Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro does just about everything, from espresso shots and cappuccinos to lattes, cortados, iced coffee, cold foam drinks, and even regular drip coffee. It’s all automatic, as all you need to do is add water, beans, and optionally milk. I’m really impressed at what all it does considering the price. I’ve had much more expensive machines that were more complicated to use and did not produce as good of results as the Ninja. The machine is rather large but its modern design still looks attractive and elegant on my countertop. Sometimes these fully automatic machines seem a bit daunting when you take them out of the box. However, setting up the AutoBarista Pro was surprisingly straightforward. The machine includes water-hardness test strips and guides you through the auto-calibration for the grinder based on your beans. It takes a little time upfront, but once it's dialed in, the machine remembers your settings and automatically adjusts as needed. The grinder is fairly quiet compared to the standalone machine I have but it does take a while to grind as the machine will accurately measure by weight. A unique feature of this machine is that it comes with a second hopper so that you can instantly change from one to the other without having to recalibrate the grinder. Great for those who switch to decaf often. I estimate each hopper holds about 8 oz of whole beans. Don’t try to fill it to the top like I did or else the beans will get stuck. The drinks are as good as I’ve made on any other home espresso machine I’ve tried, both automatic and traditional. My favorite drink is just the simple latte, but my wife really enjoys the iced options. The frother is usually the most complicated part of the machine and where others have failed. This one works very well. There is a milk pitcher and a steam wand that fits into it. The force of the steam spins a small removable whisk at the bottom of the pitcher to create a high quality microfoam. The pitcher has markings that correspond to the drink and you can select dairy or plant-based milk. Minimal daily upkeep is another strong point. The machine automatically rinses itself when powered on and off. The machine will signal when it’s time to empty the drip tray and the used puck container, about every 4-5 drinks. If you used milk, the machine will run a purge through the wand and you’ll want to at least rinse out or wash the milk pitcher and just wipe down the wand. Additional maintenance includes washing the parts monthly. The milk container, whisk, and water reservoir are dishwasher safe. The brew unit can be completely rinsed and left to air dry (do not use soap or dishwasher) and the hoppers can be wiped clean. The machine will also indicate when you need to run a cleaning or descaling cycle and includes some cleaning tablets and descaling solution to start with. Finally, the brew unit needs to be lubricated about every two months with the included lubricant. Coffee connoisseurs or those very particular about their coffee might be disappointed with the lack of control over the process but that’s going to be the case with any automatic machine. This machine is for consistency and convenience, something I definitely appreciate. However, for each drink you can customize the temperature, strength, number of shots, and frothing type. The machine can store these settings in up to two profiles. The only other downside is that it takes up more counter space than a manual espresso machine. I would consider my kitchen countertops and cabinets to be standard, but the top of the hopper sits only about 2” below my cabinets, making it hard to add more beans to the hopper without moving the entire machine, and it is heavy. Pros: - Consistent drinks with minimal effort - Easy to clean and maintain - Automatic grinding calibration - Dual whole bean hoppers - Option for pre-ground coffee - Variety of options: espresso, drip, milk, iced, cold foam from one machine - Can dispense hot water - Auto rinse and clean cycles - Includes cleaning tablets, descale solution, cleaning brush Cons: - Less control than a traditional machine - Heavy and demands a lot of counter space Overall – The Ninja AutoBarista Pro can make a variety of drinks consistently and is easy to clean. The extra hopper makes swapping out beans easy and I think it is an excellent value and performs as well as more expensive machines. Highly recommended.

As a coffee connoisseur, I mean it when I say the Ninja AuroBarista Pro is every bit as bold as it is conveinient. This machine has become a staple in my daily routine for the past week. I believe it's found a permanent space on my counter top and easily ranks among one of my favorite kitchen appliances. Upon unboxing I greatly appreciated the care Ninja put into the welcoming process and even provided handy brochures to give you an instant leg up on your new coffee making ventures. Setup was simple and I was making delicious beverages in no time. I'm seriously impressed by the amount of variety available and it takes up less space than expected too. Speaking of design, the aesthetic is very modern and on par with most current options on the market and I love the included swappable bean hopper. This comes in handy when you want to spend less time waiting and more time indulging. On the topic of indulgence, the reason you're probably interested in this product is for the coffee. So of course everyones tastes are different, but I can say without a doubt this machine makes the best at home coffee I've ever had. Honestly, it's far better than what I expected from a home coffee machine. During my time so far, I've tried everything from an espresso to cold brew and even iced lattes. I typically go for a straight up americano but I had fun trying every style of drink available. With plentiful customizable brew settings and froth options, it was seamless, tailoring each drink to my preferences. One thing to consider is the length of time it took to make most drinks. This was a bit longer than what I'm used to. If you don't mind waiting a couple more minutes, I thought the quality was worth the wait though. The cold foam feature was a pleasant surprise and quickly became a favorite option. Even allowing for plant based milk, it always came out smooth and just right. As mentioned previously, the swappable bean hopper is another standout feature. I enjoy switching between different flavored beans without the fuss of purging anytime i'd like a flavor change. The adjustable cup tray comes in clutch, as this was a negative for my previous machine where I could only fit a standard mug. Despite using it multiple times a day, cleaning has been straight-forward. The removable brew unit, drip tray, and puck bin make maintenance quick and headache free. As expected the ability to save custom drink settings with user profiles, means the moment maintenance is complete, a quick couple of taps and my preferred drink is already brewing. In short, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro has won me over. I found the customization and quality of output a big A+. This machine is a genuine pleasure to operate at home. If you're looking for a versatile machine that can handle everything from espresso shots to specialty beverages, this one is definitely worth it.

With Espresso machines in homes having soared in popularity from 1% to 14%, Ninja just released the stunning AutoBarista Pro, a fully automatic espresso machine in glistening stainless steel. At first glance, AutoBarista is an exquisite appliance designed to compliment the finest kitchens. Dig deeper into its performance, and you will see that Ninja AutoBarista Pro creates actual 9-bar espresso, fast ice coffee & drip coffee. It automatically selects from 50 grind settings. This machine far exceeds my expectations. It produces 100% perfect cappuccino, ideal espresso, and my favorite: ice cold coffee for those steamy hot summer afternoons. I am far from being a barista. Just ask my wife! AutoBarista earns all of the credit for preparing these delicious drinks. CONCLUSION: With the soft touch of a button, you select your favorite cappuccino, latte, cold-brew or many other options. Ninja takes it from there and delivers the perfect drink, automatically. This is the easiest to clean espresso machine that we have owned. Ninja AutoBarista Pro is our absolute favorite kitchen appliance & earns my highest recommendation.

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is my first fully automatic espresso maker and the 4th of any type that I've owned. I've used a few semi-auto espresso makers, and this fully automatic model does a fantastic job both at making good espresso as well as making the whole process foolproof and time-saving. #Setup# The AutoBarista Pro was a breeze to set up. Total time from opening the box to getting it on my counter and brewing coffee was about 30 minutes, including the initial cleaning of the components. It has a mode called Grind IQ that automatically calibrates itself for each type of bean that you use. I found that even though I only used one calibration cycle, it made really good espresso with perfect crema from the first brew. #Using the AutoBarista Pro# After making coffee for a few days with the AutoBarista Pro, what I like most about is that Ninja seems to have perfect solutions for just about every minor quibble I've had with my previous espresso machines. Whether it's automatic whisking while it steams the milk for lattes, or purging the steam arm, or the way it automatically discards pucks into a drawer for easy cleanup every few days... it just makes the whole process super easy. Another feature I really like is that you can easily switch between different coffee beans thanks to the inclusion of a second hopper. This way, I can keep one hopper in the machine with my "go-to" every day coffee, while having a second hopper cleaned and emptied for adding nicer coffee beans that I keep in vacuum jars. It's much easier to make sure there's now mixing of flavors this way. #Final thoughts# I'm sure there are some purists that might find the AutoBarista Pro a bit too easy to get decent results. For me, it takes some of the guesswork and a lot of the time out of making good espresso at home. You literally add beans, hit a few buttons on a touch screen, it makes a bunch of noises, and crema pours out. Can't be much easier than that.

I've had experience with fully automatic coffee machines, having gone through 4 of them over the past 15-20 years. I've had DeLonghi, Saeco, & Philips units, each of them well used, and surprising even to myself, very durable despite their mechanical complexity. I've also become a fan of the Ninja/Shark products, currently owning a Foodi Cooker, Toaster oven, Ice Cream Maker and a couple of vacuums. What I've noticed is that this company seems to work from the ground up, designing each product from a fresh perspective. With this Auto Barista machine they continue the tradition. First, with coffee, it's all about the bean, right? Ninja supplies you with two separate bean hoppers, easily interchangeable. Handy if within you home you have caff/decaf, or individuals with light/dark preferences. Hoppers are nicely sealed for freshness. But that's just the start of the bean story. The Ninja provides a stainless steel burr grinder. They provide what they call a "Grind IQ" technology, which calibrates the machine to your specific need. On the initial start, you hit the IQ button, and it goes through its process. After the machine did its thing, I checked the disposal hopper, and saw the coffee "pucks" of varying grind thickness; evidence of the machine hunting the right grind. There are supposedly 50 different grind settings it can utilize. Still sticking with the bean story, the AutoBarista then uses "weight-based dosing", measured down to the gram, to insure you get the right grind, along with the right dose, for your perfect cup. There is also no "over-grinding'. In every machine I've ever owned, for each cup, the grinder will always grind more than necessary. The overage will be the start of the next cup you brew. What I observed with this machine, the grinder will wind up, start, seem like it's out of beans, then restart the grind. What it's doing is dialing in the precise number of grams of coffee. No leftover ground coffee to go stale. This is the ability to change the grind & dose on the fly, if you're pulling an espresso followed by a standard brew, you're covered. So all of this happens behind the scenes, before a drop of water hits the coffee. Now comes your preference. There are 13 preset buttons from espresso to latte to cold brew and so on. Each of these options comes with its own options such as cup size or brew strength. Choose what you like, and save it. Yes, there are 2 personalization buttons so that you and your partner can choose different settings for the same drink. Love it for the wife that likes her morning brew a little lighter than you. Foam/froth is also a science with the Auto Barista. Like your foam thick, thin. or maybe even cold? Ninja can do that for you. Seems they did some science on the foam - I've never quite seen a tip on a frother quite like this one. Even the milk jug wasn't spared. While on its own it's a nice piece of included hardware, if you look inside it, there's an attached coiled spring attached to a spinner, presumably there to improve the frothing process. Don't know the science, all I can tell you is it works. Overall, the machine is an impressive piece of hardware for your kitchen counter. Nice aesthetics, good build quality. And that goes right down to the adjustable tray for your coffee cup. Pick it up - it's 3X heavier than it needs to be. Nice touch & feel. As I said before, it seems that Ninja really approached the design of this machine with a fresh eye towards it's function. So far, I've really only experimented with the espresso/drip/latte drinks, can't wait to fully explore its other myriad options.

Unit came in perfect condition from my local carrier. It’s a bit big so my wife helped me unbox it. Inside is the unit and a few accessories like some cleaning stuff, the foam mixer thing etc. When I got this I had no idea what most people went through making it. Everything I had seen on the market you had the make your own puck to get a really good quality brew. The automatic ones had sloppy and wet pucks until now. Setting up was a bit frustrating because we went through a bag of beans during the calibration, and you are supposed to recalibrate if you switch from light to dark. Anyways after the long calibration it’s on. There are 13 presets and the ability to preprogram your favorite drink for two users. You can customize your drink based on strength , heat , size etc. Oh and 5 foam settings all work flawlessly. Oh and it can brew coffee grounds!! The one thing I havnt really gotten used to is the drip coffee mode. I prefer old school drip coffee so kept our old coffee maker but use this for anything and everything else. Cold press is PERFECT for espresso martinis!! This machine is absolutely incredible!! Cleaning won’t be fun but it will be well worth it!

After spending time with the Ninja AutoBarista Pro, it’s easy to see why this machine is getting so much attention. Ninja delivers the convenience of an automatic espresso system without feeling stripped down or overly basic. Between the premium design, dual bean hoppers, impressive frothing system, and huge variety of drink options, it genuinely competes with the other high end Automatic espresso machines, for under $1000. Right out of the box, it presents itself as a sleek, modern automatic espresso machine with a clean footprint that doesn’t scream “appliance clutter”, that being said it will take up some countertop space. The design has a good balance of physical buttons along with a responsive touch display, and that combination actually works really well. The physical buttons give you quick access to core functions, while the touchscreen handles drink selection and customization in a way that feels intuitive rather than buried in menus. Along with that there are two profile buttons that can be customized to save the settings you prefer for all 13 drinks. One of the standout design choices is the inclusion of two interchangeable bean hoppers. This is a very useful feature if you live with someone who prefers a different style of roast or if you want to switch between regular and decaf without constantly having to empty and refill the hopper. It’s a small thing that ends up making a big difference in daily use. In front of the hopper it also has a little slot for pre ground beans where it has a scoop that you can scoop the amount you want to use. This is a nice option to have, for those times you accidentally buy the pre grounds and not the whole bean (we’ve all done it). Where this machine really shows its versatility is the drink election. It supports 13 different drink styles, ranging from classic espresso shots and americanos to lattes, cappuccinos, and more specialty cafe style beverages. What sets it apart from many higher end machines is that it doesn’t ignore the basics, it can also make a solid drip coffee option, which is something surprisingly absent on a lot of premium espresso first systems I've used over the years. That alone makes it more practical for households where not everyone wants milk based espresso drinks every morning. The machine has a nice little detectable stand where you can adjust it to 3 different levels depending on the type of drink you are making allowing it to fit mostly every size of cup, mug or shot ( the 30+ oz “Mom Cups” will not fit). Or you can remove it all together for your bigger glasses. Another thing I came to love was the Grind iQ system, which honestly takes a lot of the intimidation out of making quality espresso at home. Instead of having to constantly guess and manually dial to fine tune your beans, the machine intelligently adjusts and recommends grind settings automatically based on the type of drink you’re making, extraction time, pressure Cold drinks capability is another strong selling point. The cold brew and iced coffee functions are genuinely useful, not just marketing add on's, and they produce consistent results without needing overnight steeping or separate equipment. And it has been nice having the ability to make espresso martinis at home. The milk frothing system is arguably one of the best parts of this machine I have used. The micro foam frother uses a bottom mounted spinning mechanism in the cup, which produces dense, silky foam that holds up well for lattes and cappuccinos, with 4 different options in Steamed milk, Thin Froth, Thick & Extra-Thick Foam, and Cold Foam. Having used higher end espresso machines over the years including semi automatic and prosumer-level units, the AutoBarista Pro holds its own in a way that’s surprising. It doesn’t fully replace the tactile control of those manual setup, but it makes up with automation, consistency, and speed that make it far more approachable for everyday use . Other notable features included customizable strength and volume settings, automated cleaning cycles, and a fairly efficient heating system that reduces wait time between drinks. It’s clearly designed for convenience without completely sacrificing control. Cleaning up with this machine is also very easy in that the whole tray slides out and the Puck bin slides out along with the water tray and just dump the excess water down the sink and the pucks in the trash can. Pros Excellent balance of automatic convenience and café-style output 13 drink options, including espresso and iced/cold options Dual bean hoppers for switching between blends or decaf beans Strong performance compared to higher end espresso machines Hybrid touchscreen + physical button interface is intuitive and fast Outstanding micro foam frother Built-in cleaning and maintenance cycles Cons Still not a full replacement for manual espresso control Takes up moderate counter space Grinder and internal automation can be noisy during operation Premium pricing may be hard to justify if you only drink basic coffee Overall, Ninja really nailed it with the AutoBarista Pro. It’s more than just a standard espresso machine, it's a complete coffee station designed for convenience, variety, and everyday use. For anyone who wants automatic cafe style drinks at home without dealing with the learning curve of a traditional setup, this machine makes it super easy and has an impressive balance between simplicity, versatility, and performance.

Pros Grind IQ - automatically determines the best settings for your beans Two easily swappable bean hoppers Automatically rinses when turning on and off Milk frothing wand is easy to wipe down and rinses automatically after use Milk frothing pitcher is well made with markers for different drinks Automatically creates creamy frothed milk with the touch of a button Makes delicious and flavorful espresso Produces espresso on par or better than other manual/semi-automatic espresso machines Drinks made with the press of a button - no tamping, no fuss, and no mess Makes single, double, and triple shots Has five strength levels so you can get the perfect strength you desire Makes standard drip coffee Machine has a premium, modern, and stylish look Excellent build quality, feels and looks high end Easy to use and very convenient Cons The dot matrix display for changing settings is difficult to read and use Areas for Improvement A color LCD touchscreen would provide an even better and more user friendly experience The ability to name custom drinks, set an icon for them, and program settings for each custom drink would be very useful Overview I have used many different espresso machines over the years (manual, semi-automatic and superautomatic), including machines made by Philips, GE Cafe, Breville, and Calphalon. Every machine had its issues. With the superautomatics, they were convenient, but the coffee was subpar. And the frothing capabilities were either a pain to use or did not get the milk hot enough. And then, the manual/semi-automatic machines required fine tuning and a lot of work to produce a good cup of coffee. When I got my Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro, that was the first machine I have had that made great coffee, was convenient and easy to use, and had a great milk frothing system. It was the best machine I had ever used, and I was shocked that a machine that was so reasonably priced did a better job at making lattes than my significantly more expensive Breville machine. When I saw this Ninja AutoBarista Pro, I was really excited to try it out, especially given how blown away I was by the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro. That being said, I was a little skeptical of this machine because my GE and Philips superautomatic machines produced weak and subpar coffee compared to my manual/semi-automatic machines. I did not want to go back to subpar drinks for the added convenience of a superautomatic machine. That being said, this machine seemed to be doing some things differently than the other machines I had used, so I was really excited to try it out. And wow, Ninja has done it again! This machine has really blown me away in so many ways! This is the first superautomatic machine I have used that is capable of producing great espresso that is as good or better than the manual/semi-automatic machines I have used. It produces wider coffee pucks than the other superautomatic machines I have used, and it can actually produce real double and triple shots. It puts out a thicker puck for the double and triple shots rather than producing multiple single shots. My Philips superautomatic could not produce larger pucks for double or triple shots, so it had to make multiple single shots, which did not turn out well. This machine actually makes real double and triple shots, which results in great espresso! Compared to other superautomatic machines I have had from Philips and GE Cafe, there is just no comparison. This machine blows them out of the water and is by far superior in every way. This is the first superautomatic espresso machine that I have used that does not compromise on espresso quality compared to manual/semi-automatic machines. Milk Frother I am in love with the milk frother on this machine! It produces silky smooth and creamy milk, and it gets the milk really nice and hot, just how I like it. The milk temperature can be customized in settings which is nice. The milk frothing pitcher is really nice and sturdy and feels premium. Everything on this unit is further refined and feels more premium than my Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro. The milk frothing wand is beefier now and it has a temperature sensor in the wand, rather than having one where the frothing pitcher sits like on previous models. After making each drink, I just rinse the pitcher out with water and wipe the steam wand down and the machine is good to go for the next drink. Grind IQ When I first started using the machine, I did not immediately realize that I needed to run the Grind IQ feature. After discovering it, I was so impressed! The machine grinds your beans 3 different times to fine tune the grind settings and produce the perfect shot for your specific beans. After running the Grind IQ feature, I was getting even better, richer, and more flavorful espresso. And wow, it is so easy! All you do is press a button and it does all the work for you. No hassle or guesswork trying to get the right settings! Perfect Dosing One of the features that really sets Ninja’s espresso machines apart from other brands is their automatic weighing of the beans to ensure that the perfect amount is ground. One of the biggest issues with my Breville machine was that the amount of ground coffee would be inconsistent since the machine did not weigh the grounds. Having to weigh the grounds manually is a major hassle. On this Ninja machine, you don’t have to think about it. It automatically weighs the beans to the perfect amount without you having to do anything. There are so many things that this machine does for you in the background that you do not have to think about. No Beans Left in Grinder This machine has a new hopper design that prevents beans from being left in the grinder. This is awesome because when you swap the hoppers out, you don’t run into the issue of your other beans being ground due to them being leftover in the grinder. Two Numbered Hoppers This machine comes with two numbered hoppers. This is a very unique and innovative feature. With this feature, I plan to have one hopper with regular beans and one with decaf beans. If I want some coffee late in the day and don’t want to risk being kept up, I can just swap the hoppers out and quickly make a decaf drink. And, since the machine asks you which hopper you have inserted, it can track and use the right Grind IQ settings that are appropriate to the beans in each hopper. Conclusion It is very rare for me to review a product and list hardly any cons, but it is really hard to find anything wrong with this machine. The attention to detail that Ninja put into this machine is really incredible. There are so many things that Ninja thought through, even the smallest details. For example, when the machine is making your latte or cappuccino, it froths the milk first and then brews the espresso. While the espresso is being made after the milk has been frothed, the machine stirs the milk every so often to keep the froth from sitting for too long. And, the dual hoppers are a truly innovative feature that I have never seen on any other machine before. If you are looking for an espresso machine that makes delicious drinks at the press of a button and without mess and fuss, look no further. You really cannot go wrong with this machine. I highly recommend this machine and will be recommending it to family and friends! Also, given my experiences with various machines, I think this might be one of the best if not the best superautomatic espresso machine on the market. The quality of drinks that you get and the price for this machine are really unbeatable. From my experience, I have found that this machine works better and is easier to use than other more expensive machines on the market. Ninja has hit a home run with this machine!

Bottom Line: The AutoBarista Pro takes the guesswork out of making drinks, but that convenience also means there are no fine-tuned controls for coffee aficionados. Pros: Very easy to use; whole bean or pre-ground options; drinks come out well Cons: goes through water quickly; Grind iQ not great if switching beans often; no fine-tuned controls; no clock/timer for auto-brewing in the morning Full Review: The Ninja AutoBarista Pro offers a wide range of café-style drinks and is very easy to use. Setup takes about 10 minutes, and brewing is as simple as adding coffee, water, and selecting your drink from the brightly lit and colored drink menu. It includes two interchangeable whole bean hoppers for easily switching coffee types (e.g., light/dark brew), and its Grind iQ feature automatically determines the grind and dose based on the coffee setting (e.g., number of shots, strength of the coffee, etc.). You can also switch to use pre-ground coffee via a conveniently placed door, which also houses a scoop and measuring guide. The machine handles measuring, tamping, and discarding grounds automatically. The user just needs to empty the bin when the machine indicates it’s full and perform a monthly cleaning of the brewing mechanism, which is accessible via a panel on the left side of the machine. Milk frothing is also very easy. The large pitcher has beveled rings to simply measurement for different drinks (e.g., latte v. cappuccino), and the machine lets you choose between dairy and non-dairy milk and several different levels of froth/foam. Overall, the intuitive menu and one-touch menu operation delivers consistent, quality drinks. Since the machine is fully automated, it rinses the brewing mechanism at start-up and after each brew. Although that process helps keep the machine clean, you’ll want to keep an extra cup near the machine to catch the rinse water. The rinsing process also means you’ll be refilling the water container often. Although Grind iQ continually measures and adjusts the grind level and dose, the manual recommends that you recalibrate when refilling the hopper or switching to new beans. I found that Grind iQ uses quite a few beans during the calibration process, and so the machine is probably best suited for folks who consistently buy the same beans over time. Since we buy tend to buy beans that are on sale, I'm concerned that I'll have to recalibrate often. Given the machine is meant for users who want an automated experience, the settings menu is difficult to navigate and there are limited options to fine tune things users of traditional espresso makers would be accustomed to. Last, although the AutoBarista Pro can make regular drip coffee, there is no clock/timer setting to have it do so automatically in the morning.

TLDR: Best home brewed coffee to date. PROS 13 One-Touch Options 2 Bean Hoppers Automatic Everything Customizable Drink Parameters (Strength & Temp) Takes Whole or Ground Beans 2 User Profiles CONS Requires Routine Maintenance Rinse Cycles Get Coffee Cups Wet SET-UP I was a bit apprehensive when the machine includes a QR code for set-up. Whoa! There are a lot of steps to get everything initially square away, at least compared to a pod coffee maker, but the instructions are very concise. Take your time and what seems daunting at first, really isn't. Honestly, after it was all said and done, I think I had more difficulty finding all the packing tape and shipping parts than I did setting up the machine. One of the best features is Grind IQ. I thought it was more of a gimmick than anything, at first. You put whole beans in the hopper and the machine grinds several of them up in an attempt to "get a perfect extraction". I've reviewed a couple of automatic machines and none of them included this feature to date. Not sure what Ninja's reasoning is behind it. But I let it do its thing. After a couple of minutes and three brew cycles, it was ready to brew. Then I tried my first cup of Drip Coffee (my go-to drink in the mornings). Wow!! Grind IQ really does work. On my other machines, you can select how much bean you want in your brew, but those settings seem like the drink is either too strong or too weak. Not sure how Ninja did it, but their coffee is far more precise and tastier than any of my other coffee makers, even the automatic ones. I guess the Grind IQ feature really does pay dividends as the strength settings are far closer together and more "appropriate" for my desired tastes. USE I've purposely held off writing this review so I could get as many drinks tried as possible prior to posting. Compared to my other automatic machines, the Ninja is far more advanced and thought out, even when making identical drinks. I've tried numerous drinks, literally back-to-back with my other automatic machines. Lungos, Expressos, Americanos, etc. Not trying to sound like a Ninja fan-boy, but EVERY drink I've tried back-to-back with my other machines has turned out better with the Ninja. Drinks are more consistent, richer, and flavorful with the Ninja. How? I don't know. I just know that even the basic coffee drinks that I turn to in the am are far more palatable and less bitter with the Ninja. The same can be said for the foam making as well. A latte or cappuccino in the afternoon makes for a nice pick-me-up. Again, not sure what Ninja does to the foam process that is different than my other machines, but the foam is far more consistent and even compared to the others. Even similarly priced rivals. Again, this was true back-to-back comparisons. I like the addition of a second hopper included with the Ninja AutoBarista. This is something that my other makers do not have as an option. When poured, the beans immediately go down into wells inside the other machines. Not with the AutoBarista. Beans are contained in a sealed hopper on top and only pulled down inside when brewing a drink. This is great, as I find that I like a different bean when I make a latte or cappuccino. Not a deal breaker, but it is very nice to have the option to have a different bean and flavor profile. This is something that cannot be done with machines that don't have the external hoppers. While the beans can technically be removed, it is a cumbersome and difficult process and is far easier to just let the beans run out than partially disassembling the maker to get them out. After having a removable hopper with the AutoBarista, I will never go back to the self-contained devices again. I've grown to enjoy the change in flavors too much. It has already spoiled me. CONS Like my other automatic machines, the Ninja cleans and purges itself after use. The coffee extractors rinse themselves and the milk frother self-cleans as well. Which is great, but it is also annoying. When you first power up the AutoBarista it goes through a purge cycle, just like when it was powered down. Doing so, cleans the extractors once again. Running water through them gets on the shelf for your coffee cup or mug. This means EVERY single drink you make is wet on the bottom of the cup or mug. The other notable con is that there is maintenance involved with the AutoBarista. Same goes for its competition as well. Unlike other pod brewing coffee makers where you can pretty much just brew and go thousands of times without issue, these automatic machines require weekly and monthly upkeep. It isn't overwhelming or particularly daunting but be prepared to spend a little time keeping it in top shape. FINAL THOUGHTS The AutoBarista makes my other machines obsolete. Whether it be a true coffee drink like a drip or Americano, or a milk drink like a latte or cappuccino, the AutoBarista produces superior results. I didn't think making an identical drink could be so much different if I hadn't personally done it from machine-to-machine. My coffee drinks (espressos, drips, etc.) are smoother and more flavorful with less bitterness. The foam in my milk drinks (my flat whites, lattes, etc.) has much better consistency. I was surprised at just how much better the froth quality was. The AutoBarista is the closest thing I've used in-home, to actual coffee shop coffee. While I enjoyed my other machines, I did find myself wanting a "bought" coffee fairly frequently. While my makers produced a good product, there was just something that they were missing. Something always seemed just a bit off in quality and gently, yet consistently, reminding me that I was drinking a DIY product. This is something I haven't encountered yet with the AutoBarista. Granted I haven't had it for a very long time, but I will say, I am far more satisfied with its performance than the machines I've tried in the past. It is the closest thing I've used to get custom-brewed quality and taste at home. EXCELLENT work Ninja. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

My wife and I are big coffee fans. Back when Starbucks started to get un-affordable we decided to try different espresso machines. Seems like each one we tried got a little more sophisticated. They've all had their own grinder, but there the similarities end. The latest Ninja AutoBarista Pro is our first that is truly automatic, that can make hot and cold coffee drinks as well as drip coffee by the cup. Unfortunately it seems that the life cycle of many espresso machines is measured in months not years. Many have failed with gaskets that leaked. Others failed when plastic pieces broke. Still others just started dripping from within. All that we've tried had some sort of water container, the better ones with a water filter. The Ninja AutoBarista covers so many bases. First it's pretty large and heavy (heavy is usually good). It's 17 3/4" L × 10 5/8" W × 15 7/8" H and weighs 40 pounds. The water reservoir holds 80 oz. The whole bean hopper can hold 3/4 lbs of coffee beans (and it comes with 2 interchangeable hoppers, so you can change beans easily). You can also use ground coffee, but it must be added per drink. It can make 13 different beverages. Each with its own one-touch preset. And each drink can be customized (weaker/stronger, hotter/colder). It makes authentic 9-bar espresso, drip coffee, and rapid cold brews. It comes very well packed. It might be best to have 2 people unpack it. My initial impression is that it's a very well made, high quality, modern machine. My first espresso machine made two strengths of espresso and it had a frother that only made a mess. In fact very few of my machines had a decent frother. The Ninja AutoBarista Pro features a hands-Free "FrothPerfect" system that makes five distinct frothing styles. The machine’s presets are: Steamed Milk (heats the milk without making foam), Thin Froth (makes a silky microfoam), Thick Froth (makes a dense but airy foam), Cold Foam (aerates and whips cold milk (no heat)) and Manual Steam (you manually adjusting the steam wand position and pressure yourself). When you select a milk-based beverage, the Auto Barista displays suggestions for the best froth type and volume. You can easily override this by pressing the "Froth Type" button and toggling the "Milk Type" setting (Dairy vs. Plant-based) to adjust the aeration/temperature. Very sophisticated, it works extremely well; the frothing cup is quite large, but this prevents making mess, it has a clever internal stirring mechanism that creates the silky volume. It's great but it still needs cleaning with every use. But it is my first espresso machine with a superb frothing system. Speaking of cleaning, when you turn the unit on it does a self rinse (2-3ozs) and after the unit turns itself off (or you do), it does another self rinse. I've found keeping a 16oz glass next to the machine that you put under the dispenser before brewing and after helping to collect the rinse water, otherwise it ends up in the lower catch basket that probably holds 16oz; that will need more frequent emptying. Two other notable features are the Grind iQ and swappable coffee bean hoppers. As I understand it the machine has a built-in scale that measures doses by weight. When you first get the machine the grinder needs to be calibrated (Grind iQ), this takes several minutes as the various grinder levels (50) go through calibration with the scale. Ensuring a proper grind/weight combination. The machine also has two separate, lockable whole-bean hoppers so you can easily switch between different roasts or coffees without discarding the prior beans (I love the way they did this). Another "hidden" feature is that Ninja has eliminated the portafilter and knock box from the users perspective, a way cleaner operation. The machine automatically rinses itself after brews (this does consume a fair amount of extra water and delays getting started quickly). It has an integrated fan to keep internal mechanisms cool and dry, reducing the risk of mold. Many components, including the brew unit, are dishwasher-safe. I first tried the Drip Coffee setting, as I'd never had this available before on one of my machines. I compared it to an Americano. The default Americano was about 6oz, with a thin layer of crema on top. It was somewhat stronger than the drip (12oz size I made), but the drip had an excellent boldness to it. Both were great cups of coffee. Both took about a minute to prepare. To brew the Espresso it only took about 50s. It had a great crema layer, a very healthy boldness, and a great mouth feel. Superb. I then tried a cold brew, I started with a glass full of ice (as instructed), it took several minutes to complete largely due to the cold brewing process. But the taste was excellent. The machine can store drink profiles for 2 users, setting the default strength, size, temperature for each drink. You can also dispense 2 espresso shots at the same time, saving time. I'm impressed by the speed, and the quality of the drinks. All the extra rinsing probably keeps things clean but is a bit of a bother. The cleaning of the internal brewing mechanism is quite clever. I did find that if you start a drink with whole beans and run out of whole beans while grinding, you can't switch to using ground coffee (at least I could not find a way). Not a big deal but something I decided to test when trying both whole bean and ground coffee.

Now this is where it's at. This is a fabulous coffee machine. It hits all the right notes in a symphony of features. I am a devotee of coffee. My coworkers know not to speak my name before I have my 2nd cup. This coffee machine is a simple wonder of design. It's almost as easy as the pod machines but it tastes like the $4k machines they have at a downtown coffeehouse. With an abundant amount of QR links to How-to pages and a plethora of videos online, I had the machine up and calibrated in about 20 minutes (It's ridiculously heavy in a good way!). I am using some gourmet espresso beans from a local coffee company. They are decent beans, and a good flavor profile. I decided to try an almond milk cappuccino first. A few presses of my preferred milk, coffee richness, and number of shots on the touch screen, and we were off to the races! Took two minutes, 30 seconds to brew and froth the milk. Taste was exquisite. The slight smoky flavor of the espresso was nicely balanced by the sweetness of the almond milk. Cleaned up in a cinch with a moist microfiber towel. My next brew was a latte with lactose-free 1% milk. Again, divine. Milk was frothy but not burnt nor was it watered down. The consistency of the drink was perfectly within the parameters of an acceptable latte. Now for the big test. I made a pure espresso shot. No milk. No sugar or syrups. It was totally drinkable. It was smooth. Nothing bitter or sour. The crema was perfect, and you got all the hints of dark chocolate, nuttiness, and a hint... slight hint... of a dark cherry flavor to the coffee. Just like it's described on the coffee bag. Ease of use means that this isn't a chore to make coffee. No difficult measuring. No stirring milk to avoid burning. It's all automated. No mess. All the waste goes into drip pan, conveniently separated for easy disposal in the trash for grounds, and the sink for fluids. I had my coffee and cleaned up in less time it would take for me to wait at a coffeehouse for my order. And because I did it, I knew I got my order right the first time. Speaking of coffeehouses... My local favorite has raised their prices for the non-specialty drinks to an average of $7-$9 dollars. This coffee machine can pay for itself in 5 months! No waiting in line behind the lady that is ordering a salted caramel mocha with sugar free syrup, extra virgin yak's milk from the highest peak in the Himalayas, and the tears of a bumblebee. No paper cups with broken leaky lids. No cinnamon shakers with questionable crusty stuff from being touched by all the members of the public. You get perfect coffee in 3 minutes in the privacy of your own home! For me, that's worth the Ninja Autobarista Pro's considerable weight in gold!

I am a firm believer in Ninja appliances, and the AutoBarista is no exception. The quality and performance of this machine second to none. The Ninja AutoBarista can make you everything from an espresso to a small pot of coffee at the push of a button. It has two separate bean hoppers so that you don't have to completely empty your machine if you want to switch beans. Some people may have regular and decaf, but I will be using regular coffee and espresso beans if the two hoppers. All you have to do is pull out the bean hopper and place in the other one to change bean types. The initial setup of the AutoBarista is a little more involved than most other coffee/espresso machines I have used. You have to test a sample of your tap water, or whatever water you are usines, for hardness. Then you select what hardness your water is on the machine. Then the machine runs a water cleaning cycle. Then it "calibrates" the bean grinder. It takes about 20 minutes to do it all. But it is worth it, trust me. My first brew was a drip coffee and it tasted fantastic. The coffee was so smooth and it prepared it with a push of a button. My next coffee was actually two iced lattes for my daughters. I filled a glass with ice, and added whole milk to the frother. When the coffee was done brewing over ice, i added the frothed milk to the drink. My daughters immediately fell in love with the machine. Every so often you have to empty the water drip tray and clean out the spent coffee grounds. You must stay on top of this or else the water will spill over and grounds bin will over flow. There is a bit of maintenance to this machine you must be OK with. Once a month you have to clean the side bin as well. There is a function that lets you brew as much as 40oz of drip coffee if you have guests. It will run several cycles to get to that volume. It can only makes about 10-12oz at a time. Overall, I have replaced my drip coffee machine with the new AutoBarista. It can create every type of coffee drink that you can imagine. It is easy to use and easy to maintain. I absolutely love it!!

I ordered the Ninja AutoBarista Pro (ABP) with a mix of glee and skepticism because while its spec sheet is impressive, I know that’s never a surefire correlation to a products quality or performance. That’s reality, not a knock on Ninja. I have a kitchen full of their enjoyable products. Still, with this being Ninja’s first super-automatic espresso drinks machine I knew I couldn’t be sure of anything until I tried it out. Now that I’ve broken it in, I can say, true to the “Ninja” moniker, the ABP fast made me a believer. I do have some quibbles with its aesthetics and design, but as a multi-drink maker, it does most everything I want it to do. From a technical perspective it really is like having a personal barista. FEW COMPROMISES FOR QUICK BUT TASTY DRINK My high-end manual espresso machine rarely gets used because the process is too time consuming. My schedule only allows a pod-based espresso, which leaves me caffeinated but unsatisfied. So a super-automatic machine like the ABP seemed to be the remedy. It’s not as fast as dropping in a pod, but it’s speedy enough and with a much more rewarding result. If time is not on your side, but you still value a well pulled expresso or coffee, you’ll hit the bullseye here. Of course, it also saves money and time by avoiding the coffee shop. Having an espresso drink at coffee shop can be an occasional relaxing respite but for me a daily coffee run is a financial disaster and time eater. There is one other consideration that any non-pod espresso machine requires, not just the ABP – it must be recalibrated for each bean change. This has to do with bean, not the machine. If you like to frequently sip a dark roast lungo and then follow it up with a light roast pods have an advantage over espresso machines since the beans are pre-ground. With a non-pod machine it’s only practical and economical to use up one roast before switching to another. The ABP does offer a workaround since it has a dedicated bin for pre-ground coffee. So, you could have one bean type in the hopper and then have some pre-ground coffee on hand for a different taste. As the ABP’s name suggests it’s 100% automatic and virtually mistake proof. It even regularly rinses the group head when it powers on and off. The steam wand also auto rinses after each use. To make an espresso drink just ensure beans are in the hopper and the water container is full, and, if applicable, the milk jug too. Select your drink, make any customizations, and push the start button and enjoy. That’s it. ABP does the weighing, dosing, grinding, tamping, and turns on the milk frother at the perfect time. But while ABP is automatic, it’s not authoritarian. It’s easy to customize to taste. This includes brewing strength and temperature and milk froth texture and temperature. You can save your preferences for future use too. To me, the ABP’s standout feature is it’s “Grind IQ.” I don’t yet fully understand the technology, but as I understand it, it detects the weight and roast level of the beans to calculate the “perfect” grind. It’s easy to change the grind setting if you think ABP is off a notch or two. I think this versatility will satisfy all but the most hardened espresso perfectionists. While I think I can tell the difference between excellent coffee and gas station swill I don’t consider myself a connoisseur. I really don’t see a need for my manual machine anymore, and I’m thrilled to say goodbye to my pods. BUILD QUALITY & IMPRESSION The ABP is no shrinking violet and has presence. My kitchen only has about 10 ft x 2 ft total usable counterspace and the ABP’s footprint gobbles about 15% of it. Additionally, about 2 ft clearance is needed on the left side to be able to remove the internal brew unit for occasional removal for cleaning. ABP is heavy, so placement flush against a left side wall or refrigerator isn’t ideal for this reason. Last, you’ll want to leave room at the back too so the fan can properly cool the ABP’s internals. I placed my ABP next to the sink. This makes dumping the water in the long and large drip tray less prone to a messy accident. Even though ABP is a space hog, since I’ll use it daily, unlike other appliances, it’s worth that sacrifice. ABP’s attractiveness is subjective, and I see both “pro” and “con” viewpoints. It looks austere and commercial looking to me – like something I’d see at a fast casual restaurant. But it’s intuitive to use and also functional without “dumbing” down the espresso process and that’s what matters most to me. It’s a mix of plastic and stainless-steel but has a sturdy feel in use. The milk jug and burr grinder are also stainless steel while the hoppers and buttons are plastic. I’m not bothered by the amount of plastic used, though I do wonder if the shiny areas will easily scratch. The buttons have a “clicky” tactile response that only require a determined push. Even large fingers will have no issues thanks to the button’s length. There is virtually no chance of accidentally hitting an adjacent button. Many of the physical buttons serve maintenance and cleaning. This is excellent. Having direct function buttons for modes like descaling is such a better user experience than having to tap “morse code” or press two buttons simultaneously, or worse, open an app. Drink selection and customization is done via a backlit color touch screen, which I have mixed feelings about. The screen is laid out well and immediately responsive, no lag. That’s the good part. A couple of its elements, though, I find poorly considered. Rather than having an LCD screen displaying instructions and machine status, eight LED characters (by my count) scroll right to left. It’s dated and gives me amateur hour vibes that betrays the rest of the ABP’s “pro” ambiance. From a practical perspective it’s annoying to have to read a scrolling LED ticker vs having the complete message on screen in a crisp, readable font like modern devices offer. The other aspect that could be better are the button confirmation indicators. By default, when a button is not engaged a dimly white light glows above it. That light becomes slightly brighter when the button below is pressed which is hard for me to notice in a fully lit room. It would be infinitely more helpful if the light changed color, say from white to green or at least started to blink. THE DRINKS I don’t think it’s necessary to comment on every coffee drink since many are similar. I’ll stick to three, just to offer examples; a lungo, cold brew with milk, and black iced coffee. You can extrapolate from there because I don’t anticipate the quality level of the other drinks vary from these. I used fresh medium roast beans, but, of course bean type, origin, and time between roast date to grind affect taste, so this is just a sketch, not a full picture. I found the lungo to be balanced but plenty powerful caffeine-wise. I forgot to weight the pucks after extraction to figure out how many grams of beans were used, but, by taste and my energy boost, it was human barista worthy. I did time the pull and got 27 seconds. I figure my reflexes were probably off .5 second on both ends, so add in another second. A 28 second pull is right in acceptable range. As aside – you can make two espresso drinks simultaneously by pressing the “2” button and then putting a cup under each of the group head nozzles. The cold brew is not a technically authentic cold brew which should surprise no coffee lover since it obviously isn’t marinating in the refrigerator overnight. But it does pull lukewarm, so the grind is not being exacted by hot water, so that’s something. It does require ice to get cold and drinkable. I found it on the weak side even before adding milk. Milk hid the coffee flavor even more. This is where I’m thankful for ABP’s recipe customization features. As for the milk froth, it was thick and creamy, so much so I had to spoon some of it out. And that’s from non-fat milk too. Next, I compared the cold brew with the “over ice” option. I’m not sure why it’s labeled that rather than “iced coffee,” since cold brew is over ice too. But “over ice” is hot brewed, but stronger than it would for hot coffee to compensate for the ice watering it down. It was refreshing and went down easy. Like the cold brew I’ll kick it up a notch next time for something bolder tasting. For both cold brew and “over ice,” the option to pour up to a 40 oz. serving is available if you want to fill a tumbler. By my measurements, there is 8.75” of space between the bottom of the drip tray and the bottom of the group head. Overall, ABP has an stimulating array of drink options and I’m excited to be able to switch things up with minimal effort. I don’t think the ABP has a bad pull in it.

To start off, this product is decently designed and can generally make a VERY strong cup of espresso. This is Shark/Ninja's first foray into super autos and it doesn't really disappoint when it comes to concentration of the final product. You get two hoppers, a semi digital touch screen, a full frothing cup, and tons of settings and options for making your perfect drink. It's actually pretty hard to complain from an objective perspective of feature set. The water hopper also comes with its own dedicated filter which is included, so no real need to filter separately unless you're looking to avoid excess mineral build up from the start with 0 PPM 3rd party filter options in pitcher form. PROS: -Final concentration is super strong and a class leader in super automatics. I've used and still continue to use a competitors European designed model, but this one can actually compete with certain semi autos in regards of pressure and output from what I can tell. -Aggressively priced and will likely drop lower during sales. I think this is a marker disruptor and will cause more established brands to rethink their strategy. -Pucks come out nice and big on both single and double shot. Minimal breakage with off the shelf coffee. Decent crema too. -Good manual and semi auto frothing cup. Competitors go with a full out automatic design, but some people may prefer this route. - Large, but aesthetically pleasing design. Competitive size to other super autos. - Expected, but *easy* maintenance. CONS: -Grind IQ is required for calibration, but I think this is very overengineered and doesn't do a good job at gauging water to coffee ratios. For example. I've been using single shot/double shot settings, but sometimes get excessive water flow and measured output at anywhere from 70-120ML for total espresso product when using "weakest brew" and single shot for example. This extends to double shot and the exact output of final product. It's not very consistent as a super auto in my option... Ninja claims 85 ML~ on "1/1" but it's fairly random any sometimes hits 105~110 ML on a "tallest" ***single*** shot. Also will under gauge at times too, especially if grind IQ isn't calibrated. (I've messed with this multiple times over the past week to make sure I wasn't going crazy.) Other European designed models are significantly more consistent at coffee to water output and can dial in to expected measurements.. This obviously won't matter for most people, but what about those that have smaller 3oz cups and are expecting exact output? I'm very confused why they went with this internal "weighed" measurement approach. It's unique, but I would likely recommend waiting for a 2nd generation version of this model. Again.. this is Ninja's first foray into this, beyond the previous semi auto designs. I feel like it has a mind of it's own at times, especially post morning boot... just something to be aware about. - Not as "smart" for cleaning recommendation.. more of a manual approach where other designs tell you exactly when to clean internals based on timed usage intervals with a dedicated full on LCD. -Takes longer to brew than competitor European design due to weighing out and gauging output. OVERALL: It's solid, but I would prefer more consistency at the end of the day. I think the internal measurement system needs a full rework. It can be consistent when fresh booting and making 3 cups of coffee with same settings, but swapping settings and going back to previous ones seems.. off? At least this has been my experience over the past week. The default setting of 4 on "espresso" is a tad too strong for me personally. I think the machine should have defaulted at 3 and went up or down from there, but I'm nitpicking a bit. Can I recommend this on sale? Yeah. I think established super autos are the better route currently, but a 2nd gen version of this model will likely knock it out of the park.

I love how easy it is to set up. The only con i can think of is the amount of water it uses once you start it up. However, the convienence of simply tapping the drink you’d like is by far the best thing. Also, the drink quality is still top notch!

This machine is everything we needed for our busy daily life always in a hurry with just a few touches on the screen the fully automatic machine does the majority of a Barista coffee they have created a more affordable machine versus other high end machine and have improved things that other machines still have issues with nothing is ever perfect but this machine gets our love highly recommended for those who want quality and are always on the run.

I feel like ninja just continue to innovate when it comes to their espresso machine. I’ve tested the previous espresso machine before that my buddy got and I thought it was good. I believe he bought the ninja Lux café but now I have the Ninja auto barista pro and so far this thing has impressed me. this machine has some features that I’ve never seen before on any other espresso machines that I previously owned. so I was very excited to use this ninja auto barista. DEVICE/UNBOXING Unboxing the ninja auto barista pro is fairly straightforward. It comes with the comes with a cup for the froth or inside the box. It also comes with two changeable hoppers, which I have never seen before and I am very happy to see that this machine offered for you to change the hopper because you’re gonna have a decaf beans and a regular beans because from the past couple years which what I struggle with is when my wife wants a decaf coffee but Im forced to empty the beans first before I can make a decaf brew. When unboxing this machine, just make sure that you’ve emptied everything and that you’re not forgetting anything inside the box. inside the box, you pretty much get some kind of booklet that which one I love it comes with pictures about the machine and it shows you like step-by-step on how to install certain parts of the machine itself, but you can also do the QR code for a step-by-step process to start the coffee machine hopper. The filter that comes in the box is a fairly standard filter that you can buy an Amazon so that’s an easy fix in case it’s time for you to update the filter the next couple months. On the way inside. The water tank of the auto barista I thought it was thought it was good. also, the best part about auto barista pro you can also brew a ground coffee instead if you want to you even get a little spoon, built-in the device itself. turning on the ninja auto barista Pro is one of my favorite thing because they also added an images of different type of coffee that you can make with this machine so I thought that was really nice. The machine also comes with a progression bar or a progression light when you use the machine and you get this OLED tax on the upper left, which I thought the text was kinda a bit big. The whole machine has some great weight. I mean he has the stainless steel mixed with plastic and the design. I thought the ninja pulled it through with great design for this coffee machine. This ninja auto pro also offer a different height for your cup. I thought the steam wand is also a great size. I’ve seen different coffee machine with smaller wand, the one that came with this machine, I would say the size is great not too small not too big, but it was definitely better than my previous machine. EXPERIENCE Having this auto barista pro in my house this coffee machine feels premium. I love the clean appearance of this coffee machine this machine also offer 13 customization drink options. I loved how there’s also a button where you can change the dairy type and I like the little handle on the milk froth or which again is something new for me. Making coffee on this ninja auto barista has been pretty easy. The quality of the beans and the quality of the coffee once has been extracted is way better than my previous coffee machine. I’ve been drinking a lot of drip coffee and that’s another thing that I was so happy to see that this machine offers a drip coffee. When it comes to making latte which my wife loves, she noticed how nice the steamer when it comes to creating a smooth foam for lattes and cappuccinos. you literally just let the machine do the work while making a cofee it would even steam the milk for you. Going back to the changeable hopper so I’ve decided to on the first hopper is to put the coffee beans that we bought a Whole Foods and on the second one we put the decaf beans that we also bought so now when it comes to switching beans, this machine does not create any mess. I didn’t have to like mess around and try to scoop out extra bean that I might have left because I’m switching to a different bean, having the switchable hopper this such a game changer for any coffee machine I think most coffee machine from this price point should offer what ninja is doing, because I’ve never seen anything like this before. but so far I just keep making this beautiful latte that looks like it came from the store. showing it off to family members and they totally love it. CONCLUSION I would say this, probably the most advanced coffee machine that I’ve ever owned. The ninja auto barista pro offered some new features that I’ve never experienced before like the switchable hopper. I love the amount of choices I have of the type of coffee recipe that I can make this also a dishwasher safe. The milk frosting system that they have is also great. I feel like with this machine it keeps reducing the amount of work. I have to do just to make a coffee which is pretty unbelievable. This machine does cost a lot but I feel like some of the feature that this machine offer some company would probably add a bit more premium pricing and for what is ninja is giving us with this machine. I think it’s a great deal. Beautiful coffee machine ninja I can’t wait to see what other new features ninja got on their sleeves in the future of coffee making machine.

Shark-Ninja seems to be on a conquest for your counter space. The plucky Ninja brand that rose to prominence alongside the venerable air fryer has horizontally expanded across the countertop, now offering everything from blenders to toaster ovens, and indeed coffeemakers. I can’t say I was expecting a solid upper-midrange brand to take a shot at a luxury market, but seeing a proper superautomatic espresso machine adorning the Ninja emblem, my interest was piqued. The Autobarista Pro appears to be the replacement for the Luxe Cafe Pro, an integrated, manual espresso machine that has similar drink offerings but asks you to perform each intermediary step between grinding, pressing, brewing, and frothing. The Autobarista Pro handles the first three steps with the push of a button, leaving only the optional frothed milk to be combined with the espresso, when the drink calls for it. It’s a bold step forward into the superautomatic espresso machine space where Italian luxury brands reign suprema, but Ninja’s latest does a phenomenal job all around and makes some excellent espresso. - Unboxing and Setup With “Team Lift” adorned on the side of the box, the 40-pound Autobarista Pro is a hefty machine that should be opened and positioned in your kitchen with the help of an assistant. Removing the removable parts cuts the weight down slightly but it’s still a large and cumbersome machine, substantially bigger than other superautomatic espresso machines I’ve used. A standalone water tank means this can be placed anywhere convenient and does not need to be near a water source. The quickstart guide does a decent job of guiding you through initial setup, though some instructions (such as which parts need washing prior to use) were easy to miss due to some typesetting and color choices. A QR code on the machine leads to an online interactive setup guide, but this is purely an AI chatbot that adds absolutely no value and wastes everyone’s time versus getting a copy editor to review the printed material. For shame, Ninja! Thankfully setup is fairly straightforward otherwise - initial water hardness settings and grinder coarseness calibration (a pleasant surprise - I haven’t used a superautomatic with that level of automation) are all that’s needed to start brewing. - Brew Impressions Shipping with two coffee bean hoppers to let you quickly change between different roasts, the Autobarista Pro is easy to start up and immediately begin brewing. 12 different coffees (8 hot, 4 iced) are programmed into the machine and can have their strength and size adjusted to one of two profiles on-machine. No smart functions here; this is a refreshingly simple machine with an easy-to-understand user interface that’s as straightforward as “push button, receive coffee.” Starting with a quieter grind and softer-sounding infuser than other espresso machines I’ve used, the Autobarista dispenses its espresso a bit on the slow side. However, the quality of the Autobarista Pro’s brew is vastly better than I was expecting from the jack-of-all-trades Ninja brand of appliances, easily rivaling their Italian competition in the high end espresso machine space. While I wouldn’t consider myself an expert connoisseur by any stretch, I do have access to a famous Italian brand’s [more expensive] superautomatic that’s well maintained, and it’s difficult for me to tell the quality of the Autobarista’s espresso apart from the top-tier brand’s when using espresso beans from the same bag (and having run a couple drinks through both before the taste test, to remove as much taste from prior beans as possible). The Autobarista’s brew might be ever so slightly more bitter, but I’m chalking that up to confirmation bias because I sincerely doubt I would be able to pick one versus the other in a blind taste test. The Autobarista does a better job than the Italian competition at offering a wider range of drink sizes and more varied cold-brew options for the iced coffee fans. All of the Autobarista Pro’s over-ice drinks have different flavors (the Italian brand is a one-trick pony with a single iced offering) by varying the brewing method and strength, and the iced latte option in particular is a standout hit that had my guests asking if I had any to-go cups. I should start charging! The major difference for the Autobarista Pro versus other superautomatics I’ve used is that the milk frother uses a standalone spout and metal jug rather than having an all-in-one integrated dispenser and milk carafe. Fortunately the milk frothing jug is labeled with various fill levels to match each drink, and the frother automatically adjusts froth level without needing any user adjustment, leaving just the final drink assembly of combining the two as the only step needed by the user. A big benefit for the lactose-sensitive is that the frother is compatible with plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk. A simple setting change on the machine is all that’s needed and the milk frother does the rest! - Maintenance Cleaning the Autobarista Pro is a bit more involved than some other machines I’ve used. While most daily cleaning functions are as simple as wash and rinse, the Autobarista has more removable parts and filters than I expected to see, and in fact the quickstart guide includes a detailed, 10-step guide with regular maintenance intervals for each of the key components of the machine, as well as information about each of the cleaning and descale cycles the machine performs. While it seems complicated at first glance, all the parts that need to be cleaned are easily accessible and removable where appropriate. Clever design considerations were made - the drip tray has a convenient moulded spout on the far side to make for easy emptying into a sink, an access panel on the left side of the machine yields tool-less access to the infuser and brew system, and the bean hopper has a lever mechanism to close the bottom and prevent beans from spilling when removing from the machine. Descaling is an important function to ensure quality brewing, and like most espresso machines a descale is recommended about every 100-150 drinks, and in the case of the Autobarista Pro a reminder light will illuminate on the machine when due. The process is largely hands-off and only requires you to fill the water tank with the appropriate amount of descaling solution (usually lactic acid, though Ninja has its own brand with specific instructions) mixed in with fresh water. I haven’t had the machine long enough to require a descale but the process usually takes about an hour on other espresso machines. - Bottom Line For a kitchen appliance brand that seemingly makes it all, I was pleasantly surprised by the Ninja Autobarista Pro. There is fierce competition from the legacy coffee brands in the automatic and superautomatic espresso machine market, and Ninja pulled off an impressive feat just being competitive. There’s plenty of drink variety on tap and the milk frother’s versatility should be a bigger selling point, especially since the legacy brands are still catching up to the concept of non-dairy milks. I’ve come away impressed by the Autobarista Pro, but it’s most definitely a luxury item with a luxury price tag to match. It does make excellent espresso, and while I understand there can be hesitation to drop nearly a grand on a luxury machine from a more “mainstream” brand like Ninja, there’s a lot to like here and I think all but the hardcore espresso experts are going to be left more than satisfied. Recommended!

This is what I like about Ninja. They just know how to make things better compared to everyone else. Not that other products are not any better. Ninja just happens to look at what’s currently out there and improves upon them. This coffee machine is no exception from this Ninja philosophy. Hmm, it just occurred to me, perhaps that’s why they are called Ninja—they Ninja what’s good and make it their own! DESIGN and SIZE Anyway, the overall design of the Autobarista Pro is beautiful and compact while it places some important and improved components within this compact size. It fits in a very compact space in my counter, with 2mm clearance from my cupboards. Even with the bigger hoppers, it still fits in that spot where I used to have a really compact automated coffee machine, (though I need to slide out the whole machine to replace or refill the hopper). The design overall is elegant. If you don’t know Ninja, you might even mistake it for some really high end under the radar brands. The screen has some retro appeal to it (pixel fonts) while the buttons are great—responsive switches, quality feedback on presses, tight gaps (to avoid dust or other kitchen particles from coming into these gaps. The hopper can be easily placed in and out and you can have multiple to switch between coffee beans. The ground coffee hole is (thank you Ninja), large enough so it does not spill out of the whole as I pour in it. It also comes with its own ground coffee scoop that nicely sits in the pouring bay. The frother is incorporated into the machine (vs. some other compact ones that make it detachable) yet still keeps its compact form. The water reservoir is pretty big— which I am estimating is perfect for a good household of 6 coffee drinkers for one morning (we only have 3 drinkers and it is more than ample). The texture of the surface will catch dust like any other, but is not obvious. It is nice to the touch but I know this surface, like the drip tray, will catch marks because we have hard water at home. All components are made of good quality. Covers, snap tightly, trays, and moving components are firm in place but slide easily—even the cleaning side hatch has tools included inside for machine maintenance. COFFEE PREP Learning coffee prep is manageable. It has some learning curve but it is not complicated. Like any other machine, it will take some time to adjust to what 3 beans mean, for example and how much flavor it contains vs. water ratios. I tinker a lot with these settings because I want to understand how frothy my lattes should be or what grinder level should my partially bitter americano should taste like. What I like about it is, the hopper grinds precisely—it’s like it measures the beans it grinds per round. And after all that is done, I can save my specific user settings on my profile. It does allow for 2 users, and luckily, out of the 3 coffee drinkers, I am the only one in the house who is very particular with my portions—the other two do not even need profile tweaks for themselves even though they can use the second profile. The number of options are easy to understrand too—cold brew, drip, ground or fresh beans, mostly within a button or two. Milk frothing is great too. Warms up my milk at decent speed with the ability to stir—something detachable frothers do not do. If you will allow me, as I know coffee produced is subjective, the taste of the coffee is pretty superb. The machine actually translates setting expectations. Rich is rich, thick is thick, hot is hot—all of which can be fixed in settings, and quite translates to what you tell it to, whether you are a regular coffee one-press person, or a temp-grind-volume-boldness person like me. CLEANING Cleaning is as good as wipe and go. It has the usual purges so it’s all about sliding out waste. I have yet to see if my hard water will make bad marks on the drip tray. Clearing out beans is very convenient as the pucks are so solid and densely compacted. There is no milk storage to clean because it only has a wand that only requires a damp cloth to clean. In summary, it is a very superb coffee machine. It is not just a maker, it is a machine. The quality of everything, from build to coffee made is beyond my expectations. Anyone looking for a new coffee machine should consider this. You will be happy.