Jura Z10 Review: Now with Cold Brew?

Lately I’ve been on a mission to refresh my super automatic espresso machine guide. After all, as new machines hit the market, I like to go back and reassess older favorites.

With that in mind, I’m updating this Jura Z10 review. I first got a chance to test out the Jura Z10 shortly after its release in 2021, and it knocked my socks off! Seriously, I could never have imagined a fully automatic machine could perform at such a high level.

Still, now that the dust has settled, is the Z10 quite as impressive as all that? I tend to believe that this machine still sits head and shoulders above the competition. However, I’m willing to take another look just to make sure!

Jura Z10 Review Overview

There’s little doubt that the Jura Z10 was a complete game changer. In fact, I’d say this thing still defines just how cool a super automatic espresso machine can be. With that said, the Jura Z10 is a very expensive proposition, costing a whopping $3,999.00.

While that makes buying the Z10 out of the question for most people, if you can afford it, the machine will reward you with some of the best coffee around.

What’s more, the Jura Z10 is an absolute stunner. I mean, the Swiss manufacturer pulled out all the design stops here. There’s just no denying that the Z10’s sleek, classy silhouette and stylish aluminum housing make this one of the most attractive kitchen appliances you’ll ever see.

Jura Z10 Innovations

For me, the continuously variable electronic Product Recognizing Grinder (P.R.G.) is the Jura Z10’s most important innovation. Still, according to Jura you should get way more excited about the machine’s most talked-about feature.

With the cold brew function or Cold Extraction Process, it was possible – for the first time – to obtain a cold espresso, coffee or caffe lungo. Heck, you can even make milk-based cold brew specialties.

Of course, since the Z10 came along, tons of other manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon. I’ve now reviewed quite a few machines with cold brew functions, including the Spinn Coffee Maker and the DeLonghi TrueBrew.

By offering this feature, Jura may not have realized that “cold brew espresso” is a complete contradiction in terms. Or maybe they simply accept it. Either way, this opens a completely new dimension in functionality that I’ll talk more about later.

Still, there are some annoying things to address. For starters, Jura still hasn’t included a milk container, even for a machine costing close to $4,000. Plus, you need a translator to get through the Jura marketing department’s baloney. Seriously, why these guys need to come up with a phony-sounding abbreviation or acronym for every single thing is beyond me. Anyway, I can only hope that Jura will cut it out at some point!

Jura Z10 Features

Size and Design

As I already mentioned, the Jura Z10 is a real looker. This thing oozes quality and class, and it’s going to get anyone’s attention as they walk into your kitchen. I’m particularly fond of touches like the illuminated water reservoir and the sculpted front panel. It shows Jura really went to town on this machine.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Jura Z10 is far from compact. With a height of 15 inches, you might have a hard time fitting the Z10 beneath overhanging cabinets. Especially when you consider that you’ll need access to the bean hopper on top of the machine.

User Interface

When it comes to operating the Jura Z10, you’ve got a few different options. For starters there’s the really cool Jura Operating Experience (J.O.E.) app. I’ll discuss that in detail later in this Jura Z10 review.

For a more hands-on approach, the huge color touchscreen display is the way to go. Oh, and there’s also therotary dial up top for navigating menus if you want.

I have to say the touchscreen is a thing of beauty, and it’s extremely responsive into the bargain. With that said, there’s a ton of information to sort through, which can be a little overwhelming at first.

App

Quite a few manufacturers now include apps with their fully automatic coffee makers. However, these can often feel kind of half-baked and badly designed. Fortunately, Jura has actually done a wonderful job with its app, despite the cringe-inducing name. J.O.E. and the machine talk to each other via a WiFi connection instead of Bluetooth.

WiFi is generally more stable than Bluetooth, and the app’s design is pretty slick. So, with the Jura Z10, you really can sit comfortably on the couch while you program an extra shot into your cappuccino or tend to the temperature of the milk in your flat white.

That said, I had to press “reconnect” often during my testing. Still, I am a big smartphone fan, especially when it comes to quickly changing the grind settings according to the coffee type or annoying things like setting the water hardness for the descaling program.

Product Recognizing Grinder

As I already mentioned, the Jura Z10’s Product Recognizing Grinder (P.R.G.) is one of the machine’s most outstanding features. Seriously, the Swiss manufacturer has outdone itself here by developing a grinder that quickly adapts to the drink being made.

You’re able to choose from five settings, but the P.R.G. takes care of fine-tuning the consistency of the grind for optimal results.

Ordinarily, I’m hesitant to give up so much control over such an important brewing parameter. However, during my testing the Jura Z10’s wonderful grinder performed admirably. I kept picking different settings for almost every test coffee, even if I ended up staying somewhere in the middle – the best zone for enhancing chocolate notes in espresso.

Pulse Extraction Process

You’ll find Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.) on just about every Jura machine these days. Still, it’s always worth pointing out how cool this brewing technology is.

Essentially, all manufacturers need to compensate for the fact that super automatics can’t use really finely ground coffee. And without fine enough grounds, it’s hard to produce convincing espresso.

So, Jura came up with a pulsing extraction that works wonders. P.E.P. uses variable pressure throughout the extraction, and the results are very tasty indeed. Way to go Jura!

Milk Foam

There’s really no need to talk about the milk foam itself with Jura super automatic espresso machines, as the quality has reached a level that will delight fans of any milk-based coffee specialties. Just know that when Jura talks about “fine foam,” you can take it literally.

If you want, you can set the milk foam temperature daringly high and completely customize the ratio of milk to milk foam. Honestly, the available level of customization is quite staggering.

Interestingly, the quantity of milk foam dispensed is specified in seconds. I’ve gotten used to this by now, but I still can’t precisely track the amount. Nevertheless, here’s the conversion I’ve come up with so far:

Note that 6.75 ounces (200 milliliters) of milk takes about 35 seconds. So, since milk foam has a larger volume, the time will be correspondingly shorter. For example, when making a cappuccino, I set it to 14 seconds of foam.

Cold Brew

Let’s face it, cold brew from a super automatic espresso machineshouldn’t work at all and should taste awful. In fact, features like this are usually just a marketing ploy to get you to buy the machine.

Yet, I have to hand it to the Swiss. It works and tastes good. Go figure.

The “cold brew espresso” turns out decidedly creamy, even if I’m still not used to the lukewarm mouthfeel – it immediately reminded Mauricio of tiramisu. So, if you’re in the mood for some yummy, fattening stuff, you can run the cold specialties straight into a tub of ice cream. Tasty!

That said, I still maintain that the term used for this innovation is completely wrong. True cold brew is created in a full immersion process that takes up to 24 hours. The coffee grounds are suspended in cold water, and the slow extraction brings out fruit aromas perfectly. You then filter out the grounds, ending up with a cold brew concentrate.

To me, this seems more like Jura iced coffee.

The Jura Z10 simply turns off the heating block, takes some pressure out of the process and allows the water to drip a little more slowly through the puck in the brewing unit. A “coldpresso” (and that’s what I’ll call it from now on!) only takes about two minutes to extract.

Specialty Drinks

If we now turn to the “boring” hot specialties, this Jura coffee machine definitely doesn’t disappoint. As I’ve come to expect, the espresso shows up full-bodied, well-rounded, chocolatey and at a superb temperature. Likewise, the regular coffee was anything but watery with my settings.

You can choose from just about any specialty drink under the sun, including cortado, espresso macchiato and cafe barista (whatever the heck that is). More importantly, you’re able to customize any drink to an impressive degree. I mean, the Jura Z10 offers 10 coffee strength levels, which is amazing!

Not only that, you’re able to adjust temperature, volume, grind size and more. Once you’re happy, it’s easy to save your creation for next time, via the app or touchscreen menus.

Intelligent Water System

I just love the Jura Z10’s illuminated water reservoir, which adds to the overall classy vibe of the machine. Even better, the Jura Z10 features the manufacturer’s Intelligent Water System (I.W.S.), which almost eliminates the need for descaling.

The Z10 can be fitted with a CLEARYL Smart Water Filter, which communicates directly with the machine. That way, you’ll get updates on the filter over time, and the machine will let you know when it needs to be changed.

Spout Height

Most super automatic espresso machines feature height-adjustable coffee spouts, but the Z10 takes things even further. With this machine you’re also able to adjust the spouts horizontally, which is a really nice touch.

Anyway, this just gives you more versatility when you’re making more than one drink at a time. It’ll also come in handy when you’re brewing into a travel mug.

How to Use the Jura Z10

May I remind you that setting up and using the Jura Z10 isn’t rocket science. In fact, as sophisticated as this machine may be, it’s been designed to be as user friendly as possible. I mean, that’s kind of the point of fully automatic machines!

Anyway, I’d recommend rinsing all removable parts first, then adding water to the reservoir and high-quality coffee beans to the hopper. The Z10 will ask you to input your water hardness, then you’re good to go. Oh, and if you plan on using the J.O.E. app, now would be a good time to connect.

Honestly, I’d recommend diving right in and starting to make drinks. Feel free to fiddle around with settings until you find those that you like, then save ’em for next time. Oh, and if you start feeling overwhelmed, the user manual is very easy to follow.

For milk-based drinks you’ll need to connect the milk pipework to the dual spout. Put the other end in whichever container you’re using – you can even put it straight into the milk jug. Once that’s done, you can choose from all the fancy menu drinks. Oh, and remember you’re able to really dial in your milk foam by adjusting ratios, temperature and volume.

Best Coffee for the Jura Z10

Jura Z10 Cleaning

In my opinion, the quality of the Jura Z10 automatic coffee machine becomes especially apparent when you take it apart for cleaning and descaling.

The first thing that’ll catch your eye is the super-heavy drip tray. Even with the coffee grounds container empty, this thing is as substantial as any I’ve seen. That’s a definite plus because it tells us a lot about the build quality.

The aroma protection lid on the bean hopper is also worth a mention. It seals to the rim of the container with a rubber ring. Thus, actually allowing fewer air molecules to escape. However, you should be careful that the seal doesn’t become brittle. So, if you’re cleaning the bean compartment area, I’d recommend doing it by hand.

Moving on, the sleek, backlit water tank, with its atmospheric light has an elegant ribbed design. What’s important to me is that the design is only on the outer surface. Water residue in design indents always leads to unwanted deposits, but you don’t have to worry about that here.

I know from experience that the CLEARYL filter cartridge is very high quality, so descaling a Jura coffee maker is easy. You can check the maintenance status via smartphone, but you need to stand at the machine to perform the descaling program. No problem. All you have to do isfollow the instructions on the touchscreen display.

Once again, each cleaning program can be individually controlled, but rinses take place whether you want them to or not. Of course, I have nothing against that – it’s not like the drain tray and the tank aren’t big enough.

Jura Z10 Specifications

Jura Z10 vs Other Super Automatics

This Jura Z10 review wouldn’t be complete without tossing a couple of other coffee makers into the mix. So, let’s see how the Z10 measures up in comparison to some other Jura machines.

Jura Z10 vs Jura E8

The Jura E8 is an older machine that’s easy to overlook. However, in my Jura E8 review I was very impressed by what’s on offer. Plus, for $2,485.00, the E8 is way more affordable than the Z10.

The Jura E8 is a handsome devil equipped with an Aroma G3 grinder, P.E.P. brewing technology and a17-drink specialty menu. Plus, this machine is compatible with the Jura J.O.E. app. Ultimately, I’d say that the E8 is a fantastic option if you can’t stomach the Z10’s price tag.

See Also: Jura E8 Review

Jura Z10 vs Jura GIGA 10

The Jura GIGA 10 is outrageous in every way, including its $4,999.00 price tag. Intended as more of a commercial machine, the GIGA 10 has two ceramic flat burr grinders, a huge touchscreen display and just about every feature under the sun. So, if you want to make a grand statement in your kitchen, this machine is the way to go.

To be honest, the Jura GIGA 10 isn’t ideal for commercial use, seeing as it can’t be plumbed into a water line. However, I could see this machine being very well-suited to smaller office environments. It’d definitely be a good way of keeping your employees happy!

See Also: Jura GIGA 10 Review

Jura Z10 vs Others Comparison Chart

If you’re interested in seeing how the Jura Z10 compares to other brands, check out our guide on Jura vs DeLonghi.

Verdict: JURA Z10 Review

Even though I hate stupid marketing talk, and the Jura Z10 is full of it, that’s almost the only thing that really bothers me about this great machine.

The P.R.G. alone would be a good enough reason for a recommendation – the technology behind it, with all its adjustment options, is top-notch. The Jura Z10 is a luxury sled, where you can sit in the cockpit yourself and get everything out of your coffee beans. Really, everything.

That still leaves the question of price. Compared to many other super automatic espresso machines I’ve reviewed, the Z10 is extremely expensive. This becomes especially clear in the upper-class Jura vs DeLonghi duel.

That said, no other manufacturer focuses as much on excellent espresso extraction. No other fully automatic machine manages as aromatic a cortado or lungoas the Z10 from Jura. On top of that, the Jura Z10 comes with a whole battery of new coffee specialties that you can play around with and enjoy. Ultimately, this baby is still a winner!

Jura Z10 Review FAQ