When Mary-Ann and I come into work and see a new machine sitting on one of our desks, we get pretty excited. Getting to be the first people here at Whole Latte Love to unbox and test a new product is a pretty great thing. This morning, it happened again! As we downed our first cups of coffee, we were told that we would be testing the new Jura-Capresso EC50 espresso machine and telling all of you about it.
Aesthetically, the EC50 is simple and classic. It has no display, a single light, and a single knob. It is utilitarian (which I love). No frills, just solid and sleek with its stainless steel and black body.
Pressurized Portafilters
Some people take issue with machines with pressurized portafilters but personally, Mary-Ann and I sort of like them. Being new to the business and not being the best at grind settings and tamping, it’s nice to be able to make a solid shot of espresso without having to factor in frequent human error! The EC50 does just that. Regardless of the lack of caffeine in our systems, and the fact that it wasn’t even 9am here yet, we were able to impress ourselves with the amount of crema that came from the shots.
Temperature
As for the temperature of the shots, you should see the blister on Mary-Ann’s tongue. Despite her saying out loud “Wow, this glass is hot” her cloudy judgment allowed her to sip the piping hot shot which resulted in a pretty humorous dance around the kitchen. The thermo-block heating system (that warms up in less than a minute) made for a nice laugh first thing in the morning.
Machine Size
The EC50 measures up at a whopping (not really whopping at all, actually) 11.5x7.25x10.25 and weighs just 8 lbs. This is one of the smallest machines we have ever used, but still manages to carry an impressive 42 oz of water in its rear mounted reservoir. It lifts out easily for filling with a nifty built in handle to carry to the sink, or the top moves plenty to fill it with a pitcher of water.
Keeping It Clean
Taking after its higher end siblings, the Jura-Capresso EC50 is equally compulsive about being clean. After every brew cycle, the EC50 produces steam to remove any water from the thermo-block water heater, meaning you only have to descale after between 200-300 shots depending on your water.
Frothing Power
The powerful frothing wand produces an almost ridiculous amount of steam and pressure given its size. A pitcher of milk is quickly frothed before your shots even have a chance to cool down as the EC50 heats from brew to steam temperature in a matter of seconds. Unlike a typical Pannarello wand, in order to steam your milk you will have to remove the black plastic frothing sleeve and re submerge the metal wand. While it’s not optimal, it really wasn’t a big deal considering the sleeve does come off very easily, and has a small tab so that any heat from the frothing doesn’t bother you.
Amazing Value
We carry a lot of amazing, top of the line machines here at Whole Latte Love. So it’s easy to be a little jaded when it comes to working with entry level, budget friendly machines. And just like waking up to a fresh snow fall or watching a lightning storm from afar, it’s exciting that there are some fantastic offerings for people who want to share in the joy of the espresso culture, but just aren’t sure that they’re ready to pull the trigger on a big ticket item just yet. Brewing consistently solid shots, giving you more than enough power to froth your milk, and fitting in any kitchen, the Jura-Capresso EC50 is an amazing value from a very well respected company.