In a Nutshell:
The Giga 6 is a high-caliber superautomatic that does it all, but beware- it’s very expensive. While you get plenty of drink variety and customization, not everyone can afford it. For that reason, we recommend it for large households or office settings and passionate coffee drinkers.
Brew Quality
Customization options
Ease of Use
Durability
Overall Rating
4.9/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Recommended For: Large households or office settings and passionate coffee drinkers.
The humble espresso machine has evolved over the years to become a technological marvel that embraces luxury, functionality, and convenience.
The hard part is trying to decide which one is the best for you and your family. Luckily, there’s something for everyone.
Our Jura Giga 6 review looks at a feature-rich superautomatic that performs at a high capacity to satisfy any type of coffee drinker. We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Jura Giga 6 Automatic Coffee Machine Design Overview
Swiss brand Jura went all-in on the Giga 6, putting their best engineering to the test to create a state-of-the-art superautomatic that is the first to incorporate artificial intelligence.
That’s right, we are at the AI level of coffee making now! The Giga 6 uses a cutting-edge algorithm to study a user’s coffee habits while operating the machine and adapting the interface settings accordingly for a more personalized experience.
The Giga 6 is also double the fun. You get two bean hoppers with aroma preservation lids, two ceramic disc grinders, and the ability to brew two drinks at the same time with a double Thermoblock boiler.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Jura packed every feature into one attractive, XL package.
Yes, we said XL, because this is a whopper of an espresso maker. The Jura 6 dimensions are 18.9 x 12.6 x 16.3 inches, and it weighs 39.7 pounds.
You get a ton of capacity for that size, making this an ideal model for an office setting, but people who have limited kitchen counter space at home might have trouble trying to find a spot for this big boy.
Another factor to consider is the Jura Giga 6 price. This is a high-range superautomatic that costs over $5000, so not everyone can afford a model of this caliber.
Still, you get what you pay for inside and out. The exterior is minimalistic, with smooth silver surfaces and aluminum/stainless steel parts for durability.
It can brew 28 specialty drinks at the touch of a button, with plenty of customization settings to ensure personalized perfection.
If your eyes are popping out of your head right now, don’t worry. We’ll go through each feature in the next section here in our Jura Giga 6 review, so you can get a complete understanding of how this magnificent machine operates.
Jura Giga 6 Coffee Machine Features
The objective of the Giga 6 is to convince you never to step foot in a cafe again.
It’s like Christmas for coffee lovers, with all of the variety you could ever imagine. This model boasts the latest coffee technology from the bean hopper down to the automated cleaning function. Let’s begin.
88-oz Water Tank
The reservoir is the base of any superautomatic and has a profound impact on the overall user experience and coffee quality. There are two things to consider when it comes to this feature:
Jura tackled both with success. The Jura Giga 6 automatic coffee machine has an 88-oz tank, which is above average for its size. That means fewer refills compared to a lot of other superautomatics that have a 64-oz tank, making this ideal for large families and office settings.
Jura also includes its CLEARYL Pro Smart Filtration System, which automatically monitors the water hardness and lets you know when it’s time to change the filter. This also cuts down on descaling, making your life easier with less maintenance.
Bean Hopper
The Jura 6 has two cone-shaped bean hoppers located on top of the machine for easy loading. Each can hold up to 10 ounces of beans for a total of 20 ounces, which is above average for superautomatics.
The wide mouth and slanted sides ensure your beans don’t get stuck on their way to the grinder, and you can slap on the airtight aroma preservation lid to lock in the freshness of your beans.
There is also a bypass chute for those who enjoy pre-ground coffee instead of beans.
Bean Grinder
The Jura Giga 6 coffee machine features two ceramic grinding discs that accept beans from their respective hopper and crushes them to the finest grind for brewing.
Why ceramic? Ceramic has an edge over stainless steel because metal tends to overheat and burn the beans. You won’t have to worry about this issue with ceramic.
What’s more, you’ll be surprised to learn that the Giga 6 doesn’t have any grinder settings. That’s because it utilizes Automatic Grinding Technology with angled blades for a consistent grind every time.
Dual Milk Frothing System
You get double spouts with the machine, capable of brewing all of your milk specialty favorites, from cappuccinos to macchiatos. You can switch between the spouts to dispense milk and foam simultaneously.
Jura implements its innovative HP2 milk system and Fine Foam technology to ensure you get a high-quality froth as you would at a cafe. You can choose from 10 different temperature levels to adjust the milk to your liking.
Brew Capabilities
The brewing system is top-notch on the Jura Giga 6 espresso machine, and we have no complaints- this is the creme de la creme of superautomatics.
Furthermore, this is where you’ll see Jura’s impressive innovation at play, including their smarty-pants AI system for tracking coffee preferences and building custom menus based on that information.
Jura included their unique Pulse Extraction Process (PEP), which shoots streams of water through the coffee grounds to extract all of the flavors and aromas before brewing.
Two Thermoblocks and two 15-bar pressure pumps are used for heating and espresso pulling, which means three things:
There are only three brewing temperatures, and though we’d expect more from a machine of this caliber, the Jura Giga 6 throws that skepticism back in our faces with the tech it uses to ensure a consistent temperature, no matter what type of drink you brew. In other words, three settings are all you need.
The customization options can be overwhelming, but Jura tries to soften the learning curve with a 4.3” highly intuitive touchscreen display that guides the user with simple instructions and clear, colorful graphics.
As we mentioned, you can brew up to 28 specialty drinks with the Giga Machine, including:
You can choose from 10 coffee strengths and three hot water temperatures, then save, copy, and personalize your recipes for next time. Connect your smartphone via the J.O.E app, and fully operate your Jura Giga espresso machine from anywhere in your home.
While some Giga 6 reviews mention that the JOE app can be confusing to navigate due to poor design, a well-written Jura Giga 6 manual is provided for all of your support needs.
Other Giga 6 reviews state that the touchscreen can be too sensitive at times, especially when editing a drink. If you don’t hold the selection down, it will automatically brew the drink and it’s difficult to cancel it mid-brew.
Giga Espresso Machine Initial Setup & Operation
As you can tell, the Jura 6 is loaded with special technology that you won’t find in other superautomatics. The abundance of features presents users with a steep learning curve to tackle.
It can take days to weeks to get your coffee routine down pat, but once you do, rest assured that you’ve got a reliable barista capable of making all of your espresso dreams come true for years to come.
The initial setup is a time-consuming endeavor in itself and you must be meticulous to ensure the machine is properly prepped to run without any hiccups.
We give you a brief overview of the initial setup below:
1. Prep the Jura Giga 6
Install it on a flat surface where it won’t overheat and make sure the ventilation vents are not covered. Plug it into a power source.
2. Load the Bean Hoppers
Remove the aroma preservation lids and fill the hoppers up with your favorite roast beans. It’s important not to use beans treated with additives, such as sugar, as this can damage the grinder discs.
3. Test the Water
For first-time use, it’s important to test the hardness of your water (this is the number of minerals and impurities) and program the Jura Giga 6 accordingly. Luckily, it comes with its own Aquadur test strips.
To program the water hardness setting, simply swipe across the color display until you see the corresponding icon, and follow the prompts.
4. Install the Jura Giga 6 Filter
Once you’ve saved your water hardness setting, the machine will prompt you to ‘insert filter’.
Start by removing the water tank and rinsing it out under the faucet. Locate the CLEARYL filter and snap it into the water tank. Once it has been inserted, the system will detect it automatically and keep track of when to change it out.
Fill the tank with cold, fresh water and place it back on the Giga 6 Jura.
5. Brew Your Espresso
From here, the brewing process is simple. What’s complicated is learning how to adjust all of those customization settings to perfect your personal recipe.
For a basic brew, place a mug underneath the dispensing spout. Note that the spouts are fully adjustable, so you can use any size cup.
Swipe through the drink menu on the color display and select your settings. Touch the ‘coffee’ button, and the brew extravaganza begins while you sit back and relax.
We were surprised that the Jura 6 doesn’t have a cup warming tray. It’s the one common core feature it lacks!
This plays a crucial role in preventing heat loss, so your drink is at the exact temperature you want when it’s dispensed into the mug. You can buy the Jura cup warming tray separately, but that’s another extra cost, and haven’t you paid enough for the machine already?
Giga 6 Automatic Coffee Machine Cleaning Process
One of the perks of owning a superautomatic is that the maintenance is usually painless, with automatic rinsing and smart notifications to remind you when it’s time to refill a tank or empty a drip tray.
The Jura 6 is no different and will initiate an automatic full system flush every time you turn the machine ON or OFF.
Your other daily to weekly duties include emptying the drip/dreg trays, refilling the water tank, and changing the milk spout/tube every three months.
It’s worth it to use the water filter, because this may cut out descaling completely, which is rare to find with other models!
Giga 6 Jura Pros vs. Cons
PROS
CONS
Without a doubt, the Giga 6 is in contention with the top-tier models on the market. Jura put their best into this machine to show the coffee world that they mean business, and well, we think they succeeded with the Giga 6.
This large, heavy machine has a plethora of customization options and every luxury feature you could desire. From double bean hoppers to smart ceramic grinders and powerful brewing capabilities utilizing a bounty of cutting-edge tech, we can confidently say that this is a legitimate barista in a box.
All of that razzle-dazzle comes at a cost though- and what a jaw-dropping cost it is. Not everyone can afford to spend thousands on this machine, and even if you look for the Jura Giga 6 refurbished, it’s still going to cost well over $1000.
Another downside is the steep learning curve. Even though the color display is incredibly easy to navigate, it will take some practice adjusting the coffee settings for 28 specialty drinks and saving the profiles.
Luckily, the incredible AI technology helps a bit by tracking your selections and adjusting the menu for you, but there are so many features on this thing that it will inevitably take some getting used to.
All in all, this is a big investment that you’ll want to consider, as there are many other models for half the price with industry-standard tech that also deliver excellent results.
We recommend the Jura Giga Automatic Coffee Machine for…
We do not recommend the Jura Giga Automatic Coffee Machine for…
Jura Giga 6 Espresso Machine Warranty
Jura offers a 2-year limited warranty from the date of purchase. You can read the fine print here.
Comparable Products
The Giga 6 is in a realm all on its own. The massive capacity it offers and tech overhaul is rare to find in this market.
But like we said, not everyone can afford this beast, so we’ve rounded up a few smaller, less expensive models (and a couple of big players) that also bring quality and performance to the table.
Recommended For: Passionate coffee drinkers who can afford it.
This model is the most similar to the Giga 6, except much smaller (and less expensive). You can brew 21 specialty drinks, with plenty of customization. You can only brew one drink at a time though.
Recommended For: Casual coffee drinkers. Power drinkers may chafe a bit under the limitations of the tank size.
Hooked on that swanky color display? The Gaggia Accademia comes with one too, along with a bounty of customizable coffee options, superior milk frothing, and a stainless steel finish.
Recommended For: A household with multiple coffee drinkers and individuals who enjoy specialty coffee but are too busy to make/buy it every day.
If you love a variety of customization options, the Xelsis SM7684 has it in spades. Choose from 15 drink specials, program the dose, volume, temperatures, strengths, and save your recipes- there are multiple user profiles for everyone in the family.
This professional superautomatic is like the Giga 6 on steroids. Its capacity is off the charts with a 5-liter tank and 35-oz bean hopper. You can brew 35 specialties with this beast. Bear in mind, it costs over $5000.
This is the big daddy of the superautomatic world, suitable for commercial use. It can brew up to 150 espresso and milk-based drinks daily, with all of the savvy tech that Jura is known for. The kicker? It costs over $8000.
Jura Giga 6 vs. Jura Giga 5
The Jura Giga 5 coffee machine is very similar in size and feature set when compared to the Giga 6 Jura.
It utilizes two bean hoppers, two boilers, and two grinders to brew 29 coffee specialties, and the Giga 5 price is in the same range as the Giga 6 at over $5000.
So, what’s the big difference between the two?
The Giga 6 features state-of-the-art artificial intelligence to track user preferences and automatically adapt the menu settings to those preferences. This makes the learning curve less arduous and the user experience more varied.
Between the two, we recommend the Jura Giga 6 for this convenience, especially since the price difference between the two models is slim.
Jura Giga 6 Review Conclusion
Are you as impressed with the Jura Giga 6 as we are? It’s a high-functioning superautomatic, and though it is very expensive, the capacity and features live up to the hype. You practically have two superautomatics in one, since the core features like the hopper, grinder, and boilers are doubled.
To conclude this Jura Giga 6 review, we recommend this espresso maker for large households or office settings with multiple coffee drinkers. It’s also ideal for power drinkers who crave variety and appreciate a generous amount of customization options.
References & Resources:
- Jura, Official Brand Website
- Jura Giga 6 User Manual
- How to Properly Clean Your Coffee Grinder, cnet
- Espresso Machines Boiler Types, Home-Barista.com
- Why We Favor “Double Boiler” Machines, Constant Contact