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Last Updated on December 3, 2023
If you’re looking for quality home espresso at the touch of a button, you’re likely on the hunt for a super-automatic espresso machine.
Unlike semi-automatic machines—which give you more control over your brew but also require more input and attention—super-automatic machines take the guesswork and mess out of your morning routine.
There are a wide range of brands and lines, but Jura and De’Longhi are great places to start. They’re known for their quality, flavor, and ease of use. You’re sure to find a machine from one of these brands that suits your needs and budget.
Jura vs. De’Longhi: Which Brand Is Right For You?
When it comes to Jura vs. De’Longhi, if you’re a connoisseur obsessed with the perfect espresso and you’ve got the means, it’s Jura hands down. If you’re more budget-conscious and happy with a delicious and consistent cup of coffee, De’Longhi will more than deliver on your morning brew.
Both brands have several lines and a diverse range of machine options. My money’s on the Jura D6, as I’m a purest who likes the option of a milk-based beverage.
Let’s dive into the overall differences between Jura and De’Longhi before we do a side-by-side comparison of our top picks.
Jura vs. De’Longhi: Brand Backgrounds and Differences
Both Jura and De’Longhi are known for quality, dependability and market awareness. Where they mainly diverge is in their accessibility.
De’Longhi is an Italian company founded in 1902 that originally got its start making portable heaters and air conditioners. They’ve since developed into a household name that reaches the masses. But where they fall short is their ability to reach the highest level of espresso quality that enthusiastic coffee connoisseurs now demand of their home setups. De’Longhi has a wider range of premium coffee makers, including capsule-based Nespresso lines, semi-automatic coffee machines that allow you to control and adjust several of your inputs and metrics, and the increasingly popular super-automatic machines.
Jura is a Swiss company founded in 1931 by Leo Henzirohs. They used to produce various home appliances, including clothes irons, but now focus mainly on espresso machines. They produce only super-automatics, and that’s what we’ll focus our comparison on.
Flavor
For an espresso enthusiast like myself, flavor is the ultimate deciding factor, and Jura wins in this category.
Their Intelligent Pre-Brew System (IPBS), which wets the coffee grinds prior to extraction, is similar to pre-infusion in a semi-automatic machine. When you brew coffee, pre-infusing your coffee grinds is key to an even and full coffee extraction. Pair this with the Pulse Extraction Process (PEP) found in newer Jura machines, and you can brew amazing coffee shop quality espresso while you’re still in your bathrobe.
De’Longhi machines brew a decent espresso, but due to a far less sophisticated extraction process the product tends to fall more in the range between espresso and drip coffee. This is perfectly acceptable for many households—particularly for people who find traditional espresso a tad strong and therefore prefer milder, specialty coffees—but it might not make the cut for all coffee lovers out there.
Milk Frothing
If you love your morning cappuccino or flat white, you need a machine that delivers silky, textured steamed milk. Jura takes the cake in this department too, but you’ll have to pay for it. Some entry-level Jura machines are espresso-specific and don’t include milk reservoirs. You can always add a separate frother, but to get a full range of milk-based drinks of the utmost quality, you’ll want to upgrade to something like the Jura E8.
Entry-level De’Longhi machines, on the other hand, come with milk beverage capabilities, although you might find the quality of foam somewhat lacking at this price point.
If you’re looking for a wide range of specialty coffees with a more refined textured foam, you should treat yourself to a machine from De’Longhi’s Dinamica line. We love the ECAM37095TI.
Features
Both Jura and De’Longhi machines offer an impressive range of features for coffee fanatics, including an integrated grinder to deliver fresh cups of coffee every time. They also have comparable water reservoirs and bars of pressure. As you ascend their lines, the machines get more feature-rich and therefore more versatile.
The main difference between Jura and De’Longhi machines is that although the espresso quality is lower in De’Longhi machines, their machines come loaded with features (even their entry-level ones), making them more versatile. We’ll get deeper into specs and features in our side-by-side comparison.
Build Quality and Design
This is an instance of you get what you pay for. Jura machines are sleek and built to last. They aren’t without their issues, but overall customer satisfaction from coffee enthusiasts seems extremely high. If you invest in a Jura you’re likely to have it for several years without issue, especially if you get it serviced every 2-3 years. There are several independent companies throughout Canada and the U.S. that specialize in servicing Jura machines.
De’Longhi machines are well built, and given their popularity they tend to be easy to repair or return if issues arise. As with most household appliances, the better you care for you machine the longer it will deliver a quality product. But don’t expect De’Longhi machines to last decades like a Jura machine can. The design is a bit clunkier and they tend to have a slightly larger footprint in your kitchen. Still, a De’Longhi machine is worthy of showing off to your dinner guests.
Ease of Use and Cleaning
Both brands are easy to use and deliver a consistent product at the touch of a button. Newer machines are fully programmable and pair with user-friendly apps for simple adjustments, control, and programming. Where Jura pulls ahead is with its self-cleaning feature. Aside from the drip tray, there are no removable parts on Jura machines, and all models are fully self-cleaning. It’s simple and mess free. They also run self-cleaning on a schedule to ensure your machine remains at optimal performance. (Check out our article on how to clean and maintain your espresso machine.)
Price Point
This is really the kicker. Super-automatic espresso machines aren’t cheap, but De’Longhi has the more affordable models for someone on a tight budget.
As mentioned, you get more features with a De’Longhi, but higher quality premium espresso with a Jura.
Machine Comparison
We’ve broken down the general similarities and differences between Jura and De’Longhi espresso makers. Jura delivers that evenly extracted, rich flavor of espresso, but it comes at a price. De’Longhi offers more bang for your buck, but a slightly less refined product.
Let’s compare a few of their most popular models and see how they really stack up….
Entry Level
| Jura A1 | De'Longhi ESAM3300 Magnifica | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | simple sleek machine for addictive espresso | simple, reliable, but still feature-rich |
| Beverage Options | espresso, Americano | espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, flat white, macchiato |
| Water Tank | 36.8 oz | 60 oz |
| Milk Frother | no | yes |
| Dimensions | 9.4" x 17.5" x 12.7" | 11.0" x 15.3" x 14.4" |
The Jura A1 makes amazing coffee shop quality shots of espresso. If espresso shots and Americanos are all you drink, this might be the sleek, compact machine of your dreams.
The De’Longhi ESAM3300 Magnifica won’t pump out quite the same level of quality, but it’s a slightly more affordable machine, and for the price point it’s feature-rich and fun to use.
Mid-Range
| Jura D6 | De'Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM37095TI | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Jura quality espresso with the addition of frothed milk | makes 16 barista-style drinks, with colorful touch-display |
| Beverage Options | espresso, Americano, cappuccino | espresso, latte, cappuccino, flat white, iced coffee, regular coffee and more |
| Water Tank | 63.6 oz | 60 oz |
| Milk Frother | yes | yes |
| Dimensions | 11" x 16.3" x 13.6" | 16.9" x 9.3" x 13.7" |
For purest coffee drinkers who want a cappuccino from time to time or versatility to offer guests, the Jura D6 adds simple milk frothing to their outstanding espresso.
On the De’Longhi side, you can enjoy a myriad of coffee options with the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM37095TI. The iced coffee feature is a great addition.
Higher End
| Jura E8 | De'Longhi Eletta ECAM44660B | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | sleek and customizable, A.I. technology learns your preferred beverages | lattecrema system to deliver rich textured milk, fully customizable, and versatile |
| Beverage Options | espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, cortado, macchiato, flat white | espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, cortado, macchiato, flat white |
| Water Tank | 63.6 oz | 67 oz |
| Milk Frother | yes | yes |
| Dimensions | 11" x 17.6" x 13.8" | 10.2" x 18.4" x 14.2" |
These two machines deliver similar coffee options, comparable footprints, and are both auto-cleaning.
The Jura E8‘s A.I. feature, which learns and suggests your favorite drinks, is a trendy feature that may move the needle for some people, but I’d say the espresso quality is still the deciding factor. The Jura E8 is where the Jura machines start to escalate in price, but it’s not such a stretch between these two. Both espresso makers offer nearly anything that premium coffee fanatics could ask for.
Is High End Worth It?
As you move up the De’Longhi line, you have more brew options, removable milk canisters for chilling, the ability to brew cold coffee, and more tech for milk steaming. You will get a more refined product if you spend a bit more. If that silky, textured foam is your obsession, it’s probably worth the incremental price bump.
As you ascend the Jura line, you gain both style and technology, which translates to more coffee options and the ability to brew more drinks at once and consecutively. The top of the line GIGA 6 has two bean hoppers and grinders that allow you to make two completely different beverages at the same time, and Automatic Grinder Adjustment (A.G.A.) that digitally adjusts the grind size for each specific drink, adding precision and quality to each brew. Is this more than you need for a countertop home machine? Probably. But it’s a worthy investment for a small shop that offers coffee on the side, or for the home entertainer who likes to host the neighborhood and keep everyone well caffeinated with a shot of espresso.
Final Thoughts
The more specific you are with your home espresso needs, the easier it is to find the machine that suits you best.
I prefer high-quality products that are built to last, even if they require a larger investment upfront. So you’ll find me in the Jura camp. Their sleek style and evolving technology are also major pluses, but the big draw is the rich, balanced espresso shot.
De’Longhi is no slouch, though. If you value versatility, you can get yourself an excellent machine at a much more approachable price point.
