You probably don’t need me to introduce the Ninja Luxe cafe premier espresso machine. Although it’s still very new to the market, thanks to Ninja’s profile, most of the world is already familiar with it.
Update: The brand-new Ninja Luxe 701 Pro is now out, and yes, I’ve already reviewed it!
If you’re looking for the latest model, click here to read my full 701 Pro review, which includes a dedicated video, detailed breakdown, and side-by-side comparison with the 601.
What you might be looking for, however, is an in-depth “warts ‘n all” Ninja Luxe cafe review by someone who has experience with the Cafe and espresso machines in general.
If that’s what you’re looking for, you came to the right place :-).
A quick intro in case you’ve not come across my content before:
I’m Kev Lewis, I’ve been blogging about espresso machines and generally all things coffee via my UK & Europe-focused blog coffeeblog.co.uk since 2015.
I’m a coffee professional in the sense that coffee is my business, but my background is as a home barista. Where I’ve come from is where my audience is right now, so I tend to deliver my content in a way that most people find easy to understand.
Having said that, if I do throw you any curveballs by using jargon and not explaining myself, please shout at me via the comments. I always try my best not to do that, though.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier 601 – Nutshell Review
Before I get into the full review post, I’ll just give a more concise review of the Ninja Luxe Café for anyone who doesn’t have the time or inclination to read the entire review.
Starbucks at Home? This Is the One
The Ninja Luxe Café is the ideal espresso and coffee maker for a home that would benefit from having its own Starbucks with the full menu. This should tell you pretty much instantly whether the Luxe Café is for you or not.
If the idea of being able to make a drip coffee, cappuccino, or flat white one minute, and an iced caramel frappuccino the next, sounds like heaven to you, then you’re probably barking up the right tree with the Ninja Luxe.
How Does It Compare to the Barista Express?
If, like half the planet, you’re wondering how it compares to the Breville Barista Express, it really doesn’t. It’s a completely different machine.
The Breville machines the Luxe Café compares with are the assisted portafilter machines, and the closest comparison is the Oracle Jet. Which, to be honest, is a real accolade for the Ninja Luxe Café, given that it costs a quarter of the price!
Cup Quality: Better Than Expected
The Ninja Luxe’s cup quality potential isn’t quite up to Breville standards, and definitely not close to the Jet. But for those who want a Starbucks in their kitchen, I honestly think the cup quality is more than adequate, and way better than I expected.
Minor Gripes: Missing Features & Tight Spaces
I think the lack of a hot water or Americano button for the US market is an odd choice, especially given that the UK/EU version does include this.
Also, I wish there were more horizontal space on the drip tray. There’s not enough space to split shots into two cups, which makes the splitter on the portafilter reasonably redundant.
If you want to split shots, you’ll need to pour them into a measuring jug and then decant them into your cups.
Right Machine, Right Person
Other than this, there’s really nothing particularly negative I have to say about this machine. If the right person buys it—the kind of person who’d love a Starbucks-like machine in their kitchen—they’ll love it.
Not for Home Espresso Hobbyists
That said, there do appear to be many people buying it who it might not suit, and I’d advise caution there.
If you’re considering buying an espresso machine to get into home espresso geekery—thinking about scales, puck screens, WDT tools, and so on, I don’t think the Luxe Café is for you.
You might end up being somewhat disappointed.
So, Who Is It For?
The great thing about espresso machines these days is the amazing choice. If you’re looking for a machine for your home barista hobby, you have a ton of options. But the Luxe Café isn’t one of them.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier 601 – In-Depth Review
With the nutshell review done and dusted, let’s now get into more depth for anyone who really likes to do their research before making a choice. Let’s face it, which espresso machine to choose is a very important decision.
Features & Specs
- Makes “true” espresso
- Produces hot milk froth (manual & auto)
- Produces cold milk foam (auto only)
- Makes a form of cold brew and cold-pressed espresso
- Brews filter-style coffee
- Comes with a brilliant “inspiration guide”
- Integrated conical burr grinder with 25 settings
- 53mm portafilter
- Double shot basket & “luxe” baskets (traditional, not pressurized)
- Basket recognition (will only offer drink options corresponding to the inserted basket).
- 2-litre water tank with level sensor
- Weight-based grinding
- Barista Assist technology with grind size guidance
- 3 brew temperature settings
- 3 espresso ratio settings
- 7 drip coffee & cold brew sizes from 6-18 oz
- Automatic pre-infusion
- Integrated basket storage
- Cup riser
- BIG maximum cup height
- Calibrated tamper & dosing ring with neat integrated caddies
First Impressions vs. Assumptions
I’ll admit, I ignored the Ninja Luxe Café at first. With so many mainstream brands releasing espresso machines, I assumed it would be another promising Breville-like performance for a too-good-to-be-true price.
But then I saw Mark Prince of CoffeeGeek.com post his review, and he was genuinely impressed. Mark is one of the top authorities in the espresso world, so if he was excited, it probably wasn’t just another knockoff.
They weren’t available in the UK then, so I ordered the US version from Amazon and ran it through a voltage converter.
And just like Mark, I was surprised.
Unboxing & Initial Reactions
Overall, the look and feel were impressive, considering the price. The metal cup riser especially stood out. It’s well-made.
The dosing funnel, however, felt a bit flimsy (an easy fix since it’s a cheap part).
One annoyance: the drip tray only fits one cup, so you’ll have to decant if you’re making two drinks. This is a slight irritation, not a deal breaker.