Jura Giga 5 Review: The ultimate Jura?

Jura Giga 5 Reviewed

Here is a coffee machine review of the Jura Giga 5 fully automatic coffee machine.

When you’re used to Jura’s line of machines, you can’t help to compare the new Jura Giga 5 to the existing Z-series machines (Z5/Z6/Z7). There are some pros and cons, which we will list below.

  • It has dual grinders
  • It can make two cappuccinos at the same time
  • The frother is improved over previous models and produces slightly better froth than the Z-series
  • It can be programmed to automatically rinse on power-on
  • Small water tank without a level indicator which doesn’t warn early enough and may abort the brewing half-way if you’re brewing a big cup or two cups leaving you with two weak espressos instead of two coffees.
  • High price tag makes the value questionable
  • Brew group not removable

Water Level

From the above list, it’s clear that the major negative is that this machine has a water tank without a visible level indication as many other Jura models have. Also, the water tank is a bit smaller than that of the Z-series.

Therefore, for example, whilst brewing two cups of cappuccinos, you might get the full amount of milk but you could end up with only half the amount of programmed coffee, if you failed to check the water tank level before starting the brew. You end up with coffee flavoured hot milk instead of proper strong cappuccinos. This seems a bit of an oversight when you compare this to the other Jura models where you can instantly see the water level. So for the Jura Giga 5, you will have to program yourself to do a check before each and every brew, and with having to lift the lid and peek from the top, it does become a bit of soft skill to determine the the water level from the top view. At this price point, Jura should at least consider offering a bigger Giga7-style water tank (sticks out and shows the water level) as an option.

However, after a about a month of usage, you can get yourself used to lifting the lid and top off the water before brewing, so then it becomes a bit less of an annoyance. Still, the lack of a water level indicator removes a little bit of convenience compared to older models. We don’t quite know what Jura was thinking.

Milk Frother

The milk frother was improved quite a bit on the Giga5, but is does prove to be technically challenging to dismantle and clean. The frother on the Z-series is super-easy to clean: Just pull it off, pull out the dial and clean the parts. Compares to this, to clean the frother on the Giga, you first need to remove the cover, then you need to pull off the nozzle, then you need to pull out the frother attachment. Then you need to take apart the frother and clean it. You also need to clean the frother housing on the machine, as there is usually milk residue here too. When putting the frother back together you need to make sure to align the parts. All-in-all it is technically more challenging and takes more time. Cleaning the Z-series frother took 30 seconds, but I probably spend 2~3 minutes with the Giga.

Service

This machine uses the same Eugster-Frismag brew group as other Jura models and the brew group is not user-removable, which just means that the machine needs to be professionally serviced at regular intervals (about every 2 years).

Get a Giga?

So now you’re wondering if you would need the Giga? If you’re trying to choose between Jura Z-series and the Giga 5, you will have to ask yourself if the dual grinders and slightly better milk froth is worth the additional cost. The brew quality and crema of a regular espresso/coffee between the Z and Giga is essentially the same because the brew group is the same. However, to a cappuccino lover the Giga is better since it can make two cappuccinos at the same time and the quality of the froth is slightly better.