Your first steps out of bed are some of the hardest of the entire day, only becoming lighter with your first cup of coffee. Automatic espresso machines like the Jura A9 Impressa cut down on the effort you need to make a delicious cup of coffee, reducing it to just the touch of a button.
Though the Jura A9 Impressa is discontinued, it may be possible to find one used or refurbished, so let’s look at this machine in further detail for our fellow coffee lovers!
| Jura A9 Impressa Specs | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 9.4 x 12.7 x 17.5 in |
| Weight | 23 lb |
| # of Beverages | 12 |
| Automatic Milk Frother | Yes |
| Hot Water | Yes |
| Grinder | Stainless Steel Conical Burr |
| Display | Touch Screen |
| Water Tank Size | 37 oz |
| Bean Hopper Size | 4.4 oz |
Things to Consider Before Buying an Automatic Espresso Machine
The recent, stunning popularity of automatic espresso machines has motivated many companies to develop and sell their own versions, but not all machines are of equal quality and ease of use.
So, before you shell out a considerable amount of money on a new automatic machine, there are quite a few things you should mull over.
First off, you’ll want to make sure that the automatic coffee machine is capable of making your favorite beverage, as well as a wide range of other drinks.
Even if you’re a sworn espresso purist who doesn’t want milk or water anywhere near their coffee, the people you have over for coffee might not be—better to have a choice than not.
You also want to check out whether the machine you’re looking at has a good grinder included. Even though you’ll only ever hear, not see, the internal conical burr grinder, it’s one of the most important parts of an automatic espresso machine.
An internal grinder ensures you’ll be able to have your coffee made from fresh whole beans every morning rather than stale pre-ground coffee.
Finally, the work that’ll go into the maintenance of this machine is a crucial factor to consider. After all, you’re interested in automatic machines because you want to avoid doing too much work to satisfy your coffee habit.
Automatic espresso machines have a variety of different systems, like water filters and self-cleaning mechanisms, to cut down on the maintenance you need to perform. Therefore, take a look at the systems a machine has before buying.
Jura A9 Impressa Review
The Jura A9 Impressa is a sleek and modern automatic espresso machine. It’s a super-automatic machine, which means the only step you need to take is to select the drink you’d like.
It has a double spout, so you’re able to make two drinks at once—perfect for couples who both like coffee and don’t want their coffee to go cold while they wait for their partner’s cup.
Jura’s A9 can make a large menu of drinks and promises to do so to the satisfaction of any serious coffee drinker.
Things We Like:
- The height-adjustable double spot allows for various cup size
- A diverse menu of twelve drinks with the option of making doppios
- Bypass chute for preground coffee—great if someone in the house likes decaf
Room For Improvement:
- The touchscreen is awkwardly positioned and could be more responsive
- The plastic construction can feel flimsy (especially if you’re used to metal espresso machines)
- The water tank is small, so heavy coffee drinkers will need to refill it often
Features and Benefits
The Jura A9 is a top-of-the-line machine that’s packed full of high-tech features without losing sight of the ultimate goal of making a great cup of coffee.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the features that set this machine apart from its competition:
Double Cup Functionality
One of our favorite features on the Jura A9 is the double spouts that dispense both coffee and milk. If you’re only making one cup of coffee, the machine uses both spouts, filling up your mug all the faster.
However, you also have the option to make two drinks at once—either just plain espresso or more complicated milk drinks such as a latte or cappuccino. This conveniently allows two people in your household to have hot coffee at the same time.
Adjustable Milk and Coffee Spouts
Not only are there two spouts, but they also move up and down to accommodate different types of drinks and sizes of coffee cups.
For instance, if you want to have a large cappuccino, you need a taller cup and, therefore, a higher spout. Consider what would happen if you tried to make espresso in a small cup without being about to adjust it: the coffee would fall from a great height and splash all over the place.
Touch Screen
Another nice addition to the machine is the touchscreen control display. Touchscreens are everywhere these days, so it makes sense that Jura incorporated one on this machine.
However, the screen is located on the top of the machine, which we think is a little awkward, especially if you keep your coffee maker under a cupboard.
Drink Options
The Jura A9 has the ability to brew a diverse menu of specialty coffees, including milk-based beverages, with the touch of a button.
With the Jura A9 you can make the following drinks:
- Flat white
- Cappuccino
- Latte macchiato
- Espresso
- Ristretto
- Coffee
- 2 x Espresso
- 2 x Ristretto
- 2 x Coffee
- A portion of steamed milk
- Coffee grounds
- Hot water for tea or a top-up on your coffee
Customization
As you get accustomed to using a Jura A9, you will be able to customize the drinks you make to get a cup that’s perfected to your taste.
For example, say you aren’t a fan of too much milk in your cappuccinos. Via the touch screen, you can instruct the machine to put less milk in the cappuccinos.
You can either use the setting once or have the machine save it so you can make the beverage as you like each time.
You can do the same with the amounts of espresso in either straight shots or milk-based coffee drinks, too, to get the strength just right.
Automatic Burr Grinder
The Jura A9 has an automatic grinder within the machine that grinds beans fresh for each cup of coffee.
The company calls its system the ‘Aroma Plus Grinder,’ which uses a particular angle to grind beans that maximally extract aromas in half the time as other types of grinders.
Pre-Ground Coffee Chute
Notably, you also have the choice of using preground coffee, which you can conveniently put down a chute directly into the machine.
We always recommend freshly-ground coffee beans for the best flavor. However, if you also enjoy decaf, you’ll be able to have a relaxing cup with the Jura A9.
This feature certainly grants access to many options, which is always a good feature of coffee machines—especially if more than one person is going to use it.
Maintenance Features
Having a water filter for your machine is great because it cuts down on the frequency with which you’ll have to descale the machine. Plus, it gives you better-tasting coffee!
The filter means that you won’t have as much calcium and magnesium running through your machine, which are the main causes of limescale.
Since the filter will remove those elements before they can cause buildups of limescale, you won’t have to descale as often.
The Jura A9 features a manual calendar that you can set to remind you when it is time to change the filter.
Some other Jura models provide an alert when it’s time to change the filter, which would have been a nice upgrade for this machine.
The Jura A9 does provide alerts when it’s time to run a cleaning cycle or descaling cycle. These programs are integrated, so you’ll just have to follow the instructions on the screen and the machine will pretty much clean itself.
Alternatives
You have many options in the automatic espresso machine space. The Jura A9 is a quality coffee maker but is also quite expensive.
There are other excellent espresso makers on the market that are automatic and offer similar features at a lower price. On the other hand, if you’re looking for more features and are comfortable paying a higher price, we have suggestions for you as well.
Let’s compare the Jura A9 Impressa to two lower-priced espresso machines, the De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM 3300 and the Gaggia Anima. We’ll also take a look at the more feature-rich Jura E8.
| Jura A9 | Magnifica ESAM 3300 | Gaggia Anima | Jura E8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 9.4 x 12.7 x 17.5 in | 14.4 x 11.0 x 15.3 in | 8.7 x 13.4 x 17 in | 11 × 13.8 × 17.6 in |
| Weight | 23 lb | 23.2 lb | 17.5 lb | 21 lb |
| # of Beverages | 12 | 1 | 5 dose sizes | 17 |
| Milk Frother | Yes- Built-in | Yes- Steam Wand | Yes- Steam Wand | Yes- Built-in |
| Hot Water | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bean Capacity | 4.4 oz | 8 oz | 12 oz | 10 oz |
| Water Capacity | 37 oz | 60.9 oz | 60 oz | 64 oz |
| Display | Touchscreen | None | LCD with Buttons | TFT Color with Buttons |
| Grinder | Steel Conical Burr | Steel Conical Burr | Ceramic Flat Burr | Steel Conical Burr |
| Water Filter | Yes | No | No | Yes |
De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM 3300
If you are looking for a more entry-level and budget-friendly espresso machine, consider the De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM 3300. This machine only has basic features, but it will make a good shot of espresso.
The Magnifica features foam technology via the steam wand. So, if you want to make milk-based beverages, you’ll need to steam the milk using a wand in a separate container and layer it with your espresso to create your drink.
It’s more work than the Jura A9, but with practice, it works very well.
Another major difference is that the Magnifica doesn’t have a display screen, and operates using dials.
The Magnifica does have a larger bean container and water reservoir than the Jura A9, which could be beneficial if you have a large household.
Gaggia Anima
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Another option is the Gaggia Anima, which boasts some nice features like a ceramic grinder while maintaining a low cost.
The Gaggia Anima also uses a manual steam wand, which takes more practice and effort to use but allows for a lot of flexibility in the types of drinks you can make.
If the lack of a display screen made you shy away from the Magnifica, you might appreciate the LCD display screen that the Anima offers.
The Anima is also quite narrow with a compact design, which could appeal to those without much counter space to spare.
Jura E8
If budget isn’t holding you back, consider the Jura E8. This popular Jura model is pricey but has many great features.
With the ability to brew 17 specialty beverages, the Jura E8 can make just about any coffee shop beverage you prefer. The 64 oz water tank and 10 oz bean hopper might also make it a better choice for larger households than the Jura A9.
Conclusion
You don’t have to be a barista to make great coffee, espresso, and coffee beverages. With super-automatic espresso makers like the Jura A9 Impressa, it’s very easy to replicate those drinks at home.
We think that the Jura A9 is a good choice for households that want to make two beverages at the same time. It’s also an excellent option if you like to make milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos in addition to regular coffee and espresso.
However, we don’t recommend this coffee maker for larger households, due to the small size of the water tank and bean hopper. We also think that budget-conscious shoppers would be happier looking elsewhere.
The Jura A9 Impressa is currently discontinued, but you may still be able to find it used or refurbished. You can also check out our reviews of other similar Jura espresso machines, such as the ENA8 and the E8, to find the perfect espresso machine for your needs!
Happy Caffeinating!
Jura A9 Impressa Review: Is This Espresso Machine Worth It?
If you've located a refurbished Jura A9 Impressa, you may be wondering: is this espresso machine worth purchasing? Keep reading for our Jura A9 Impressa review!
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