The Jura ENA Micro 1 vs 90 is a tough comparison to make. While both are bean-to-cup espresso machines, the ENA Micro 1 is an espresso-only machine. It also produces espresso at the touch of a button. It does not come with a built-in milk frothing system – as the Jura ENA Micro 90 does.
The Jura ENA Micro 90 is a multi-functional bean-to-cup espresso machine. It has a built-in grinder and an automatic frothing system. That is why wins this debate as it is more cost-valuable to have in the home.
Another good reason to choose the Jura ENA Micro 90 over Micro 1 is that the former offers cappuccino and latte macchiato at the touch of a button. Making a cappuccino with the Micro 90 is more effort because you have to use a separate milk frother by heating the milk.
This makes the Jura ENA Micro 1 suitable for espresso purists while the Jura ENA Micro 90 is for espresso lovers who enjoy the milk espresso drinks on a regular basis.
Jura ENA Micro 1 vs 90: Comparision Chart
Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Jura ENA Micro 1 vs 90: Differences
The Jura ENA Micro 90 wins 4 – 2 against the Jura ENA Micro 1. It has a better grinder, more customizable espresso drinks, and most importantly, a milk frother which the ENA Micro 1 doesn’t.
1. Espresso Taste
The Winner: It’s A Tie!
+Coffee Grinder
The ENA Micro 90 features the Aroma G3 grinder which is better than the grinder of Jura ENA Micro 1 – the Micro grinder. The latter is more basic with regards to grinding performance, noise, and consistency. So you will hear the noticeable churning noise of the blades when the beans are grinding them to a fine powder.
But in no way does the noise negatively interfere with the final results. The Micro grinder is fast and effective at turning coffee beans into powder for maximum flavour extraction.
But it is a poorly-designed grinder in that it makes a mess that you will have to clean up afterwards. Some users have remarked that it does require breaking-in time for the first few brewing cycles.
The Aroma G3 grinder, in comparison, is ready and attractive and noiseless. It reduces the sound output significantly so you won’t the whole house up when you brew coffee.
Both grinders have multiple grind levels for precise and efficient control. There is a grinder dial where the bean hopper is so you won’t ever forget to dial in the beans before. If you’re confused about what to do, you can also rely on the instructions manual to get you acquainted.
+Intelligent Pre-Heating
One of the strengths of the Jura ENA Micro 1 is the Intelligent Pre-Heating System. This encourages a stronger, smoother, and full-bodied extraction of espresso by temperature control.
What this does is very similar to the way barista-grade espresso machines work. Gently allowing the freshly ground coffee to seep in hot water so that it not only dispenses piping hot espresso but that it is topped with a delicious and creamy layer of crema.
The Jura ENA Micro 90 does not include the Intelligent Pre-Heating feature. But it does have PEP and Thermoblock and 15 bar pump (also present in ENA Micro 1) for brewing strong and delicious espresso consistently.
2. Dose Control
The Winner: Jura ENA Micro 90
+Number of Coffee Drinks
Despite not having the dual coffee spout, the Jura ENA Micro 90, unlike the Micro 1, offers 6 coffee specialties. Meanwhile, the Jura ENA Micro 1 offers just 3 espresso drinks. Though they are barista-style espresso drinks including Ristretto, Espresso, and Coffee buttons.
The Jura ENA Micro 90 is more advanced in that it offers milk drinks on top of espresso drinks. So you have 3 barista-style espresso drinks like Espresso, Ristretto, and Coffee. For milk drinks, you have the latte macchiato, cappuccino, and portion of milk foam buttons.
+Programmability
A lot about the ENA Micro 1 is left in the dark. It does not include intricate programmability the way the Jura ENA Micro 90 does. The former gives you the chance to individually select how strong you want the espresso to taste per cup. And you get to select the strength by 10 levels.
It also offers brewing temperature control (2 levels) which the Jura ENA Micro 1 does not. With the Jura ENA Micro 90, you can decide how much coffee you want per cup, its strength, and temperature. With the Jura ENA Micro 1, you can select from 2 Aroma levels and the espresso size – Ristretto (shortest), Espresso (standard), and Coffee (longer extraction).
3. Milk System
The Winner: Jura ENA Micro 90
The Jura ENA Micro 1 does not come with a milk system for frothing and producing fine-foam milk for lattes, cappuccinos, etc. You have to heat up the milk in the microwave and use a manual frothing device separately. It’s not included in the Micro 1’s package.
But for espresso purists, this should not be a problem at all. If it’s rich espresso that you crave, the Micro 1 offers espresso at the touch of a button from bean to cup.
But for those delicious and creamy milk treats, the milk system with the Jura ENA Micro 90 should suit you. It has 2 one-touch cappuccino and latte macchiato buttons to make the drink right off the bat. Or you can select how big a portion of milk foam you want by pressing the milk foam button on the control panel.
The Plain Text Display with Rotary Switch and Buttons make it easier to access and faster to control. And the milk spout sits right next to the espresso spout so you won’t have to move the cup around for the frothing to start. The machine starts and stops automatically.
4. Utilities
The Winner: It’s A Tie!
+Bean Hopper Size
The bean hopper of the Jura ENA Micro 1 is bigger than Jura ENA Micro 90. This is an advantage considering that the ENA Micro 1 is more lightweight weighing 19.5 lbs while its competitor weighs 20.7 lbs.
Both have the same water tank capacity – 37 ounces – which according to some users can be a bit smaller and so frequent refills are necessary. But for 1-2 people, the espresso machine is sturdy, easy to maintain, and convenient.
Since the Jura ENA Micro 90’s bean hopper is small, you have to add beans once every 3-4 cups. Compared to its competitor for which you can add beans once in 6-7 cups.
+Control Panel
The Jura ENA Micro 90 features a slightly updated control panel which is more responsive than what the Micro 1 offers. This is not so much about the accessibility of the interface because both control panels are user-friendly. Because the ENA Micro 90 offers 6 coffee drinks and a milk frother, its interface is more customizable and easy to control than its competitor.
The Jura Micro 1 comes with a touch panel with a symbol display that has 3 espresso buttons for one-touch functionality.
+Aroma Preservation Cover
One point goes to the Jura ENA Micro 1 for including the Aroma Preservation cover which keeps the beans fresh. This may not have been necessary on the ENA Micro 90 since it has such a small bean hopper. But still, it would have made a convenient addition.
Since Micro 1 comes with a 7-ounce hopper, it keeps beans that can make between 5 to 7 cups of coffee. This number varies depending on the drink size and strength. However, on average let’s catch for 5 servings.
If you’re living alone and you drink 2 cups daily, this means the beans stay in the hopper for 3-4 days? Imagine in all that time, the lid of the hopper is not properly sealed. The flavour and aroma of the beans will deteriorate, resulting in weak-tasting espresso.
The Aroma Preservation Cover prevents that from happening. It comes with rubber edges that sit firmly along the hopper to prevent any moisture from getting in.
Jura ENA Micro 1 vs 90: Similarities
Contrary to what you might think, the Jura ENA Micro 1 and 90 have a lot in common. They both include the Pulse Extraction Process and Thermoblock heating system. These are the Jura standards to brew espresso at the optimal temperature and consistency, just like a barista does.
Both machines also feature the same power functions with automatic shut-off and the zero-energy switch. For cleaning and maintenance, it has the CLEARYL water filter with the water hardness level indicator. Both machines also come with a by-pass doser for ground coffee. This is also from where you can easily add the Jura cleaning tablet for a deep, hygienic auto rinse.
In fact, the Jura ENA Micro 1 and 90 will remind you when it’s time to clean the machine thoroughly well. You don’t have to guess when the right time is to do it yourself.
I’ve only been talking about what both machines have to offer to their users. What they don’t have – which is a good thing to know since you’re paying for either one of these machines after reading this article – is Smart App Connect and Dual Coffee Spout.
Quick Rundown of Jura ENA Micro 90 15116
- ONE TOUCH: Prepare 6 barista quality specialties including espresso, coffee, cappuccino and latte macchiato at the touch of a button
- PERFECT ESPRESSO: Ultimate coffee quality thanks to JURA's exclusive Pulse Extraction Process
- CONICAL BURR GRINDER: Fast and precise AromaG3 grinder grinds whole beans to the optimum fineness
- ECO FRIENDLY: JURA is always freshly ground, not capsuled - fresh taste with very limited waste - single serve machine
- CAPACITY: 37 ounce water tank, 4.4 ounce bean container
Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Jura ENA Micro 1 13626
Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Jura ENA Micro 90 15116 from Jura https://us.jura.com/en/homeproducts/machines/ENA-Micro-90-MicroSilver-UL-15116
I am a passionate coffee drinker. Since I left my job as a barista a few years back in 2012, I’ve been sharing my expertise on coffee and buying the best coffee equipment online. That’s how Wild Boar Coffee came to life.
I write about everything coffee-related under the sun. Where to buy the freshest coffee beans from? How to test coffee beans based on texture, aroma, and acidity?
I know all this from scratch – all thanks to my years and years of experience as a barista. So I’ve gotten real up-close-and-personal with coffee beans and different brewing techniques.