The Swiss company Jura was founded in 1931 (more than 90 years ago), manufacturing various small household appliances. In 1937, it produced its first model of coffee machine based on the percolator principle. In 1994, Jura began to manufacture bean-to-cup coffee machines and accessories for these machines exclusively.
We are talking about 24 years for models such as the Jura Impressa 500 or 20 years for the Jura Impressa E. Although Jura’s machines are characterised by their high quality, they are not exempt from problems, faults, and wear and tear due to use.
This article will look at the most common problems encountered with a Jura coffee machine. However, we would like to point out that you will greatly reduce the risk of breakdowns if you use your coffee machine properly. Please pay special attention to factors such as the quality of the water and coffee you use and keep it in a place free of moisture.
How to clean the Jura coffee machine
Many, if not most, of the problems with Jura coffee machines are caused by poor cleaning and maintenance. For this reason, we will show you how to perform the cleaning cycle of Jura coffee machines most appropriately and effectively.
The only things you will need to clean your Jura coffee machine are cleaning tablets or descalers; it is recommended to use only original cleaning products to clean your coffee machine. Each manufacturer prepares its chemical mixtures according to the internal components of its coffee machines.
To explain how to clean, we have selected two of the most popular models of Jura coffee machines (Jura S8 and Jura D6) to reference when describing your coffee machine. You can use them as a basis if you have a similar model, as the procedure is almost always the same.
NOTE: Once you start cleaning, do not interrupt, as this may damage the machine.
Automatic cleaning in Jura S8, with digital display:
Both Jura coffee machines, with and without a digital display, will ask you to describe the coffee machine every year and even tell you how long before the mandatory cleaning is due. However, you can perform a descaling whenever you wish, before that date is reached.
Steps to follow for cleaning:
- Go to the digital display menu by pressing the “P” button.
- From there, scroll through the options until you get to the cleaning menu and then go to the group cleaning menu, where you will also see an indicator of how long until the next cleaning. Press there, and you will get the time it will take for the machine to clean (approximately 20 minutes, although it may be a little less).
- Then press the start button.
- After pressing the start button, the machine will ask you to empty the waste container; once you have done this and the drip tray is also empty, put the parts back in place. Next, place a jug to contain the water coming out of the machine. Press “Next”, and the machine will start its cycle, running some water through the pipes, before asking for the cleaning tablet.
- The machine will then ask you to add the cleaning tablet, which you should put in the bypass dispenser, close it, press “Next”, and the machine will do the rest.
Automatic cleaning in D6, without digital display:
D6 coffee machines are a bit different because they don’t have a digital display, so they only have an interface with just text, but the cleaning process is very similar.
Steps to follow for cleaning:
- Hold down the “P” button to enter the menu.
- Go to “Rinse” in this menu and press the button.
- The first option that appears is “M-Rinse”, which means milk rinse, then appears “M-Clean” for milk clean, then “Rinse” (skip all these), then “Clean”, where you must press the button.
- Now the coffee machine asks you to empty the drip tray, so you have to remove it and make sure it is empty, do the same with the waste container. When you have the empty coffee waste container and drip tray, press the “Rinse” button (just before, put a container under the coffee spout).
- First, it runs a little water, but then the machine will ask for a cleaning tablet, so you add the tablet, it is the same tablet used in all Jura machines, and you put it in the bypass dispenser. The bypass dispenser on the D6 is right at the top; you put the tablet in there, press the “Rinse” button, and the machine will start the cleaning cycle, which can take at least 15 minutes.
At the end of the cleaning cycle in all models, the coffee machine will ask you to empty the waste container. And that’s it! Your coffee maker is now completely clean and ready to use.
Why and how to descale a Jura coffee machine:
The entire water pump system of the Jura coffee machine accumulates sediment and limescale due to use. This calcification depends on the degree of hardness of the water and can, in many cases, clog pipes, block the pump or affect the heating of the water. To ensure correct operation, describe your Jura coffee machine at least once a year.
Descaling products that Jura does not recommend (even if they are natural products such as vinegar) may contain harmful substances to your appliance or leave residues that affect the taste of the coffee. For this reason, we recommend that you use, if possible, Jura descaling tablets, which are specially manufactured for use in these machines. This requirement is shown in the following illustration from a JURA manual:
Each Jura coffee machine is different; therefore, it is recommended that you consult the user manual in the maintenance section, as this procedure is carried out on the specific model of your coffee machine.
My Jura coffee machine froths incorrectly
If, when frothing the milk, the machine does not make froth enough or the milk splashes out of the frother, it could be a problem caused by a lack of cleaning of the frother. Therefore, what you should do is a thorough cleaning of the frother as follows:
- Remove the milk pipe and rinse it thoroughly under the tap, ensuring the water circulates throughout the pipe.
- Carefully remove the frother system from the coffee machine. This is usually done by pressing both sides of the frother simultaneously.
- Disassemble all individual components of the frother.
- Rinse all parts thoroughly under the tap. In the event of stubborn milk residue, first, immerse the components in a solution of cold water and a little dishwashing soap.
- Reassemble all parts of the frother.
Here is a video explaining how to do it:
As each model of coffee machine is different, we again urge that you refer to the user manual of your coffee machine to do this procedure correctly. Here is an example of how to disassemble the frothing nozzle of the GIGA 5, which has a double spout:
My Jura coffee machine is not brewing enough coffee
If you have a Jura coffee machine and during brewing, you notice that coffee only comes out drop by drop, it may be a problem because the coffee has been ground too fine and is clogging the coffee extraction system. In this case, try adjusting the grind to a coarser grind on the grinder, as described below.
If you adjust the grind with the grinding mechanism stopped, damage to the rotary selector may occur. Therefore, we recommend adjusting the grind position only when the grinding mechanism is in operation.
- Place a cup under the coffee spout.
- Open the cover of the rotary selector to set the grind’s consistency.
- Select the type of coffee preparation. For example, press the ‘Espresso’ button to start preparation.
- Turn the grinder adjustment knob to the desired setting (coarser than the one you have) while the grinder operates. The preset amount of water flows into the cup. Preparation stops automatically.
- Close the cover of the rotary selector to set the grind’s consistency.
If you have already adjusted the grinding settings, but the problem persists, it is probably because the machine is clogged with limescale; in this case, perform a descaling by following the step-by-step instructions in the previous section.
No water comes out of my Jura coffee machine
If little or no water or steam comes out of the spouts of your Jura coffee machine and the sound of pumping water is barely audible, you should pay attention to the connection part of the spouts to the coffee machine, as it may be clogged by milk residues or limescale particles that have come off during a previous descaling.
By following these steps, you can solve this problem:
- Remove the nozzles from the coffee machine.
- Unscrew the black connector using the hexagonal hole in the ground coffee measuring spoon.
- Clean the connector thoroughly.
- Screw the connector back on by hand.
- Carefully tighten it with the hexagonal hole of the measuring spoon by no more than a quarter turn.
How to change the water pump of the Jura coffee machine
The water pump is an essential part of the proper functioning of an espresso machine. If it breaks down or starts working with less pressure than it should, there will be no coffee, or at least not with the quality we expect from a real espresso.
So if you have this problem, here’s how to change the electric pump to fix it. This procedure will take about 25 minutes, and you will need the following tools:
- Torx
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
- Spare pump
Step-by-step procedure:
- Switch off and unplug the coffee machine.
- First, separate the parts of the machine that you can remove manually.
- Loosen the screws at the back and also the screws at the front.
- With the help of a flat-blade screwdriver, remove the upper and the other housing.
- Locate the pump and loosen both the pipes and the cables that are connected to the pump.
- Replace the pump with a new one and reconnect each of the removed tubes and cables.
- We then proceeded to reassemble each of the parts we had removed. While we put the rear casing back on, we must ensure that we put the pump drain pipe back on the side of the coffee maker.
If you still have doubts about how to do this process, here is a video that, although it is not in Spanish, is quite illustrative and will surely clarify everything for you. Activate the subtitles and the automatic translation:
