In a rush? The Jura Z6 comes out as the winner in this showdown.
Set on buying a Jura machine, but can’t make the cut between the two popular models – Z6 and S8?
While these two models appear quite similar, there are some key differences between them. And if you are to make the choice, you need to learn what those are.
Don’t worry, that’s why we’re here. In this article, I’ll share with you everything you need to know about these two models in order to choose between them.
Ready for a Jura Z6 vs S8 showdown?
Let’s dive in.
Jura Z6 vs S8: A Quick Overview
[affiliatable id=’91088′]
Jura Z6 Rundown
Jura Z6 is one of those super-automatic espresso machines that is well worth its high price.
Starting with the size, this model features a huge 81-ounce water tank. So even if you drink more than 5 cups of coffee a day, you won’t need to refill it more than once a week.
Speaking of coffee, this machine lets you choose from 13 specialty coffee drinks. But if none of them are exactly per your liking, don’t worry. You can tweak everything from brew strength to water temperature, and make it exactly how you like it.
But what makes this model stand out is the fact that you can choose from 10 different milk temperatures. What this actually means is you can play around with different foam textures for each drink.
Of course, that’s not the only feature that justifies its price. Jura Z6 comes with a built-in Bluetooth connection, which allows you to access the control panel via phone. Through the app, you can start brewing coffee, as well as cleaning programs.
The Z6, like most Jura machines, makes maintenance a piece of cake. This model has cleaning and descaling programs, and it even alerts you when it’s time to run them. The only thing you need to do is press the button – leave the rest to the machine.
Pros
- With a huge 81-ounce water tank, you can make more than 80 espresso shots before you need to refill it
- An intuitive, button-controlled control panel is easy to operate
- From brew strength to milk temperature, this Jura coffee machine lets you adjust each drink per your liking
- Pre-infusion allows the coffee grounds to extract evenly
Cons
- Expensive compared to the other model
- Doesn’t have the preprogrammed setting for a caffe latte
Jura S8 Rundown
If you’re an avid fan of milk-based coffee drinks, then you’ll surely be satisfied with all the options Jura S8 has to offer.
There are 15 premade drinks, such as latte macchiato, flat white, and cappuccino. But if these programmed options aren’t per your liking, you can do a few tweaks here and there to make them more suitable.
From water temperature to milk amount, there are tons of settings you can adjust. And if you end up loving the combo, you can save your preferences for later use.
What I especially love about this model is the big, 4.3-inch touchscreen, which has a great response rate and high resolution. The interface features pictures and animations of each drink, so you can easily navigate through the options.
Espresso machines require daily maintenance, but that’s no problem with this model. With automatic cleaning and descaling programs, the only thing that’s required from you is to press the start button when asked.
Pros
- Between the two models, the S8 has a much friendlier price tag
- A large touch screen makes it easy to navigate through the menu
- There are 15 drink options to choose from, including hot water for green tea
- Comes with integrated cleaning programs, so you don’t need to do them manually
Cons
- There are no milk temperature adjustment settings
- Compared to Z6, this model has a smaller water tank capacity
Jura Z6 vs S8: The Differences & Similarities
At the first glance, these two machines look alike. That’s no surprise, given the fact they share a lot of features. But there are certainly differences between them, although not as apparent.
Let’s compare them side by side.
Design
Every Jura machine looks straight from a sci-fi movie, and these two models are no different. In both cases, that’s due to sharp edges and polished aluminum casing. But while the Z6 comes in either black or silver color, the S8 is also sold in chrome.
One thing that blew my mind in terms of design is the water tank on the Z6. It’s transparent, so you can easily see the water amount – but that’s not what makes it so great. What I’m talking about is the blue blacklight that makes this machine stand out, even in the dark.
The difference in size is not that apparent, but it’s there. Both of these espresso makers will take up a decent amount of counter space. The S8 has dimensions of 11 × 13.8 × 17.3 inches, while the Z6 is 17.7 x 12.6 x 14.8 inches big.
As you can see, the S8 is four inches taller, but the Z6 is three inches wider.
A few inches here and there might not seem like a big deal. But hear this – the standard distance between the top of a counter and the bottom of the cabinets is 18 inches. This means that the Z6 will barely fit in there. So make sure to measure your counter space first.
When it comes to displays, Jura never disappoints. In the case of the S8, we’re talking about 4.3 inches of the high-resolution touchscreen. It’s very responsive, so you can easily navigate through the menu.
As for the interface, it features graphics and animation for every step of making coffee. Even if the menu was set to a made-up language, you could find your way around.
The Z6, on the other hand, comes with a 2.8-inch TFT color display, four buttons on both sides, and a rotary dial. This might sound a bit passé – but Jura can make everything look sleek, and the button-display combo is no exception.
The interface on the Z6 is just as intuitive. You can scroll to the menu with a rotary dial and simply click on the button next to the designated drink when you choose what you’ll drink.
It’s hard to say which model is better in terms of design. The S8 has a slight edge since it features newer technology. But ultimately, it depends on what kind of interface you prefer – buttons or touchscreen.
For the sake of comparison, we can say that the S8 is a winner when it comes to design.
Grinding & Brewing
Both Z6 and S8 come with a built-in burr grinder. But while the Z6 uses the Aroma G3 Grinder, the S8 comes with a newer version called the Multi-Level Aroma G3 Grinder.
Both of these grinders are made of ceramic, fast, and rather quiet. The main difference between the two is that the standard model has six grind settings, while the multi-level has one more.
With both machines, you also get a bypass doser compartment. This allows you to switch to ground coffee instead of a coffee bean whenever you feel like drinking something else than your regular.
When it comes to brewing, both models use the so-called Pulse Extraction Process technology.
What this does is it pushes water through coffee grounds in intervals rather than in a single stream. That way, the grounds get equally and optimally extracted, which preserves the coffee flavor.
In terms of programmability, both models let you tweak your drink however you like. You can adjust different settings, such as coffee strength, water temperature, and the amount of milk used.
However, what Jura S8 lacks is adjustable milk foam temperature. The Z6, on the other hand, lets you play around with your milk as well. You can choose from ten temperature levels, and even set that to apply to all milk-based drinks you can make on the machine.
Like most Jura machines, these two models offer a large number of specialty coffees. The Z6 has 13 options, including macchiato, cappuccino, and flat white. The S8 includes two other options – caffe latte and hot water for green tea.
Since both models include a single thermoblock heating system, that means you can’t brew coffee and steam milk simultaneously. But they both heat up rather fast, leaving you with practically nonexistent wait time between two shots.
Both Z6 and S8 have tons of features that make grinding and brewing easy and consistent, so in this category, they’re tied.
Capacity
One is a bit wider while the other is slightly taller – but both machines have a rather similar footprint. But there’s quite a bit of difference between their capacities.
Let’s start with the water tank. The S8 comes with a 64-ounce reservoir. If we’re to say you only drink espresso, that would mean you can make about 64 espresso cups before it needs refilling.
The Z6, however, comes with a water reservoir with a capacity of whopping 81 ounces. If we do the math, that’s 17 more cups of your favorite drink!
As for the bean hopper capacity, both models can hold 10 ounces of beans. But when it comes to bypass doser, the Z6 can hold enough coffee grounds for 20 servings, which is four more than the S8.
In terms of capacity, the Z6 is a clear winner.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Jura machines go the extra mile to make our life easier, at least when it comes to maintenance.
Both Z6 and S8 notify you when it’s time for cleaning or descaling. The machine doesn’t ask too much – just to run the program and add tablets if required.
Milk residue can quickly turn into a breeding spot for bacteria. But that’s not something you need to worry about with either of these two machines. Both automatically rinse the frother every time you make a milk-based drink.
Finally, it’s also worth noting that these two models feature the so-called Intelligent Water System. This means the Jura espresso machine can detect if there’s a water filter in place. It won’t run without it, and it lets you know when it’s time to change for another one.
With practically the same cleaning features and programs, these two models are tied in this category.
Additional Features
One feature I’m particularly fond of is the automatic switch-off. Both machines have it, and you can set them up to shut down after 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 to 9 hours. Not only does this feature save you from unnecessary energy consumption, but power malfunction as well.
An adjustable spout is another cool feature you can find on both of these machines. Both can be adjusted to fit cups up to 6 inches in height. At the same time, you can also lower the coffee spout so that coffee doesn’t splash down and destroy the milk froth.
Newer Jura models, including the two we’re comparing, can be operated with a phone or a tablet. This means you can start brewing coffee before you even leave the bed.
But while the Z6 already comes with built-in wireless connect system, you need to get an adapter for the S8 if you want to use it via an app.
And it’s simply because of the built-in wireless adapter that the Z6 wins in this category.
Our Verdict
When it comes to these two models, there’s no clear winner.
The Z6 has a bigger water tank capacity, which makes it suitable for larger households. It also comes with a built-in Bluetooth connection, so you can brew your coffee even when you’re not in the same room.
The S8 has a few more drink options than the Z6. If you’re a big fan of milk-based coffee beverages, then this might be a better option for you. The same goes for all high-tech lovers out there, as the S8 features a large, full-resolution touchscreen that’s simply a pleasure to use.
But don’t worry, whichever model you choose – you won’t go wrong!
