Jura unveils first-ever 'premium economy' coffee machine, but why is it so expensive?

If you've noticed the best bean to cup coffee machines becoming increasingly expensive, you're not the only one. A lot of models, such as the Sage Oracle Touch and KitchenAid KF8, are still the best part of a grand, which let's face it, is a lot of money. 

You're probably wondering why I've decided to start my Wednesday moaning about the rising costs of coffee machines. Well, Jura has just unveiled a 'premium economy' coffee machine, describing it as offering 'maximum performance and premium style' in a compact format. 

At first glance, the Jura C8 certainly looks like an impressive machine, but I want to dig deeper to see if it truly justifies its hefty price tag. 

First of all, let's take a look at this 'premium economy' tagline. It's clear that the Swiss brand is positioning its new coffee machine as a small notch above budget options, but with a price tag of nearly £900, it's an unusual approach to go with. The cheapest machine in our best bean to cup coffee machine  buying guide is the Breville Barista Max+, retailing at just under £330. The Jura C8 remains a lot more expensive than this, so I'd be inclined to categorise it as a premium choice more than anything. 

The Jura C8 offers a streamlined menu of the four most popular classics: coffee, espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato. The De'Longhi Eletta Explore can make over 50 hot and cold coffee recipes, so I'm not too impressed by this. The C8 also lacks a touchscreen, another feature that a lot of similarly priced machines have. 

Don't get me wrong, the C8 does have a few handy features. There's Pulse Extraction Process to ensure every espresso is served to a barista standard, and Fine Foam Technology helps produce a lovely smooth foam for cappuccinos and latte macchiatos.  There's also a Professional Aroma Grinder, allowing you to optimise your flavour and extraction preferences. 

Jura itself describes the C8 as a 'minimalist approach' to coffee brewing. There's of course nothing wrong with this, and a lot of consumers will prefer this over something more tech-focused. However, its price doesn't quite reflect this, and I would've been happier to see it on the lower end of the scale.