Jura D6 Review: Back to Basics

After touching on the Jura D6 automatic coffee maker in a couple of previous articles, I decided it’s time to go ahead and put together an actual Jura D6 review for your reading pleasure.

In case you aren’t familiar, I’d consider this machine the base model of Jura coffee makers. Still, with this particular manufacturer, that still means we’re talking about a pretty stellar coffee maker.

In today’s review, I’ll go in depth about the strengths and weaknesses of the Jura D6. That way, you can make an informed decision about whether or not this is the right automatic espresso machine for you.

Lots of great features

Jura D6 Coffee Maker

An affordable entry level Jura coffee maker

Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.)

App compatible with optional Smart Connect

Unbelievable milk foam

Easy to clean

No bypass for ground coffee

A little loud

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Jura D6 Coffee Maker Overview

So, what makes this Jura automatic coffee maker special? Well, for one, It’s a Jura coffee machine. Back in the day, I was a little put off by the price tag of these machines but didn’t realize at the time just how great they really were.

Since then, the Swiss brand has really grown on me. Plus, I’ve come to appreciate that these machines can serve up some of the best espresso and milk foam around.

This is partially due to the manufacturer’s proprietary Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.). It’s a brewing technology wherein water is forced through the coffee puck in short bursts, resulting in optimal extraction and the best possible flavor for your cup of joe.

As I said above, I consider the Jura D6 coffee maker to be an entry level machine in the Swiss manufacturer’s lineup. Incidentally, Jura has since discontinued the D6, although it’s still very much available on Amazon. However, for some reason the machine’s price has skyrocketed and it now sells for $N/A.

With that said, the D6’s functionality and specifications are what I’d expect from a super automatic in that price range.

If you’ve never owned a super automatic espresso machine, you’ll certainly enjoy the features and professional barista-level coffee the Jura D6 has to offer. It makes all the specialty coffee drinks I would want to see in a starter machine: espresso, coffee, double shot versions of those drinks and cappuccino.

Of course, you can also dispense hot water and milk foam separately, if you’d like. That’s gonna be super convenient for tea and hot cocoa drinkers.

Jura D6 Features

Let’s take a closer look at the features that stood out during my Jura D6 review. 

Design

My first thought when looking at this machine is that it has sort of a retro vibe going on with its styling. I’m sure retro wasn’t what Jura was going for in the design, but it does indeed look classic with its rotary switches, clean lines and plain text display.

Incidentally, the Jura D6 comes in two color options. You can get the platinum version with its silver front panels, or an understated black version that’s sure to look ultra slick in your kitchen. Personally, I prefer the platinum, but to each their own.

User Interface

The intuitive plain text display isn’t anything fancy, but it’s nothing if not perfectly efficient. It’s easy to understand and operate, too. If you’re a person that likes no fuss controls, then the D6’s display setup and controls are sure to please.

The rotary switches are extremely straightforward. There’s one to select and customize the drink you want to make, and another to switch between hot water and the milk system.

If that’s not your thing, you can always purchase the optional Jura Smart Connect transmitter and control everything from your phone, tablet or Apple Watch.

Grinder

Next, let’s talk about the grinder. I don’t need to tell you how important grinding fresh coffee beans is in your quest for the perfect cup of espresso or coffee.

The Jura D6 has an integrated Aroma G2 grinder that does a great job with your whole beans thanks to a perfected cutting angle. It’s also easily adjustable, so you can achieve the ideal consistency of grounds. And that translates to great flavor and full aroma in the cup.

Do remember only to adjust the settings on the grinder while it’s running. Oh, and you likely won’t see the results of that adjustment until you’ve prepared a couple of coffees.

Water Reservoir

The water tank on the Jura D6 holds 64 ounces (1.9 liters) of water. However, the fun doesn’t stop there. This model is equipped with an Intelligent Water System (I.W.S.), another awesome Jura innovation.

The D6 uses a CLEARYL Smart Water Filter to ensure perfect water quality for exceptional taste when brewing coffee. Not only does it remove impurities and heavy metals that can impair the development of coffee aroma, it also inhibits limescale buildup.

What that means is that you won’t have to descale your machine as often. Let’s call that a win, shall we!

Furthermore, the water filter is detected automatically when inserted and wirelessly linked to the coffee machine via RFID technology. That means the machine automatically detects the filter and can let you know when it’s time to swap it out for a new cartridge.

Spout Height

There are two sets of dispensing spouts on the Jura D6; a double one for coffee and a single one for milk. What’s more, the coffee spout is height-adjustable according to your cup size. It can go as low as 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) for espresso cups or raise up to give you 4.3 inches (10.9 centimeters) of clearance for travel mugs.

In practical terms, lowering the spout will prevent splashes and preserve that delicious crema we all love!

Specialty Coffees

The Jura D6 offers five options for specialty coffees. Well, the Jura website says seven, but I don’t consider hot water and milk foam to be specialty coffee. I mean, it’s one thing to brew decaf coffee, but it’s another to make coffee without grinds – aka hot water!

Then again, I guess if all of your water was flowing out of the Alps, you might consider it a “specialty.”

Anyhow, this particular Jura coffee maker can create an amazing espresso shot or a perfect coffee, as well as double portions of both those options. For the fifth coffee option, you can take advantage of the Easy Cappuccino System and prepare yourself a stellar cappuccino using the milk frother.

Sadly, you can’t change up the consistency of the milk foam, so a proper latte macchiato may be out of the question. Nonetheless, for the price, I’m good with the drink options that are available.

Jura D6 Milk Frothing System

As I just mentioned, milk foam options are quite limited with the Jura D6. With that said, I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience with a Jura milk frothing system. The Jura D6 is equipped with a Fine Foam Frother, which does a great job of aerating milk to perfection.

However, I have to point out that Jura still refuses to include any kind of milk container with its machines. Sure, you can use a glass, pitcher or just the milk carton. But surely Jura could include their own container.

Instead, you have to shell out $30.85 for the Jura glass milk container. Is it just me who feels like that’s a little ungenerous?

App

Another plus point for the Jura D6 automatic coffee maker is that it’s fully compatible (via the Smart Connect transmitter) with Jura’s J.O.E. app.

The Smart Connect transmitter is mandatory to make the connection between machine and app, but it’s optional for the D6. In other words, it doesn’t come with the machine but you can pick it up as an additional purchase.

So what does J.O.E. stand for? I’m glad you asked. It’s an acronym for the “Jura Operating Experience.” The play on words is kinda silly, but it works.

The app itself is pretty nice, with options to control the D6 and adjust your preferences for each drink. You can even keep an eye on how much water and beans you have left. Not only that, you can get a helping hand to troubleshoot issues via a direct link to customer support.

The whole thing integrates well and works smoothly between the machine and your smart device.

Siri Knows J.O.E.

As a matter of fact, Siri and J.O.E. are best friends. The app is compatible with Siri’s voice recognition software, so if you have your hands full or you’re entertaining guests in the dining room, you can just ask Siri to start you up a fresh cappuccino. Bonus points if you have an Apple Watch and don’t need to have your phone handy!

The app will use whatever your current presets are and craft your beverage all on its own. A little bit of preparation goes a long way here. Be sure to have a coffee cup ready to go under the spout, along with connecting the milk container if that’s your preference.

Oh, and I probably wouldn’t leave the milk sitting out too long when you go to impress your friends. They would of course scoff if you brought them a cappuccino made with sour milk!

But how nice it would be to lay in bed and brew a double shot of espresso that’s ready by the time you’ve walked down the hall to get it!

How to Use the Jura D6 Coffee Machine

Thanks to its straightforward simplicity, the D6 is wonderfully easy to use. If you’re setting it up for the first time, you’ll want to follow the instructions in the user manual and on the plain text display.

These will guide you on how to set the water hardness and snap in the smart water filter. Once you’ve filled the water tank and added coffee beans to the bean hopper, you’re ready to go.

The rotary switch for choosing your coffee is self explanatory. Turn it to choose your poison, then press the switch once to start the brew (or twice if you’d like to do two cups). The P.E.P. will work its magic, and you’ll end up with a delicious coffee or espresso.

For cappuccino, the process is a little different. Once you choose this beverage with the rotary switch, you’ll want to connect the cappuccinatore before pressing the switch to start the process. 

The D6 will prompt you to adjust the other switch on the bean hopper side of the machine from water to milk, before adding perfectly foamy milk to the cup.

Once it’s finished, the display will prompt you to flip the switch back to water before dispensing espresso. Voila! Professional quality cappuccino without ever having to move your cup!

Jura D6 Coffee Machine Cleaning

After all this coffee making business, you’re going to want to know how to clean your Jura D6 properly. The milk frother, pipework and anything else that touches milk should be rinsed daily. You’d also do well to give the water tank, tray, and spent grounds container a quick rinse on the daily. Allowing them to dry out, from time to time, is a good idea, too!

For a good deep cleaning cycle, which the Jura D6 is pre-programmed to do, you need only to drop a Jura brand cleaning tablet into the filler funnel and follow the prompts on the display.

And you can greatly reduce the frequency of descaling if you installed the CLEARYL smart filter cartridge. That glorious thing prevents limescale and makes keeping the D6 in top shape a breeze.

Jura D6 Coffee Maker Specifications

Jura D6 vs Other Super Automatics

Now, what’s a good Jura D6 review without a little comparison with other machines in the same ballpark? Let’s take a quick look at a couple of other options and see how they measure up to the D6.

Jura D6 vs Jura E6

The Jura D6 and E6 coffee makers have lots of things in common: a similar fine foam frother, an adjustable coffee spout, customizable drink options and stunning good looks. Also, they both have the I.W.S. I mentioned earlier.

The main difference between these machines is that the Jura E6 has some extra programmable options and a user-friendly TFT color display. In addition, the Aroma G3 grinder is a step up from the D6’s grinder and is a little quieter in operation.

Oh, and at $1,699.00 it costs about the same as the $N/A D6. Now there’s some food for thought!

See Also: Jura E6 Review 2024

Jura D6 vs Jura ENA 4

In my guide to the best Jura coffee machines, I named the Jura ENA 4 the best option for espresso purists. I guess that was kind of a no-brainer, seeing as the ENA 4 doesn’t have a milk system.

Anyway, while that’ll make this machine redundant for my espresso macchiato-loving readers, I’d say some of you will love the Jura ENA 4. For starters, you’ll spend an entirely reasonable $999.46 on this coffee maker. Furthermore, the ENA 4 is compact and stylish, so it’ll look awesome in your kitchen.

Ultimately, if you want an automatic coffee machine that’ll produce exceptional espresso and black coffee, the ENA 4 is a safe bet.

See Also: Jura ENA 4 Review 2024

Jura D6 vs Others Comparison Chart

Verdict: Jura D6 Review

Lots of great features

Jura D6 Coffee Maker

An affordable entry level Jura coffee maker

Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.)

App compatible with optional Smart Connect

Unbelievable milk foam

Easy to clean

No bypass for ground coffee

A little loud

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In short, the Jura D6 automatic coffee maker is a decent entry level machine for those who are new to the automatic espresso machine world. It also fits the bill for people who would love to be able to say they own a Jura machine without forking over thousands of dollars for options they may never use.

Coffee lovers who would prefer more drink options would probably do best with a more expensive model. With that said, the Jura E6 is often a little more affordable. Still, for the price, the Jura D6 is a great introduction into the world of Jura espresso machines.

Plus, its simplicity and quality are all wrapped up into one decidedly retro-looking package.

Jura D6 Coffee Machine FAQ