Chameleon Coffee

Buying guide · Under $2000

Best coffee machine under $2000 in Australia

Short answer: under $2000 is the tier where the choice gets interesting. New, it buys a Breville Barista Pro or Barista Touch, a DeLonghi Dinamica or Eletta, or Jura’s entry ENA 4. Refurbished from a workshop, it buys the Jura E8, ENA 8 or S8 – the machines at the top of most best-of lists – with the wear parts replaced and a warranty. For push-button coffee with proper milk, the refurbished E8 is the pick. For hands-on espresso, the Barista Pro.

Key facts

  • This tier is where new semi-automatics with automatic milk (Barista Touch) overlap with refurbished premium automatics (Jura E8, S8).
  • A new Jura in this tier is the ENA 4 – excellent, but black coffee only. One-touch milk on a new Jura starts above it.
  • DeLonghi’s Dinamica and Eletta add one-touch milk via the LatteCrema carafe for less than a new Jura equivalent.
  • Refurbished E8 and S8 machines from Chameleon Coffee come with a warranty on parts and labour.

What $2000 buys

OptionTypeStrengthsWeaknesses
Breville Barista ProSemi-automatic, built-in grinderFast heat-up, better grinder than the Express, full manual controlYou do the work; daily cleaning; 5–7 year life
Breville Barista TouchSemi-automatic with auto milkTouchscreen presets, automatic milk texturingStill a portafilter machine; still cleaning
DeLonghi Dinamica / Eletta ExploreAutomatic with carafe milkOne-touch milk drinks, cold drinks on the Eletta, new in boxLouder, bulkier, carafe to dismantle, thinner shot, 5–8 year life
Jura ENA 4 (new)Automatic, no milkSwiss build, pulsed extraction, compact, new warrantyNo milk system at all
Jura E8 / ENA 8 / S8 (refurbished)Automatic, one-touch milkThe best home automatics, serviced, warranted, well under newOlder generation; cosmetic marks

The refurbished E8: the pick for most people

The E8 is the machine we recommend most often at any price. One-touch flat whites and lattes, Pulse Extraction, a quiet grinder, a family-sized tank, and a design that is serviced rather than scrapped. New it sits above this tier; refurbished from our workshop it sits inside it, with the seals and wear parts replaced, the brew group serviced and a warranty on parts and labour. The ENA 8 is the same choice for a small kitchen; the S8 adds a touchscreen and capacity for a busy household. Which Jura should I buy? compares them.

The Barista Pro: the pick for hands-on espresso

If the point is making coffee rather than having it made, the Barista Pro is the best all-in-one semi-automatic under $2000: three-second heat-up, a capable grinder, a proper steam wand and enough control to learn on properly. The Barista Touch adds automatic milk and presets for people who want the Breville experience with less technique. Neither is a push-button machine, and neither is built to be serviced for a decade – see refurbished Jura vs new Breville for the same-money comparison.

New Jura ENA 4 vs refurbished Jura E8

The only new Jura in this tier makes no milk. It is a superb black-coffee machine – compact, quiet, Swiss – and if you never drink milk coffee, buy it. If you do, a refurbished E8 at similar money gives you one-touch milk and a bigger tank, at the cost of being a previous-owner machine with our warranty rather than Jura’s. Most households drink milk coffee. Most should buy the E8.

DeLonghi in this tier

The Dinamica and Eletta Explore are DeLonghi’s best value: one-touch milk from the LatteCrema carafe, and on the Eletta, cold drinks too. Against a refurbished Jura E8 at the same money they are louder, bulkier, the shot is thinner, the carafe needs dismantling to clean, and the service life is shorter. New-in-box is their real advantage – Jura vs DeLonghi has the detail.

Our picks

Best forPick
Push-button, milk drinks, most householdsRefurbished Jura E8
Push-button, small kitchenRefurbished Jura ENA 8
Push-button, busy householdRefurbished Jura S8
Push-button, black coffee, must be newJura ENA 4
Hands-on espressoBreville Barista Pro
Hands-on with automatic milkBreville Barista Touch
One-touch milk, must be new, cheapestDeLonghi Dinamica

E8, ENA 8 and S8, refurbished and warranted

Stripped, serviced and tested in our Melbourne workshop. Warranty on parts and labour. Stock changes weekly – call for what is in.

Browse refurbished Jura machinesCall 0431 852 898

Frequently asked questions

What is the best coffee machine under $2000 in Australia?

For push-button coffee with milk, a refurbished Jura E8 from a workshop. For hands-on espresso, the Breville Barista Pro.

Can you buy a new Jura for under $2000?

The ENA 4, which makes excellent black coffee but has no milk system. One-touch milk on a new Jura starts above this tier.

Is the Breville Barista Touch worth it over the Barista Pro?

If you want automatic milk and presets, yes. If you want to learn to steam milk yourself, the Pro is the same espresso for less.

Is a refurbished Jura E8 better than a new DeLonghi Dinamica?

In the cup, in noise, and in lifespan, yes. The DeLonghi’s advantage is being new in the box.

How long will a machine in this tier last?

Breville and DeLonghi: typically 5–8 years. A serviced Jura: 10–15 years, which is why refurbished ones are worth buying.