Last Updated on January 5, 2022 by John Moretti
As the ability of individuals to produce barista-quality coffee at home becomes more readily available, the would-barista is faced with an increasing number of coffee machine brands and models to choose from.
When looking at the top quality machines globally, both Jura and Breville certainly qualify in that category, but what are the significant differences between the two? Price, quality, flavor, foam, maintenance, and machine durability all come under the spotlight.
In this discussion, we’ll be looking at these comparisons in a bit more detail so you can decide which machine and brand would be better for your home coffee bar and give you a lifetime of great drinks!
Jura & Breville – Who Are The Two Companies
Breville is an Australian company that started in 1932 and manufactures and supplies high-quality home appliances worldwide. In the UK, their brand is called Sage as there was already an existing company with the name Breville in the UK prior.
Breville only started making espresso and coffee machines around the year 2000 and producing a range of semi-automatic and automatic machines across various budgets and features.
Jura was founded in 1932 in Switzerland, and while they too started life producing home appliances, Jura switched focus to making coffee machines in the 1980s and have been doing so ever since.
Endorsed by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, Jura has poured the last 40 years into creating the world’s finest coffee machines. Their focus has consistently been on a commitment to 100% excellence in every aspect of their machines.
Breville Coffee Machines – Technology
Breville makes both semi-automatic and automatic machines, but they don’t offer superautomatic machines, which Jura does. Breville offers its clients both a hands-on and hands-off option for customers that want some level of additional manual control.
Most Breville machines come with PID temperature control, and whether by button or touch screen, they give you control over the brewing and frothing temperatures when that option is available.
The Oracle is Breville’s top line machine, and at around $2400 or so, this is a semi-automatic machine with some impressive technology. Swipe touch screen functions and a limited level of programmability offer drinks at a touch.
Some of their machines do come with the pre-brew infusion system, and along with good pressure to back it up, it means you get good flavor and aroma. They also provide self-cleaning functions for the steam wand and machine.
Jura Coffee Machines – Technology
Jura machines are automatic and superautomatic, so this brand may not be for you if you want a semi-automatic machine. Jura machines are packed with technology from their Pulse Extraction Process, and Aroma grinders bring out the best in your beans.
Jura offers complete control over every aspect of your coffee, from the froth foam size to the coffee grind, temperature, and strength, and has self-cleaning functions for the machine and steamer. The device will grind, tamp and brew and produce a range of drinks at the touch of a button.
Jura also offers the user the option to create and save custom settings for all their available drinks. Not only that, but the Swiss company has taken the technology a quantum leap ahead with an app! Imagine being able to make your favorite coffee from your phone- well, imagine no more!
While the technology in Breville is good, it is not in the same class as that of Jura.
Jura Vs. Breville Coffee Machines
Flavor
Many coffee lovers will attest to the incredible quality of flavor they have experienced from a Jura machine, and this reputation is well-deserved. Their focus on the most critical aspect of coffee- the depth of taste and flavor- drives their continuous innovation and quest for the perfect brewing system.
Breville has understood the need for top-quality flavor, and like Jura, the burr-grinders and pre-brewing systems deliver great-tasting espresso on demand.
Foam And Froth
More and more people want the ability to produce milky coffee drinks with little or no fuss, and both Breville and Jura machines offer these options, especially on the higher end of the scale.
The top-end Jura machines have an integrated frothing system, and these produce some of the finest micro-foam available today. While Breville provides the external steam wand, Jura machines have the frothing system set internally or linked to an external milk tank.
Regardless of which is used, both deliver high-quality micro-foam textured to your specific liking, so it becomes a question of whether you want the convenience of foam at a touch of a button or if you want some manual ability to steam it yourself.
Price
Jura machines are not and have never been the cheapest, and that has been intentional on their part, but very few (if any) will argue that any investment, whether $1000 or $5000 in a Jura machine, is wasted.
Breville offers cheaper machines and some on the higher end, so Breville may be a better option if budget is considered. However, consider that the features and technology you get with a Jura machine could easily balance that equation out.
Machine Quality
The Jura S8 won two of the world’s most prestigious international design awards, the RedDot Design Award 2018 and the iF Design Award 2018. They are made from only the best quality materials.
This is a non-negotiable from Jura, and they add some additional design elements to make their machines both durable and aesthetically pleasing. Still, these machines are exceptionally durable and will last for decades.
Breville is often easily recognized for its solid stainless steel design and more traditional appearance. With large gauges and buttons, Breville has a blend of modern technology and a robust build that gives their machines good resilience.
Cleaning & Maintenance
With any coffee machine, cleaning and maintenance are essential. Simple operations like descaling and cleaning your machine’s various elements and parts are made simpler with both of these brands.
Jura machines are self-cleaning, and they will rinse out all the pipes and brew heads when switched on and off. Where there is an external milk tank, Jura has a particular milk cleaning container with a supplied cleaning solution. When the frother is integrated, the machine will clean itself.
Breville machines require a more manual process and while you can rinse the machine out, cleaning it is more of an operation than the Jura as you can use the maintenance menu to instruct the machine to rinse and clean.
Both will indicate when the machine requires descaling and following the instructions. Using a recommended descaler will remove limescale buildup and prevent the coffee from coming out with that bitter taste.
Conclusion
The choice between Jura and Breville is close, with each providing excellent coffee and technology with solid designs and features. It does come down to the question of whether you want a little more control or if you prefer exceptional coffee at your fingertips.
You may want to try them both, but remember that Jura’s sole focus is on providing the finest, most durable espresso machines in the world, and with one of the greatest tennis stars behind their brand, you may want to keep that in the back of your mind when making your choice.
