Ninja Luxe Cafe automatic espresso machine: full in-home review

We all love our coffee and have our preferences. The thing I like about coffee devices today? You can have as much control as you want, or you can let technology make it easier for you. An espresso machine that can assess your specific coffee beans and tell you exactly how to grind them, measure them for you, and then extract a perfect shot… not to mention heating and foaming milk automatically? Easy coffee is the name of the game with Ninja’s new Luxe Cafe automatic espresso machine.

Watch my full video review of Ninja Luxe Cafe

In this review, I’m going to try it out here in my home. I’ll make a variety of espresso drinks and try it out for making coffee too. I’ll show you what it is about this machine that sets it apart from more complex machines, and what kind of smarts it has. I’ll wrap things up with both the pros and the cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this automatic espresso machine for you.

I would like to say thank you to Ninja for supplying me with this machine. Though they have gifted it to me, they have not asked for nor received permission to have any input into this review and I got to test it out exactly as I wanted so you can consider these thoughts my own.

Unboxing

Unboxing this machine was no small task. There’s lots going on in here so let’s take a closer look.

First out of the gate is what Ninja refers to as the starter kit. These are some of your additional accessories which includes the portafilter, a larger basket, a tamper and a funnel. A special cleaning kit is also included here which you’ll need right away so don’t tuck it too far.

A cup riser is also  on top of the box.

Removing the machine there’s still more stuff in here. Inside a cardboard box under the nozzle is a special pitcher which we’ll get to.

Clever storage

Ninja has built clever storage into this machine. On the right hand side is a small swinging door where you can store the larger portafilter which is meant for making drip coffee or Americano style coffee. You can also stash the included cleaning brush in here too.

On the left-hand side of the machine are two circular openings which is where you’re going to store both the tamper and the included funnel. We’ll get to how all of this comes together in just a moment.

Set up

Before you can make your first coffee you need to run a water hardness test. Ninja includes water testing strips so that you can see what the mineral content of your water is and this will also let the machine know how often it needs to be descaled. Testing the water is simple; just swish the test strip around in a cup of ordinary tapwater and then wait about one minute for the result. Once you know your water hardness level, you’ll input it into the machine by twisting the dial.

With that reading locked in you’ll fill the very large water reservoir which sits at the back so you can flush the machine with water. Props to Ninja for creating it with an integrated handle so it’s ultra easy to move.

Configuration

The Ninja Luxe Cafe espresso machine has a big LED screen on the front which is where you can make your changes and adjustments.

The machine will instruct you here on how to flush the insides, and then you’re ready to configure the machine for your specific type of espresso beans, so now’s a good time to fill the beans.

I really love how smart this machine is and how it walks you through every step carefully and deliberately. The first two times you run the machine it will take note of the beans and help you choose the perfect grind, which is a little bit mind blowing.

To do this you’ll essentially prep your drink and brew two shots of espresso.

Start by placing the funnel on top of the portal filter with the double basket already installed. Push down on the funnel until it clicks into place, then slide the portafilter into the grinding cradle which is underneath the grinder.

When the portafilter is pushed in all the way, the machine recognizes it and will start to assess your beans.

The machine will assess your beans and display a recommended grind setting on the front of the LED display panel. These two numbers should match and if they don’t you’ll use a small dial on the left-hand side of the machine to make adjustments. Once they match press the start grind button and don’t touch the portafilter until it’s finished.

Remove the funnel and use the tamper to tamp the grounds. Tamping should be gentle but firm and then give it a little twist at the end then lock the portafilter into what’s called the group head, or the place where the coffee gets extracted by aligning the dots and then twisting to the right.

After it makes a shot, it may get you to change the grind but after two shots it should have things pretty much dialed in.

You can run this configuration every time you introduce a new type of beans for the machine.

Making espresso

To make espresso, you can choose between a couple different sizes. If you want a single shot, you place a cup under each spout on the portafilter and it will divide a double for you. If you’d like a double, just centre the cup. It will also make a quad shot if you pull out the bigger basket, and amazingly the machine is smart enough to know which size basket you have in so it will only offer you options for the drinks you can make with each size basket.

Turn the machine on and attach the funnel to the portafilter then slide it into place under the grinder. Touch the start grind button and let it do its thing.

When finished, remove the funnel and gently tamp the grounds and lock the portafilter into the group head.

Then press the start brew button.

The machine runs what’s called a pre-infusion first where it wets the grounds. After about 5 seconds, the basic double shot will start flowing and brews up in about 20 seconds.

The machine floored me with how good a shot it’s able to brew. The espresso is actually quite thick and there’s a beautiful creamy crema on top. At its factory setting the shot was quite hot but quickly drinkable. Of course most coffee lovers will already know by now you can tweak your results by the beans you choose and warming the cup too.

Milk

Latte and cappuccino lovers can take the next step which is to froth either dairy or plant-based milk. The milk jug has two lines for either of those drink settings so you’ll just fill it with as much milk as you need or want. Pull out the steam wand and then insert it into the jug and slide it into place on its metal platform. Next you’ll choose whether or not you’re going to be heating and frothing either dairy or plant-based milk like oat or almond. You can also choose how much foam you want which is kind of mind blowing.

Once your settings have been selected press the start froth button. A progress bar on the front will show you where it’s at. When the machine is finished it will beep. Slide the jug out and wipe the steam wand with a damp cloth right away, then add your milk to your drink—in my case a nice cappuccino.

To finish the cleaning process, push the steam wand back towards the machine where it will hover over a small hole in the base. Once it’s in place, the machine will automatically flush the inside of the wand.

One of the things I found cool about this machine is that the drink riser is adjustable to a couple of different heights, or you can remove it altogether for a big mug. If you want to go even larger than that, just slide out the drip tray to get full height access.

Hot water option

For those who might like to use their machine to extract hot water for tea or other hot drinks, it does not appear you can get hot water only from this machine. While there is a purge button it really only extracts an ounce or so of hot water.

Americano

If you’d like something more akin to a drip coffee or Americano, swap the double filter basket out for the large or quad basket. The machine is smart enough to know you’ve made the switch and will adjust its settings accordingly. Just follow the instructions on the panel to make your drink.

Cold press & over ice

I will admit before I talk about the cold brew and over ice options that I am not much of a cold coffee drinker. But for the purposes of this review I decided to give it a try. The cold press option is a bit of a misnomer since it’s not actually brewing espresso using cold water. It uses more of a lukewarm water setting that should cool down far quicker than a piping hot shot.

Drinks quality

Some of you who may have seen my previous reviews of coffee and espresso gadgets will know I’m a bit of a coffee snob. I am very specific about what I like, but at the same time I don’t generally have the time to fuss over and fawn over my morning espresso, so this machine is right up my alley.

I have to say the quality of the espresso in particular is just as good as almost any coffee shop espresso shot I’ve had. The temperature is bang on, the shot is thick and the crema is ultra creamy. I’ve been testing out a few different types of beans in this machine and the Ninja Luxe Café seems to be able to manage beautifully.

When paired with milk, the machine can make any number of drinks from cappuccino to lattes, flat white, Cafe Au lait, and even hot cocoa.

Removable Beans hopper

If you are going to be brewing different types of drinks you may want to have access to different types of beans and fortunately Ninja makes this a lot easier than most other espresso machines. The beans hopper can be pulled right out and removed so you can dump out any excess beans and swap them for something different at any time. Just twist the lock inside the hopper to release it.

Cleanup

The automatic steam wand cleaning on this machine is just the beginning. The drip tray will let you know when it gets full of water when the small floating indicator rises enough for the orange line to be visible. Just slide the drip tray forward and carry it carefully to the sink where you can dump it out and wash it.

The baskets can be pulled from the portafilter by lifting from the back and both these pieces should be hand washed only.

The funnel, water reservoir, beans hopper and drip tray are all dishwasher safe.

The machine will also let you know if you need to clean or descale it, in part based on the number of shots you pour and the hardness of your water.

Adjustable heat, strength and milk settings

Almost everything on this machine can be adjusted to your preference. You can choose a brewing temperature that suits you among three options which are labelled low, medium and high, and this is accessed with a button on the control panel. Low and medium temperature is made for darker roast coffees while lighter roasts can take medium or high temperature.

A brew strength adjustment can be made if you like stronger or weaker coffee. To adjust this you’ll hold the size button for three seconds then rotate the centre dial to setting H09, then choose how strong you want it and press the dial in words to confirm your selection.

You can also adjust the milk temperature button when you set the jug into place. Hold the size button for three seconds and then rotate the dial to Setting H07, then make your selection.

Overall review: Ninja Luxe Cafe automatic espresso machine

Overall I have to say I have been blown away by this machine. I gave up on a manual espresso machine several years ago after I retired my Rancillio Sylvia manual machine. I found the fussing and adjustments that were constantly required was just more work than I wanted to put into a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. It was about that time I adapted to using Nespresso pods. This machine has turned that on its head again and I’m ready to go back to real espresso from real beans. Let’s go over the pros and the cons of this machine.

On the pro side, absolutely everything here is automated and smart and the machine can adapt to any drink. I love the fact it can do an assessment of your espresso beans to dial in the perfect grind, and it helps you extract the perfect shot.

I also think the addition of the funnel for the top of the portafilter is absolutely genius and unlike another machine I recently tested where I was forced to wipe up coffee grounds every single day, this configuration barely spills a grain.

I couldn’t ask for better results; the shots are beautiful, hot, and thick with a nice crema on top and are wonderful on their own or when used with milk drinks. And speaking of the milk, again this machine is smart enough to adapt to both dairy and plant milks to get the perfect amount of foam and heat. And with different quick measurements on the milk jug it makes it easy to pour correctly.

Plus you’re getting both heat and foam here unlike a lot of other automatic and semi automatic machines which can usually only handle one or the other.

The fact that it also cleans and purges the steam wand after is a great help, and all the pieces are easy to clean or dishwasher ready.

I also really appreciate the fact that pretty much every setting from heat to brew intensity and milk foaming and temperature is adjustable to my preferences.

And of course the wide variety of different drinks you can make from pretty much any milk based espresso drink to even a dedicated café Americano and colder drinks makes it really versatile.

So what are the potential downsides? I am really struggling to find anything that was a real sore spot for me or that felt like a major problem. I think that there might be some users who will lament the lack of a dedicated hot water dispenser in here, but for me that’s just not a dealbreaker or even a real downside.

In short I have found an amazing new espresso machine that not only makes great coffee but it looks good out on the counter too; just as good as any high-end machine.

I can absolutely recommend the Ninja Luxe Café automatic espresso machine for you. It sells for about $699CAD/$499USD which is actually quite a bit less than similar machines that don’t do as much for you, so I find that pretty impressive too.

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