Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine review

Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine: Introduction

• Manual coffee machine: With integrated grinder and Barista Assist, making it as user-friendly as a bean-to-cup system.
• Milk Frothing: Automated frothing for both dairy and plant-based milks.

Over in Berlin at IFA 2024 there was, of course, launches galore – and no more so than on the SharkNinja booth where no fewer than 23 new products were revealed. 

The highlight of the launch bonanza was, without doubt, the new Ninja Luxe Café, a slick looking espresso coffee machine. 

Ninja’s coffee maker offers a range of coffee styles, so I’ve actually undersold it by calling it an espresso machine. 

Rather than just espresso, which is normally the standard on manual coffee machines, Ninja has launched a multi-talented coffee maker that should have you covered no matter the style you’re after.

With its Barista Assist technology, the Luxe Café eliminates the trial-and-error process of grinding and brewing and makes it easy to make espresso-style coffee, filter coffee, and even cold-brew.

And not just the style of coffee but froth types, sizes, temperatures, different types of milk and more.

I’ve had the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine ES601UK – to give it its full meaty moniker – brewing up coffee in my house for the past few weeks, read on for my comprehensive review.

Design and components

• Integrated Grinder: 25 adjustable grind settings ensure precision for all drink types.
• Smart Storage: Accessories, including portafilters and cleaning tools, are neatly stored on the machine.
• Extensive Drink Options: Espresso, americano, cold brew, filter coffee, and more, all programmable with ease.

Visually, the machine resembles a traditional manual espresso maker, with its 250g hopper and integrated grinder on top.

Side by side with my Sage Oracle, it’s a bit smaller at 37.2 x 33.6 x 34.4cm but, given its pricier countertop neighbor is nearly 10 years old now, it looks a lot swankier and lot more modern, with sharp shiny edges and that impressive glossy display control panel up top.

The control panel is where the magic happens. It not only guides you through brewing but also adjusts based on the portafilter in use.

It actually takes some getting used to all of the dials and buttons on offer and where and when they can be used. For example, you can’t adjust the drink size when on any the left hand side ‘espresso’ modes, you need to be on one of the ‘coffee’ modes on the right.

And switching between these two lists is done with a dial in the middle of them, which also doubles up as a button for starting the brew, and is labelled so.

But once you get your head around how to navigate everything, it all starts to make sense and the Barista Assist Tech holds your hand through a lot of it anyway.

The design is also brilliant in terms of keeping your kitchen countertops less cluttered, with the Luxe offering storage spaces for all its accessories.

The machine comes with a portafilter and three baskets – for single, double, and Luxe quad-shots of espresso – along with a tamper, funnel and a cleaning disc for descaling.

These accessories fit neatly into various compartments on the machine’s sides.

The 2-liter water tank, which includes a filter, is hidden around the back but, unlike the Sage Oracle range, there’s no way of topping this up from a top panel with it in place, you will have to remove it to fill it up – or at least slide the whole machine out and pour water in.

The drip tray also fills up pretty quickly but you are warned that it needs emptying when an orange float warning appears. The cup shelf can also be adjusted to better fit the style of cup and coffee you are making.

Features and in use

The Ninja Luxe offers a wide variety of coffee options: espresso, quad shots, Americano, cold-pressed, classic filter, rich, over ice, and cold brew.

The first thing you need do is select the style of coffee you want and the Barista Assist Technology will suggest a grind size for that particular drink.

Now, all coffee beans are different of course and although SharkNinja have informed me that I can chuck any old beans into the mix, the machine will have to decipher exactly what it’s dealing with.

So the first cup from a new bag of beans will normally need to be discarded as the machine will essentially be doing a fact finding mission on that one.

However, once it’s sussed out what it’s dealing with, using the integrated grinder, and its 25 different settings, is effortless.

I like a large filter coffee in the morning, and that requires a less coarse grind – on the current beans I’m using it’s usually around 23 or 24.

But my afternoon Americano needs a finer grind, around the 5-6 mark. The machine knows the beans and suggests accordingly. It also changes over time as it tweaks based on what it is learning with each pour.

Once you’ve got the correct setting you pop on the little funnel, insert and have the beans ground to the correct size, after pushing the button.

Another nifty feature is that system also automatically recognizes the basket size and adjusts the grind amount accordingly, so it won’t be spilling over the top. It also won’t let you use the wrong basket for a certain drink style, it will warn you.

The spring-loaded tamper further simplifies the process, making it easy to get an even and precise tamp every time. On pricier machines, such as my Sage Oracle I’ve mentioned, the tamp process is automatic. But it’s hardly a massive chore to flatten down some coffee beans.

It makes me feel like I’m a professional barista too, which I like.

The machine also tailors its pour depending on the drink. For instance, it adds hot water before espresso in an Americano, or brews in stages for filter coffee to mimic professional drip machines.

Drink sizes are customizable (on those right hand side ‘coffee’ drinks), with seven different presets ranging from 175ml to 530ml, ensuring the perfect cup for any preference or mug size.

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Premiere Series features an automatic milk frothing system that works with both dairy and plant-based milks.

The included jug has measurement marks for cortados, cappuccinos, and lattes, and the steam wand offers options for steamed milk, thin froth, thick froth, and cold froth.

The steam wand purges itself after use, ensuring minimal cleanup. Paired with the whisk-like mechanism in the jug, this setup delivers excellent results, whether you’re making a silky flat white or a foamy cappuccino… or even just a “posh hot chocolate” which has proved extremely popular in our house for the kids.

Coffee Quality

• Espresso: Rich with a golden crema.
• Filter Coffee: Smooth and balanced.
• Cold Brew: Quickly brewed in minutes with impressive flavor depth.

The true test of any coffee machine is the quality of its output, and the Ninja Luxe Cafe Premiere Series delivers impressive results across the board.

Starting with espresso, the machine produces a rich shot with a deep black body and a golden crema. While the initial temperature was a bit high at around 77°C, I adjusted the settings using the dedicated temperature button, and brought it down to a more acceptable 66°C.

I’ve used both regular supermarket beans (albeit fairly decent supermarket beans) and beans from a popular hipster coffee spot in London and the resulting espresso was always good.

If an expensive coffee from a great coffee shop from a properly trained barista is the 10/10 marker and my Sage Oracle is a 9/10, the Ninja is comfortably and 8/10 on that scale…. but it’s around a third of the price of what the Sage costs.

And it does so much more, which brings me nicely onto… filter coffee, which is equally impressive; producing smooth, balanced brews with minimal bitterness, and no signs of washed-out, watered-down even at the big 530ml L+ size.

While it’s slower than a dedicated filter coffee machine, the flavor quality makes it worth the wait. However, the single hopper does mean you’re limited to one type of bean at a time, which might be a downside for those who like to switch between blends.

The cold brew mode is another standout feature. Unlike traditional methods that require steeping for 24 hours, the Ninja Luxe Cafe Premiere Series delivers a cold brew in minutes.

While slightly less rich than traditional cold brews, the results are far superior to iced coffee made by pouring hot coffee over ice – which is actually still an option on the Ninja.

Maintenance

Day-to-day cleaning is straightforward. The steam wand self-purges, and the drip tray, as mentioned, has an indicator to let you know when it needs emptying.

Regular maintenance includes wiping the shower head and wand, washing the jug, and running descaling programs as prompted.

For the grinder, minimal wastage and easy adjustments make upkeep hassle-free.

The water tank comes with a couple of filters and they are the same regular size as used in many other machines, so you can pick them up pretty cheaply when you need more.

Final thoughts

Few, if any, coffee machines offer the versatility of the Ninja Luxe Café.

It manages to bridge the gap between manual and bean-to-cup machines, delivering excellent results without the complexity or waste. Whether you’re an espresso enthusiast, a filter coffee fan, or someone who loves experimenting with different styles, the Luxe is an absolute game-changer.

While there are manual machines capable of better espresso and filter machines that brew faster, none offer the all-in-one flexibility of the Ninja.

For coffee lovers who value variety and convenience, it’s a standout choice that’s hard to beat.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Because we’re testing kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular machine compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on how we test to learn more.

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