Customer Reviews

Jura-Capresso 13421 ENA4 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center, Ristretto Black/Platinum Front

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I lived in Switzerland for four years and while there my standards for coffee changed quite dramatically. Hence on my return to the US my first purchase was this machine. While I was living in Switzerland I went through two Nespresso machines which were a pain in the patootie to keep descaled and operational. Both were hosed by the time I left. I was impressed with the Jura machines owned by Swiss friends and neighbors. I have had this machine for 8 months now and have never regretted my decision to purchase it. It is smart enough to tell you when it needs cleaning and the instructions (unlike the Nespresso machinges I have owned) were very clear. Cleaning is automated and a snap to accomplish. Just initiate the program and it will be through by the time you finish doing the breakfast dishes. The one downside is that it is quite large so you will have to devote quite a bit of counter space to it and if you are big coffee drinkers you will also have to fill the rather small water reservoir quite often but other than that the machine is a dream and if you buy the right beans (hint: buy Lavazza beans here on Amazon on auto order - VERY economical) you will have lovely coffee moments. No need for 'bucks unless you want WiFi.

I've had the jura for 4 months now and previously owned a gaggia automatic expresso machine and have made over 200 lattes so far with the jura. I love the small size of the jura, the coffee is great once you adjust it to suit your tastes. i like the fact that everything is automated and being warned stops me running out of water half way through an expresso like i did with the gaggia. it is easy to clean and is a great machine.

There are two flaws which is why I'm giving this 3 stars. Firstly the milk frothing wand comes lose and when it does sprays milk and stream over nearby surfaces and you. At first this happened rarely and i put it down to me not having the wand seated securely, however after 4 months of making lattes i check before every coffee and the wand will no longer stay on long enough to do enough milk for one latte. this is very annoying and potentially dangerous as steam and hot milk tend to go over your hand. The second problem is the water tank, it is fairly small but is around the back of the machine so if you have the machine on a kitchen surface with a cupboard above it is awkward to get the water tank out and more awkward getting it back in when filled with water.

would i buy one again? not sure have complained to jura and will see if they can fix the problem with the wand. I suspect it is a design flaw since I've seen other people also complain about this. if you are using mainly for lattes like me I wouldn't buy this model.

After weeks of research we ended up selecting the Jura-Capresso ENA 4.

I was a bit skeptical that this small little super automatic could really replace our larger manual and brew quality espresso. I went to a local retailer and was fortunate enough to be able to use a demo unit. I was amazed by how simple and intuitive the ENA 4 is to use; while at the same time provides a level of flexibility and control well beyond my expectations.

The Jura-Capresso site has some great video demos as well as other info that is worth checking out.
[...]

If you're looking for a super automatic, I highly recommend you take a look at the ENA. Our unit has exceeded our expectations. Great espresso and lattes!

This is our second Jura Capresso machine, and, although we've only had it for a few weeks now, we couldn't be happier with it. We bought it to replace a Jura Capresso Impresso machine that we had bought here on Amazon about a few years ago that just gave out on us. Before that, we had had a Saeco automatic machine, but we've found that we like the Jura one better: it puts out stronger coffee, looks sleeker and nicer sitting on the countertop, and is easier to keep clean. This ENA4 also has a smaller footprint than our past two machines.

This is also easy to use, and the instruction manual it comes with is very thorough.

My husband uses just cream in his coffee and espresso, but I usually drink mine as caffe lattes. For such, I use either skim milk, soy milk creamer, or coconut milk creamer, and it has steamed all three beautifully, leaving me with wonderful foam, if I desire it.

One big piece of advice is that when you have an automatic machine like this, you shouldn't use oily or greasy beans. We buy beans from a local coffee brewer or stock up on the Lavazza Super Crema Espresso beans and get them on Subscribe and Save. Using the proper beans will ensure that you have a nice crema on the top of your coffee.

The upkeep of the Jura is also more expensive than that of a Saeco. The cleaning tablets and Clearyl filters you have to buy can add up, so just know that upkeep of this machine is another cost to factor in. I think we have to replace the filter about once every three to four months, that is with us making about five to ten shots of coffee/espresso each day.

Several other reviewers commented that the water tank is pretty small on this machine, and that is definitely true. I usually have to fill it each morning, but it's not too much of a pain. Since the tank sits at the back of the machine on this model, though, you'll need to be have room to slide it up and out of the back area.

A few other reviewers mentioned that this makes weak coffee, but I don't agree at all. The type of beans you use makes a huge difference, and we've found that the Jura makes cafe- or restaurant-quality espresso.

Additionally, be very careful when cleaning the dredge drawer (with the grounds in it) that you move the steamer wand out of the way. I accidentally bumped the one a few days after we'd gotten this, and didn't realize that it had come dislodged; when I went to steam my milk, the bottom blew off, shooting out hot steam. I noticed that in a comment to another review for this machine, someone left a link for how to fix this.

Overall, we love our Jura! It's one of our more expensive household "toys," but, if you're serious about your coffee, you'll love having one of these coffee centers. After all, it's the little things in life that make a difference, right?

I will also try to update my review after we've had this awhile longer.

Salut!

UPDATE ON 8/5/10: We're still loving this machine. As I mentioned in my original review, the upkeep on it is a bit expensive, but it makes incredible coffee, is easy to use, and is simple to clean.

I've had my ENA4 for about six weeks now. I'm very satisfied with my purchase. After months of comparison I decided on the ENA4 for it's super user friendly features that give you complete control over your delicious coffee. I have mine programmed for a 2 oz., single cup, at normal strength. I pre-heat my cup with hot water and let it sit on the counter while I prepare something else. The machine does not have a cup warmer, which is something that would have been nice but not a big issue. I use Lavazza beans which the machine will grind at the reccommended settings. The water hardness settings are a great feature. The water filter is nice as well. I love that there is so little maintenance involved. My machine uses very little energy, and politely tells me when to empty the grinds and refill the water. It's quiet, efficient, excellent quality and counter space friendly.
The only feature I have had a problem with, is the steamer/frother wand. As many other reviews have stated, it comes off easily. I have found that as long as you check to make sure it's on securely before you steam, you're safe. You must use both hands to pull the wand from steaming to frothing to keep from pulling the wand out and spraying steam everywhere.
The only reason I didn't rate this as a five star item is the lack of a cup warmer and the steaming/frothing wand.

I encourage others to view the owner's manual online at [...]. You can learn exactly what will be involved in making your favorite coffee drinks.

I like everything about this machine except the frother. It seems to pop off no matter how careful I am so if you're wanting to use this part of the machine, be warned. The dial to turn off the frother is right above the frother so if it has popped off, you might have a problem turning it off since now the steam is coming out close to it. I turned it off with the power button. I have tried to be careful and turn the dial slowly so the pressure would not pop it off but that doesn't always work. I've also tried to make sure the cup was lower down since if you have it too close to the bottom of the cup it will pop off. I must not be talented enough since it continues to pop off even when I'm trying to be very careful. I hate to return this since I really like everything else about it. It's easy to use and makes a good cup of coffee and adjustable so I can have my coffee strong and my daughter can have her's weak. My son wants double coffee, no milk. It's a wonderful machine in all other aspects. You can adjust for water hardness and program it for an "energy saver" mode. It's also quieter than the last one I had. Overall, a great machine.

Produces a great cup of espresso or coffee. Works very similarly to the J5 but with a smaller footprint.

When I received the machine it failed to execute the start-up procedure. I called customer service to see if I was missing something, but there was indeed a defect. Jura promptly offered to replace it and a new one arrived a couple of days later.
This time all worked perfectly and I was able to enjoy the wonderful coffee the ENA makes. The machine provides enough adjustments to suit one's taste and is pretty straightforward to use. The LCD will display any actions that need to be taken (i.e. low water, low coffee, empty grounds, etc...) so no need to check anything.
Overall, I am very happy with the ENA! The only complaint I would make regards the water tank size. As I use the steamer a lot I usually have to fill it up after something like 8 cups. Not too annoying, but might be important if there are more people using the machine.

I've had the machine for about a month now. I think it makes terrific coffee. I bought it because of its size because my old one took up a lot of space. What I didn't realize is that one way they made it less wide was to put the water container in the back. Makes it very difficult to take it out for refilling and since it's smaller it needs to be refilled more often than my last one. So, iit needs to sit away from the wall and you need to reach behind to get it out. Can be difficult with a cabinet overhead and wires behind the unit.

The machine itself makes a good product BUT:

1) The water tank is MINISCULE!

2) The frother pops off with blazing (And messy!) regularity.

3) You can only select one option. For example, If I want a "normal" strength setting as my default I can't manually select 2 cups AND strong at the same time.