Customer Ratings & Reviews

A good starter espresso machine that offers a variety of functions. It's easy to use and clean, but it does consume a lot of water. The funnel is plastic, so it could break easily if dropped. Overall, it makes decent-quality espresso.

Works well - very intuitive. Great instructions. Enjoying

This is a truly wonderful coffee maker. No complaints at all.

Great machine we had to buy two because my brother in law just can’t leave me alone :)

Almost perfect! But you cant make 1 cup espresso from it. It's ok for people who like their coffee strong.

Best coffee machine ever, makes my life so easy, all in one.

Tried several fresh beans. Came out very bitter or just not right using recommended grinder settings. Ultimately returned it and using the Philips 4300 with no issues and it's fully automatic. Maybe next time Ninja. Picture shows the top shot is from the Ninja and bottom one is from Philips.

Gave my wife this machine for Christmas so she can have an amazing expresso every morning. First couole of days, it was great. By the second or third day, the machine malfunctioned and spilled water all over the kitchen counter. Returned it thinking it was an isolated incident and a day later, same thing happened. Tried another machine but decided to go back to Ninja and try one last time this machine. 9 days later, water started leaking under the machine. Despite respecting the Ninja brand, they truly messed up with this machine.

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 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.

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.

I have wanted one of these home espresso machines for a long time but I held off on buying one because I didn't have a clue what about fancy coffee drinks. I didn't grow up drinking anything but regular drip coffee. It was a big step for me to get a coffee maker with pods but I did because no one else in my house drank coffee and making a whole pot was a waste. So while everyone around me was stopping for fancy double shots, flat whites, cold lattes, macchiatos, etc, I drank my drip coffee and had not a clue what they were drinking. I didn't go in those places because I didn't have a clue what to even ask for. I started to see these home espresso machines but I didn't know how to make fancy coffees or even what they were. So I held off on getting one. But then, I saw the Ninja Luxe Cafe. It was touted as easy and intuitive to use so I decided to give it a try. They were right! Ninja really put a lot of effort into making this machine. It's like they went to everyone like me and found out what our hold ups were with getting a machine like this. Then they went to work and made a machine that was intuitive and easy to use. Out of the box, it is absolutely beautiful. It is made of sturdy chrome and looks like a regular espresso machine. I unpacked it all and set it up on my counter. Next, I read the quick start guide. It pretty much told me everything I needed to know about the machine, what all the parts were and where they were located. There is a QR code on the front that will link you to a helpful set-up video. There are water hardness test strips so you can check your water and adjust your machine accordingly. I learned this is something you need to do with espresso machines but it is done via trial and error a lot of the time. A word of advice, hold the strip up and down next to the example charts, not across. The set-up also runs you through loading your beans and how to fill your water and then how to do a water flush. There is even a calibration system for the grind of your beans to make sure they are ground correctly. This only has to be done once, when you change your beans. The machine comes with all the equipment you will need, including 2 different size baskets for the portafilter, a funnel, a tamper and a cleaning brush. One thing about the tamper that I didn't realize until after I had brewed a few cups was that it is spring loaded. So you don't just push down to tamp your grounds, you push down until the spring is fully depressed. This takes some umph. There are built in storage nooks to hold all of the pieces to keep them safe and contained while they aren't in use too. You can make espressos of varying numbers of shots, cold-pressed, classic drip, rich, over ice and cold brew. It is easy to control the temperature of your coffee as well as the strength. The size of your cup is controlled with an easy twist of the dial. There is a height adjustable tray for smaller cups to cut down on splatter. There is a handy dandy milk frother too. It froths plant-based and dairy milks and you can choose your level of froth. It cleans easily when you are done. Cleaning your machine is easy as well as there are built in cleaning and descaling cycles to choose from. Drip trays are easily removes and the large drip tray shows when it is full with a float mechanism that pops up red when it is time to dump it out. This machine has multiple intellegent notifications to help make sure you know if an action is needed. The machine comes with a recipe book that has some great simple recipes. There is a QR code on the front that will give you some great guidance. Overall, I can't say enough great things about this machine. The coffee tastes so good. It's nice and smooth, not bitter, although that may be partly to do with my beans. You can use any coffee you want but it has to be whole beans. I'm on my way to being a home barista with my Ninja Luxe Cafe and I'm saving myself a ton of time and money too.

Ok, full disclosure. Don't expect this to be as good as a $1500+ machine. And true coffee snobs will know it's near impossible to have an all in one machine make the perfect espresso. But expect it to be good, consistent, and (so far) reliable. I wanted all of the above but something that I didn't have to put a ton of time into every time I wanted to make coffee. I know how to do it but I don't have the time to do it. There's a YMMV on the espresso piece I'll get into. I previously had a Chemex Ottomatic 2.0, Aeropress, Nespresso Creatista Plus (mainly for quick espresso drinks). And I've sold them all but the Aeropress for this. It looks great on the counter, I even had to call customer service because I damaged the portafilter sleeve and I had a dedicated VIP customer service agent that did a video call and sent me a replacement immediately free of charge. Starting in reverse. The "Barista Assist Technology" needs some work. At first, I was super unhappy with the espresso shots it was making even when following the 2 shot dial in instructions. The shots were bitter and had an aftertaste. I realized that it was recommending too fine of a grind for the beans so once I started experimenting with my own grind number the shots were much better and I could taste the flavor more. In short, I've dialed it in manually. That said, I wish the shots had more crema but they are good now that I've dialed it in. Everything else is amazing. It makes a very good cup of coffee, especially in the Rich setting. The frother is also really good, and I love the cold foam as well as the cold press options. It's easy to clean. Love the quad shot option. All in all, I'm very happy. I wish it made a better espresso but once you dial in your grind manually, they're good. Not $1500+ good, but very good for the price point and other features.

This is simply the best coffee maker I've had. And I have had many in the past. Came very well packed and feels super well built and heavy. They include everything you need to make espresso, regular cups of coffee, cold ones etc. They include a tamping device, a funnel so your coffee doesn't get spilled, two sizes of cups (luxe for larger sizes and a double for espressos) and some accessories to clean and maintain your device. They include a manual, also a second book and a quick start guide to get you started. This is where my only CON is. Why have two books for instructions and not just one? I mean, the second book is more of a recipe one, however it does contain information about how to use, clean and maintain the coffee maker that is not in the main manual and vice-versa. I found myself looking at two books at the same time to be able to find some specific information about the device. One of the first steps is to use one of the included water test strips to find out the "hardness" of your local water (minerals in your water supply), because this is going to decide how often you will need to descale your device due mineral accumulation (you can use distilled water you can buy at your grocery store for no minerals at all in your water...). You will indicate the machine what is your water hardness level. Then you fill up the coffee grinder with as much whole beans you want. The device has a nice and large indicating LED screen on the front, its not touch, you just turn dials and press buttons and settings will light up on the screen. Lastly you fil up the water reservoir. Now, onto making coffee, depending of the size and type of drink you will select, you pop the wand bellow the grinder and select the grind size (from very fine to rough) and it will automatically grind the coffee beans for your according to the size and type of drink. I love how many options you have. You can do a espresso shot, double shot, or regular cups of coffee all hot, but there are also many cold options like cold pressed or coffee over ice. The wand has a funnel to avoid spilling any grounded coffee. You then pop it under the water spout, this part is very hard to do the first time, but I found it gets easier after a few uses. You then decide the size and type of coffee cup you want and and press the dial. The screen will show you the progress of your drink. The right hand side of the maker has a holder to make froth. You can choose to use either dairy or vegetal based ones (I guess real milk or plant based ones like soy milk or almond milk). It can make very light ones to very thick frothy ones for you. You can learn and become your own barista with this machine. I also love how well though it is in regards to storing your accessories. The machine has wholes on the left side to store your funnel and tamping device. On the right side it has a flap that opens to store your cup sizes and cleaning devices (a brush and a cleaning rubber). It's so easy to make coffee with this machine, I love how well everything is laid out on the huge LED screen on the front and love the chrome accents. I wish only it was a little heavier so it doesn't move when inserting the wand, that's all. If you want to make your own espressos or fancy coffee drinks at home without paying some store to do it for you, I highly recommend it!!!! So far I have made espressos, regular rich coffee cups with creamer and a cold one and they all came out great, check my pics!! @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Some quick PROS and CONS I felt about the device: +++PROS+++ +Extremely welt build, love the chrome accents. +Very easy to read the settings and choices with the huge LED screen on the front. +Everything included, even a grinder for fresh ground coffee. +Super compact, feels premium. +Makes froth too. +Slots on the sides to store your accessories. +Easy to use, a recipe book with pictures included too. ---CONS-- -It comes with a quick start guide, a manual and a recipe booklet. Some settings/instructions are on the booklet and some on the manual. They should be all in one. I found myself sometimes reading and going over things from one to the other to figure out things. The recipe booklet should be only for recipes and not have crucial info about the device, this should be only on the manual. So read them both carefully!! - I wish it was a little heavier, I found myself turning the whole thing over without even wanting to while inserting the wand, because it was so hard to do so (I found it gets a little softer over time, but still).

----- SUMMARY ----- Verdict: The Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series Machine is a stylish and practical home coffee bar system that makes it easy to brew delicious espresso and drip coffee. With its auto-calibrating grinder, “Barista Assist Technology”, and intuitive frothing system, this machine is perfect for coffee enthusiasts of all levels. The Ninja Luxe Café produces exceptional beverages, from intense espresso shots to well-balanced drip coffee. If you're looking for a versatile and user-friendly coffee machine that delivers café-quality drinks at home, the Ninja Luxe Café is an excellent choice. Pros: - Stylish and practical design with storage for accessories - Auto-calibrating grinder with "Barista Assist Technology" - Straightforward frothing process with automatic steaming and whisking - Delivers exceptional espresso and drip coffee quality - Versatile, handling both intense espresso and well-balanced drip coffee - Easy to use and clean Cons: - None that I can think of ----- DETAILS ----- Design: The Ninja Luxe Café has a design that's both stylish and practical. It would look great in any kitchen or home coffee bar. I love how sleek and modern it looks, with its stainless steel finish. It matches all of my other stainless steel appliances perfectly. But the design isn't just about looks. It's also really practical. Ninja clearly put a lot of thought into it. For example, each side of the machine has storage for different accessories. On the left, there's a slot for the funnel and tamper. On the right, there's a compartment that opens up to store the double and luxe baskets, cleaning disc, and cleaning brush. Another nice design feature is the modular drip tray. It detaches easily for cleaning. There's also an adjustable cup tray that can fit a variety of cup sizes. Overall, the attention to detail in the design of the Ninja Luxe Café is really impressive. Ease of Use: The Ninja Luxe Café takes the uncertainty out of brewing espresso and coffee, beginning with its impressive grinder. The machine auto-calibrates to recommend the optimal grind size for espresso or regular coffee, a feature Ninja calls "Barista Assist Technology." With 25 different grind settings, I found the specific recommendations incredibly helpful. When you first use the Ninja Luxe Café, you'll start with a default recommendation for an espresso shot. Brew a calibration shot, and the machine evaluates its quality, providing an updated grind size recommendation. A second shot brewed with this new setting is often significantly improved, and the machine might offer a final recommended grind size. This process only needs to be repeated when switching out coffee beans. Frothing is equally straightforward. Pour your chosen milk (dairy or plant-based) into the milk jug, fill it to the cappuccino or latte line, select the milk type, and choose the desired froth type. The machine will automatically steam and whisk the milk to your specifications. Ninja has truly prioritized ease of use with the Luxe Café machine, making it an excellent choice for coffee enthusiasts seeking a hassle-free brewing experience. Drink Quality: Let's delve into the most crucial aspect of the Ninja Luxe Café - its coffee quality. As a self-professed coffee connoisseur, I have tried numerous at-home machines and visited countless local coffee shops. So, trust me when I say that the Ninja Luxe Café crafts some of the finest espresso and coffee drinks I have ever tasted. Its versatility is truly impressive, delivering both intense espresso shots and well-balanced drip coffee. Craving a caffeine boost? Indulge in a quad shot of espresso that will invigorate your mornings. Prefer a smooth and flavorful drip coffee? The Ninja Luxe Café has you covered. Every beverage I've tried has been nothing short of exceptional. Allow me to offer a word of caution: if you use subpar beans, you won't be able to fully experience the machine's capabilities. Therefore, if you're genuinely passionate about your coffee journey and want a machine that complements your cravings, invest in high-quality beans and the Ninja Luxe Café. You won't regret it—this combination will elevate your coffee experience to new heights. ----- WHAT’S IN THE BOX ----- 1 x Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series Machine 1 x Portafilter 1 x Milk Jug 1 x Double Basket 1 x Luxe Basket 1 x Assisted Tamper 1 x Funnel 1 x Cleaning Brush 1 x Cleaning Disc 1 x Descaling Powder 1 x Packet of Cleaning Tablets 1 x Hard Water Testing Kit

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.

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’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, 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.