Gaggia Anima vs Jura XS9: Brawn vs Brain?

Gaggia Anima vs Jura XS9: Brawn vs Brain?

Modern society has indoctrinated into us the belief that the better looking something is (whether it is inanimate or not) – the better it must work.

In some cases that rings true; think of motor vehicles, for instance. The old jalopies expel tones of smoke, they look like they’re on the verge of falling apart, and they just don’t look good.

In other cases, we are all guilty of judging a book for it’s cover – and at times this can be the reason behind a bad financial decision.

We take this theory for a test drive in our comparison of the Gaggia Anima vs Jura XS9 below!

Gaggia Anima Coffee Machine Review

For ease of reference, and in order to compare two machines that are MOST similar, we’ll be specifically using the Gaggia Anima Deluxe to compare to the Jura XS9.

Off the bat, we can see this machine is already worlds ahead of the Jura XS9 in terms of design and aesthetic.Far more compact than the Jura XS9, the Gaggia Anima Delux, the Anima further offers a level of aesthetic the XS9 could not conjure.

It has a simple display, not miles ahead of the XS9, but also not on par. The screen is somewhat easier to interpret, especially for first-time users, as it uses pictures to denote any steps to take on the machine.

The display buttons located on both sides of the screen on the Anima are easy to use; I dare not say, although I will, that the layout and aesthetic of the screen closely resembles the layout of modern Saeco Coffee Machines.

The absence of resettable buttons on the Anima means it s much more user friendly than the XS9, which is often accidentally reset when making rinks for the first time.

In terms of milk froth, the Anima Deluxe has a similar set-up to the milk frothing system of the XS9; the open piping means your milk will need to be separately contained, and the milk frothing device available for this machine also allows you to adjust your milk froth type to suit your palette.

The presence of a hot water spout allows for user of the Anima who prefer tea to also get their hands on the machine, and be able to prepare their own favourite drink

The Anima is a two-touch machine, something the XS9 sure does have an upper hand on. This influences the ease of use for first-time users, as well as time saving mechanism (albeit a few seconds! 🙂 )

The similarities between the Gaggia Anima (in terms of design) bears a striking resemblance to the Saeco Range of coffee machines. It is simplistic in it’s design and makes user experience a lot easier.

If you’d like a great review on the Gaggia Anima Delux, Whole Latte Love offers a quick video review here.

Jura XS9 Coffee Machine Review

Jura’s long-standing, large office workhorse machine for the longest time. There is no getting away from the fact that this machine is not hired for it’s good looks. It is bulky, has a basic display and may not meet the standards of those who are looking for a greatly appealing machine to really impress clients.

However, withthat being said, the XS9 is a machine that has stood the test of time.

Jura’s key technologies aide and assist in making this the great quality machine that it is.
With it’s (nearly) 6litre water tank., this beast requires little to no routine maintenance throughout the day, even when dealing with staff complements of up to 100 people.

The IPBWS (Intelligent Pre-Brew Water System) means your coffee is pre-infused with water before being extracted, ensuring as much flavour as possible is extracted before producing the best coffee from it.

The milk froth systems is also an open pipe system, which can have either the Jura Professional or Easy Fine Foam Frother fitted to it, whichever suits you best.

The hot water spout allows tea drinkers to use this machine too. Yes, the screen can be a little confusing, but after using the machine a few times, it is quite easy to interpret.

Lastly, the coffee-dispensing spout is adjustable, as is with the Anima, but there is one major difference that could very well be your deciding factor; while the Anima is more “easy on the eye”, it is a two-touch machine, meaning any milk-based drinks require a little input from those who know how to operate the machine. The XS9 is BOTH one touch AND two touch; hear me out.

While you can dispense coffee-based drinks from the centre spout alone, you are also able to dispense milk-based coffee drinks without moving your cup, when dispensing out the “milk” side ( i.e- the right hand side) of your XS9.

For a comprehensive video review on the Jura XS9, head on over to our YouTube channel – or watch it here!

In short; the XS9 is geared up for those who need a workhorsemachine, are not concerned specifically with aesthetic, and those whoa re after a machine that saves them time and requires little to no maintenance.
Those looking for a machine with similar outputs, but that requires a lot more input to work and maintain throughout they day – but provides an impact appearance are better suited to the Anima.

Gaggia Anima Specifications

  • Water Tank – 1.7 litres
  • Display – Pictures
  • Spout – Adjustable
  • Milk frother – attachment
  • Price – R 12 500.00
  • BrewGroup – Removable
  • One or Tow Touch – Two Touch
  • Grinder – Ceramic

Jura XS9 Specifications

  • Water tank – 5.9 litres
  • Display – Simple
  • Spout – Adjustable
  • Milk frother – attachment
  • Price – R 23 900.00
  • Brew Group – Non-Removable
  • One or Tow Touch – Two Touch AND one touch
  • Grinder – Steel, Aroma G3 Grinder