Nowadays, coffee lovers looking for an automatic coffee machine for their homes are spoilt for choice. But it can be overwhelming trying to sift through the various brands and models to find the right type of device that best suits your caffeine-fix-needs. It takes some time and research to ensure that you choose the correct machine. Luckily, the Swiss-made JURA brand makes this decision-making process so much easier. With its reputation for high-quality, durable automatic coffee machines spanning various price ranges, JURA is one manufacturer you can trust.
Suppose you’re looking for a premium espresso machine. In that case, JURA’s ENA Micro 1 will press all the right buttons. Exclusively an espresso-maker, the ENA Micro 1 carries on JURA’s tradition of compact and sleek design, coupled with outstanding coffee making. With this model, you have the choice of making your espresso from either coffee beans or ground coffee. As it serves up espressos only, unlike other JURA machines, there’s no milk frother. So, if you fancy the occasional latte or cappuccino, this may not be the coffee maker for you.
In this article, we’ll spill the beans on the JURA ENA Micro 1. Find out if it’s the coffee machine to warm your heart or leave you cold.
The JURA ENA Micro 1—Key Features
- 1. Sleek and compact design (nine inches width, 12.7 inches height, 17.5 inches depth)
- 2. Ability to produce espresso from either ground coffee or beans
- 3. Easy-to-use touch controls
- 4. Conical burr grinder
- 5. Two coffee strength options
- 6. Three cup size options
- 7. 15-bar water pump
- 8. 36.8 ounces capacity water tank (detachable)
- 9. Water filtration to remove impurities and improve the coffee’s flavor
- 10. Energy Save mode
Appearance and Design
While other bean-to-cup coffee machines veer on the side of bulky due to the size of their grinder, the ENA Micro 1 is sleek and compact. Even compared with other space-efficient coffee-making devices, it comes out on top. For example, the Gaggia Brera—another small espresso machine—is wider (at 10 inches). Its size means that the JURA ENA Micro 1 is ideal for kitchens with limited countertop space. In fact, its dimensions mean you can even take it with you on a campervan holiday!
Burr Grinder
This JURA coffee machine’s professional-grade conical burr grinder ensures that each and every bean placed inside it will be ground to the correct consistency. The beans are slowly and gently ground before they get the chance to enter the brewing chamber. Water is then slowly added to extract as much flavor and aroma as possible from the coffee beans. The result? An incomparable cup of coffee heaven.
Coffee Customization
Who doesn’t want to be able to customize the drinks their coffee machine offers? The JURA ENA Micro 1 allows you to do just that at the simple touch of a few buttons. You can choose from different levels of coffee grinding, coffee strength, and drink size. These options are a clever and convenient touch with this small yet mighty coffee maker.
Espressos
The ENA Micro 1 may only do espressos, but it sure does them well! From the outset, each cup of coffee goes through a careful process of grind and brew. The result is a perfect coffee drink of the highest quality. JURA’s reputation and renown for high-end coffee-making machines are not unwarranted. And the ENA Micro 1 doesn’t let the brand down.
Other Coffees
This little coffee maker is espresso-only. However, by modifying the dosages and cup sizes, you can also serve up ristrettos and black coffee drinks. But if you crave daily lattes or cappuccinos, this probably isn’t the machine for you. You’ll need to either purchase a separate milk frother or buy a different automatic coffee maker altogether.
Maintenance
You’ll be pleased to learn that the ENA Micro 1 is comparatively low-maintenance. As with any other food or drink appliance, you’ll need to keep on top of cleaning and emptying it. But this model makes this easy, equipped with options for automatic cleaning and descaling to lighten the load.
Caring for Mother Earth
This espresso machine will automatically switch to energy-saving mode soon after the preparation of the last drink. You can also program it to turn off at a time of your choice. These features help reduce power consumption and energy bills.
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The Pros
Appearances are deceiving; the ENA Micro 1 looks like a coffee pod machine but actually is equipped with its own effective whole bean grinder. So, rather than selecting from a limited range of coffee pod flavors, you can choose any type of coffee bean you want.
Another nifty feature is that the ENA allows you to change the programmed settings. Using the three buttons of coffee presets, you can then change the settings according to the type of coffee you want. For example, you can adjust the amount of water used. Plus, you can stop preparation at any time at the touch of a button. Easy peasy!
Coffee making is made simple with the ENA’s touchscreen technology. The machine offers perfect coffee drinks at the mere touch of a few buttons, unlike certain other JURA models that also include a rotary switch. The display is easy to read and follow, dispelling the myth that automatic coffee machines are complicated to use.
Is the thought of having to constantly clean out a coffee machine putting you off buying one? You can rest assured that the JURA ENA Micro 1 makes cleaning and maintenance a breeze. The appliance contains in-built cleaning settings, all of which are accessed through its touchscreen. You’ll also be alerted via the touchscreen when the coffee maker requires routine maintenance. As there’s no milk pipe or frother, you don’t have to worry about cleaning them out after every use.
The ENA’s energy efficiency is also another bonus. Its energy-saving mode and other eco-friendly features ensure that you’ll be keeping energy consumption and waste to a minimum. There’s no need to feel guilty for making yourself a cup of Joe.
The Cons
Yes, this JURA model is slimmer than most other coffee machines out there. But its slimline dimensions don’t equate to it being lightweight. As it weighs in at approximately 19.6 pounds, this machine tends to be harder to move around than models of similar dimensions.
Unlike many other automatic coffee makers available on the market, this JURA model can only brew one cup at a time. This limitation is bad news for households with more than one coffee lover. One person will have to wait patiently while the other gets their caffeine fix first.
Although the ENA’s design is sleek and attractive, its shiny finish tends to get smudged quickly. The exterior shows up fingerprints, meaning that it needs to be constantly wiped down.
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The Takeaway
Despite a few limitations, the JURA ENA Micro 1 automatic coffee machine is a standout. JURA has done it again and created an attractive, discreet appliance that serves up coffee perfection at the touch of a few buttons. It’s small in size and serves up one coffee at a time. These features make it ideal for small-scale homes, apartments, or dorm rooms where there aren’t too many people fighting to use it simultaneously. Although it weighs more than other brands’ compact models, it’ll squeeze into even the most limited of spaces.
There’s no need to be intimidated by the idea of using a coffee machine. With the JURA ENA Micro 1’s simple and intuitive user interface, the process of making coffee is easy and self-explanatory. With a few button presses, this small but effective machine will do all the work—quickly and quietly. By using its professional-grade burr grinder, the device will grind your chosen coffee beans to perfection. Its brewing technology is second-to-none and produces espressos with a richer crema and flavor than its competitors.
So, if you like your coffee black and straightforward, the JURA ENA Micro 1 is the small but mighty automatic coffee machine for you. Its design, functionality, and features are the perfect blend—just like its coffee.
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