Searching for the ultimate Jura vs Saeco rundown? Check out the features of these coffee machine brands and discover which one is better for you.
Jura and Saeco are two of the biggest name brands in the luxury coffee market.
And if you’ve got the cash to invest in one of them, you can expect to sip on super-smooth espressos unlike any other!
So how to decide on Jura vs Saeco?
As a coffee expert and former barista, I’ve done the research and put together a guide on both these brands.
Here’s what to know about picking just the right machine for your needs!
A Quick Overview of Jura
Jura has been on the market since 1932. It’s a Swiss brand that was originally known for making household appliances.
However, they steadily moved into focusing almost exclusively on espresso machines back in 2008.
This brand focuses on making machines that last a long time without needing maintenance. Most machines can last you a good five years, making them worth their heavy price tag.
Jura machines come in basic models that produce only espresso, as well as more advanced models. Their most advanced models can make drinks reminiscent of those you’d find in a coffee shop!
FUN FACT
Roger Federer, the promising tennis star, endorses the brand.
A Quick Overview of Saeco
Saeco first cropped up in 1981. It’s an Italian brand that’s known mostly for manual, super-automatic, and capsule espresso machines.
The brand was taken over by Phillips in 2009. Since then, it’s been a subsidiary of this Dutch electronics brand.
Buyers love this particular brand largely because of the easy-to-replace parts. Although they may not last as long as some other machines, parts are easily replaceable.
Besides that, they’re also popular for providing great drinks at a more affordable price.
Jura vs Saeco Features Compared
Now that you’ve got an idea of what each brand is like, let’s go over them in a bit more detail.
Here’s a rundown of what to know about the features of a Jura vs Saeco machine.
Models
Both Jura and Saeco have models ranging from basic to advanced.
Saeco has 6 variations of their machines, which helps limit the shopper’s anxiety. Most of their machines include a built-in grinder and milk frother.
A couple of Saeco’s models include:
• Saeco Gran Barista: a machine with no grinder but a built-in milk frother
• Saeco Xelsis: an automatic espresso machine with 15 drink varieties
On the other hand, Jura gives you a lot more variety. There are 17 different Jura machines that shoppers can choose from, ranging from basic to advanced.
A few of Jura’s popular machines include:
- Jura ENA 8: a well-rounded espresso machine featuring a built-in milk frother
- Jura A1: a bare-bones espresso machine that can make espressos but no milk-based brews
- Jura Giga 6: an advanced Jura coffee machine featuring a built-in grinder and frother as well as AI to learn your favorite brews
THE WINNER
Jura has a lot more models, making it the winner for this round.
Design and Build Quality
In terms of design, Jura machines tend to be the best pick.
Jura machines win European design awards year after year.
They tend to be sleek machines with intuitive touchpads that make them look as good as their coffee tastes.
They’re made out of stainless steel, so they’re rust-resistant, too.
Saeco’s design is a bit different. These machines are much simpler, although they’re still elegant.
They also tend to be a bit smaller than Jura machines, which are quite bulky. So they may fit better on your countertop.
Saeco machines are made of aluminum and stainless steel. So, they’re rust-resistant like Jura machines. But, the addition of aluminum makes them a bit lighter-weight.
THE WINNER
Saeco wins this round thanks to its lightweight yet rust-resistant design.
Grind and Brew Quality
Grind and brew quality are two of the most important features of any coffee machine, not just Jura and Saeco brewers!
Jura features built-in, conical burr grinders. The conical shape of this burr grinder helps create a smooth, even grind from a coffee bean.
The grinder has a special aroma technology, which is designed to preserve the smell of your beans. That way, you get fresh, aromatic coffee!
Besides all that, Jura machines also have something called an intelligent pre-brew aroma system (IPBAS). This pre-extraction system helps get the most flavor out of your coffee.
What’s more, Jura machines have a proprietary Pulse Extraction Process (PEP). This system forces hot water through ground coffee in short bursts.
This pulsing extraction results in smoother coffee with a much stronger flavor. Yum!
Jura machine automatically adjusts the grind setting according to the type of coffee you’re brewing. However, you can also tweak these settings yourself via the rotary dial on the side of the machine.
With Saeco grinders, you’ll need to manually adjust the grind settings. There are usually 5-10 grind settings on the machine.
If you ask me, the automatic adjustment of grind is way easier than the manual, especially if you are a beginner.
Saeco’s grind and espresso quality, though great, are also a bit different from Jura’s.
This brand has 100% ceramic grinders in its machines. The ceramic material means that the beans don’t heat up during grinding.
That can help preserve the flavor of the coffee and prevent your brews from tasting burnt.
In terms of brewing, these machines have something called the Saeco Brewing System (SBS). This system is designed to add extra pressure during extraction to help produce a thicker crema.
THE WINNER
Jura’s aroma grinder and PEP system result in highly flavorful coffee, making it the winner this time around.
Drink Options
If you like having lots of drinks to pick from in the morning, Jura is your man.
Jura’s most basic models, such as the A1 machine, have somewhere between 3 and 6 drinks.
However, their more high-end machines, such as the Z6, can make from 22 to 28 drinks, including specialty coffee drinks such as latte, flat white, and cappuccino.
Regardless of which machine you pick, you’ll have some flexibility in the coffee strength. Most machines let you pick between 4 and 10 strength levels, so you can brew the ideal cup of Joe.
Saeco, on the other hand, isn’t quite as versatile as Jura.
Saeco’s most basic machines will let you brew 3 types of drinks, whereas their midrange models let you brew between 4 and 7 drinks. These include regular espresso and some specialty coffee drinks like cappuccino and latte macchiato.
Even if you go for one of their high-end models, you’ll only be able to brew about 15 types of drinks.
While that’s still a good variety, it certainly falls short of Jura’s 28 choices!
THE WINNER
Jura comes out on top thanks to the 20+ drink options available on some of their models.
Milk Frother
One thing to note is that not all Saeco nor Jura machines have milk frothers built in. Some of their devices only make espresso and brewed coffee. In case you got those, you will need another device if you want to make a milk froth.
However, in the models that do include a milk frother, you can expect good things.
Jura, for instance, has automatic milk frothers that work with the push of a button.
Most of them include fine foam technology, too. This technology lets you produce microfoam, which is necessary for some milk-based espresso drinks such as flat white or latte.
Saeco milk frothers are a bit different.
These machines feature either a milk jug or a manual steaming wand.
If you go the milk jug route, you’ll just have to fill a milk reservoir. Then, the machine will automatically froth and dispense the milk into your cup.
While they don’t have Jura’s fine foam technology, some models have something called the Latte Perffeto technology.
This technology double-streams milk, creating a finer milk foam.
THE WINNER
Jura wins this round thanks to its fine foam technology and automatic steaming system.
Special Features
When it comes to special features, there’s a lot to talk about on both machines.
For one thing, Jura machines feature a TFT screen. This is a touchscreen that allows you to automatically program your machine to make your drinks.
The touchscreen system also lets you personalize and store your favorite drinks. So you can cook up your own recipes to use again later!
Another perk of this system is that you can make all drinks with the push of a single button. This one-touch functionality makes it super easy to use.
One more handy special feature of these machines is the SmartConnect system. This is a Bluetooth system that lets you connect your smartphone or watch to your coffee maker.
Then, you can use your phone to program and make drinks via your machine. It really can’t get any more convenient if you ask me!
Saeco’s special features are a bit more simplistic.
These machines feature LED displays with push buttons, as opposed to touchscreens. In its premium models, you can adjust your coffee’s volume, temperature, and strength via the screen.
Like Jura, Saeco has one-touch functionality. So, you can brew coffee without much effort on your part.
Lastly, there’s an app called the Saeco Avanti that connects to your phone. With this app, you can clean your machine or prepare drinks from your smartphone. So, in terms of convenience, it comes pretty close to Jura.
THE WINNER
Jura wins thanks to its TFT touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity which makes it easier than ever to brew a drink.
Ease of Use
There’s nothing more annoying than spending ages fussing over the coffee pot in the morning.
With Jura machines, you don’t have to worry about that at all.
These machines have touchpad or touchscreen interfaces. All you have to do is use the screen to select your chosen drink.
Then, hit the brew button, and the machine does the rest of the work!
Saeco’s high-end machines work in the same way. However, their lower-end devices often involve a rotary dial for selecting brews.
While it’s still easy to use, it can be a bit less intuitive than the Jura brew systems.
THE WINNER
Jura comes out as the winner thanks to its intuitive touchscreen or touchpad interfaces.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The one downside to being a coffee drinker is that you’ve got one more thing in your kitchen to clean.
When it comes to cleaning your Jura espresso machine, however, your job tends to be pretty simple.
Jura has something called an Intelligent Water System featuring the CLARIS Smart Filter. This is an anti-scale system that prevents heavy metals and chlorine from entering the machine.
They also use CLEARYL filters to remove impurities and create a better cup of coffee.
However, since it prevents mineral buildup, it also reduces how often you have to clean the machine.
When you do have to clean the machine, you’ll find the job easy too. Jura machines have a self-cleaning system.
Just dissolve a descaling pellet with some water, put it into the water tank, choose the decalcify option, and let the machine do the heavy lifting for you! Run one more water-only cycle, and you are good to go.
Similarly, Saeco espresso machines also have special cleaning systems.
For one thing, they’ve got the HygieSteam system, which cleans out milk residue as soon as your brew cycle is done.
On top of that, they’ve also got a water filter called the AquaClean. This helps prevent mineral buildup in the system.
Like Jura, Saeco machines have an auto-descaling feature. Just put in the descaling solution and run the cycle, and you’re good to go!
THE WINNER
Because they both feature water filters and auto-descaling, the Jura and Saeco tie this round.
Prices
When it comes to the price, you’ll find that things vary quite a bit between Jura and Saeco.
In fact, Saeco machines have a starting price of about half that of Jura’s most affordable brewer!
As a general rule, when picking up a Jura, expect to pay anywhere from 2-3 times the price of a Saeco.
So, if you’re on a budget, you’re most likely going to want to go for a Saeco. But, if you’ve got some change to spare, a Jura could be worth the investment.
That’s why Jura is popular as an office coffee machine, while Saeco is more common among home baristas.
THE WINNER
The Saeco wins this round thanks to its more affordable pricing.
The Verdict
When it comes to Jura vs Saeco, Jura usually comes out on top. Not only do these machines make coffee shop-worthy brews, but they’ve also got built-in descaling.
You should choose Jura if:
- You want a beautiful machine that fits well in any kitchen
- You’re not worried about counterspace
- You’re a coffee purist
For a truly wow-factor machine, you might want to check out the Giga 6. There’s pretty much nothing the machine can’t make. Plus, it’s a super-automatic espresso machine, so you don’t have to worry about added work on your end!
On the other hand, you should choose Saeco if:
- You drink mostly milk-based drinks
- You’re looking for something on a budget
- You’ve got more limited counter space
If you want a more affordable yet still hands-free machine, pick up the Saeco Xelsis. It makes mean drinks but is much more budget-friendly than most Juras!
Ready to pick up the perfect Jura to add to your kitchen? Check out our article on the best Jura coffee machines to find the right one!
