Jura Impressa J9
This is Jura’s newest top of the line model. I was really excited to do a review of this product. It is gleaming in a chrome finish, it is plastic but still looks outstanding.
Pouring Features
It features a dual spout feature for filling 2 coffees, espresso ,etc. and a third spout to the left which is used for milk and hot water (convenient if you drink tea often or even for oatmeal). This spout will also dispense both coffee and milk for lattes and cappuccinos. It is also adjustable via a dial next to the spout to control your steam to milk ratio. Both spouts are adjustable. The milk is added via a port on the left hand side of the machine where a supplied piece of silicone tubing can be inserted then placed in a milk container. I always suggest the optional Jura FrothXpress rather just a milk container for added insulation and ease of use.
The main dual spout maxes at a height of 4.25 inches while the steam spout maxes out at 5.75 inches. A height of 4.25 inches may be a little short for those looking to fill a to-go mug before work.
The Jura Impressa J9 features two LED lights below the main spouts that change color from white to yellow during the pour. I don’t really understand this feature but I guess I like it.
-note- you can turn the milk cleaning alert off so it doesn’t warn you after every use -note-
Whole Bean & Ground
As with all most Jura espresso machines, the Imressa J9 has compartments at the top for both whole bean and ground coffee. This allows you the choice to use your crappy Maxwell House ground coffee when large groups of people are over and your more expensive whole bean Illy Coffee for more intimate groups. The ground coffee compartment contains a spoon, which is a really smart idea I thought.
You add water via a compartment at the top of the machine. You can use an optional Clearyl Blue filter to ensure the best water quality but beware this machine is over 16 inches tall. When the lids for these compartments are open it adds another inch or two, so if you plan to use this under a cabinet make sure you have adequate space.
LCD
The Impressa J9 features their best LCD screen yet. It presents with vivid color and is very simple to use. When on, the display presents 6 options: Espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato, hot water and 1 portion of milk. Pressing the button for any of those options, starts dispensing immediately.
You have more options by turning the dial. It offers further choices of Ristretto, 2 Restretti, 2 Espressi and 2 Coffees.
You can also customize a specific cup, including cup size, brew strength, temp (when hot water is used), amount of water used and amount of milk used. You can save your customization to a default so you don’t have to go through the customization menu every time. This is a good thing since the whole process is not as simple as it should be.
Energy Efficiency
Jura claims to have made this machine 40% more energy efficient. It offers an energy saving mode, which only heats the water when a cup is selected. This leads to a 15-25 second warm up between cups. I thought this was relatively insignificant and worth the power savings. You can turn the energy saving option off which is useful if you are going to be brewing a lot of cups.
The impressa J9 will remind you to clean your machine after every 200 cups. This is simple enough and is done by adding a cleaning tablet to the machine and choosing the cleaning cycle. You need to place a cup under each spout to catch the dirty water.
The milk frother needs to be cleaned after each use. It is unsanitary not too as milk stuck in the frother can lead to bacteria build quickly. The Jura J9 comes with a small bottle of cappuccino cleaner. A few drops are added to 8oz of water that is sucked up the milk tube and into the frother.
Conclusion
Overall, the machine functions as well as the other latest Jura Machines. I still prefer the E9 One-Touch because it is slightly smaller and less expensive. But if you are looking for a top of the line Jura Machine you will not fail with the Impressa J9.
