Ninja - AutoBarista Pro Fully Automatic Espresso Machine - Stainless Steel

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.

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.

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!

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 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.