After testing both machines, I’m here to tell you that in the debate of Jura Z8 vs Giga W3, Giga W3 is the final winner. This model is super-automatic with many convenient additional features that benefit the coffee flavor and stable operation.
Giga W3 is equipped with a 169oz water tank that can provide up to 120 servings per day. Taste-wise, we get nuanced, balanced, and aromatic coffee. This model also comes with a separate spout for hot water, and you can adjust the brewing temperature in 3 different settings. If you are looking for a model for your office, I highly recommend this product line.
As for the runner-up Z8, it has a smaller water tank that can store up to 81oz of water. This model can also detect the CLEARYL Smart water filter automatically. It can extract balanced coffee flavor as well. I recommend this product to most homeowners out there.
Jura Z8 vs Giga W3: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Jura Z8 vs Giga W3: Differences
Jura Giga W3 wins over Z8 by 4 to 1 thanks to its giant parts like the water tank and puck container, amazing coffee quality and variety, and excellent design with an individual hot water dispenser. However, Z8 is quite a formidable opponent, and it’s slightly more affordable as well. Find out the most suitable machine for you below.
Coffee Flavor: Giga w3
Grinder
Both Z8 and Giga W3 make use of a ceramic burr grinder, which I believe is the best type that the coffee machine market offers right now. But, while Jura Z8 uses a consistent conical one, Giga W3 makes use of a potent disc or flat grinder.
If you are not familiar with different terms about grinders, keep in mind that both of these grinders are excellent choices for high-end machines. But each has strengths and weaknesses.
From the point of view of an ex-barista, I prefer the disc grinder on Giga W3, even though it gets slightly noisier than the conical one on Z8. This type of grinder can offer you much finer and even ground, and since W3 doses from 5 to 16g, we can make great use of the finer ground to extract even more robust espresso or coffee. The grinder on Giga W3 has 5 different settings, the finer the ground, the stronger the taste.
As for the Z8 model, I enjoy the conical burr grinder on this one to the fullest, but it’s true that the final ground from this model isn’t as smooth and even as what we get with the machine above. Keep in mind that I don’t say that Z8 does a bad job, it’s just not as impressive as Giga W3. Without being compared to W3, Z8 deserves a 10 for its grinder, which delivers smooth ground with minimum noise. Z8’s grinder has 6 settings.
Dosing + tamping
The dosing and tamping process of Z8 and Giga W3 is very much the same. Both use the same amount of coffee dose, which varies from 5 to 16g. I hope they had set the range a bit wider so coffee lovers can get mellow to strong coffee whenever they like. But with the coffee strength adjustment and the options of grinding beans to different textures, I have extracted some good aromatic cups of coffee.
As expected from super-automatic machines, you won’t have to dose or tamp manually since they do it all for you. I have checked the pucks after brewing to see if Giga W3 and Z8 actually do a good job at tamping and pulling or not, and as I thought, they did a phenomenal job.
The pucks can be described as: moist but not soaked, and they don’t break very easily when discharged into the used pucks containers. I notice that the pucks from Z8 are slightly wetter than those of Giga W3 and the taste is a tad weaker, even though I set both machines’ grinders at the same medium level. So it seems that it would be better if I put the Z8 grinder to a finer grind setting.
If you own an espresso machine and the puck containers seem wet with old pucks, that means that the pressure is too low and doesn’t extract all the notes of flavor from the beans, or the dose is too little. The coffee must have tasted weak and watered-down.
Heating system
2 Thermoblocks are what these babies are using. Thanks to the dual Thermoblocks, I get optimum coffee and milk temperature all the time. And heating these espresso makers doesn’t require much waiting either. I haven’t been able to calculate the exact time that it takes for these to heat up the quickest, but I have tried to pull espresso after 3 minutes of waiting, and so far, so good.
Here is the thing: Giga W3’s Thermoblocks are supported by a much bigger water tank that holds up to 169oz of water. Z8, on the other hand, is good for 82oz. From the water tank capacity, I believe that Giga W3 is more suitable for offices or conferences where many servings in a short time are required. But you can definitely choose it for your household if you hate water tank refilling, but are willing to clean the puck containers and all at an average pace.
Brewing technique
Z8 pulls espresso with the Pulse Extraction Process technology, which wet the coffee ground in small, fast, and intense bursts of water to extract the coffee at the best condition evenly. Giga W3, surprisingly, doesn’t come with any special technology. But in fact, I have never experienced problems with coffee flavor from this one. Judging by the used pucks, I can tell that Giga W3 does a great job with the even extraction.
While Giga W3 has 43 of beverages, Z8 has 21 only. Nevertheless, I must say that the diversity of both is overwhelming already. With W3 we get rarer ones like Winter Magic Coffee, Viennese Coffee, Red Cold, etc. With Z8 we get the basic recipes alongside coffee Barista, Americano, Flat White, etc.
So if you want a simpler machine with a good range of beverage options, Z8 is a great option. On the contrary, if you want a super-automatic machine that can brew any drink that you have in mind, Giga W3 is the winner.
Utilities: giga w3
Used pucks container
The used pucks container on Giga W3 can hold up to 40 servings, while the one on Z8 can hold up to 20 only. If you are looking for a machine for a small office, Giga W3, without a doubt, is the better option. But if you are looking for an at-home machine, the used pucks container doesn’t have to be too big because you have to clear it out daily anyway.
And if you pull 5-8 cups of coffee per day, 40-servings container and 20-serving container won’t be any different. So choose one that fits the servings per day that you have in mind.
Separate hot water spout
With Giga W3, we have a separate hot water spout. For me, that is incredible since I drink tea frequently also. And the spout has 3 different temperature settings so I can change the heat to suit green tea or black tea.
If you are thinking of making good pour-over coffee with this model, here is my take on it. I tried to make pour-over with the right temperature which is about 200 degrees F, but the flow consistency is not stable enough for pour-over action, thus the final taste isn’t balanced as I wanted it to be.
Can we use it to make pour-over coffee? Yes. Can we use it to make delicious cups of pour-over coffee? Not quite.
Automatic recognition of water filter
In this aspect, Jura Z8 does a better job than Giga W3. It can recognize the CLEARYL Smart water filter automatically. But of course, Z8 can detect this model of filter automatically only.
Milk system: tie
Giga W3 is equipped with a milk system that allows us to adjust the air intake so that we can froth wetter or drier foam depending on our likings. After testing both W3 and Z8, I can say that they are both very stable with the milk frothing process and the foam or steamed milk’s temperature is hot.
Cleaning & Maintain: tie
Both machines are very easy to clean. The first thing that you will notice is that the brew group isn’t removable and usually, we have to do it to clean it thoroughly. But the thing is that Giga W3 and Z8 come with a special tablet that by dropping in via the foreground coffee slot, the machines will cleanse the coffee path and the brew group automatically, so you won’t have to do it.
Other than that, when you shut off Z8 and Giga W3, the nozzles automatically push hot water through it to clean everything that is left stuck in the dispenser.
Cleaning the milk path will require a bit more work since these espresso makers use a separate carafe or milk container and froth it by sucking it up the milk system via a silicone tube. So to clean it thoroughly, we use a cleaning solution, made by Jura, and start the milk cleaning process. Then the machine will do the rest.
Overall, I find the cleaning process of these models not too complicated and hectic. You will be able to maintain them without any difficulty.
Design & Material: giga w3
I like that both machines have aluminum parts that are durable and lightweight. But I indeed prefer the design of Giga W3 since it’s much bigger and the machine is more convenient for many servings per day.
The drip tray is much bigger as well so you won’t have to worry about dumping it constantly. There isn’t much to complain about the design of these product lines.
Jura Z8 vs Giga W3: Similarities
If you are wondering if these machines share anything in common, check out these 2 features: coffee jug and side water tank.
Coffee Jug
If you want to brew a whole coffee jug to bring back to your office or table, keep in mind that it is possible with both of these espresso makers. With Giga W3, we get up to 20 oz jug of coffee. With Z8, the amount goes up to 40oz.
Side water tank
Both machines boast of a side water tank which is very easy to access. I find it clever that they design Z8 and W3 that way. It’s inefficient to pull a heavy water tank out from the back every 3 or 4 days.
Quick Rundown Of Jura Giga W3
- The ingenious, self-explanatory operating concept includes a ball bearing-mounted rotary switch and TFT display for maximum speed and efficiency
- The integrated rinsing, cleaning and descaling programs reduce the effort involved to a minimum. Active bean monitor is available
- with accessories such as cup warmers and milk coolers, it is possible to design an optimum complete Coffee solution for any requirement
- The GIGA W3 is also capable of producing the internationally popular flat white
- Elegant and professional, the automatic Coffee machine provides everything that counts in a modern working environment for customers, visitors and employees
Last update on 2024-04-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Jura Z8
- RANGE OF BEVERAGES: 21 Specialty drink options
- SIMPLE TO USE: Intuitive operation using 4.3" Touchscreen or App
- CONVENIENT: One-Touch, Americano function for long coffees
- TECHNOLOGY: Flavorful ristretto and espresso with P.E.P technology
- GRINDER: AromaG3 grinder is 2X faster than previous models
Last update on 2024-04-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References:
- Jura Giga W3: https://us.jura.com/en/professional/machines/GIGA-W3-Professional-UL-15089#tabs
- Jura Z8: https://us.jura.com/en/homeproducts/machines/Z8-Alu-NA-15192/Specifications#tabs
Felix Hendricks is a skilled barista with over 12 years of experience. He excels in crafting coffee and has a strong foundation in coffee machine mechanics. Felix holds a Coffee Machine Maintenance Certification from the Coffee Equipment Technical Institute, showcasing his ability to diagnose and repair coffee machines. He’s also worked as a quality control specialist, selecting premium coffee beans for optimal flavor. Felix has a diverse work history, including stints at renowned coffee spots like Café Euphoria & Starbucks. His expertise in both brewing and machine maintenance makes him a respected figure in the coffee industry.