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Jura Micro 1 vs. Jura Micro 9, What’s Best for you?
Owning a Jura espresso machine isn’t like owning any other coffee maker.
Jura is known for luxurious, no hassle, top tier coffee making, incorporating the best Swiss engineering has to offer.
Whether you’re buying to avoid the line at your local coffee shop every day, or you’re tired of subpar Starbucks dessert drinks that taste bitter and burned, the Jura Micros will literally transform your morning ritual.
Traditional espresso machines, like the kind you see in fancy cafes, require some serious practice and maintenance to operate.
If you’re not into cultivating your inner barista skills or just looking for ease of use, then an automatic espresso machine like the Jura is a solid choice. No-one ever regrets buying a Jura.
The Final Shot: If you’re an espresso purist interested in ristretto and espresso without the frills of milk-based drinks, the Micro 1 is the best machine for your needs. If you can’t live without a daily cappuccino, the Micro 9 is going to be a better bet with the inclusion of a steamer and frother.
The ultimate benefit of an automatic espresso machine is its convenience.
With just a few button taps, you can have a hot, crema filled cup of espresso ready to drink.
In this review we compare the two base starter models from Jura: the Micro 1 and the Micro 9.
To see all 18 jura machines reviewed and compared check out my 6000+ word ultimate guide to Jura coffee machines.
Contents
Jura Micro 9 vs Micro 1 Head to Head
 |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Name | Jura Micro 9 | Jura Micro 1 |
 Size (L x W x H) | 9.06 x 12.72 x 17.52 in | 9 x 12.7 x 17.5 in |
 Weight | 20.7 lbs | 19.4 lbs |
 Display | Yes | Yes |
 Frothing | Yes | No |
 Water Tank | 37 oz | 37 oz |
Similarities
Both the Jura Micro 1 and the Jura Micro 9 are quick and easy to use machines. No tinkering and no previous experience needed.
Both models are designed to be simple to use and allow users to customize their espresso with regard to several different specifications (the range varies by model) and then brew with the touch of a couple buttons.
The Micro 1 and the Micro 9 are both automatic espresso machines. That means that you won’t be grinding and tamping the beans yourself.
Both machines include built-in bean grinders that are loaded from the top and will automatically grind and load enough beans for your espresso.
Jura’s aroma preservation seal ensures stored beans in the hopper will stay fresher longer.
The machines are also comparable when it comes to size. The Micro 9 is a bit heavier, but only by about a pound so it isn’t a noticeable difference, or an impactful one.
The water reservoirs both have a capacity of 37 oz., so you’ll be able to brew the same amount of espresso per tank with each machine.
Shared Features:
- Automatic espresso machine
- Water reservoir has a capacity of 37 oz
- Quick and easy to use
- Auto built-in grinders from the top
Differences
While the basic functions of these two machines are pretty similar – quickly brewed espresso with minimal user interaction – the execution is fairly different.
Ultimately the Micro 9 offers more versatility and premium features than the Micro 1, and predictably, at a higher price.
Brew Customization
The Jura Micro 1 offers some variability for brew strength and size while maintaining a straight forward design.
There are five different buttons on top of the Micro 1 for brewing: 3 for cup size, 2 for aroma strength. How you mix and match these settings will determine the type of espresso the machine will make, allowing you to customize the experience.
For example, the smallest cup size with the darkest aroma will be your strongest espresso. If you’d prefer a drink more similar to a lungo or Americano, then you could choose the largest cup size with the lighter aroma.
Although there are only 5 different buttons on the Micro 1’s display panel, by switching up the combinations you are able to create a much wider variety of different drink styles to suit your preferences.
The Micro 9 offers similar settings, but with additional customization options.
With the Micro 9 you can choose from pre-set options to brew latte macchiato, cappuccino, café crème, espresso, or just hot water for an Americano. Additionally, the Micro 9 also allows you to control the amount of water used and the strength of your coffee in each brew, like the base model, Micro 1.
The range of options available with the Micro 9 allows great possibilities for tailoring a brew’s strength to your individual tastes.
Frothing
Unlike the Micro 1, the Micro 9 also offers an option for adding steamed and frothed milk to any espresso drink.
This is the most significant difference between the two models.
If you’re a latte macchiato or cappuccino lover, this feature (coupled with the programmability of brew preferences mentioned in the previous section) is a huge reason to purchase this model.
While the Micro 1 is going to brew a killer shot of ristretto or espresso, it’s not going to be able to make any of your favorite milk-based espresso drinks. That’s a pretty big count against it, unless you’re a 24/7/365 espresso purist.
Hardware
As we’ve mentioned, the Micro 1 and the Micro 9 are about the same size and weight, but they make use of their space rather differently.
The Micro 1 is very straightforward. The display and brew options are located on top of the machine at the front. The built-in coffee grinder is on top of the machine at the back. The single serve spout is on the front of the machine over the stainless-steel tray where you place your cup.
The Micro 9 has a similar overall design, but with some key differences when it comes to the spout on the front of the machine.
The Micro 9 sports a dual spout whereas the Micro 1 is equipped with a single spout.
Like the Micro 1, the Micro 9’s spout is adjustable to allow for different cup sizes, but the Micro 9’s dual spout has separate pathways for coffee and for milk. With the Micro 9 you can connect a Jura pitcher of milk to the dual spout with a small tube and add foamed milk to the top of your espresso drink all in one go.
Not only does the dual spout allow for brewing coffee and steaming milk simultaneously, it’s also really easy to clean. The various pieces and parts on the Micro 9 should be disassembled for cleaning regularly in order to ensure consistent quality, especially with milk passing through.
Naturally the different parts are numbered so that you won’t mix them up or forget how to put it back together when you’re finished.
Settings and Display
In keeping with its straightforward design, the Micro 1 has a clean and easy to use display.
The top panel has five touch buttons backlit with a simple red light for visibility. The system’s programming incorporates an automatic energy saving mode that will kick into play after the machine has been sitting still for a while, but the intelligent pre-heating feature still ensures the machine is ready to go at a moment’s notice.
The top panel on the Micro 9 offers a bit more variety.
There is a rectangular display panel that also doubles as a clock and allows you to program auto on/off times.
Under the display panel is the circular rotary switch surrounded by six smaller buttons which you can use to customize your brew. The more elaborate panel on the Micro 9 is what allows you to create a wider variety of drink styles, but still with ease similar to the Micro 1.
The Micro 9 also includes an energy efficiency mode, but because of the auto on/off feature that can be programmed to suit your needs, you have more control over when the machine will switch into its energy saving mode.
Summary
The Jura Micro 1 and the Jura Micro 9 offer similar high-end, automatic espresso brewing experiences.
There is no real top overall perfomer in this match up – each model will serve a different type of user and the better machine will depend on your specific preferences.
With 4.2 out of 5.0 stars on Amazon, the Micro 1 is a straightforward and reliable machine for an espresso purist. It combines all of the features you’d want in an automatic espresso machine, like a built-in grinder and easy to use brewing options. No crazy frills.
The Micro 9 is an upgrade with a stellar 4.3 out of 5.0 star average. It has a higher price tag, but allows you to enjoy milk-based espresso drinks, which is a serious must for latte and cappuccino drinkers.
Questions? Leave a comment below!
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4-Week Free Espresso E-mail Course!
Week 1 - Home Espresso Machines
Week 2 - Coffee Beans
Week 3 - Types of Drinks
Week 4 - Advanced Brewing
Join Mike (me) and learn all the basics of making great tasting espresso!
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About the Author Michael York
I am a die-hard espresso fan. I love every form of the drink from straight espresso shots to lattes and cappuccinos. I currently use a Breville BES870XL Barista, it is an awesome machine. BUT, my dream machine is definitely an Italian Quickmill Andreja. Those bad boys make badass espresso. I love answering your questions, leave a comment or question below!
