People often say bigger is better. But is that true when it comes to coffee machines?
The Giga 6 is the biggest and most powerful addition to the Jura lineup of super-automatic espresso machines.
It is also one of the smartest and easiest to use machines on the market.
In this Jura Giga 6 review, I’ll walk you through all the features of this machine and explain who exactly should buy this machine and what its best uses are.
Let’s get started!
Jura Giga 6: Quick Overview
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The Jura Giga 6 is a mightily capable super automatic espresso machine. It is the biggest and most advanced member of the Jura lineup, with massive water and bean capacity and the ability to pair with your phone. The Giga 6 was awarded the iF Design Award in 2020.
Pros
- Massive capacity for water and beans means less time refilling and more drinks
- Smart functions pair to your phone and smartwatch for more control around the house
- Intelligent preheating systems heat up right away, making even the first espresso hot
- Dual grinders that let you choose between coffees, or even blend two coffees together
Cons
- Massive footprint, it takes up a lot of counter space and weighs almost 40 lbs.
Features
The Giga 6 is packed with cool features that make it a top-of-the-line coffee machine.
Let’s break down some of those features and explain what exactly they do in this Jura coffee machine.
Brewing Capacity
The brewing capacity on the Giga 6 is massive. It has an 88 oz water tank.
It’s a workhorse and won’t run out of water for a long time. It also has dual pumps and spouts so you can brew two different drinks at the same time. And froth milk alongside your shots.
Having dual pumps would have been ideal when I lived with four roommates who all loved a morning coffee. We would have to take turns brewing and steaming milk.
The Giga 6 would have solved that problem. We wouldn’t have run out of water and could have brewed two lattes at a time.
Grinding Process
The grinding process is really advanced. The Giga 6 has two hoppers and two burr grinders. That means you can have two different coffees available to you every morning.
But there’s more to the grinders. You can program specific blends from the left and right hoppers in increments of 25%.
For example, you can use 75% of the blend from the left bean hopper and 25% from the right, or 50/50, etc. so you can get a blend of coffee that matches your taste.
These are also burr grinders. Burrs are conical pieces that fit into each other and grind the beans. That’s instead of blade grinders which cut the beans.
Burr grinders are simply better than blade grinders because they give you a more even grind, helping your coffee taste balanced.
Also, you don’t have to use whole bean coffee if you don’t want to. There is a separate chute for pre-ground coffee. Perfect for those times the grocery store doesn’t have anymore whole bean coffee and you’re in a pinch.
The grinders in the Giga 6 are electronically adjustable from the control panel. You can adjust the grind size and blend easily, saving time and effort.
Milk Frother
The milk frother is automatic just like the other processes in the Giga 6. It’s a totally hands-off approach to milk-steaming and frothing, with an added benefit that it adds milk straight to your drinks and is able to create a fine foam for milk-based espresso drinks.
This type of milk frother works great for someone who wants to push a button and get a great milk froth for coffee drinks such as a latte or cappuccino.
Like the dual pumps, there are two milk frothers in this machine, which lets you brew two milk-based espresso drinks at the same time.
As a trained barista and a coffee lover, I would absolutely trust the Giga 6 to make delicious milk foam for my espresso drinks.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Cleaning and maintaining the Giga 6 is wonderfully easy. This Jura machine has a cleaning function on the display that walks you through each step of the cleaning process.
The removable drip tray makes cleaning a breeze.
You will need specific cleaning tablets to fully clean the inside of your machine. But the process is still really easy. All you do is add the tablet when the cleaning function says to on the display, and follow the instructions.
The whole process of cleaning the coffee system takes only about 20 minutes.
Cleaning the milk system is actually even easier and takes less time, only 3 minutes.
The Giga 6 comes with a milk cleaning container that lets you attach the milk hose and clean the system quickly.
Like the coffee system, you will need a specific cleaning solution, but the display will walk you through how and when to add the solution.
But the best part? The machine monitors cleaning and maintenance and lets you know when it is time to clean. You don’t have to check your machine to know exactly when you need to clean.
Design
Look, there’s a reason the Giga 6 won the iF Design Award in 2020. It’s a gorgeous machine made from polished aluminum and chrome-plated zinc.
It’s a beauty to look at. The grinders and accent lines are symmetrical, while the brewing and hot water spouts break up the symmetry with elegance.
While aluminum might not be as durable as steel, it is still durable enough to give you many years of great coffee. Especially if you aren’t bumping into the Giga 6.
One of the potential downsides to a machine this kitted out in features is the size. The Giga 6 is a huge machine that will take up a lot of counter space.
It is over 12 inches wide and 16 inches tall. And it weighs a whopping 39 lbs.
The size and weight of the Giga 6 might take it out of the running for small to medium-sized kitchens. But if you have the space and drink a ton of coffee, rest assured that the Giga 6 will meet and exceed your needs.
Ease of Use
The Giga 6 might be one of the easiest machines to use I have ever come across.
It has a 4.3-inch touchscreen display that walks you through every step of the brewing, frothing, and grinding processes. An added bonus is that it walks you through maintenance and cleaning, taking out a lot of the guesswork.
This is also a very smart machine. It can make 28 different drinks, with adjustable settings to dial in drinks to your taste and style.
And once you have dialed in each aspect of your favorite drinks, it will save your preferences for future use, meaning you will only have to push one button to get your preferred drink.
Add to all that Jura’s Pulse Extraction Process, Intelligent Preheating and Water System, and active coffee bean monitoring, and you have a machine that works consistently and quickly.
In addition to all those in-machine features, the Giga 6 is also WiFi capable. That means you can pair your smartphone to your machine so you can control your coffee drinks from anywhere in your house.
Your phone becomes the control panel. You can even pair up to three personalized drinks straight to your smartwatch for even easier brewing.
The truth is, this machine is as close as you can get to having a specialty barista in your house every morning.
Special Features
The Giga 6 has J.O.E technology. That stands for Jura Operating Experience. It’s a fancy way of saying this Jura espresso machine pairs with your smartphone to give you control of your coffee.
The machine itself connects to your WiFi and you can use the control panel from your phone.
It can even pair three specialty drinks to your smartwatch for more convenience.
From your phone, you can control every aspect of the machine, from grind size, coffee strength, and milk temperature.
On top of that, the Giga 6 has intelligent preheating, which means no waiting around for the machine to heat up before brewing.
It also has active bean monitoring, so you always know when your hoppers are running low.
Lastly, it has Pulse Extraction Process, which is standard on all Jura machines. Basically, it means that the extraction for your coffee is monitored and adjusted so that you always get a balanced and delicious cup.
Things to Consider
The Giga 6 definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s a huge machine with a lot of capability.
The perfect owner of the Giga 6 needs to make a lot of coffee in a short amount of time.
But really there are two things you should consider before buying a super automatic coffee machine:
- How much are you going to use it?
- How much control do you want to take with your coffee?
A professional machine like the Giga 6 needs to be used a ton to reach its full potential. If you plan on using a super-automatic espresso machine almost constantly, then the Giga 6 is for you. If not, going with a smaller machine with fewer features (and a lower price point) is probably a better option.
If you’re looking for a great super-automatic espresso machine for home use, I would suggest the Jura E8.
A super-automatic espresso machine takes all of the extraction and milk processes out of your hands. If you don’t want to pull your own shots or steam your own milk, a super-automatic machine is best.
If you do want to pull your own shots and steam your own milk, find a manual or semi-automatic machine instead.
FAQ
You might still have some burning questions about the Giga 6. Here are a few of the most common questions.
How do you use Jura GIGA 6?
The Giga 6 is actually super easy to use. It has a touchscreen display that walks you through every step to making drinks.
All you have to do is fill the water tank, milk jug, and hoppers. The machine does the rest!
Can you use ground coffee in the Jura Giga 6?
You can! There is a special chute dedicated to ground coffee instead of whole bean coffee.
Can Jura Giga 6 make a caffè latte?
Absolutely. On top of lattes, the Giga 6 can make 27 other drinks.
From Cappuccinos to hot milk, the Giga 6 can make just about any coffee drink you can think of.
Verdict
To be perfectly honest, the Giga 6 is probably too much machine for standard home use. Unless you have a big family who all drinks coffee.
It’s probably a machine better suited for an office environment because it has two pumps, grinders, and milk frothers.
The WiFi compatibility is a nice feature, but Jura has other machines with the same feature that are better suited for at-home use.
That said, if you’re looking for a machine for the office, the Giga 6 is a phenomenal machine that will make great coffee for years.
