Yes, I want a lever machine. Yes, I want something slick and modern looking. Yes, I want to believe that having a Bluetooth transmitter would allow me to execute shot profiles that transform me into a world class barista. But as I've been gleefully going down the rabbit hole of RU-vid espresso tech I still just make a simple Moka Pot poured over ice every morning. I think this is the machine that is finally going to convert me. Simple. Sensible. But very flexible and capable. Thanks so much for revisiting your review!
Same here except for the moka pot part. I got the Cafelat Robot 3 months ago... Now I'm questioning whether I would do the same had this machine existed then.
I can't wait for the Ninja Luxe Cafe to be released in Germany. I've been planning to buy a portafilter machine for a while, but the Ninja Luxe Cafe is just the game changer for me. It's so easy to use that the whole family can use it to make great espresso or cappuccino.
Same! Was even thinking about spending a lot of euros for a small marzocco but this ninja is a valuable alternative. It's not comparable with a marzocco I know but I love the innovative functions of this ninja very much 😊
@savantfool7123 I've got a 10yr old La Pavoni Domus Bar. I just saw the new Lelit Anita, which looks exactly like mine and the Anna seems to be the version without the grinder. I've never seen anyone else using the Domus Bar (or the Lelit version). But hey, it's lasted over a decade, so it must be good!😊 This Ninja looks like a possibility if my La Pavoni dies one day.
@@bridgetcrossman708 I feel the same but I know the Lelit machine will probably last long and tbh thats great. I dont need frothed milk all too often. Just basic 60ml espresso shot in the morning and thus the Anna is amazing.
@@WayneHayward-ci3ezthere will be hot water with EU models - it’s a group head bypass with a little spout behind the group head. It’s slow but works - same as running water directly out of the group head. Saw it today at IFA in Berlin.
I finally caved and bought this machine. It wasn't going to be my first choice, but its something my wife can use without much fuss. Excited to get it tomorrow and mess around with it this weekend.
@@TomsCoffeeCorner I'd say it was at least half the reason why I settled for this machine. Price to performance was the other. Hopefully it lasts awhile.
again i think this is the best user friendly machine for beginners who wants cafe quality espresso based coffee drinks. i hope it can last a long time though. i myself am using a spring lever and loving it but unfortunately my wife doesn't know how to use it. this will be the perfect machine for her to make coffee when im not around.
Nice follow-up review. I've been keeping an eye on this machine from various content creators n this is definitely the first anyone has mentioned the advanced mode, let alone actually showed it n explained it. N its the first ive seen to show manual frothing or address the lack of a hot water feature for making americanos or even just to get hot water. Thats why I looked forward to you getting your hands on one n exploring all of its pros n cons
@Coffee_Kev has done a pretty detailed review and a couple short videos of different drinks. Since he's based in the UK he's gone above and beyond by buying/shipping from the US and connecting it to a transformer, all so he could test it before it hits the UK.
What a great machine. It really covers all bases for the price. Originally when I seen the original vid that it didn’t steam manually I thought that was a big miss on ninja’s part so this is a great information. That’s for posting
#AdvancedMode.... appreciate all the clarifications. another wonderful video... Ninja certainly knows how to make appliances people want, for a price they are willing to pay.
I'be been waiting for this video, what a coincidence to stumble across it 6 minutes after your upload! As always, thanks for your insights! #advancedmode
Thank you Tom for doing another review for us on this machine, and so fast too. As always, I love all of your reviews. Can you please keep us updated on this machine as you continue to use it? Thank you so much!
Great and informative videos Tom... I'm a little concerned about the longevity and servicability of such a complicated appliance. There is a reason why Sage/Breville are known as appliances rather than machines. I guess only time will tell....
That little grinder pulse when grinding finer is really satisfying isn't it Tom? 😆. Love it. I've found that the issue with the ratio being off, appears to be when the machine hasn't had chance yet to figure out what's going on when a large grind adjustment has been made. The guides state that you'll need to make a few coffees with it to let the machine learn, and I think this is largely concerned with the machine timing each grind and then knowing (for the next shot) what the dose weight was. So, if you pull a shot after switching from filter or cold brew for example, it might be wonky in terms of dose and volume/ratio, but then do another one with no changes, should be just about perfect. I've just done a test now which seems to have gone the way others have gone when making a fairly big adjustment finer. Brewed filter, size 25, machine tells me to go to 6. Dose is 17.5g (I suspect the dose volume, headspace, will be off slightly also), I've got it set to 1:2, but the yield is 30g. Next shot, the dose is bang on 18g, and the shot itself is 35g. Repeated to see if there was any changes with shot 3, all exactly the same, 18g ground, 35g espresso. Also I tasted them all, I could taste that shot 1 wasn't right, it tasted under extracted (using my own beans so I know how they should taste) shot 2 and 3 very good. Ta, Kev.
Thanks for your Comment Kev! Yes, adjusting the grind finer is very satisfying. I wonder why Ninja was the first to think of implementing that, honestly. :) As for the ratios, I have tested a bunch of times, and sometimes it's a little under for me, sometimes a little over (i.e. for a 2:1 I have gotten 2.33, 1.96, 1.74 and 1.69). But I will have to just leave it on espresso, keep it at 2:1, same bean, same grind, and then see how well it settles in. Time for some more trials. Cheers, and thanks for stopping by!
My sister in law is from Wisconsin and i go out there with here, and her HUGE family is always visiting us here in Vermont. I've watched many of you videos and always thought you might be from the Midwest! Your shirt gives me more confidence that is true!
Another informative review. I did find a work around on doing a single shot by using two small handle less espresso glasses that just fit side by side. Each receives a single shot one from each spout under the portafilter. #advancedmode
For the money it seems to offer very good value. I have a Touch Pro, and it doses water for an americano, but it is three times the price, which is a lot.
With my negative experience with mine I did end up ordering another one thinking maybe I just got a dud so I'm giving it a second chance. One thing I really like with it, is you can use oily beans with it. Delonghi says not to use oily beans with their machines so the Ninja gives more options when it comes to beans.
I can confirm that the replacement works great. I'm getting correct amounts and good crema. So the one I received originally was defective. It did take me 5 times to dial in vs 3, but all is good now.
Hi Tom - so, full credit to Coffee Kev for discovering this, but the machine apparently uses the scale in the grinder to measure after the grinding is done -- it is effectively a timer-based grinder that confirms the finished grinding weight -- and the machine will adjust the TIMER for the grinder the next time it is used, based on the final weight reading. (to be clear though, I am waiting to hear back direct from Ninja's product engineers to confirm this myself). So that means if you change the grind fineness, the very first grind you do at that new grind level may be off, but the next one, if you haven't changed anything else (beans, grind setting) will be the target volume and weights within .2g on the espresso grind settings at least. Also, I'm stymied that the 2.33 ratio, 43g you got out on that shot at the start wasn't a 2:1 ratio. I've run ratio tests on the machine I have here, and it's always within a few ml of the target, via the volumetric controls inside the machine. Mine routinely doses 17.8 or 17.9g of coffee, and at 2:1 delivers 35-37g out; 2.5:1 does 44-46g out. I wonder if running your unit on a power converter is somehow modifying this (probably not, just speculating). I do note when you change the machine from brewing coffee to espresso, it takes a shot or two for things to settle into consistency. Also, like any grinder, the burrs really need a break in period; conical less than flat burrs, but a good 5kg through will settle them down. Lastly, the grinder has a purge / manual function: if you press and hold the grinder button, it will start grinding and stop when you release the button.
Thanks for that grinder tip, I didn't know that! I guess it makes sense that the weighing is at the end - weighing while dosing is quite hard to do. Anyway, I have found it to be very accurate. I have noted some ratios, and it's a little off for me, but close enough for government work. And no, I am not using a converter. I am using this in the good old USA. Cheers!
Thanks for that Mark 😀. Yes that's how it appears to work, will be great to hear what Ninja say on that though. Re the ratio being off - interestingly, the only time I've found the ratio to be off by any more than a gram, is after making a fairly big grind adjustment and not using the purge function (pressing and holding start grind). If I follow the instructions, just change it from filter to espresso for example, and pull the next shot, the dose and also the ratio is slightly off. If I run another shot without changing anything, the machine seems to catch up and it's right for the next shot. When I purge in between changes though, this seems to prevent any issues in the dose & volume from grind size adjustments. I've just now made a filter brew, purged the grind, pulled a 1:2 espresso, and the volume was literally a few points of a gram off being 100% 1:2. I am running a 120V on a step down from 220v. Ta, Kev.
You nailed with this second video giving more explanation; however, I'd like to ask you to, if possible, in a new video to explore the "drip coffee" function. Is it good? Is it taste good? As the machine doesn't dispenser hot water, the "drip coffee" is the only option for people who loves americano (like me). Regards from Montreal, CAN.
Various videos are finally coming out about this machine but yet nobody has really talked about the quality of the grinder. You're showing how it grinds and what the puck looks like, but true espresso fans are always really worried about the grinder and how well it actually grinds to make proper tasting espresso. How evenly does this grinder grind? Is the grind size consistent?
Well, I don't have a Kruve sifting set or a spectrometer to check the grinds. But it seems to deliver as well as you'd expect for a small conical burr set. Taste-wise, I don't know if I could tell a difference between this and the grinder in a Barista Express for example. They look pretty much exactly the same. The advantage with the Luxe is the 25 settings (over the Barista Express' 15), and the integrated scale for better dose consistency. For a deeper burr analysis, I think we'd need Lance Hedrick to take a look. He's the burr man, and he has a developed palate. Cheers!
I’m considering downgrading from my Jura to this machine, I just wish there were way more unbiased videos! Yours have been fantastic though! I feel like I already know all the ins and outs of the machine already and I don’t even have it 😂
Excellent review / insight. Just saw the Europe unit launched at IFA in Berlin - which has a hot water outlet - which is a little spout behind the group head - which bypasses the group head - and an additional button on the right of the left pair of buttons. So maybe US version 2 will have hot water. Also at the launch: there’s now 3 machines - an entry level called “Essential”, available from Oct 24, “Premier” as you have but with hot water, available in EU from Oct24, and a upper tier machine with integrated tamp, thicker “more pro” steam wand and advanced software - available Q1 2025. Curious to see how the “pro” machine lands and at what price point.
Thanks for that input. Yes, I am very curious to see what the upper tier machine is going to be like. It looks like it's going to have an integrated tamper, like the Barista Touch Impress. Cheers!
#advancedmode Thank you for this review! I've always wanted an espresso machine but the ones I've been seeing are too expensive or too advanced. I've never done something like this so from what you're saying, this is EXTREMELY beginner friendly!!
Well, the pro offers a better steam wand, but similar grinder and extraction imho. I like the weighed dosing the Luxe offers a lot. Adjustable ratios is nice too.
#Advancedmode-Im surprised that nobody in any review on RU-vid has said if the machine can pull a shot and steam at the same time. So wondering if you can? Thanks for the additional vid, nobody else has talked about the manual mode either other than you. My machine is coming the 22nd!
Just an FYI for your Ninja review on your blog. It has a section meant for the Meraki review in the "Ninja Luxe Cafe vs Breville Barista Express?" portion. I was also curious how you thought the Ninja compared to the BTI. Thank you for the very informative gear reviews. Keep it up.
Here I thought you were at least reviewing the manual for these machines before you reviewed them. Great you did another video, props to you. But concerning you did the initial video without even reading the manual, no matter what it was named 😮
@@PaulzePirate thanks for your feedback. I did read the two other manuals, but since this one said “safety instructions” I’m bold , I thought that’s what it was. My bad. The thing is, the two other manuals also include a ton of information about how the machine works. It was an honest mistake. Cheers!
@@TomsCoffeeCorner I think you're right with the manuals Tom. As you've said, the actual manual itself, although I actually think it's really good - given it's a little black & white thing with "Important Safety Instructions" in bold, and a much smaller (Owners Guide) text, that I never spotted either, I think most of us would be inclined to ignore that and pick up the glossy. The glossy guide has a 2 page spread on what all the bits of the machine are etc., this really looks like it's the user guide, and it is in most respects, but they've put some important stuff in the little black & white manual (which as you've said, could easily be disregarded as the boring safety sheet), they've put some of the important stuff in the glossy guide, and they've put some in both. Personally I think they'd be better just putting the bits from the black & white that are missing, into the glossy, changing the name of that from "inspiration guide" (which undersells it, as this glossy manual is way more than that) to "User Guide & Instruction Manual" maybe, and then just have a one page print out with that important safety stuff - or better still, put it all in the glossy, save paper. To be honest, I think the only reason I didn't miss these things myself, is that I read Mark's first look review on Coffeegeek first, so I already knew what to look for - and then I pestered him 🤣, while I was waiting for the machine to come over here from America (I bought it from there as it's not available here in the UK yet) to pick his brains for anything I needed to know. Even then, the first time I used it, I thought it didn't have manual steaming either, but thankfully I went and re-read Marks first thoughts post and found that he'd said how to do it, so I tried that, it worked, wondered why it wasn't in the instructions, and then read the black and white one and found that it was there on p16.
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks for your comment, Kev! I agree on all those points. It's a little confusing to have 3 manuals, 2 of them being higher quality ones in color, and on better paper. I think they should combine them into 1 manual, or perhaps one color manual, and one recipe booklet, with only recipes. But either way, they did a great job documenting their machine, providing recipes, and even giving tips like using fresh beans. Kudos to Ninja for putting in the effort on the 2 guides and manual.
I'd say in my limited experience that they are pretty similar, with the Luxe doing better auto milk steaming. The BTI has a nicer steam wand for steaming manually though.
Wow - such a long way from the Gaggia Classic Pro. Thanks for showing us this one Tom! Very, very interesting! Was wondering were you using Lavazza Super Crema for this video or?
Hi Tom, I am going to buy a new coffee machine in the next few months and have started to do my research. So have got it down to the Sage Touch Impress, then Ninja brings out the Luxe. As it is still so new you have not had chance to do a Sage v Ninja yet. Can you say (ball park) when you might do one please. Thank you again for all your advice on this channel 👍
I don't think I can do one right now. The Touch Impress was on loan. I'd say the Touch Impress is overall a nicer machine, but it costs 3x the price. And honestly, the 'barista guide' works way better on the Ninja. I have never stalled it, and it always gives me 17.5-18 grams out. The Touch Impress can be erratic with its dosing sometimes. Cheers!
So, I could not get the menu to pull up on mine. Called Ninja. I have to hold the brew temp button for 3 seconds. However, as soon as I let it go, the menu option goes away. She had to forward this issue on.
One question I forgot to ask…my puck seems wet on top after a shot of espresso. I didn’t notice this at first but now that the machine adjusted my grind down to 01 I’m seeing it. Is this normal or should it be very dry? It still pops out fully formed.
Tom, have you tried to change the shower screen since it's probably the same size as the bambino? I'm curious to know if it may make the performance better. I followed everything you taught us about the De'Longhi dedica and love it! I now have it at my work office, and this ninja luxe at home.TIA
If u had to compare to the barista touch impress. In terms of coffee quality ect which is better.p And if u had to choose between the 2 which would u go for
My Breville espresso died after 5 years and I am looking for different options, I was looking at the Breville espresso touch or Pro models, but after looking this one, the features and the price not sure if go for the ninja or stick with Breville. Any recommendations?
Can you make two espressos at once? Seems like the gray can only hold 1 cup. What’s stopping me from buying is that I can’t put two cups at once. Please respond!
can you pull a shot manually? Like on my bambino if I hold the double shot button It will pull a shot for as long as I want and I can stop it when I want. So if i want a 1:4 or higher ratio I can do that manually.
Is this a reasonable upgrade from something like a Breville Barista Express and separate coffee machine? Thinking about it from a perspective of consolidating machines and getting a potentially more consistent extractions for a newbie. I'm not too great at dialing in espresso, and I've had the Breville for a few years now. Curious what your thoughts are Tom after more extended use here. Looks like a solid machine!
Have you glass any issues with back to back brewing? I have had consistent issues making two cups in a row. The second cut always has way too many grounds dispensed.
@@TomsCoffeeCorner I have been making the espresso. The first one turns out great, the second one over fills the portafilter. I guess I’ll have to call support to see what the issue could be.
is the basket a "normal" one or those that create a fake crema ? Does this machine has a PID ? I guess this machine is like a Sage the Barista Touch Impress in cheaper with a bit of less features.
I like the look and I currently use a Ninja filter brew machine... but I still have the same question about this machine.... what is the largest filter brew batch possible on this machine.... I saw the 30oz cup, and then you said it would take 2, 14oz brews to fill it, but at another point I thought you said 18oz was the largest brew.... so for filter brew, what is the largest SINGLE brew?
Does anyone know if you can do 19 to 21 grams for espresso on this machine? Tom says it measures out about 17.9 grams but is there a way to adjust that?
It aims for 18 grams, because that's what fits in the basket for a med-dark roast. If you have a light roast, you can have it grind more but holding and pressing the grind button.
