Customer Ratings & Reviews

Easy to use and excellent features! I have no complaints of this ninja product

Ah man, wife loves this product. Saves me trips to dunkin. Brought her dunkin coffee beans , dunkin creamer nd cold foam. Now im saving money on gas nd dunkin trips

An excellent, easy, versatile bean to cup system. Performs very well when making all manner of coffee shop beverages.

Works great. Experimenting with all the different drinks has been fun. Looks great on the coffee bar

This machine is super easy to use, and the quality of the coffees is better than Starbucks. In no time, I am making a latte or cappuccino. I love it.

As a ice coffee lover this purchase was so worth every penny! Definitely recommend to anyone wanting to get a coffee machine so fast and easy!

Awesome do it all coffee machine!! The tamper on the old style had a plastic cup that always broke for tamping. This one is built in.

TL:DR - I was nervous about this at first, but it’s actually super easy and the coffee is pretty good too. However I have some concerns about longevity of the grinder, especially when the machine requests a really fine grind and the integrated tamper looks weak as well, and I’m assuming it’ll be the first point of failure in the future. I also have issues with how much water it wastes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a super water conservationist or anything like that, but it forces me to refill the tank far sooner than it should. All in all though, I can live with those issues because I really do enjoy the coffee. —- First of all, the look of the device at first was really appealing to me. It has a techy look that fits my personality pretty well. However I kind of had issue with how much ‘invisible’ space it requires. You first think, man this thing is little, nice and compact, but then you realize you need space for the accessories compartment. Then you need space away from the back wall for the water tank. Then you need space to the left for the tamper. You also need space in front of it to store the ‘portafilter’ because the handle sticks out in front of it too. So it’s deceptively small, it actually requires more space than the unit has you believe. I must give Ninja a huge nod, because I’m an idiot when it comes to coffee, I love it when I buy it, but HATE making it because it’s NEVER as good as where I buy it. This machine does a GREAT job making the coffee taste almost as good as where I go to buy my coffee. Seriously, I’m just so happy with the coffee. The Barista Assist technology behind this thing is seriously fantastic! From frothing the milk to making the proper cup of espresso, this thing does it well. Lattes, Americanos, and Machiatto’s are my go to drinks. But I found myself trying cappuccinos and surprisingly a lungo. I had to google what that was, but turns out I like lungos. Who knew? Also another nod to Ninja was the ease of it all. I’m not a huge reader, so I dreaded looking at the manual, but to my pleasure, there’s a super easy to follow video available and that took all of the guesswork out of it. I did have to read the cleaning and maintenance sections, but at least the operation (the fun part) was watch and learn! Now for my gripes. I dislike how much hidden space it takes. I ended up having to make more room for this thing than I originally thought I would because Ninja decided to put things on the side and in front of it, as well as the back. So take the water tank for example, it’s big, and goes from the right most side in the back, to about ¾ of the way to the left. Which means, I need to lift the tank, then move it to the right about ¼ of the length before shifting the tank diagonally to pull it out, and do this again with a full tank of water. It became such an issue for me I ended up rearranging the kitchen appliances. It’s by my fridge now and I still need to move it about 6-7 inches away from the fridge so I can properly tamp the grounds. My other gripe is how much water it wastes. I just said I dislike filling the water, why are you wasting water at every turn. I swear I’m emptying the waste bin way too often. From cleaning the frothing wand, to coffee grind wasting, it’s kind of a wasteful device. My last gripe is the fear that it’ll break. I had some really dry beans and it had me go really fine to like 5 or something for the grind setting and it sounded like it was a struggle for the grinder. It didn’t feel good. I ended up buying some more oily beans and it had me go up to a grind setting of like 15 and it sounded better. Also the tamper kind of flexes and doesn’t give me a sense of security when tamping it. I ended up changing my ‘keep going until you can’t anymore’ recommendation from Ninja, to a “just do a nice and firm tamp without pushing too hard” style tamp. And sure it’s not as pretty, but it works. I have a lot of Ninja gear, and I do like them, but their blenders in particular give me grief, but their air fryers are going strong for me without any issues. So I’m really hoping this is another good long lasting product. All that said though, I am VERY happy with the unit overall and the complaints and longevity worries are something I think I can live with. The day to day of this thing is fantastic and fulfills my desire for coffee at the comfort of my own home.

Impressed Happy and Satisfied!!!! This coffee machine is top notch!!!!! Worth every penny!!!

Absolutely in love with my ninja coffee maker, it is great and easy use.

The Ninja Pro Luxe is probably the best addition I’ve ever made to my kitchen. My partner and I both work from home and are big coffee drinkers, and have been drinking homemade after lunch lattes for years. I had been using an inexpensive latte maker without complaint… until I tried this machine. There’s simply no comparison. The Ninja makes the process nearly effortless, and the quality of my lattes has significantly improved. I’ve been working my way through the recipes in the included Ninja manual and trying drinks I normally wouldn’t consider. So far, my biggest surprise is a cold brew iced cold foam latte, it’s absolutely incredible. I served it after dinner for guests, and one of them actually came back the next morning asking for another one. As for operation, it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it. That said, it’ll take you a few uses to get the hang of it. I still don’t feel totally confident with the standard drip coffee function, mostly because I get confused about when to tamp. The machine does display an indicator for tamping, but I’ve missed it a few times and made a pretty big mess when I pulled out the portafilter. If they ever release an upgraded model, I wouldn’t be surprised to see an auto-tamp feature added. One downside is that you can’t set it to brew on a schedule. I originally hoped it could replace my morning coffee pot, but since you can’t preload and time a drip brew, I’ll be holding on to my regular coffee maker. Also, you can’t steam or froth milk while the machine is brewing, which makes sense mechanically, but it would be nice if those processes could run simultaneously. Still, this machine clearly very thoughtfully designed. There are clever features throughout, like the hidden chamber for storing portafilter attachments, a pop-up indicator for when you empty your drip tray and an auto-purge for after steaming. Overall, this is the closest thing to a perfect coffee machine I’ve ever used. I feel so lucky to have it in my home, and I get excited every time I go to use it.

One star, and I hope it echoes in the design team's dreams. First unit? Dented. Manufacturer says “not normal.” I use it, fall in love—then my friend wonders if it got slapped by a spatula. Returned it (Best Buy, you're saints). I get the same model, untouched this time, and guess what? Same dimples, still channeling golf ball energy. I didn’t sign up for a luxury appliance with a lunar surface. If this is intentional design, someone owes me an explanation—and possibly a helmet.

Making Coffe it's my new favorite thing! I have been using few other Coffe Makers in the past couple of years and i did enjoyed them learned few things but was still missing something to get good at it. Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro knocked it out of the park with the Design and the way the machine was taught thru. They didn't left anything out. It really does add to the looks of the kitchen with the right amount of chrome and good quality materials this Coffe maker it's for sure a conversation starter. I have been making coffe to all of my guest in the past 2 weeks and they all loved it as much as i did. So putting it together is very straight forward, just scan the QR code and in about 5 minutes you'll be all set. The Grinder will adjust after the first few trial shots and then slightly just follow the prompts it will tell you where you should have it set based on the previous pours. And i believe that makes it so much more special that you don't need to guess and i promise you'll get nice creamy espresso shots all the time! The built in tamper helps speed up the process, mess free by the way. Now just brew it and create your favorite drink or just have it like that. The Frother is the coolest one i used so far and boy it works so well and keeps it all under control. You can't go wrong! It has both options for dairy or dairy free and the cup is so large it will accommodate pretty much any drink you are about to make. I can go on and on but i'll try to keep it short and i promise just give it a try, and if you are new to making Coffe you will Love it or if you already have been using something else you will apreciate the quality and ease of use of the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro!

Honestly, I don’t know where to begin because this all-in-one Ninja Luxe Pro Café Pro machine truly sets a new standard for perfection and peace of mind. As a long-time loyal customer of Ninja products, my expectations are always high when I invest in any products made by Ninja, but this machine impressed me a lot. It might just be the most impressive appliance Ninja has ever made. From the moment I unboxed it, it was clear that Ninja has paid attention to every detail with intention and precision. The machine has a sleek, modern design that blends seamlessly with the rest of Ninja’s lineup. The Ninja’s signature design language is calling it on this machine as well, which is great for having a streamlined look in the kitchen. Everything inside the box was securely packaged, and I highly recommend reading the user manual thoroughly; it provides step-by-step guidance for setup and maintenance, which is extremely helpful. The box included three coffee basket sizes, a portafilter, a milk pitcher, a complete cleaning kit, and even water hardness test strips. After removing the protective tapes, washing the reservoir, and filling it with water, I powered the machine. The setup process began instantly. On the left side of the dashboard, a digital display shows the water hardness level that needed to be selected based on each area water hardness level. This is crucial step to help maintain the machine’s longevity and prevent limescale buildup. I followed the manual, tested the water, set the level, and ran the initial rinse cycle, which took around 10 minutes. After that, the machine was ready to go. I Decided to start with making my cappuccino cup. After loading roasted beans into the hopper and locking the portafilter into place, the built-in grinder did the job. It automatically adjusts the grind size based on the selected brew, and the integrated scale ensures just the right amount of coffee is ground. Tamping is clean and mess-free. You can also customize both temperature and brew strength, with three levels available for each. While the coffee brewed, I filled the milk pitcher and activated the steam wand. As soon as it was lowered into the milk, options for milk type and frothing level lit up. The wand heats quickly, and one of my favorite touches is the LED light that illuminates the frothing area. Small but very cool feature. After frothing, the wand automatically purges steam when directed toward a built-in hole on the base, preventing residue buildup. Great feature! Beyond coffee, the machine also dispenses hot water for tea or instant Nescafé. What truly stands out is its intelligence “Barista assist” and everything from frothing options to pitcher size and the lit LED front panel. Controls are intuitive, and easy to use. one downside though, it’s that the water reservoir is a bit small considering how many functions this machine can do. But that’s a minor inconvenience compared to everything it offers. In short, this machine is great. It's ideal for those who value perfection, quality, and design, and functionality. It’s not like any other coffee machines, this was built for peace of mind, and I highly recommend it.

Overall, the ninja Luxe Café pro series 4 in 1 one machine is a superb coffee and froth machine. It is has 13 espresso styles 4 coffee styles 7drink sizes and 5 froth presets. It also comes with a tamp lever, which is extremely beneficial. The set up was super simple having to plug the machine in and do a water hardness test. The water hardness test will then tell you which setting to dial-in on to create your first pass-through. After a couple brews to calibrate you’re ready to go. The design is sturdy and well-made, with a nice heft to make you feel like the machine itself as well made, and professional, which it is. There is also a hot water button which you could use for tea and that itself is a nice touch because I also like to enjoy green tea from time to time. Overall, I do not see myself needing any other machine for the foreseeable future as this serves my needs and the needs of those who come over to enjoy a nice cup of espresso or hot coffee whenever we desire. Well executed, Ninja!

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro is an amazing tool for all coffee drinkers from beginners to enthusiasts. I have always been eager to try out an actual espresso machine, but the science and the intricacies behind pulling the perfect shot of espresso, and all the ways it could go wrong, intimidated me. The Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro does a great job of simplifying all of the necessary steps to make a perfect beverage. The initial unboxing of the machine was super simple and stress free. The machine pulled out of the box with no hassle and was essentially entirely assembled. Everything on the machine was in place and where it should be. Then after seeing the machine, one of the first things you notice is the scannable QR code, which was one of the most innovative features of this entire experience. The video that the code pulled up did a fabulous job of explaining the machine and all of its features and how to properly utilize them. Upon first glance, the machine has a sleek look. The stainless steel finish with black accents compliments any style of kitchen well. On top of the sleek finish, the machine has rather slim dimensions for all that it encapsulates. The dimensions are comparable to similar espresso machines, but the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro includes more. When unboxing the machine, there are many stickers explaining what each feature is. The stickers dictated what buttons were for which features, and where the integrated storage for additional parts were. Initially, stickers on a piece of nice stainless steel machinery may seem like a pain to remove, but they came off with no trouble. The stickers were also an added bonus of the machine and helped with the initial use. The quick start guide did a perfect job of explaining in detail the proper steps to follow to successfully brew the best beverage possible. It perfectly explained what each tool was, and in simple terms so that users of all experiences could operate the machine. One of the features that I found to be especially useful was the integrated tamper. In other espresso machines, the tamper is a separate part, and requires a lot more skill. In my previous, although limited, experience, traditional standstill tamper is extremely technique dependent. There are many variables, like the pressure applied to the tampering, that can lead to very inconsistent shots being pulled. The integrated tamper of the Ninja luxe cafe was a luxury. I thought that displaying the current and recommended grind size in a visible spot where it was easy to adjust, was an especially nice touch. The grind size of both coffee and espresso beans is detrimental in creating the perfect brew. The recommended size changing with each different beverage selections shows the thought and detail that went into the creation of this machine. When removing the portafilter from the grinding cradle and inserting it into the group head, I found that the pressure required to twist the handle and align the orange dots moved the base of the machine. I could see that potentially adidings some sort of suction feature to the bottom could help eliminate this subtle movement. Moving on in the process of brewing your beverage, I found that all of the buttons, dials, and labels were very effective. There was no confusion whatsoever. When pressing “start brew”, the machine beeps and begins brewing for a second or two, before a momentary pause. The first few times I utilized the machine, I thought that there was some user error causing the lag in the brewing, which was initially very confusing. The bars on the screen showing where in the brewing process the machine currently was was very helpful as well. I found that the espresso shot brewed perfectly after correctly following all of the steps. There was an instance where I needed to switch the size of the basket after brewing a shot of espresso to brew some coffee. I experienced some struggle trying to remove the basket from the portafilter and found that the black tabs were hard to tug at. I also found that the stainless steel basket was very hot, which added to the struggle of trying to remove it. This could be an issue for someone who needs to switch basket sizes to make different beverages back to back. In regards to the frothing aspect of the machine, I loved and appreciated all of the available options. I like how there was the ability to select the thickness of the froth, along with the temperature. I personally have found that in my experience frothing milks, the plant based milks froth entirely differently than dairy itself. Having the ability to select which type of milk will be getting frothed was much appreciated and definitely added greatly to the user experience. I did experience an issue one time when trying to create a cold froth. I turned the dial to the appropriate setting but was met with a loud screeching noise coming from the frother and after the fothing stopped, I noticed the milk was in the same consistency, it did not froth. I did ensure that there was an adequate amount of milk, so I am unsure as to what the issue behind that was. Other than that one mishap, I have not had any other issues with the frother. It is especially useful that the frothing wand purges itself. Not only does it purge itself, but the machine queues you how and when to do so. I have had other espresso machines in the past where purging the frother was a lot of additional work and time. An underrated feature, which I noticed was particularly helpful, was the size of both the bean hopper and the water reservoir. They were both an adequate size which got rid of the need to constantly be refilling both of them. I did find that when switching between coffee and espresso beans for different beverages, it was a little bit of a pain. Maybe if there was a separate area to store both of the beans, that would be an appreciated feature. Another feature I much appreciated was the included storage on the right side of the machine for the various basket attachments. These little pieces could be very easy to lose in a busy kitchen, so I thought this was a fabulous touch. Overall, I don't have any complaints about this machine. It was very easy to operate, not intimidating in the slightest, detailed in instructions, and visually appealing as well. I have tried all of the beverage and frother settings, and have loved and enjoyed all of them.

I've spent the last week living with the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro Series 4-in-1 espresso machine. It promises to handle everything from authentic espresso shots, drip coffee, cold brew, and adds hot water dispenser. As a coffee enthusiast, I was excited but curious to see if it could handle all of this. After thorough use of the new ES701, I can tell you that it lives up to its ambition *Design and Build* Right out of the box, the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro looks like a premium appliance. The body is mostly stainless steel with black accents. It looks like it could fit right in at a coffee shop. Make sure you have space because the dimensions are roughly 13 x 12.5 x 14.5" tall. It also weighs about 25 pounds. It will fit under your kitchen cabinet but I would recommend finding space on a kitchen island or the end of the counter where you have breathing space above it. Every component feels sturdy and well engineered. *Control Panel* There's a digital control panel with clearly labeled buttons and knobs for each function. The center knob helps you select drink sizes, and there are physical buttons for options like brew style and froth. All of the buttons and knobs provide good feedback when pushing or turning. All of the components feel solid and everything locks firmly into place as needed. On the left side there's a grind size dial for the built in grinder. On the right side, the machine has storage compartments for filter baskets, a cleaning brush, and a filter for cleaning. On the other side you will find the tamper and closing funnel. Ninja did a great job of both engineering and design. The ES701 has a built in tamper. After grinding, you pull a lever to tamp the grounds which means no mess and no extra parts to fumble around with. I felt like it compressed the pucks with just the right force every time. The steam wand is also easy to clean with an simple wipe from a washcloth or paper towel. *Features* Ninja has all the features you need without feeling too cluttered. There's a built-in conical burr grinder on the left side. Make sure you twist the dial to release the beans or you will get an install reminder. The right side has storage. The built-in tamper is a major upgrade. After you grind the beans you simply pull a lever to tamp the grounds, that's it. There's a top loading bean hopper for whole beans that also has a UV protected lid to keep the beans fresh. You can easily fit a few days worth of beans. The water reservoir is large too, holding 70 ounces. *Performance* How well does this machine make coffee? This is what matters most. I put the Ninja ES701 through its paces every day with different drinks and here are the results: Espresso Quality - This machine can absolutely make really good espresso shots. After the first couple of shots where the machine dialed in, I was consistently getting thick, rich espresso. The temperature was just right. Hot and smelled great right from the start. The Ninja heats up quickly and temperature was consistent. You can't manually dial in every parameter but the Ninja did a great job on auto. The quad shot feature was great for lattes and mixing. The Americano function worked great, there was no bitterness whatsoever. Drip Coffee - This was surprisingly good. I brewed cups in both classic and rich settings. Classic was a clean medium strength coffee and rich was bolder and used a little more coffee. The coffee was excellent from 8 to 18 ounces, not watery at all. The iced coffee was strong, and tasted great with no sign of being diluted. This Ninja is impressive. Cold brew - I made cold brew in about 10 minutes. The flavor was smooth, sweet, strong, and easy on the stomach. Froth - I used whole milk and it produced an exceptional micro foam that I used in Cappuccinos, Lattes, and my drip coffee. I didn't feel like it performed as well with alternative milks but that's more to do with the type of milk being used. The wand was really easy to clean with a purge and gently wipe with a towel or paper towel. There are just a ton of drinks that you can make with the Ninja Luxe Pro ES701: Espressos, Americanos, Drip Coffee, Iced Coffee, Cold Brew, Cappuccinos, Lattes, Mochas, Macchiatos, and Flat whites. It will save you many trips to the coffee shops. *Cleaning* The Portafilter and baskets were easy to rinse and the cleaning brush can get any stubborn stuck grounds. The steam wand takes a simple wipe and the milk jug can be quickly rinsed. The drip tray has an indicator that will tell you when it's full. All the surfaces are easy to wipe down. Overall the Ninja can be cleaned quickly with minimal mess. *Closing Thoughts* This machine is great for either a beginner or a pro. Beginner's will benefit from the intuitive controls, ease of use, and the simplicity of making a variety of drinks. Pros will benefit from the performance and speed, replacing many of the manual steps with automatic functions. It will also free up counter space if you are using multiple machines to produce drinks the Ninja can produce with one. *Pros* * Replace multiple machines with espresso, drip coffee, cold brew, and hot water for tea or Americano * Makes great espresso shots and brew coffee, cold brew and iced coffee taste like cafe quality * Easy to use with great guides and videos * Integrated grinder and tamper * No mess with the tamper * Automatic milk frother * Premium build quality * Controls are well designed and thoughtful *Suggestions/Needs Improvement* * Large Footprint * Frother not as good with plant based milk * Placement of water tank can be awkward if placed under a cabinet I would absolutely recommend the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro Series ES701. This machine will elevate your coffee experience. It does deliver on its promise of cafe quality drinks with little effort. It's a no brainer for anyone who enjoys a variety of coffee drinks and doesn't want to compromise quality. It will save you trips to the coffee shop and the recipe book offers plenty of ideas and variety. It's turned my kitchen into my own little cafe and I'm really happy with the results. My family all has their favorites and I'm finally able to offer them what they want all from the comfort of my kitchen. Highly Recommended!

I own several coffee machines and while there is not one that has all the features I’d want (such as espresso, drip, k-pods, frother) the Ninja Luxe Pro Series has enough of them that I see myself using more frequently than the others. What I like the most about it, believe it or not, is the integrated tamper level along the grind size configuration/control. Before this machine, I’d spend long periods of time on other coffee machines manually adjusting the grind size and tamping the coffee into the portafilter, but not in this one. It is incredible useful to have guidance on what grind size is the recommended one for the kind of beverage I am preparing and to just push a lever to tamp the coffee just grinded. Such “small” details can have a huge effect on how one perceives a device like this. Overall, this machine delivers great tasting coffee for my needs. The three main coffee types I brew are: espresso, Americano and drip coffee (and the couple of variations to them such as cappuccino and latte). So far, neither I nor my family nor guests have been disappointed, we all have enjoyed and welcomed this device into the family. I think this could be sufficient for a review and recommendation to others. Just some words of caution, don’t be like me, read the instructions or go online for a tutorial on how to use the different options before trying them. For example, I spent long time and coffee trying to work out the grind size for the classic coffee option, and what I was missing is that I had to use the bigger basket (luxe basket) in order to be able to set the recommended grind size (I had to resort to the manuals that came with the machine to realize that). - Pros: integrated tamper, easy grind-size set, flavorful coffee, fast. - Cons: none. >> Setup and first use Although it is not related at all to the device’s functionality and coffee quality, I should note that it was interesting to see how the machine was packed. It came with a bag with handles to be able to easily extract the device after removing the top Styrofoam cover. Great attention to detail, and first good impression. After removing all the tape securing the different parts, the first thing to do is to read the quick manual for the couple of things to do before attempting at brewing some coffee (don’t be like me that tries first and reads the manual later). You’ll basically end up with two must-do things before your first brew: 1) measure and set the water hardness and 2) do an initial clean-up of the device. I decided to try a double-shot espresso for my first brew, and I wasn’t disappointed, I was surprised indeed, the machine extracted as much flavor as I thought could be possible, it was just perfect for me. Overall operation of the Ninja Coffee machine is as easy as it gets. The only “manual” parts to perform are when placing the portafilter to grind coffee (potentially adjusting the grind size), then placing it for brewing, and the milk frothing if you choose to do so. I am highly satisfied with this coffee machine. >> Grind size and tamper The machine recognizes the basket that is placed in the portafilter and so it will let you know what is available in terms of grind size. As I stated earlier, for drip coffee, you’ll need to use the Luxe basket, and only then will the machine allow you to grind the recommended grind size. After grinding, use the tamper level to press the coffee into the portafilter. It is just that easy and convenient, you get a perfectly portafilter filled with coffee grounds. >> Espresso This machine extracts enough flavor that a two-shot espresso is enough for me to start the day. I am accustomed to a few number of espresso shots in the morning, but with this machine, a double-shot one seems sufficient. There are two baskets that can be used to prepare espresso, a single-shot one and a double-shot one. If it is too strong, you can always add water, and if you like Cuban style coffee, just add milk and/or sugar to make one of those famous coffee recipes. >> Americano I found that overall, Americano comes a little stronger than what I get in my other similar machines. This is not a problem for me since I like strong coffee, but even at its lowest setting I have a couple of friends that still had to add a little water to soften the taste. I don’t see this as a weakness but as a strong point. >> Classic coffee Some of the acquaintances that frequent our house are more comfortable with a softer coffee taste, so drip coffee is sometimes what they prefer. In other machines, I would usually make espresso first for them and then add water to it. I am glad that there is this option. One thing I found, although Ninja must say it is not recommended, is that I can place some existing ground coffee in the portafilter, use the integrated tamper to press the coffee (it doesn’t need to be full) and then brew great coffee. I have several bags of coffee grounds from different sources, and I think I’ll be disposing of them this way. >> Cleaning and maintenance So far, maintenance seems to not be an issue. I make sure to do basic cleaning after every use, though. One thing to note is that the portafilter is extremely easy to clean compared to similar devices I own. The coffee doesn’t become too “glued” to the portafilter, so it is easy to remove the coffee after brewing. I hope this doesn’t mean that there is less pressure when compared to other machines. I don’t think this is the case as the flavor I get from every brew is just that great.

This is a pretty perfect combination of automated and manual at least for me. I have a fully automated one and a completely manual one to compare it to. The manual one I have to grind the beans in a separate grinder and eyeball the fineness (I could spend more on a precision/auto grinder), scoop the ground and tamp it with a hand held tamper to what I think is the right amount. From there I have a temperature sensor for the milk and I steam it until the temperature is right and try to create the right amount of foam as well (the hardest part for me). The fully auto one, i push the button and out pops the espresso, i then put the milk under the steam and press the button and i get frothed milk (just one setting). Pretty easy. The hardest part is remembering to clean the machine's insides as the grounds can start to clump and blue stuff grows on it. Now this comes along, I turn it on, select what my portafilter size (there are three that come with it; single, double, and coffee) and stick it in the grider area. It automatically senses what portafilter was put in it and suggests a grind setting where you use a scroll wheel on the side to adjust between the portafilter and setting you need to select (my main two are espresso and classic). From there you hit the grind button and you get the perfect amount ground into the portafilter. If you are doing espresso you press down on the tamper (don’t be too gentle) and it’ll give a green flash if it was enough after you let go. Then do it again. You lock it into the group head and hit start. You can then put your milk in the pitcher and put it on the frother and select the level of froth you want, so those that like macchiatos have just as easy of a time as those that like lattes. After it's done a quick wipe of the outside and I put it back down it then automatically purges a little bit though there is a purge button if it doesn’t do it or you want to do it twice. For my coffee, I love that I can choose to make 18oz for my travel mug and that I can take out the trays to easily fit the mug underneath. Overall, I feel like it walks me through the process, gives tons of options but also, lets me feel part of the process and most of the cleaning happens as part of the process and there is no chance for wet grounds to develop blue stuff on the sides somewhere as you dispose of the ground each time which is a little more work than an automatic one, but not that much more work. Now I could get an auto grinder and tamper and I already have a coffee maker to have an almost similar experience for my use cases, but I love the package that this comes in. But not only that but there are a multitude of other options on the cold brew side that it can walk you through as well that I have been slowly trying and it is awesome. And I’d need to find a much fancier frother or increase my skills which I don't really want to give the time to for the other frothing settings. It is a little light. I say this as when I use the tamper I will sometimes accidentally move the espresso maker and if it had a little more heft I'm not sure that would be an issue. Or maybe I’m tamping too hard, and having the green light go off as I'm hitting the right level and not after I've released the tamper would solve the problem. The very first time I tried to make an espresso shot I didn’t tamp enough and it was almost impossible to get the portafilter in the group head. Now it is super simple, I’m not sure if I just didn’t know what I was doing or if it was all just a little bit tight at first. One of the features I absolutely love is that it has an accessory holder built into the side so that I don’t have random portafilter cups lying around that tend to disappear. Overall, I really enjoy making coffee in the morning with this and I am able to make an espresso that consistently takes the same while having the ability to customize and play with settings until I hone in on exactly what I or my wife wants with the ability to replicate the results.

This coffee/espresso maker is a fantastic device. It does cost more than the ones that break in a year or less. However, it is worth the extra cost not just due to its durable construction, but also its ease of use and pretty much automated everything. The construction is durable PVC in some places but is solid thick stainless steel where it counts - as far as where more strength is needed. The frothing cup is the heaviest one I’ve ever used and this speaks to the enhanced quality of this machine. It's also easy to remove the whisk from the bottom of the frothing cup for ease of cleaning. Also an important feature for both coffee and frothing is the ability to set the amount of heating, I've missed this on other units I have had in the past. I like coffee but I’m terrible at making it. Also I tend to add a lot of milk – which cools down the coffee too much. The frother on this unit is excellent like all the other features and this totally eliminates the cool-down problem. Indeed this unit is like a dream in that it grinds the coffee, tamps down the grounds, brews whatever you like (espresso, Americano etc.) and has the best frother I’ve ever used. The controls are intuitive and comprehensive, so simple – a tip of the cap to the Ninja engineers for a wonderful product. Also the frother will even automatically clean itself after each use – wonderful. It comes packed well-protected which is always a good sign that the manufacturer wants to ensure you get a working product. You get a Startup Kit and cleaning kit. You also get a couple PH water test strips to check the acidity of your water. This machine has an adjustment-setting to handle the acidity level of your water supply. You get a very well-written and complete Quick Start guide. You get 3 different sizes of filter baskets. Also there is a small booklet called the Inspiration Guide – don’t ignore this, it is filled with great tips and instructions from making espresso to cold brews. There are many QR codes to get videos on features and guidance; well done Ninja engineers. Note that you can grind your whole beans and use the integrated tamper to ensure the grounds in the portafilter are correctly and firmly compressed. Also if you have ground coffee you can put it in the portafilter and then insert it into the tamping mechanism as well. These engineers thought this product out and implemented a superior home unit – great. I am very impressed with this high quality and multi-featured, easy to use device and I highly recommend it to solve all your coffee-making needs.