Customer Ratings & Reviews

TL;DR, it beats out all of the competitors because it makes espresso easy and approachable to dabblers all the way to coffee enthusiasts. Let’s start from the top. Right out of the box, it’s so easy to put together and get it going. They include this nifty quick guide - can’t mess this up! I appreciate that a part of the setup includes adjusting the machine to match your water hardness. You can always go back and adjust this in the internal settings should it change. I do want to add here that most cities will have hard water so I personally wouldn’t be too alarmed BUT this can affect the flavor of your coffee - do what you will with this piece of information. The machine, like its competitors, includes a bean hopper that can be topped off for multiple cups. The cover is tinted and seems “airtight;” however, I personally prefer to put in small amounts to keep the beans at their peak. I think it’s important to add here that you also don’t need to measure how many grams you need to put in because the Barista Assist Technology automatically weighs for the grind. Speaking of grind, the Barista Assist Technology also recommends grind sizes based on your pull - double, quad, cup of joe, cold brew, etc. The first few times, the recommendation will change and after a few times, it will stay consistent. THIS, in my opinion, makes this device the winner. It makes the idea and experience of making espresso so easy and approachable for the folks who are new and dabbling in coffee. The setting is not set in stone and just a recommendation, which also makes this approachable for the coffee enthusiast. MAYBE even to the coffee connoisseurs? Moving on, I appreciate the adjustable platform to accommodate multiple cup sizes. This makes so much sense to me on a time and financial level because sometimes, I am on the go and would like to have a cup without so much cleaning up. With this, I can pull right into a tumbler, rinse the portafilter and basket and go. By having this as an option, I’m also less tempted to buy mediocre coffee for $5-7 a cup. I’d like to add here that I am impressed by the temperature yielded once pulled - at 165’F - which is expected and what you want. This in turn tells me that the brew temperature was likely in the 190’F to 200’Fs. This is great because you can have a bad time with under extracted or over extracted pulls. Moving on - a latte wouldn’t be possible without milk and I am so happy this has a built-in frother. I like the froth level and the optimization setting for dairy and plant-based options - it’s a nice touch. I also like that I can froth cold should I desire an iced latte. The milk jug has markings for cappuccino and latte - you can always do a cortado or flat white by adjusting the foam. These types, unfortunately, aren’t on the machine but you do have a Inspiration Guide to teach you some drinks and you can build on that. I have yet to use the drip coffee or cold brew options. This is simply because I prefer pourover and typically do not drink cold brew. I like that I have these options in my back pocket though. Overall, I would recommend this if you’re in the market for a no-fuss espresso machine or an easy, approachable entry to the world of espresso.

I have been making and drinking Espresso for over 2 decades. I have owned several low and high quality dedicated espresso machines along the years. The one that This Ninja Lux is replacing cost 3 times what this Ninja Lux Café premiere costs. I have NO regrets! First, let me start by saying that I own many Ninja appliances and as much as I love them, none of them comes even close to this new Level of finish, build quality and expensive feel and look of the Luxe Café Premier. Out of the box, the machine looks amazing, is very heavy and if you are looking at it without a brand you would think this is a $2,000 machine. You plug it in and immediately you are greeted with a very high quality screen with high quality knobs and buttons. I scanned the QR code to get started and because I am lazy and don’t want to read and I was directed to a page that has youtube videos detailing everything you need from initial setup to brewing all kinds of drinks. The videos were great and got me going from “how does this work!” to “I am the GOD of all Barista’s!” in 30 minutes. The initial setup: - Water hardness test: You turn the machine on and it shows you a code on the screen HD5. The instructions tell you to use a water hardness test strip (came with the machine) to test the water hardness in your home and to then adjust the machine to the reading you get on the test strip by turning a knob! This is amazing as water hardness has an effect on 1- the taste of coffee and 2- how often you need to descale the machine. Once you set the number the machine automatically calibrates the machine for optimum taste and to remind you when to descale your machine. - Initial water flush: fill reservoir to max fill line, get the porta filter and place it in the espresso port head and select classic, 12 oz and press brew! And like this the flush is done. - Espresso Calibration and setup: fill the bean bin with whole coffee beans, get the porta filer and place the plastic funnel over it and slide it under the coffee grinder on the left side of the machine. The plastic filter is there to eliminate coffee grinds from flying everywhere. Choose double espresso. The machine will sense which porta filer you have and will suggest a ground recommendation on the screen, you then adjust the dial on the left side of the machine to have the current grind size match the recommended size on the screen. Press start. The machine will grind. Once done pull out and use the tamper to push and press the ground coffee in place. Place the porta filter in the brew port and press brew. The Ninja lux will brew the first cup of espresso and after its done it will show you a new number on the grind screen that you need to match and run it again for best espresso calibration. - I ran the calibration 3 times to get to the best results. This was automatic, easy, quick and painless. Calibrating espresso machines is usually a long process that makes you question your decisions at times. This is not the case with this one! Drip Coffee: - It follows the same procedure as before for the initial setup but faster and easier. You have a larger porta filter to make brewed coffee. Latte, cappuccino and iced coffees: There is a huge guide for recipes and ways to make coffee the way you want it. this machine is a true barista! Final notes: - The machine has simple, yet genius steps to get the best taste based on the kind of beans you are using, the quality of water, the type of milk weather dairy or not. - The build quality is AMAZING for the price. I cannot stress this enough! - The instructions are clear and to the point. - Water reservoir is designed for easy carry and fill. It’s the small things that matter as its ergonomic and it doesn’t feel awkward to remove it, fill it and then placing it back. - Access to the coffee grinder is also very easy. It a top fill and the lid is UV protected so you know the taste will be protected and the quality of the beans wont degrade if left in there for a few days or even weeks. - The machine has storage space for every accessory it comes with which minimizes the real estate it occupies. - Most importantly: the quality and taste of the coffee and espresso it brews is great. I am very happy with this product and I will be using it as my go to coffee machine going forward. - The grinder is quit, easy to use and didn’t overheat once during my 10 back to back brews between coffee and espresso. Get this machine and enjoy it for years to come.

I am extremely disappointed with this espresso maker. I tried several times to make a good espresso and I could never achieve that. I used all the setting and temperatures available and every single time the espresso came out flat without any crema. I will go back to my Delonghi espresso maker, it never disappointed me.

If you are a coffee aficionado, coffee connoisseur, or coffeeholic who enjoys all aspects of coffee, including different types of beans, roasts, brewing methods, and coffee drinks, then this is the coffee system for you. If you are a coffee wannabe who is a bit intimidated by grinding coffee beans, doesn’t quite understand the difference between iced coffee and cold brew, brewed coffee and espresso, and couldn’t distinguish a cappuccino from a latte or macchiato, this is also the machine for you! The Ninja Luxe Café is barista assist technology from start to finish. It is the ultimate guided experience that simplifies the process of creating café-quality drinks at home from grinding coffee beans to spooning cold foam over coffee. To start simply, you can make drip coffee (classic, rich or iced) and cold brew (cold pressed espresso or coffee) in the following amounts 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 ounces. The adjustable cup tray with 3 different levels and the removable central tray accommodates cups of different sizes. For the next level, try the espresso (double or quad shot). This no-guesswork process (set-up, grind, tamp, brew, froth) can easily be mastered by any newbie with the Quick Start Guide and Inspiration Guide booklet. How about adding grinding your own beans? Not sure how much? Let barista assist help with the 25 grind settings, grind size recommendations, weight-based dosing, and brew adjustments for temperature (dark vs light roasts) and pressure. No need to purchase separate items as the portafilter and built-in scale come with the system. So does the tamper to deliver the perfect puck for a high-quality shot and the milk jug for froth. The tamper and funnel store on the side of the machine while the brew baskets, brush and cleaning disc hide away in the built-in storage compartment. One of the first things you do after unpacking the unit and thoroughly cleaning all items is test your water hardiness with the test strip in the starter kit. Program that into your machine before you make your first cup. You also need to run a water flush. Periodically you will need to descale the machine and run a clean cycle with the enclosed cleaning disc. The starter kit comes with some descaling powder and 2 cleaning tablets. After those run out, you will need to purchase more. Ninja is notorious for its amazing recipe guides with clear step-by-step directions, ample illustrations and images, difficulty level, brew & froth time, QR codes for additional videos, recipes, and tips for cleaning & maintenance. Try a cold-pressed espresso martini or iced coffee with salted caramel cold foam. While I hate to clutter up my countertop, this stainless-steel unit is compact and attractive. Because I use it every day, it has earned a permanent spot next to the stove. If you think the price is high, just add up the round-trip mileage to coffee shops, time in the car and drive through, and cost of the fancy coffees you bought for a week. Then multiply that by 52. And that is just one year. The unit is portable enough that you can bring it on vacation or to other people’s houses. You will be the hit of the party as the after-dinner barista. If you put out a tip jar, the unit will pay for itself very quickly!

Coffee tastes amazing, give some guidance for novice user and nice looking espresso machine. It is convenient that the machine weight the ground coffee and the automatic milk frothing is game changer. 100% Recommended

The Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso machine is it for me! This espresso machine does practically everything I need & everything I didn’t know I wanted. I’ll be honest when I go to a coffee shop I tend to order what I’m familiar with and typically don’t stray far from that. Now with the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso I can experiment and try practically any espresso/coffee drink I can imagine. I want to talk about build quality as this product looks modern and shines on my kitchen countertop. If you know Ninja products you can expect them to pretty much be of good to great quality. The front display has a buttons for you main functions which are straightforward. Examples are a button for grinding beans, brew temp, cup size and a dial to choose type of espresso/coffee you are brewing as well as a button for milk type and dial to select froth type. Other than that there is a dial to choose grind size. Brewing a cup is super simple! Choose your type of drink and barista assisted technology will tell you your grind size, basket you’ll need to use and that’s about it. Included in the package you’ll find a portafilter, 2 baskets, a tamper, funnel, milk jug, cleaning brush and other maintenance supplies. A highlight for me is that all of these items can be stored in the machine itself. On the side of the machine is a door to store those items and on the opposite side the tamper and funnel attach to the sides, brilliant as I hate a cluttered countertop! An additional feature I wanted to mention was the milk jug. It seems to be made of stainless steel and has a magnetic whisk built into the bottom that produces great froth for your drinks that you don’t constantly have to keep an eye on. Overall I’d recommend this machine if you’re looking to purchase an espresso machine.

I’ve had many espresso makers in the past, from inexpensive boilers to outrageous fully automatic, this Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier is the best yet. The unit comes well packaged and unboxing was quick and easy. Setup on the other hand took about half an hour after peeling off the safety tape holding all the bits and pieces. You get two hard water test strips and dial that in first thing. After the initial water flush cycle, you run a couple of shots so the Barista Assist Technology can gauge the proper grind setting for your specific bean choice. This is a really nice feature as I changed bean type after the first few shots. Once the first shot with the new beans completed the machine told me to change my grind setting for the next one and it was much better. The next incredible thing about the Luxe Cafe is that rather than just grind beans for a set period of time like every previous machine I’ve used, this has a built in scale and it weighs the dose based on your drink selection. You can choose from espresso, cold pressed and drip varieties of coffee drinks. One thing I noticed is that this model does not do a single shot espresso, only double shots and quad shots. For drip coffees, there are seven size choices from 6 oz all the way to 18 oz. Love it! If you like milk drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, the auto frother is the best thing I’ve ever seen. There are five froth settings, four heated choices from steamed milk to extra thick froth and a cold foam selection. You also choose between dairy and plant-based milk products. To make your froth just fill the included pitcher (which has a spinning spring whisk in the bottom) , set it on the platform, make your selection and press start. That's all there is to it. The machine beeps when your froth is ready. The steam wand even automatically cleans itself when you push it back to the down position. But how does it taste you ask? I’ve been using the same bean brands for years and this is the best espresso I’ve had from any of my previous brewers. The extraction is on point and the crema is rich and creamy. The drip coffees are full bodied, consistent and delicious. A couple of additional things I really like. The bean hopper is removable and it closes the beans in so you don't spill when taking it out for cleaning or changing bean types. There are storage spaces on either side to hold the included tamper, portafilter funnel, large basket, cleaning disk and brush. I also like that you can move the cup holder height and remove the middle of the drip tray if you have a really tall cup or mug. On the other side, there are a couple of areas that might not be so great. I’ve had a couple of times where the beans do not feed through the hopper properly. This has happened on other machines as well when using oiler beans. The difference with this machine however is because it doses by weight not grind time, simply giving them a quick stir, the grind will continue until properly dosed. Also, when inserting the portafilter, it's a bit tight. There are rubber feet on the unit to help hold it in place though. When using the spring loaded tamper, don't over do it. One or two presses is fine. Finally, this unit does seem to discharge a lot more waste water then others i’ve had. When the red bobber pops up it means business, it needs to be emptied or it will leak. Little room for error here. This is not a fully automatic machine but it is the best tasting brewer yet. I give it five stars and highly recommend it to everyone who wants to make professional coffee drinks at home.

TL;DR - A great choice for the home coffee lover who wants a super-automatic, easy to use espresso and coffee maker in one device that's super easy to use and produces quality drinks. Just make sure you have sufficient counter height and width clearance to refill the top-loading bean hopper, remove the side-loading water tank and access the accessory storage on both sides of the machine. The Ninja Cafe Luxe premier is the latest kitchen appliance from Ninja for the coffee lover. It can create espresso and coffee drinks without all of the fuss and mess usually found in most home machines. It automatically grinds and doses the cofeee, and steams the milk and has several innovative and very useful design features that make this a great choice for the home coffee enthusiast. After the initial setup process, I can make a double, single or quad espresso or up to an 18 oz. drip coffee in two (or three with steamed milk) button presses and a simple move-and-twist to lock in the portafilter into the machine. The Ninja will automatically grind, measure, weigh and dose the coffee into the portafilter. Then it's a simple tamping using the included spring loaded tamper, twist and lock the portafilter onto the brewhead and one button push to extract the shot. The Ninja's barista assist technology automatically monitors and adjusts the grind and brew based on the last three drinks made, to ensure you always get optimal, quality results. Clean up is simple as well. Detach the portafilter, tap the portafilter over the trash or bangbox (not included) to dispose the puck, rinse and air dry. They included thoughtful design features too, such as a built in storage for the tamper, dosing funnel and double and luxe portafilter baskets, cleaning brush and disc in the machine. The top of the machine also has a cup warming area and the water tank has a built in handle that makes it easy to remove and carry the tank to the sink to wash and refill. Ninja has an excellent online setup and support guide with videos that show you how to complete the setup and calibration of the machine, how to brew drinks and complete the periodic maintenance process common to all coffee and espresso machines (cleaning and descaling). The box includes everything you need except coffee! My only issues with the machine are the power cord is non-removable, doesn't have a flat plug design and the cord is somewhat short (approx. 3 feet). Also, the drip tray is one piece and can be tricky to remove and carry to the sink without spilling if it's full.

The Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso, Coffee, and Cold Brew Machine with Integrated Grinder and Scale, and Hands-Free Frother takes the cake! This coffee machine does everything it advertises. Kit includes a Tamper, 2 different grinder capsules and a water testing kit. The design is wonderful. It is clean and does not take up a terrible amount of counter space. The overall look can blend with many different design. 1) Espresso- The quality and consistency is magnificent. The espresso is smooth, sweet and at a perfect temperature each pour. 2) Over Ice- The coffee had a good flavor and wasn't overly watered down. 3) Frothing- The frothing feature is great and work very well. The different options between types of milk is a great bonus. 4) Grinding- The Grinder can hold a full bag of beans and has an air tight seal to maintain freshness. Grinder consistency is a 10. The machine will tell you what setting it recommends based on what type of brew you want. I recommend you follow what the machine recommends. 5) Cleaning- Cleaning the Frother is a must after each use, simply do the purge function. I also recommend you wipe the brewer spout after each brew as to not allow coffee grounds to build up, this will affect the flavor and consistency.

I’ve been using the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso, Coffee, and Cold Brew Machine for a few weeks now, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s incredibly easy to use, even for someone who isn’t a trained barista. The built-in grinder and scale make it simple to get the perfect amount every time, and the hands-free frother is a great touch that makes delicious, creamy foam without any mess. The quality of the coffee it produces honestly beats what I’d get at most coffee shops — smooth, rich flavor whether I’m making espresso, a hot brew, or a cold brew. Plus, the stainless steel design looks beautiful on my countertop. If you want café-quality coffee at home without any hassle, I highly recommend this machine!

I recently got the Ninja Luxe Café coffee machine, and it has been my best coffee experience ever! The design is sleek and modern, instantly upgrading my kitchen’s look. It’s incredibly easy to use, with intuitive controls and multiple brew options that let me enjoy everything from rich espresso to creamy lattes at home. The frother works beautifully, and the coffee tastes just like a café-quality brew. Cleanup is simple, which makes it even more convenient for daily use. Overall, it’s perfect for anyone who loves café-style coffee without the hassle of going out. Highly recommended!

This espresso machine is an absolute game changer for coffee lovers. It delivers rich, full-bodied shots with a beautiful crema every single time. The brewing process is quick and consistent, and the temperature control ensures perfect flavor extraction. Its sleek, modern design adds a stylish touch to any kitchen, while the sturdy build feels durable and premium. Easy to use and clean, it’s perfect for both beginners and experienced baristas looking for café-quality coffee at home.

I was skeptical of this design, because it claims to do so many things: grind the coffee, brew the coffee (cold or hot, espresso or drip), and also make hot/cold foam? Things that try to Swiss Army Knife rarely do any task well. A friend told me it was worth it, so here we are, and I am seriously impressed. For context, I have two espresso makers, multiple french presses of different sizes (including a Stanley for camping with a hand grinder), pour overs, everything besides an aeropress. I buy fresh coffee roasted locally, grind it just before brewing, use a kettle with exact temperature settings. I pay attention to detail, and like my coffee straight up, so I can taste what I'm paying $16/lb for. And now I don't need any of those (besides the Stanley for camping). The SharkNinja does it all, effortlessly. Setup was well documented, the parts all feel high quality with good weight and build. The springloaded tamper is genius for getting tamp right, and the multiple brew baskets mean my girlfriend can brew espresso for her latte, and I can do cold brew a few minutes later, easy peasy. This thing grinds as well as my expensive grinder – and SO much quieter, it brews as well (if not better) than my other gear, and though I don't take milk in my coffee, my girlfriend loves that once you figure it out, it's hard to get it wrong. The pros: - great build quality - actually makes great coffee, whether hot brewed, cold brewed, espresso, etc - everyone in the household can have the coffee they want, all within the same breakfast prep time - grinder is super quiet - lots of clever additions like the garages for all the gear - everything just works The cons: - it DOES have a learning curve, and every time I want to try something new I'm back in the manual figuring out the process. - sometimes it's TOO good at doing everything for you. Once you're on a path, the only way to change your mind is to turn the thing off and on again. - the menu fonts are really small, and a bit confusing. It took me a while to figure out how to select Espresso options because it wasn't intuitive how to navigate to them. - I wish I could attach the water tank to a water supply – somehow it seems to use far more water than ends up in the cup. Definitely recommend this, especially for the price, compared to "pro" machines for $500 more, and compared to plastic junk for barely any cheaper.

Absolutely LOVE my Ninja Lux Cafe. I'm not a fan of having multiple appliances if it can be combined, so I love the fact that this can do a regular drip coffee AND espresso. I love that if the water runs out mid cup, you have the opportunity to refill the container and continue brewing your cup (i was coming from an older ninja coffee maker and that was something that bothered me). Learning how to make your perfect cup of joe or cappuccino is a breeze and the fact that everything has is own spot is a major plus. I highly recommend the ninja lux cafe!!

I was ecstatic to hear that Ninja was coming out with a Barista/Cafe system. For the past 8 or so years, I've used Ninja Coffee Pots, exclusively and I love and swear by them. I've recommended them to family and friends, as well as many others on Social Media. However, my "Barista" skills are non-existent! I've never went beyond making anything other than a regular cup of coffee from either grounds or pods. Sure, I have a Ninja Bean Grinder that came free with my current coffee pot and I've used it a time or two, but having it independently and having to clean it every time I wanted to grind was such a chore. So, I've always just bought pre-ground coffee 90% of the time, or pods (the other 10% of the time) for something different. I do buy my coffee from various places, there is one Coffee Company I shop at frequently, online. They have amazing flavors in their coffees and you can buy it in whole beans or ground. On top of that, all their beans are roasted and packed fresh, to order! There's a few times I'll buy coffee locally, if I see something that sounds good. But regardless, I've always wanted to take my coffee skills to the next level and let me say, this Ninja Lux Cafe has certainly helped! Unboxing this is a BEAST! The unboxing experience is pretty basic, but what's included sure is Premium! inside, you get the actual Lux Cafe unit which is much bigger than I expected and is hefty! You get the steel Milk Froth Jug, a stainless steel "elevation" plate that is great when using smaller cups, like 4oz or 6oz, to avoid splattering and a "Starter Kit" that pretty much includes your basket and accessories that are required for brewing Espresso, coffee and such. Then, there's the Quick Start Guide, as well as your other included manuals and such. First off, let me get this out of the way. This thing is intimidating. Seriously. After seeing everything that came with this unit, I waited a few days before I even felt like dealing with it. I had to watch the tutorial videos for every option - grinding, using the Portafilter, baskets and such for catching the grinds, brewing coffee, express and such. And even after then, I'm still like.....uuuuuugh? There's so many steps to each process that it makes a huge "learning curve" for the product. I'm still finding myself referencing the tutorial videos on Ninja's site before I do a specific brew, just to make sure I'm doing it correctly. It's one of those things where the more you do it, the better you get and the less you have to go back for reference. Which is fine, because this is upping my skills and "language" in this new realm of coffee-making for me! There are several steps you much do, even before you begin brewing your first cup. You DEFINITELY need to watch the initial tutorial video off the QR code that is stickered onto the screen of the unit. This walks you through filling the Water Reservoir and Bean Hopper, testing your water (which I didn't think I needed to do, as I only use Distilled water, but it must be done, as it requires you to input the result into the Lux Cafe settings - it's the first on-screen option that comes up), How to use the Portafilter and grind your beans, as well as all the additional Portafilter attachments, doing a water flush AND making two cups of Espresso to "teach" the system (or "Dial it in", as it's described in the tutorials). One painful thing is...you have to do this EVERY TIME you switch the type of beans in the grinder...which is a HUGE pain point for me and something I didn't expect. I'll elaborate on this later... I also do want to add that this is not a "regular" daily coffee pot, at least not for me. If you just want a quick cup of coffee, ready to go, in the morning before work or something, this may not be for you. This is a process. A ritual, even. It's something you have to "enjoy" and want to do, not a simple "pour grounds into a filter, press brew and go on" type of think. This takes time. But let me also say this - that additional time and "love" taken to make your coffee, whatever you choose (Espresso, Cold Brew, regular coffee, Latte's, etc, is SO worth it. I also love that there's brew temp options, unlike my other Ninja coffee pots. This has honestly become my weekday evening and weekend coffee system and even moreso, when I have company over! The coffee qualities this brews as the end result from the freshly ground beans is so much richer and smoother than my current and previous Ninja dedicated coffee maker produces, it's unreal! In addition to the Brew Temp settings, there's also your Brew Strength adjustment, but it's kinda hidden (it's in the Quick Start guide). So far, I have made Espresso, a regular cup of coffee, a Latte & Cappuccino (both using the Milk Frothing Jug) and Cold Brew. Everything has turned out excellent and well above my expectation! In the end - I do want to express that this is not a DAILY coffee maker. Expect this machine to do anything you want and improve your coffee skills and "language". While it cleans up super easy, there is a bit of maintenance required, as well as a lot of steps involved in whatever type of brew you want to make. Expect a 10-15 minute brewing experience, at least until you get well-versed and used to everything. My biggest downsize is I use a lot of different flavored coffees, so this would not be useful in this machine, since it has to "dial in" every time you change your beans. This machine is best use with the same beans, all the time. If you do change them, you do have to go through the "teaching" system every...single...time. I know this is for Espresso, but was unable to determine if this also applies to just making "regular" coffee. Overall, given the nature of this product, maintenance and some baby-sitting aside, I give it a full 5/5 stars!

I am not a coffee expert, but I like to experiment with various coffee beans and ways to make many types of coffees. Based on my experience, I have found that coffee is hugely impacted by how finely the coffee is ground and how consistent the grind is. Pre-ground coffee normally tastes stale to me, so I usually use a hand crank conical burr grinder. It’s a trial-and-error process to determine the best grind, so I was excited to try this all included Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series Coffee maker. As expected, the setup was pretty easy. I was able to get the machine up and running quickly. I noticed extra purged water would store in the bottom half of the machine in a tray for easy removal and cleaning. The first thing I made was an espresso. I have to admit the espresso was better tasting than when I grind the beans myself. I am not sure if the taste was better because of the more consistent grind, the nice included damper, or the machine. The next coffee I tried was a cold brew. I normally “brew” at room temperature for about 10 to 11 hours. This brew did not taste as strong or complex as the brew I am used to making. I could see myself using this in a pinch, but it is no substitute for the way I typically make cold brew. I am not a fan of hot coffees, so I did not try many of the other options. I am excited to try some of the other coffees in the recipe book, and I believe this machine would make a lot of rapid-made coffees better with the consistent grind and recommended adjustments. I will note that while cleaning, you will want to turn the machine off before removing and cleaning the drip tray. While cleaning the tray, I turned the machine off only to discover a stream of water dripping in an area where the tray would have collected it. Overall, this machine is great and makes coffee better than I could. I gladly recommend this coffee machine; however, I will continue making my cold brew to brew at room temperature.

First off I should note that I really like Ninja products. My kitchen has a number of them. Secondly I work professionally in food service, including as a barista. The machine I use at work is a fully automatic programmed for Starbucks coffee. Thus far I am really enjoying the Ninja Luxe Cafe. I had been debating the purchase for some time, and decided to take the plunge. The construction of the device feels pretty good. Yes, there are plastic pieces but that is true of most machines anymore, including the overpriced one I use for work. The machine has all the little touches I've come to expect from a Ninja product. Things like the little storage areas for the parts, the heavy duty feeling pieces, and the generally straightforward screen design. The grinder built into the machine seems to be pretty good quality. It's easy to dial in the grind. The funnel setup that it uses makes tamping easy, and I really like the setup for that. The machine pulls good shots, at least on par with the machine I use at work. The milk steamer with the whisk in the bottom makes very consistent foam, though not the best for 'art'. You can manually steam the milk if that is an issue for you though. I have not yet used the full range of features, but the core ones (making lattes and other standard hot drinks) has worked great for me. Others have complained about noise, but I've found this machine to be very quiet. The grinder makes almost no noise at all, and the biggest noise is actually the beeps the machine makes (and those can be turned off). The milk steamer can not be run at the same time as the espresso shots are being pulled. I know in professional machines you can run both at once, I don't know if that's the case with home machines. The learning curve feels a lot lower with this machine than with other semi-automatic machines. Grind weight, tamping, pulling, and steaming is all very streamlined and easy for a new user. Harder to use than a standard coffee pot, sure, but much easier to use for a consistent cup than most machines. This machine is, in many ways, a very streamlined consumer version of an espresso machine without being fully automatic (and therefor costing quite a bit more). Great bargain for what it is capable of and easy to get a consistently good drink out of.

This one is perfect for me. Purchased the Delonghi Magnifica Evo first then realized its not what I wanted. Sold it to my daughter of course for a lower price and got this one. I can now make frappe in the ninja slushi without having to brew few cups of coffee. Like the fact you have many options on this one like the size of coffee and similar to my Ninja dual brew...dont get me wrong, The Magnifica Evo is a good machine just didnt meet my needs and this one exceeds them. There is a big difference. Had it for 2 months already and just love it!!

I'll start off by mentioning that this is my first real foray into owning a higher end at home machine. I do have a basic latte/cappuccino unit from another company, but it doesn't get hot enough to where the carbon dioxide gas actually develops a top layer crema. So this is more or less a significant upgrade from what was my previous daily routine. I have used manual pour over units for coffee/expresso, but the time and effort it took was a significant given I needed to heat up water and attempt to have a steady hand at 5-6am.. Yeah it wasn't happening. Enter.. the Ninja Luxe Cafe. INITIAL THOUGHTS: This unit is VERY large and heavy once the water and beans are dispersed. The spot you pick is going to be fairly permanent. I already had to move mine over to the other side of my kitchen as the location where my previous latte/cap maker stood was making it hard navigate water refills and clean daily. Not much else to say other than it is fairly straight forward and well built. Setup will require you to use water test strips to dial in water hardness for initial prep. This setting seems to have a lot to do with the automatic grind size after 1st-2nd cup. PROS: -Fairly consistent pour, though there are times where the expresso gets bitter from over prepping via trying to perfect my tampering. You only really need 1 press and a twist. -I had the machine for around a week and the "Barista Assist technology" is still trying to figure out the perfect grind size. Started at 12 and ended up working down to 08 over time (heavy use). I'm not sure if this is 100% optimal as I've gotten better early pours, but it does crema and taste decent with my choice of milk and syrups. -The grinder does seem to be quite consistent for a double shot based on weight. It's likely not the best design relative to certain hand units, but good for those that want a quick expresso run without much fuss. -Frothing is better than my previous machine.. Very consistent foam based on selection. -Top metal plate area doubles as a cup warmer or storage. CONS: -I had a bad first experience making coffee with the standard "quad shot" tray. I haven't really gone back to it as I've been enjoying the double shot expresso, but this might need more adjustment than trying to dial in the standard doubles. -Be prepared for tons of splatter on the stainless steal portion in middle of unit. I generally have to clean my machine daily because of this. -The unit will purge its frothing wand after every use. This is generally a good thing, but the bottom tray will fill up with water fairly quick and need to be dumped. It can get repetitive and annoying unless you're on top of your game with machine maintenance. -Chrome coated expresso tray will scratch easily with standard types of ceramic coffee cups. I would only recommend glass bottom expresso or latte cups when filling during double shot runs. -My unit came with an "offset" portafilter assembly. The marketing videos have a more left perfect 90 degree, but mine seems to have a right bias when in dead center "lock" position. I confirmed this is normal machine tolerance with Ninja, but it's a little annoying given the drip residue is "off center". I Might just be a little OCD here to be fair... Other units from competitors have same type of issue I think.. so not really the biggest con, but it wont be perfect to that 90 degree threshold as videos and marketing show. Tolerance to individual units! -Might need more test strips if you switch water to a different brand or use different bottle waters from multiple brands. SUBJECTIVE TASTE: As I mentioned above, I only really use this machine for double shot and I think it's quite decent. I will eventually change my water from filtered to spring water and try to find a local bean roaster for the freshest beans. The machine can crema (don't over prep) and does make decent brews with off the shelve "dunkin" whole beans, but I feel like I'm wasting a little potential here. I will have to experiment with standard coffee on the quad shots long term. Again, I use this machine mainly for expresso, but my first round of coffee was a tad subpar as noted. I think I'll eventually let the "Barista Asist" try to do its job here, but I'm more of a latte and cappuccino person anyway. OVERALL: I think Ninja went into this with a long term purpose and goal of making the best value Semi-Automatic expresso maker on market. You can tell there is a lot of love and passion in some of the design elements down to the grinder tray and portafilter. Each unit is also checked from factory/assembly before being shipped out, so you shouldn't worry that there's coffee residue on the head assembly as its "pre checked" before being sent out. I've been enjoying this machine quite a bit (first week) and I hope that I can improve my skills in making the perfect morning/afternoon drinks. There are obvious cons here and there and you should be aware of them, but I'm sure Ninja as a company will support any issue long term. It's not the perfect machine, but it also offers significant value given the US market lacks solid options relative to European brands and pricing. This unit will disrupt the market heavily in my opinion. Giving this a solid 4/5.

I see plenty of reviews with details on all the features so I'll skip that stuff. It definitely can make any coffee drink ever, the different ones I've tried all taste great, but that's not why I'm so happy and am begging my spouse to let me keep it. I love how this thing is built. Every time I dreamed about being able to make a drink that tasted as good as a coffee shop (espresso and some frothy milk), all the products felt like two options: 1. Metal and sturdy, but you need a PhD to get things just right; 2. Simple to use, but cheap plastic and impossible to clean. I also really hate "smart" devices and touch screens that have a million ways to break and annoy you. I want buttons and knobs, not some AI deciding to "add a hazelnut flavor splash based on my recent vibes" THANK YOU Ninja for building the coffee maker I wished every other coffee maker was. It's metal and sturdy, but it tells me exactly what to do, with BUTTONS AND KNOBS! It says how/when to clean things, then I can easily take those things apart and wash/clean them! I wish new cars were like this. I wish so many other new devices were like this. I appreciate the Shark/Ninja stuff I've bought before and how long they've all lasted. This coffee maker feels like it will last a long time too. And it better, because now I'm making perfect lattes every morning without understanding how and I'm spoiled.