insulated tumbler for my milk, I just took out the straw and inserted the milk tube -easy peasy! Make sure your mik source is lower than the intake valve on the spout tower. See my pic.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
The design and casing look good in person, it is encased in hard plastic with a matte silver finish, the drip tray and spout tower have chrome-look accents. The top is shiny black that feels like lucite and is very easy to wipe clean. Despite all the plastic it feels solid and weighs over 20 pounds I think, if it were cast in a metal shell you''d need two people to lift it. The lines of this machine are unobtrusive and modern looking, the entire unit has a forward angled profile, so it looks like it is perched and ready for your order. It is a tad bit smaller than my bread machine (9.06 x 12.72 x 17.52 in). I am 5''3" wearing 1" heels and can easily reach to top controls, read the angled prompt screen, adjust the grind selector and access the ground coffee shoot without problem.
IS IT HARD TO USE?
NO. I have two small children under 3 years old, so if I can get it going in 12 minutes with my scattered brain you can probably train your cat to use it. The rotary control dial lets you toggle though set up and drink customization very quickly. Each drink has its own button The display is color coded to display red green or yellow depending on status so you can tell from a distance if it needs your attention or is running as intended. If the only thing keeping you from drinking 5 lattes a day is time and money, then this machine could be a dangerous!
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ESPRESSO?
In college I worked in a decent cafe making espresso drinks for 2 years. Since then I have made pretty dynamite espresso in my vintage Vesubio Via Veneto stovetop espresso maker; that maker takes a lot of time, weekend use mostly. During the week I was using French press and cold brew before now.
DID THE JURA ARRIVE IN ONE PIECE?
I was impressed with the packaging since the box had a huge kick in the side of it but the machine was pristine and undamaged, the tennis Hunk on the box wasn''t bad to look at either. I don''t think it even wobbled an inch within its packaging on its entire way to my house.
Another nice touch is a card inside the bean hopper, it says that there may be a bit of coffee residue on the grinder from testing the machine before shipping it to you. I was so happy to see that card, it meant I probably didn''t get a lemon with any added hassle of trying to replace a faulty unit, I wish more companies did that!
OVERALL IMPRESSION?
The speed that the Jura ENA Micro 9 instantly delivers my order is really amazing considering how good they taste. This is a great help when trying to get out the door in the morning for work or making guests coffee drinks. I drink a lot of coffee and am so excited that now I can drink a lot of GOOD coffee that is a breeze to make. I am glad that my tiny kids will have a kooky caffeinated mama from the get go, rather than the sleepy morning grumperpuss waiting for water to boil.
I want to disclose that I received this machine for review at no cost, but this detail does not affect my review by swaying it to be more positive than it should be. After using this machine I can say that I would be saving up the money to buy one if I had to. As time goes on I will update this review to reflect any changes that occur with my experience using the unit.
UPDATE 12/31/12:
Last month, after only 5 months of daily light use, I awoke to an ERROR 8 message on my machine and it would not work and the error would not clear. I called customer service and was happy to get EXCELLENT attention to my problem. They emailed me an overnight shipping label and I dropped it off at a UPS store that afternoon. They emailed me the next day to let me know they had it. Three days later they overnighted it back to be and it is good as new. All of this service was provided to me free of charge since the unit was so new, they said it has a full warranty for 2 years. This entire process was so painless and fast I was amazed. It stopped working on Thursday and it was delivered to me at 9:00 AM on Tuesday in time for my morning java fix. It is nice to know that a machine this pricey comes with excellent service! I waited to post this update to make sure the machine had been properly refurbished and it appears to be in great working order. I will update should things change; but it is STILL a 5 star product.
Buy Jura ENA Micro 9 One Touch Automatic Coffee Center Now
As I write this, I am sipping and enjoying a lovely Caramel Macchiato. Made at home. Simply and quickly. And it''s quite yummy. I LOVE this coffee pot.
It has been said by some that the ability to make a good cup of coffee (in a traditional coffee pot, anyway) is a "gift." And quite frankly, it''s a gift I''ve never had! I can make only marginally okay coffee with a traditional plaugged in coffee pot. Now, I CAN manage a mad-good cup of coffee with the Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker Bialetti coffee pot I picked up in Italy a few years ago (mine is slightly smaller than this one, which is 29.95). It also is easy to use and consistently performs, but it (the Bialeti) has some draw backs: you are committed to making an exact number of expresso shots and the pot is just too-darn-hot to immediately open and reload. It''s quick enough, but not as quick as the Jura. (The Jura is insanely superior to all the other electric cappiccino makers I''ve tried in my lifetime.)
I love my Jura. It''s like my favorite coffee shop just moved into my house. How cool is that?
The 136 page manual made me nervous: then I realized that it was nine languages, and only about 20 of those pages were English. There were also diagrams. All in all operation was pretty simple to figure out. Language options include: English, Swedish, Italian (yay!), Spanish, Portugese, German, Russian, and French. The Jura Ena Micro 9 itself is as multilingual as it''s manual. The display can easily be set to any of the languages.
The proof is, of course, in the coffee, which is quite delectible. (And from me this may be an accomplishment.)
Eleven Positives:
1) Excellent coffee.
2) Sleek appearance.
3) Ease of use.
4) Multilingual.
5) Clear instructions.
6) Easy to clean.
7) QUICK coffee.
8) Versatile settings (traditional coffee to expresso, to cappiccino)
9) Programmable water levels.
10 Grind variety. Uses grounds or beans, and will grind beans to five different grind sizes.
11)The best and fluffiest milk foam. Yum.
Three negative
1) Kind of tall. I (and I am very short) actually stood on my Firm Fanny lifter step to see the display during set up! I wish the controls were on the front rather than the top.
2) Also, the spout, sadly, does not lift up *quite* high enough for my tall travel mug. (Solved by holding the cup at angle.
3) It''s rather expensive. (It seems...quite indulgent to spend 1399.95 for a coffee pot! But if you make daily coffee shop trips, it is perhaps going to balance out....)
Having owned this for two days, I cannot comment on its longevity. I will say that the water filters are suggested to be replaced every 2-3 months. The milk tube suggested to be replaced every 6 months.
If you drink A LOT of coffee, I would recommend this. It will suit a wide variety of taste buds in your house. However, if you drink it rarely, save your cash and try the Bialeti.
Read Best Reviews of Jura ENA Micro 9 One Touch Automatic Coffee Center Here
Yes, I know. Five star review....am I just blinded by the sheer beauty of this? Nope. I''m a tough one to impress, so I''m going to explain it all for you. Please note, there are some other reviews that are also glowing...some by ones who have worked as baristas, or owned a similar product before. They have some great advice, so read them all.
From me, you are getting the rookie/newbie version,and I admit, I was overwhelmed at first. For me, it was very hard to reconcile the price they ask for this, given it costs more than my fridge and stove combined. So, for me, this would never happen in real life. But here it is, and here goes:
FIRST OFF, THE PROS:
*it fits well under a cabinet, only needing to pull it forward to fill the water tank in back. Four inches shorter than my Cuisanart coffee maker (photo with mixer shown to give you an idea on size).
*all the instructions are simple in the manual, they are explained very easily. Just start with the beginning and you''ll be up and running in ten minutes tops. For me, it helped to go to the JURA website to watch the videos on using it. Roger Federer is on the website too (a perk!). The website offers suggestions for using up old coffee grounds, recipes, etc.
*changing anything is easy, from dumping grounds out, removing milk nozzle, altering finished cup size...all easy to do, even if you didn''t have the manual, you could figure it out.
*to make a cappucino or machiatto, there''s no switching the cup from milk nozzle to coffee...the cup sits for both and there''s less risk of getting burnt this way. Also, with the buttons on top, not on the front, I don''t worry that my kid will climb up and push buttons.
*if you want a bigger cup of coffee, you can adjust anything. It does make hot water for tea instantly, and regular coffee too. Besides the whole bean section, you can add a decaf powder if you want to make another coffee (but only in the powder holder).
*the grind is adjustable, as is the heat level.
THE CONS
*this isn''t a big deal, but the machine is obsessed with clealiness. It''s a bit OCD...constantly prompting you to do a rinse cycle. At first it annoyed me, because after two coffees one rinse seemed excessive. But it takes less than 15 seconds to rinse, so....not a big issue once I got used to it. It also prompts you to clean it after any milk drinks for your own safety (and yes, they do get gunky even in one day).
*the water needs to be filled up often, maybe once every three regular size cappucinos. Easy to do, but still. If you leave the water filter out of the water reservoir(it''s optional), you could probably have it store one more cup.
*the base where the cup sits to await the coffee is fake chrome covered plastic. Why not the real deal? Not sure but this portion felt cheap while the rest felt solid.
*for the price, I wish JURA would have included an insulated container for milk to connect to. I believe it''s about $60 on the website to add. I just use a small cup (you''ll see it in photos...any cup will do) for milk and there''s a plastic tube that connects and just sits in your milk container. I rinse it daily (easy) and put it away.
*the adjustable height for the nozzle isn''t as big as possible. In the photo with the red mug, that is the highest level it will go, which means tall cups or travel mugs need to be tilted to work.
Two things you may want after you get this: clear mugs (so you can see the levels of foam and coffee) and if you''d like, flavorings. Smart and Final sells flavorings that coffee shops use for $3.99 each. A bit in each cup can add a flavor.
I''ve attempted to insert some photos: orange mixer and red cup are mine. Yes, my tile is ugly. I hope you find this helpful.
EDITED TO ADD: after several days of usage, I have gotten the coffee making down pat. It''s quite easy and there''s really very little to do other than dump the grounds, add water, and rinse the milk tubing and nozzle each day. It takes just a few seconds. I also found that leaving a pretty cup out on it all the time helps when I have to rinse the machine, I just keep it there and hit rinse and it catches it and I can dump it and replace. I never really thought it would be this easy to use.
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It was hard to imagine that this machine, as small as it is, less than half the size of my first Jura machine, could be capable of making a cappuccino. However, it made a much better cappuccino than that machine ever did, with a fraction of the mess and cleanup. It makes many of the same coffee drinks as my Jura Impressa J9 One Touch TFT Coffee Machine does. It does most of the things the large Impressa machine does, but it has a much smaller footprint on my counter and it makes a lot less noise.
For the past two weeks, I have made espresso after espresso, cappuccino after cappuccino, latte after latte, ENA vs Impressa, side by side and still have not been able to see or taste any difference between the two machines, not in the output anyway. There are fewer choices of coffee drinks to be made with this machine, but 99% of the drinks we make are the ones that can be made with this machine.
Some ~small~ flaws caused by size:
1. The water tank is at the back of the machine and thus not fill-able, at least without risk of overfilling, while it is in place on the counter;
2. The lid lifts straight up; so, for those of us who would risk over-filling it anyway, it is impossible to put water in while the tank is in place;
3. The lid lifting straight up at the back also makes the water tank difficult to remove if there is either anything on your wall above it, or perchance a cupboard;
4. The handle for the water tank is plastic and the lid has a lifting action that will surely cause the plastic parts to break sooner or later. This is probably not much of a problem, except for changing the water filter, as it corrects the problems #1 and #2. Oh, and that would probably fix problem #3.
There are other flaws of course, like having to refill it and empty it much more often; however at this size and this price, it is an amazing machine.
We have had illy issimo Coffee Drink, Mochaccino and illy issimo Coffee Drink, Cappuccino on the boat all summer because my husband banned my large Jura from the boat. The counter just isn''t big enough. However, I have finally been able to find a place to safely stow this machine on board. No more cold coffee in the morning and no more messy French press coffees. It is superb!
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Just one quick note: The photo above (at the time I wrote this review) is of the automatic model and not the semi-automatic model. This review is for the semi-auto model. For those who don''t know, the auto model allows you to push a button and the machine will start and stop the flow of water on its own (single or double). Semi-auto means you need to turn the flow of water on and off yourself. There are also super-auto machines that grind and tamp the beans as well.
