Kitchen & Housewares Jura-Capresso 13187 Impressa E8 Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Black
- Jrra-Capresso Espresso Machine - GREAT!!This is truly an outstanding addition to our kitchen. I brought mine based upon visiting friend from work and have not regretted it for a moment. Someone did complain about a failure in their machine. That is actually a benefit because they are returned and fully checked out and resold but at a SIGNIFICANT discount, which is how I bought mine and have not experienced any problems unless one included drinking more really good coffee throughout the day. Now time to head downstairs for another cup!
Rating:
- coffee convenienceI bought this machine about two years ago. At the time I thought it was pricey, but decided that in the long run, it would pay off. It has.
PROS:
CONVENIENCE. There is nothing like coming down in the morning, pressing a button, and having a good coffee, which is freshly ground for you while you wait. The separate boilers allows you to immediately switch from foaming milk to producing espresso.
EASE. My partner and parents (who wouldn't touch my Gaggia classic because it was too complicated) all use this machine without hesitation.
DURABILITY. After two years, our well-used machine (2-3000 cups) has not needed a repair.
VERSATILITY. The coffee bypass is extremely convenient, given that my partner and I frequently prefer different roasts - it is very simple for one of us to grind our own and use the bypass to produce our preferred cup.
ECONOMY. The initial price tag for this machine is high. But when you compare it with the cost of buying 1-2 cappuccinos per day from your local barista...you can quickly see that the machine pays for itself.
CONS:
COFFEE QUALITY: Very very good, but I suspect that the pressures are just not quite high enough to make the coffee of nirvana. Still very good.
FOAM QUALITY: We've never been able to produce the perfect foam from this machine, but again the quality is high enough, and the convenience makes it worth it.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE: The machine does require regular (about every 5 wks) cleaning and descaling, using tablets purchased from the manufacturer. It's a slight inconvenience, but the procedures are easy to follow and take about an hour each.
*****
UPDATE THREE YEARS AFTER PURCHASE: After three years of use, our Jura has started giving us an "Error 8" message and its first major repair, which is to replace a large chunk of the brew group. The repair guy claims that this is a common error for this machine, and is expected to cost us ~$150. We also estimate that we pay about $100/year for cleaning tablets. I still really love this coffee machine (we use is several times every day) but thought that these additional maintenance costs would be useful to see in a review.
Rating:
- Jura Capresso - no ka oi!!No Ka Oi means the "best" in Hawaiian. We have had our Jura Capresso E8 for over a year. We have had problems with it but customer service at Capresso has been the very best. We had to return it recently because the darn thing kept telling us to clean the machine when it had recently been cleaned and we got tired of seeing the message.
While it was at repair I had to use my traditional Moka pot to make espresso. It took ten minutes from start to finish!! grind the beans, tamp the beans, add the water, put on the side of the electric burner, watch and listen. Boy did we miss our machine!! I emailed Capresso Repair while the machine was there and asked if they could make the espresso stronger like my Moka pot when it came back. Yup. They did so.
I don't know what the real differences are between this bottom of the line Capresso and the $4000 ones that I see at William Sonoma, but they look very similar -- same size water tank, same size coffee dispenser, etc. If there is less plastic I don't care. This one sure keeps me far away from Starbucks. I can't even stand their espresso anymore!!
Aloha,
Ellie
Rating:
- You can make bad coffee for much less moneyAll the reviews at WholeLatteLove were glowing except for one which said that this unit produces weak coffee. My experience with the machine confirmed this opinion. A fully-automatic machine gives you very little control over how the coffee is made inside the machine so you're stuck with what it produces. If you like a darker, more flavorful roast, this machine demands that you set the coarsest grind which reduces the flavor and intensity of the brew. Which is what you choose a dark roast for in the first place.
The machine WAS impressively convenient; a triumph of technology on the countertop. For a mediocre result.
Rating:
- Skeptical at first...I read the other reviews before I bought this, especially the lower ratings which seemed to say the same things about it. The bulk of them talk about the poor customer service stemming from the problem of the machine only puting out a few drops of liquid then asking you to open the tap. As I am in Iraq, bought it online, and had it shipped here, I was a bit skeptical about buying it. This is a purchase I don't regret at all. After about a month and a half of 6-10 double shots per day I started to experience the problem so many others had. The difference was that when I called customer service, though I was placed on hold for a few minutes, I never had to push buttons while I waited, and when the lady answered my call, she was very courteous and helpful.
Though it does seem a little outlandish to spend so much money on a "coffee maker," this is one of the least expensive super-automatic units on the market. Besides, think about how much work goes into making an espresso with this. You put beans in the hopper, fill the water tank, and push a button. You can push the button several times before having to do all that "hard" work again, or emptying the grounds.
It's easy to use and tells you when it nees to be filled, cleaned, and emptied. This machine is smarter than many people I know. It has brought many tolerable days to an ordinarily gloomy existence.