Currently available from Amazon.com for $499.99: amzn.to/3WF3t9A The UK version is going to have a hot water button! Looks like it's going to be £549. More Info here: tidd.ly/3ZgXZoA It is showing on Amazon UK now: amzn.to/3Xfiijt but not yet available to order, it was previously allowing pre-orders, with a release date of 23rd of October, but that has since been removed. Affiliate link above, if you use that you're supporting this channel, thanks. More videos on the way, so let me know if you have a question I missed it or there's anything specific you'd like to see on the Ninja. By the way - the steaming time test is on 120v so will be right for America, I suspect UK 220v machines will be slightly quicker, will re-test when I can get hold of a UK model.
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Seems so according to the same question I posed to Kev. He recomends Creworks 3000w. I see it is sold by Amazon fr wherre I live at 99 eur which is a good price. Creworks suggest using it best for under 2400 w
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Step down converter required if you're using a 120v model (I bought this one: amzn.to/3As6McZ ) but I reckon it'll be available here within a couple of months. Ta, Kev.
As a guy who likes large quad-shot lattes, filter coffee and cafetiere, I have been waiting for this to release in the UK since I first got wind of it. Thanks for the review, it was full and concise and answered all of the questions I had about it. I don't have the time or patience for the whole "barista" experience malarky so a machine that does a "better than pod machine" coffee is perfect for me... I have wanted to make the jump into fresh ground, bean-to-cup coffee for quite some time now and this seems to be the perfect solution for me. (unless you think there is a better option that functions as an "all in one" machine for my choice of coffees). Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the video, Liked and subscribed (p.s. I appreciate also that you are not afraid to make direct comparisons with other machines / brands and declare which you think are best for certain applications, so many content creators fail to do this, and let's face it, we all turn to youtube to find out which is the best product for our needs, so it's nice knowing that you are keeping in mind the comparisons of the competing machines).
To me sadly it's the opposite. I used to love this channel but since the exaggerated "comedy" scenes got more and more I started to lose interest and rather watch other channels.
Yet here you are, watching my videos 🤓😄. There's too much serious in the world if you ask me, we plan on doing more light hearted comedy stuff, defo not less, so you may want to smash that unsub button 😂.
Whilst the Sage Touch Impress is no doubt a better looking machine, the price is no longer justified considering what features the Ninja comes with. The ability to make cold foam and filter coffee makes it a winner in my eyes.
Except, having tried both ( by shop does demos ).. The Sage/Breville makes far better espresso if you dial it in and get it right. But that's really all it does as well. IME, that's all I need it for. I'd keep this as a separate machine to make all the other drinks, though. As a super coffee machine, this thing is amazing.
Wow that's very kind of you Mark, thanks! 😎. Thanks again for your help, being able to study your first look post and pick your brains was very helpful!
Just a note on longevity, have had a Ninja smoothie blender for the best part of 10 years, while my mum and sister have had multiple nutri bullets, my ninja is still going strong, along with my shark steam mop (same parent company i believe). I do take care of my stuff though, but have had multiple washing machines in that same time. I would say from experience Ninja stuff is pretty good quality.
The issue with espresso machines is they have a number of components that won't last forever, usually just little things like O-rings & gaskets. How long they last will depend on various factors including how often the machine is been descaled (descaler solution can reduce the life of O-rings etc), and sometimes there can just be a batch of these things that don't last as long as they usually would. There are various little, often inexpensive components too in coffee machines like this that are prone to going after a few years, and are really cheap and simple to replace, IF the parts are available and there's the necessary structure in place. When there's the logistics in place to be able to diagnose and repair stuff like this, it's really nothing, for example a machine develops a little leak internally, it's opened up, an O-ring is degraded, it costs pennies, it's replaced, the machine will probably happily go on for another few years. The issue that I mention about "kitchen appliances" is that there's usually no provision in place for someone to have their machine diagnosed and repaired, and even where the user is handy or knows an engineer, often there are specific parts that aren't easily available. Within the warranty period, I'd usually expect appliances at this kind of cost to be replaced, and outside of warranty, I assume (I could be wrong, it's been known to happen 😄) that getting hold of very simple, cheap parts, such as a group gasket, won't be possible or at least won't be easy, exactly the same as I've seen with other appliance brands that look like Sage/Breville machines, perform like them in some respects at least, but are really made as appliances, to be box shifted, and replaced if they break. Sage/Breville haven't been perfect in this regard to be honest, up until recently it's often been a real pain to get hold of their parts, they've been "available", but in many cases not, unless you hunt them down from another country. Thankfully they've been working on that, and you can get the parts for them (UK: coffeeclassics.co.uk/parts) so if you're handy you can do repairs yourself in the future, if you're not you can find an engineer who will. Ta Kev
One other thing, saw a video where the reviewer opened the luxe up and it was not simple. Some hidden screws, screws requiring long bits, pieces that need to open a certain way, etc. But in a year or two I’m sure there will be plenty of videos on fixing these.
I got this machine on August 5th and have almost gone through a pound of coffee so far. This is my first espresso machine. I was thinking about getting the Breville Bambino Plus. But, so far I am very happy with the Ninja Luxe.
Kev, this was incredibly informative and thorough review -truly the best I’ve seen in a while! Your attention to detail and clear explanations made it easy to understand the features and benefits of the machine. Keep up the fantastic work! I look forward to your future videos.
not into coffee, came across your video. What an amazing review! You have an engineering mind. You put yourself in the shoes of the average user. Bravo sir.
This has been really helpful. I’m waiting for a big birthday which is rapidly approaching. I was set on a barista pro and then started having doubts when I saw this launch. This review has really helped me decide the Barista pro is the correct decision.
'Secret life as a Ninja'. 😂 Hilarious! Love it! Excellent video, keep them coming. The Ninja looks like an awesome machine, very versatile, very clever & at an amazing price. Love the storage compartments too. ☕️👌
Legit burst out laughing at the small cups 15:35 Great thorough review though! And I'm similarly confused by the lack of hot water dispenser. I suppose the drip coffee does eliminate the need for an easy Americano but why not have the option anyway?
I love this channel, it's just so high quality in all aspects. My only complaint would be that it sometimes feels a little too "sterile", I can't paint a better picture. And then this banger of an intro comes around...
This looks like an amazing entry level machine for the average person who wants to enjoy great coffee. I got my first bean to cup machine last year in the Barista Pro, I certainly don't regret it but definitely remember the first messy week getting to grips with it.
Brilliant video man, been looking at this machine a fair bit but so far all the “reviews” have been influencers who got sent the machine. Was hoping you would get your hands on it. Will have to watch out for a UK release
Thank you so much for the review!!!Try this for cold espresso. Put the cup with the hot espresso inside the freezer and after 5,10 minutes put it in a shaker with 3 or more ice cubes and start shaking for 1 or 2 sec.Then put as many ice cubes you want in a glass (the same you have in your video) and put the shaken coffee in.This way you drink coffee not water with coffee!!!
Thanks for the great review. I had a barista touch impress and ended up returning it because the intelligent dosing stopped working. I was just about ready to drop $2k for the Oracle Jet, but then I saw this Ninja Lux and ordered it from Amazon. The reviews I watched so far all give me hope that I made the right choice ($500 vs $2k).
If you have that much money, but a budget/in the middle? A used Sage/Breville dual boiler is the absolute best beast of a machine. The company went the screen and fancy grinder and options/bling route instead of doubling down on what is basically the same as a $2500 prosumer level machine. Even new, at the price, the dual boiler is a steal and IMO, the best machine they ever made.
What a brilliant review. You should do reviews of other stuff. Was looking at several reviews and this is easily the most informative, most professional and most entertaining. Well done. 👍
Hey Kev its now on the Ninja site at £550, but not in stock yet, would you say this or a Sage Barista pro which is the same money with discount, im coming off a Barista express which just died, keep up the good work fellow Coffee botherer :)
Just heard about this having had Ninja appliances that simply don't die - ever, a bit like my Gaggia Classic! So glad I saw this before plumping for the Breville which I see tend to break down after 4 to 5 years. Finally, good quality builds at a price that isn't simply silly and given all the extra features that are proper and not just throw away. Can't wait to get my hands on one!
I have a retired Barista Express I used for 9 years and am currently using the Barista Pro. If you can swing it, it's a wonderful machine. I like the shot timer the best. Good luck.
I already ordered my machine. Always wanted to get into home espresso but found the sage / Breville machines in the USA to be very intimidating with dialing up the machine. t
YES! Thank you for this, a proper, fun, Q&A about this one. I think you're the first to tackle it more from a coffee enthusiast angle than an influencer Tik-Toker bullcrap one - I very much appreciate it. While I don't disagree with your comment regarding potential longevity and reparability versus the Sage (Breville, had a BBE and now using a moded BDB), I guess that remains to be seen - my current Ninja kitchen appliances appear to have been built to last so who knows. The only question left for me would be is there any ability to extend the pre infusion like on the Breville by holding the shot button ? Otherwise, curious to see how it fares with lighter roasts.
Thanks for the very kind words 🙏🙏😎. Nah you can't change the preinfusion. I've heard mainly good stuff about Ninja products, and overall I'm positive about the build quality (my engineer friend is going to do a tear down for me to let me know what's what, keep a look out for the video). But with espresso machines there are always things that will go at some point, mainly daft little thinks like O-rings and gaskets. If you go 3 years without needing to replace one of these, you've done well. So it depends on whether there's any provision in place for what to do if this happens. Sage/Breville have an out of warranty support partner, and it's much better now as they're supplying the parts, so someone could either have a look themselves or just find a local engineer to diagnose and repair. With some appliance brands that are producing similar looking machines to Sage, you can't even get a replacement group gasket, as it's a very specific part, so out of warranty just something as insignificant as that will render it useless. So it'll be interesting to see what the crack is here with Ninja. Ta, Kev.
I've had one for a few weeks now and love it! The only thing I don't like about it is the couple pounds of weight I've put on from having 1-2 lattes every day...
I have the Lelit Victoria with a 2.5 L water tank. I make only Americano's with hot water from the steam wand. I make two coffees a day. I find the Victoria tank good for only two days, when you include all the purges, cleaning and drink water dispersed. The Ninja would require even more frequent changes if it dispensed hot water. If I'm in a hurry for one cup of water, in the microwave for one minute.
Cheers for this review buddy. I’ve been looking at the barista express impress and now you’ve cemented my purchase of the machine. I appreciate the review, was waiting for reviews to come out for this first. Plus we don’t know when you can get it in the uk which doesn’t help choosing this
Thanks for this review. I bought the Sage Express Impress and spoke to you over email at length about it and we came to the conclusion that the grinder was calibrated incorrectly. I ended up sending it back and got a full refund as they no longer had any stock of the one I bought. Now I've seen this review Im pretty sure this is the machine that is right for me at the moment and will replace my Sage Grinder and Bambino Plus just because of the flexibility and ease of use. I'm not a huge fan of pure espresso and prefer hot and cold milk based drinks which this seems to be very good at.
What sort of issues did you have? I've got one and I had pretty weird results with it - needed to grind most coffees at around 5 to get anything near drinkable, plus the grind setting would randomly change on its own and a few other weird things that just made using it a frustrating experience with many many wasted coffee beans. Had the grinder replaced under warranty and it's now much better, needing 12-15 ish grind settings which seems more realistic. I've had mine for nearly a year now and it's doing ok but the grind setting still seems to randomly change from time to time which is irritating. I am really liking the look of this Ninja machine though. I like that it can do cold brew and quad shots, very tempted.
Hi Coffee Kev, love your videos, and for last 9 months have been using the sage bambino plus (bought a refurbished one off amazon)- it’s a great little machine - but steam wand keeps getting blocked have tried everything- (every 2 weeks roughly) even though I purge my wand daily 😂 how does this machine (ninja) compare to bambino plus? I have a sage grinder pro - but slowly looking for a replacement as Bambino outgrowing - starting to annoy me 😅
Honestly... I'm sorry but being new here, I had to say; Kev gives cbeebies presenter vibes... 🙈 just waiting for him to pull out a coffee like "here's one I prepared earlier" 😂😂 I'm so sorry!! Lol 🙈😂
I still like my Barista Express a little more, though, yes, it is a fiddly thing compared to an actual $1500-$2000 proper PID type prosumer machine. BUT... all I care about is espresso, and once dialed in, it makes espresso as good as most coffee shops in town. My gripe, though, is the workflow on it is slow and making two cups of whatever I feel like in the morning for myself and my son is a solid 10 minute affair from start to cleaning and reassembly. I like the hot water feature on the Barista Express. But the included grinder is admittedly a bit rubbish. If I had to do it over again, I'd have gotten the Bambino Plus and a separate grinder as it's very hard to get a consistent amount of grind from it. You will need a timer and scale, a proper self-levelling tamper, and some other accessories that the Bambino Plus doesn't really need or that a proper grinder would solve. And the milk frother on the Express is simple but also 20 year old tech. So it's not like the Express/Bambino is perfect - far from it. But it DOES make better espresso if that's all you care about :)
Love this machine but with my pod machine I can happily switch to a decaf in the afternoon as I tend to do. With this machine I’d have to go through the dialing in process again just to switch to decaf beans. Not sure I’m willing. But it sure looks like a great machine
yeah what to do about decaf is always a pain. De'Longhi have handled it the best so far, in my opinion, with the Rivelia: ruclips.net/video/p3eFm2funos/видео.html
@@SomeRandomRUclipsr2024 don’t want to clutter up my kitchen counter with 2 coffee machines so I will stick with my pod machine for now I guess. Or I guess just use decaf coffee in the ninja all the time as it’s about the taste for me. The caffeine is not that important to me. Cheers.
If you find that the "classic" setting is a bit too intense, you could just remove a small amount of the coffee from the basket prior to brewing, or you could add more hot water, although the US version as I've mentioned doesn't have a hot water button, the EU version it appears will have, so whether the US version will be updated maybe, time will tell. Cheers.
@@Coffee_Kev perfect!!! Thank you….hot water dispenser would certainly be nice but not a deal breaker….perhaps they’re holding outon that for the next version so we all have to buy it twice 🤣😂
As a noob to this, I would’ve bought this over the impress express . I still love my sage but if the price of this stays as expected I can see a lot being bought.
Hi Kev great video as always! I have a Sage Barista Pro that is a few years old now and I was considering replacing. If this is around £499 as you expect would you recommend this over a new Barista Pro at £649? This looks great and I do like Ninja products although I have loved my Barista Pro as well! Thanks again
Before i saw this machine soon hitting the Uk i was about to buy the Sage Bambino plus and the Sage smart grinder pro which with your discount code is probably about £100 more than the Ninja machine. What would you recommend to get Kev?
Love the vids Kev, but I'm afraid the constant advertising of your beans has left me not choice but to......buy a bag. I'll get back to you on my verdict. P.S slapping a brownie on the pic is unfair temptation, i hate you. But also i don't. Keep up the great vids!
Haha, excellent! 😆. Thanks for your kind words, hope you like Choc Brownie, and aren't too disappointed by the lack of an actual chocolate brownie in the bag! Ta, Kev.
Hi, I’m a newbie to home coffee and I am researching like you wouldn’t believe, I was just about to order a niche zero/ df64 couldn’t make mind up on conical or flat burr, I love espresso 😊, going to buy a sage dual temp - then I saw this video 🤣🤣 - how would you change from caff to de caff beans - I can’t drink caff in the afternoon 😢 - can you single dose the grinder? Thank you for your videos - I have subscribed ❤
What is a "normal" coffee drinker?? I don't want to be "anormal" so this machine is good for me 😅 I think even passioned hobby baristas need some rest sometimes from the time wasting procedures of making coffee drinks. I like this ninja and its useful functions - no one can call me "average" coffee drinker from the "mass mainstream" because of this
By normal coffee drinker I just mean someone who hasn't fallen down the home barista rabbit hole. It's not a slur 😆. Honestly if I had the space for this in the kitchen, I'd have it at home just for when I need fast coffee without putting in too much effort, and for making cold brews and the big travel cups of filter style coffee.
@@Coffee_Kev Unfortunately, most coffee RUclipsrs (although not all of them are professional baristas) tend to tell viewers what to do and what not to do, or to put them into a category. Even a coffee lover and nerd can like different and unconventional methods of brewing coffee or use the machine they want. No one has the coffee sovereignty to tell others what to do.
Great video! As you said I’m still leaning towards the express for my setup, but this is as you say an alternative if for my example, new born and option for quicker cuppa. It’s just regretting the whole hands on experience! Just a quick one, did you fine you can get better microform for latte art with the manual steam? Know it’s not as powerful as sage Oh and I’ll give your coffee a butchers, think you mentioned it 👍
Thanks 🙂. With manual steam, yeah defo, it's capable of perfect microfoam manually. On Auto, the steam only option (that you'd set it to if you're using it manually) doesn't aerate, it only steams, so it's MEGA loud (milk screaming due to no aeration) and there's no stretching at all so can't pour anything with it in terms of latte art, if you put it on the next one up, it's good but it's just a little bit on the stiff side for pouring, they could do with a setting in between those two. I think most "normal" coffee drinkers will be really happy with the auto froth though. Oh did I mention my coffee, couldn't remember if I had 😝. Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev just watched again, yea you did mention haha. Thanks, food for thought but I wanted a natural progression from my bambino plus of 8 years and growing experience with dialling in and the process or making the shot. Good machine ninja but still think I’d miss the art side of it as you say so thanks for the vid 👍
I currently have a la pavoni that I do not use as often as I should as I just can’t get the consistency on it to know I’m going to enjoy why I make with it. Can’t decide if I should buy one thing like this an know I’ll get good enough, easily achieved drinks or a normal pump driven espresso machine that I will at east feel like I’m making the code myself but may now end up using as much as a result…
I've had the Barista Express and I still want a Profitec PID machine some day. Definitely keep that La Pavoni and keep learning. You will thank yourself eventually ;) The most common roblem with using that machine is that you need to pre-infuse the portafilter and then ramp up the pressure. This takes a lot of practice on that. BUT, IMO, few hings make better espresso with a wider range of beans. The downside is, as you know, the workflow is laughably 'Italian". As in, espresso is done when it's done. :) Most consistent in a consumer machine that I've had was the Breville/Sage dual boiler. Absolutely idiot-proof once you have your grind dialed in.
Hey, thanks for the video! The boiler in my Breville Infuser Espresso Machine BES840XLjust went bad. And the ninja would save me some time for sure. I do enjoy nerding out, but I think I’ll replace it with the ninja. Sending into Breville to see how much it i will be to fix.
@@coreycannon4511 I think this comment shows why they should have included a pressurised basket. All other bean to cup machines use pressurised baskets. The quality of the actual grinder makes no difference. A pressurised basket provides a much greater room for error in grind size settings. Every coffee bean (as in roast types and bean types) is different and requires the grind size settings to change. With a pressurised basket it doesn't require such fine setting changes. My view is that this is a huge oversight by ninja that will result in poor coffee for most beginners.
The idea is that the barista assistance means no need for pressurized baskets, and I think they're right. As long as people are following the guidance to use beans with a roasted on date, certainly with more classic espresso beans, the machine will get them dialled in, really quick too. I'll do a video switching from lots of different beans and purely following the guidance, and using the DI Fluid R2 Refractometer, to challenge this, but so far from my experience with it, just following the screen guidance telling me what grind size to change to, it's worked extremely well!
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks for the explanation Kev. So are you saying that it might not get it right first time but will dial it in based on learning from the previous extraction times? That's clever if so
Yeah, weird choice. Maybe they think everyone has a boiling water tap these days? I know some people do, and if you do then that wouldn't be an issue, but I think a big % of people buying this would have preferred a hot water spout.
Nah I'd just wait for it to be released here, they're on pre-order at Curry's at present, end of Sep, they were on pre-order on Amazon but that's just been removed, they're on the Ninja Kitchen UK website too but no mention yet of release date. I'm using a 110V version here via a stepdown converter. Ta, Kev.
What do you think of this vs the Rivelia for espresso and cappuccino taste? Ordered the Rivelia as my Sage Barrista touch broke and wanted something a bit more simple but this looks good too (even though I would have to wait for this and not sure I can!)
The Rivelia is very good, but it's still auto bean to cup espresso, so it's just not quite the same where the espresso taste is concerned. So it just depends on your palate really, if you like the true portafilter espresso you'll have had from the barista touch, you may find that (even though the Rivelia is one of the best auto bean to cup machines I've used to date) the Rivelia doesn't quite give you the same intensity in your espresso and cappuccino as the barista touch would, and the Ninja will give you that same intensity, it's a portafilter machine and the espresso it produces is proper true portafilter espresso. Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev thanks for taking the time to do a detailed reply…makes sense! Think I might take convenience over taste for now and see if I regret it or not! 🤣 Keep up the good work, loving the channel!
It has a thermocoil of some sort, and it seems to me there's some other heater in there too, I'm not sure whether it's a group heater or a cup warmer heater that also heats the group, it seems to kick in as soon as you grind. There's one pump, so it's not a dual boiler type machine, although cold whisk will run while you're brewing coffee, so in all respects it will work like a dual boiler when you're making cold milkies. Ta, Kev.
About $175 including import duty, and then about £80 for the stepdown transformer. I think it'll probably be available here either next month or the month after, I'd be surprised if they leave it longer than that.
Bought the Ninja today. However----> It grinds very slow like it's struggling, then it stops telling me to add beans, even though the hopper is full!!! The motor hums like it's too weak, then the motor stalls. . Very sad for a $500 machine. So frustrating. Any thoughts anybody??
oooh no! To be fair, literally every machine out there will have some failures, it could just be a defective grinder, it happens. I'd get in touch with Ninja or the retailer, get them to replace it. Cheers, Kev.
Agree re the hot water 👍. If you switch to decaf later in the day, I'd just put in roughly how much full caff you're likely to use in the day and just be ready to top it up if you start to turn empty, and then when it's time to switch, press and hold the start grind button to purge any remaining beans, then drop a few grams of decaf in and purge them too (to make sure you've got all the full caff out), just put roughly how much decaf you'll need in, then purge again after, next morning just purge a couple of grams of full caffeine before you brew. Yes the first decaf won't be quite dialled in unless you purge more beans first (the machine will need to learn what to do with the new beans, purging for 5 seconds or so speeds that up) but it'll be infinitely better than pre-ground via a bypass. Ta, Kev
@@Coffee_Kev I don't understand the no hot water comments. I this machine today at IFA Berlin and the "Premier" level machine (which is what you reviewed) does indeed have hot water: It's a group head bypass - its slow but serves fine for an Americano. Keep your kettle if you want to make tea. As for product levels, EU will launch in October with an Essential (less features, no hot water) and Premier. Q1 next year will add a top level machine with integrated tamp, a more pro steam wand and software upgrades (for coffee nerds). Ninja have been on this product since 2016 and seem to have really thought this through.
Nice review. What I missed a bit what is really the taste and what will be the difference if I spend 2000$+ in a setup. The comparison to sage was mainly about build quality and they are different machines but why? In the end I would be interested in the taste. I have currently a 3000$ Jura machine and it’s awful compared to my Berezza Espresso setup I had before. If this machine can at least extract espresso with 9bar it should be maybe a good alternative . I gave up my Berezza cuz I need in the morning something fast without 45min heat up time. Would never buy a classical e61 espresso machine again.
why is your $3000 Jura machine awful? Super automatic machines are known for their convenience as ease of use over the quality of the drinks its produces. That being said, does your $3000 Jura give you the option to customize your espresso: volume of water, amount of coffee grinds by weight, temperature, pre-infusion, pressure etc??? I have an Saeco that cost nearly $3000 and that machines does all the above and much more. The espresso from it is very well balanced, however, the drinks are not as hot as I would like them sometimes. You may want to try HiBrews $299 espresso machine that has a 58mm portafilter, pressure gauge, temp controller and temp gauge and you can control the temp of the steamer (PID). HiBrew's G5 coffee grinder is a great inexpensive choice too. The machine heats up in under 3 minutes tops and it does make professional Cafe quality drinks. you just need to buy a scale so you can weigh out the coffee. Only downside I found is the group head is made of plastic... I probably wouldn't purchase this Ninja product because it isn't professional commercial grade. I'd look into either the new Sage/Breville Oracle Jet or the new Kickstarter $1100 espresso machine that has a rotary pump (ships in November).
The reason the comparison to Sage was about build quality and how they differ as machines, is simply that taste is subjective, it depends on the beans, your palate, and how well extracted the shot is. To just say "espresso tastes better on X machine" is impossible, and this is why I don't like doing blind taste tests too. What we're really testing is how well extracted the shot is in each machine, and to do a fair test like this would require a much more scientific approach than just tasting. In a nutshell, if you were to buy a £2k setup (and the fact you're thinking of doing that would tell me this machine probably isn't for you) you would have more control and precision, I'd expect you to be able to achieve whatever tastes better to you, using a wider range of beans. But if you were to walk up to your 2k plus setup, using an espresso blend on both (I don't know how the Ninja will deal with lighter roasts, but I'll test this) set a timer, and declare that the winning machine is the one that gives you enjoyable espresso the quickest, I think the Ninja would probably win that race in most cases. I'm actually thinking about installing one of these in our kitchen at some point when we have a new one done. We have no space currently and a new kitchen is way, way overdue. In an ideal world, I'd have my espresso setup, and this machine next to it in my coffee corner, for when I just need drinkable espresso quick, or when I want a filter or a cold brew - or when we have someone round who just wants a "coffee" ! ;-). Ta Kev
@Coffe_Kev thank you very much much for the answer. @mamadouaziza2536 Why is a Jura (Z10) awful for espresso… the simple answer is it can’t brew an espresso. Machines like jura are made mainly out of plastic. They have maybe a brewing preassure around 2-4bar and can’t really extract it. The reason is simple as well because they are built for convenience and fast coffee. If you use metal you need to heat it up or your temperature will get cooled down and is very inconsistent. Hybrid machines from quick mill tried already years ago to find a compromise between espresso machines and full automatic coffee machines. The other reason is that the built in grinder in automatic machines are never that good. With a real espresso setup you would need to adjust the grinder if the air humidity changes a bit or if you use slightly different beans. If its to fine you cannot extract anymore coffee even with the high pressure. So a full automatic machine would never grind really fine especially the brewing pressure is much lower. Beside that the grinder wouldn’t even be able to do it. So for me full automatic machines were always a compromise you have to take for a fast easy coffee. But more and more alternatives are rising like dual boiler machines with fast heat up, machines like this one here and so on. And this is what im looking for. A machine you can extract espresso but for my usage (2 coffee/espresso/americano in the morning before work). Thats why i sold my E61 Bezerra and bought the Jura. My hope was that the lower brewing pressure get compensated by the pre-infusion and stuff. But for me the results are just bad even i can play around on the machines you can’t fix the physical limitations.
@@daveX81 Ok. Good observations.. I don't have any issues with the Saeco I have as the grinder does grind fine enough for espresso. Some days I simply don't want to use a separate grinder, weigh out the beans, fill a portafilter, tamp and froth milk. I want the machine to do it and I am aware that there is a compromise.. However, there are days I do want to play around with making espresso and I enjoy using a semi auto machine and separate grinder. Problem is which machine to buy and use? Lelit Victoria has been good.. BTW: my Saeco has 9 bars of pressure but I do hate the daily routine maintenance!!!!
@@mamadouaziza2536 you have to be really careful about brewing pressure and pump pressure. My Jura has a pump pressure of 15bar but the brewing pressure is still around 3 bar. There is no full automatic machine in this world which has 9bar brewing pressure nor could grind fine enough for 9bar pressure. The only machine I know which exists is the quick mill 5000. And it’s a kind of hybrid as well.
The taste of the espresso will come down to the beans you're using, mainly. If you're using the touch impress purely following the barista guidance, and using the Ninja purely following the barista guidance, using the same beans - I would imagine you'd be hard pressed to taste the difference. We'll try this in a future video though, doing some blind taste testing purely using the barista guidance on both and seeing what the difference is.
Depends really.... tamp pressure, boiler pressure (thermoblock or jet pressure) and whether which grinder does the best job... These machines are too automatic and coming close to super automation. Just stick with something semi-auto like a classic machine like the Gaggia Classic EVO or even that new Asian HiBrew espresso machine that cost about $299 on Amazon. That machine has a PID as well as a pressure gauge (it heats up very quickly). Learn a bit about espresso and how to dial in a shot. Get a single dose grinder (HiBrew G5) and a scale. Dial in the right amount of grind coffee and size to your taste (you control everything), steam the milk the way you want..
Don't know, just for those who doesn't know how to make a good coffee, this machine is for them, never liked super automatic machines and this seems to be one of those
This definitely isn't a super auto, no brewing unit, it's a portafilter machine with barista guidance to help to figure out the best grind size for the beans you're using and the brew type you select. Less control than a traditional setup, but it's delivers true espresso, which most brewing unit super auto machines don't quite produce.
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks I saw that after I sent my message. You had already answered my question on your video before I asked it. Next time I'll wait until the video is done.
If you see my pinned comment, I've linked to it on Amazon USA. Personally I'd hang on, I'd be very surprised if they don't launch it here in the UK either next month or Oct, it wouldn't make sense for them to leave it until after that. If you get one from the States you'll need a 3k step down converter, about £80, and its quite bulky, and you won't have a UK warranty - plus you'll pay about $175 delivery and import fees. Ta, Kev
Currently available from Amazon.com for $499.99: amzn.to/3WF3t9A
The UK version is going to have a hot water button! Looks like it's going to be £549. More Info here: tidd.ly/3ZgXZoA
It is showing on Amazon UK now: amzn.to/3Xfiijt but not yet available to order, it was previously allowing pre-orders, with a release date of 23rd of October, but that has since been removed.
Affiliate link above, if you use that you're supporting this channel, thanks.
More videos on the way, so let me know if you have a question I missed it or there's anything specific you'd like to see on the Ninja.
By the way - the steaming time test is on 120v so will be right for America, I suspect UK 220v machines will be slightly quicker, will re-test when I can get hold of a UK model.
Hi! Thanks for the video, is this dual voltage or would I need a step down converter to use it in the UK now?
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Seems so according to the same question I posed to Kev. He recomends Creworks 3000w. I see it is sold by Amazon fr wherre I live at 99 eur which is a good price. Creworks suggest using it best for under 2400 w
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Step down converter required if you're using a 120v model (I bought this one: amzn.to/3As6McZ ) but I reckon it'll be available here within a couple of months. Ta, Kev.
Do you have any idea when and if it will be available in Europe ?
I've emailed Ninja to ask for ETA in UK, no response yet - will update when they come back
As a guy who likes large quad-shot lattes, filter coffee and cafetiere, I have been waiting for this to release in the UK since I first got wind of it. Thanks for the review, it was full and concise and answered all of the questions I had about it. I don't have the time or patience for the whole "barista" experience malarky so a machine that does a "better than pod machine" coffee is perfect for me... I have wanted to make the jump into fresh ground, bean-to-cup coffee for quite some time now and this seems to be the perfect solution for me. (unless you think there is a better option that functions as an "all in one" machine for my choice of coffees).
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the video, Liked and subscribed (p.s. I appreciate also that you are not afraid to make direct comparisons with other machines / brands and declare which you think are best for certain applications, so many content creators fail to do this, and let's face it, we all turn to youtube to find out which is the best product for our needs, so it's nice knowing that you are keeping in mind the comparisons of the competing machines).
That intro is gold! hahah
hehe thanks! We had fun with that 😄
To me sadly it's the opposite.
I used to love this channel but since the exaggerated "comedy" scenes got more and more I started to lose interest and rather watch other channels.
Yet here you are, watching my videos 🤓😄. There's too much serious in the world if you ask me, we plan on doing more light hearted comedy stuff, defo not less, so you may want to smash that unsub button 😂.
@@user-cc3mi5bs8q For me it's exactly the opposite, other channels sometimes seem too technical and monotonous, great variety in humour here :)
I bought the Breville Barista Touch Impress a couple months ago and Im kicking myself now… this machine looks awesome
Whilst the Sage Touch Impress is no doubt a better looking machine, the price is no longer justified considering what features the Ninja comes with. The ability to make cold foam and filter coffee makes it a winner in my eyes.
Usually Ninja products are on big sale after a while.
Nah mate this Ninja looks way better! It looks so tidy and smart! But I agree that this is way more appealing for the price of what it can do.
Except, having tried both ( by shop does demos ).. The Sage/Breville makes far better espresso if you dial it in and get it right. But that's really all it does as well. IME, that's all I need it for. I'd keep this as a separate machine to make all the other drinks, though. As a super coffee machine, this thing is amazing.
I think this may be the best review video you've done so far. and that's saying something. Well covered, Kev!
Wow that's very kind of you Mark, thanks! 😎. Thanks again for your help, being able to study your first look post and pick your brains was very helpful!
Just a note on longevity, have had a Ninja smoothie blender for the best part of 10 years, while my mum and sister have had multiple nutri bullets, my ninja is still going strong, along with my shark steam mop (same parent company i believe). I do take care of my stuff though, but have had multiple washing machines in that same time. I would say from experience Ninja stuff is pretty good quality.
The issue with espresso machines is they have a number of components that won't last forever, usually just little things like O-rings & gaskets. How long they last will depend on various factors including how often the machine is been descaled (descaler solution can reduce the life of O-rings etc), and sometimes there can just be a batch of these things that don't last as long as they usually would.
There are various little, often inexpensive components too in coffee machines like this that are prone to going after a few years, and are really cheap and simple to replace, IF the parts are available and there's the necessary structure in place.
When there's the logistics in place to be able to diagnose and repair stuff like this, it's really nothing, for example a machine develops a little leak internally, it's opened up, an O-ring is degraded, it costs pennies, it's replaced, the machine will probably happily go on for another few years.
The issue that I mention about "kitchen appliances" is that there's usually no provision in place for someone to have their machine diagnosed and repaired, and even where the user is handy or knows an engineer, often there are specific parts that aren't easily available.
Within the warranty period, I'd usually expect appliances at this kind of cost to be replaced, and outside of warranty, I assume (I could be wrong, it's been known to happen 😄) that getting hold of very simple, cheap parts, such as a group gasket, won't be possible or at least won't be easy, exactly the same as I've seen with other appliance brands that look like Sage/Breville machines, perform like them in some respects at least, but are really made as appliances, to be box shifted, and replaced if they break.
Sage/Breville haven't been perfect in this regard to be honest, up until recently it's often been a real pain to get hold of their parts, they've been "available", but in many cases not, unless you hunt them down from another country. Thankfully they've been working on that, and you can get the parts for them (UK: coffeeclassics.co.uk/parts) so if you're handy you can do repairs yourself in the future, if you're not you can find an engineer who will.
Ta
Kev
One other thing, saw a video where the reviewer opened the luxe up and it was not simple. Some hidden screws, screws requiring long bits, pieces that need to open a certain way, etc. But in a year or two I’m sure there will be plenty of videos on fixing these.
15:33 lmao them tiny cups, well played
I got this machine on August 5th and have almost gone through a pound of coffee so far. This is my first espresso machine. I was thinking about getting the Breville Bambino Plus. But, so far I am very happy with the Ninja Luxe.
did you buy it in the UK?
Kev, this was incredibly informative and thorough review -truly the best I’ve seen in a while! Your attention to detail and clear explanations made it easy to understand the features and benefits of the machine.
Keep up the fantastic work! I look forward to your future videos.
Wow what a nice comment, thanks! Made my day 😎. Cheers, Kev.
Great review it answered all the questions I had for it
not into coffee, came across your video. What an amazing review! You have an engineering mind. You put yourself in the shoes of the average user. Bravo sir.
That's very kind of you, thanks🙏🙏 😎😎
Would love to see a compare/vs video with this and the touch impress
I’d love to see that comparison too, as do many I’m sure.
it's coming 👍
This has been really helpful. I’m waiting for a big birthday which is rapidly approaching. I was set on a barista pro and then started having doubts when I saw this launch. This review has really helped me decide the Barista pro is the correct decision.
Fantastic, Glad you found my video helpful!
'Secret life as a Ninja'. 😂 Hilarious! Love it! Excellent video, keep them coming. The Ninja looks like an awesome machine, very versatile, very clever & at an amazing price. Love the storage compartments too. ☕️👌
really enjoyed this rapid fire FAQ style presentation of the review!
Thanks :-)
Legit burst out laughing at the small cups 15:35
Great thorough review though! And I'm similarly confused by the lack of hot water dispenser. I suppose the drip coffee does eliminate the need for an easy Americano but why not have the option anyway?
I love this channel, it's just so high quality in all aspects. My only complaint would be that it sometimes feels a little too "sterile", I can't paint a better picture. And then this banger of an intro comes around...
Haha thanks! We'll have to do more like this, it was fun! 😄
This looks like an amazing entry level machine for the average person who wants to enjoy great coffee. I got my first bean to cup machine last year in the Barista Pro, I certainly don't regret it but definitely remember the first messy week getting to grips with it.
Yeah this machine will hugely shorten the learning curve 👍
We need a tear down to see what’s inside. It maybe more repairable than you think. I’m just not doing it to mine😂😂 I love this thing btw
Someone already did that on RUclips. Saw this morning
Brilliant video man, been looking at this machine a fair bit but so far all the “reviews” have been influencers who got sent the machine. Was hoping you would get your hands on it. Will have to watch out for a UK release
Cheers 😎. I'll update the pinned comment as soon as I get a date. Ta, Kev.
Thank you so much for the review!!!Try this for cold espresso. Put the cup with the hot espresso inside the freezer and after 5,10 minutes put it in a shaker with 3 or more ice cubes and start shaking for 1 or 2 sec.Then put as many ice cubes you want in a glass (the same you have in your video) and put the shaken coffee in.This way you drink coffee not water with coffee!!!
Very informative and funny delivery. Quick and snappy but also very engaging. New subscriber here!
Very kind of you, cheers 😎👍, Kev.
Great review, in depth with little faff and good humour! :D Really interested in getting this when it is released in the UK!
Great review! Very informative and helpful! Could be a great Christmas gift!
Thanks for the great review. I had a barista touch impress and ended up returning it because the intelligent dosing stopped working. I was just about ready to drop $2k for the Oracle Jet, but then I saw this Ninja Lux and ordered it from Amazon. The reviews I watched so far all give me hope that I made the right choice ($500 vs $2k).
If you have that much money, but a budget/in the middle? A used Sage/Breville dual boiler is the absolute best beast of a machine. The company went the screen and fancy grinder and options/bling route instead of doubling down on what is basically the same as a $2500 prosumer level machine. Even new, at the price, the dual boiler is a steal and IMO, the best machine they ever made.
What a brilliant review. You should do reviews of other stuff. Was looking at several reviews and this is easily the most informative, most professional and most entertaining. Well done. 👍
Thanks, I have quite a few videos for you to check out!
Hey Kev its now on the Ninja site at £550, but not in stock yet, would you say this or a Sage Barista pro which is the same money with discount, im coming off a Barista express which just died, keep up the good work fellow Coffee botherer :)
If I was buying my espresso machine right now, I would definitely buy this instead of the Barista Pro that I did buy.
Just heard about this having had Ninja appliances that simply don't die - ever, a bit like my Gaggia Classic!
So glad I saw this before plumping for the Breville which I see tend to break down after 4 to 5 years.
Finally, good quality builds at a price that isn't simply silly and given all the extra features that are proper and not just throw away. Can't wait to get my hands on one!
Great review as always Kev! Super helpful info and has made me think the Barista Express will likely be my next machine instead. Thanks!
Cheers, very kind!😎
I have a retired Barista Express I used for 9 years and am currently using the Barista Pro. If you can swing it, it's a wonderful machine. I like the shot timer the best. Good luck.
Class intro and a great video!
Thanks for this, what would you choose; this or Barista touch impress?
I would also love to know this. As in if u were personally getting one
Me too! Kevin, which one would you choose?
I already ordered my machine. Always wanted to get into home espresso but found the sage / Breville machines in the USA to be very intimidating with dialing up the machine. t
YES! Thank you for this, a proper, fun, Q&A about this one. I think you're the first to tackle it more from a coffee enthusiast angle than an influencer Tik-Toker bullcrap one - I very much appreciate it. While I don't disagree with your comment regarding potential longevity and reparability versus the Sage (Breville, had a BBE and now using a moded BDB), I guess that remains to be seen - my current Ninja kitchen appliances appear to have been built to last so who knows. The only question left for me would be is there any ability to extend the pre infusion like on the Breville by holding the shot button ? Otherwise, curious to see how it fares with lighter roasts.
Thanks for the very kind words 🙏🙏😎.
Nah you can't change the preinfusion.
I've heard mainly good stuff about Ninja products, and overall I'm positive about the build quality (my engineer friend is going to do a tear down for me to let me know what's what, keep a look out for the video). But with espresso machines there are always things that will go at some point, mainly daft little thinks like O-rings and gaskets. If you go 3 years without needing to replace one of these, you've done well. So it depends on whether there's any provision in place for what to do if this happens. Sage/Breville have an out of warranty support partner, and it's much better now as they're supplying the parts, so someone could either have a look themselves or just find a local engineer to diagnose and repair. With some appliance brands that are producing similar looking machines to Sage, you can't even get a replacement group gasket, as it's a very specific part, so out of warranty just something as insignificant as that will render it useless. So it'll be interesting to see what the crack is here with Ninja. Ta, Kev.
I've had one for a few weeks now and love it! The only thing I don't like about it is the couple pounds of weight I've put on from having 1-2 lattes every day...
Thanks Barista Express it is! I was flip flopping but i think this sums it up nicely for me.
Wow almost went for the Touch Impress but I’m going to wait for this!
Question, can you froth milk while brewing coffee or is it just one function at a time?? Great review, seriously tempted on e they release in Europe
This was a brilliant video. Take a bow.
Came here to eye up potential new machine after my sage failed, ended up contacting espresso repair to fix it after hearing about them in the vid 😃
Thanks for making this review so fun to watch! Informative too 😁
Thanks for the very kind words! 😎
Compare it to delonghi elleta explore and other delonghi series also Barista sage please
I have the Lelit Victoria with a 2.5 L water tank. I make only Americano's with hot water from the steam wand. I make two coffees a day. I find the Victoria tank good for only two days, when you include all the purges, cleaning and drink water dispersed. The Ninja would require even more frequent changes if it dispensed hot water. If I'm in a hurry for one cup of water, in the microwave for one minute.
Cheers for this review buddy. I’ve been looking at the barista express impress and now you’ve cemented my purchase of the machine. I appreciate the review, was waiting for reviews to come out for this first. Plus we don’t know when you can get it in the uk which doesn’t help choosing this
Glad you found my video helpful Daniel.
Thanks for this review. I bought the Sage Express Impress and spoke to you over email at length about it and we came to the conclusion that the grinder was calibrated incorrectly. I ended up sending it back and got a full refund as they no longer had any stock of the one I bought. Now I've seen this review Im pretty sure this is the machine that is right for me at the moment and will replace my Sage Grinder and Bambino Plus just because of the flexibility and ease of use. I'm not a huge fan of pure espresso and prefer hot and cold milk based drinks which this seems to be very good at.
What sort of issues did you have? I've got one and I had pretty weird results with it - needed to grind most coffees at around 5 to get anything near drinkable, plus the grind setting would randomly change on its own and a few other weird things that just made using it a frustrating experience with many many wasted coffee beans. Had the grinder replaced under warranty and it's now much better, needing 12-15 ish grind settings which seems more realistic. I've had mine for nearly a year now and it's doing ok but the grind setting still seems to randomly change from time to time which is irritating.
I am really liking the look of this Ninja machine though. I like that it can do cold brew and quad shots, very tempted.
Just placed an order for a bag of brownie and italian Espresso coffee! Cheers
Just ordered some of your Brownie Blend, also pre ordered this machine through curry’s.
Hi Coffee Kev, love your videos, and for last 9 months have been using the sage bambino plus (bought a refurbished one off amazon)- it’s a great little machine - but steam wand keeps getting blocked have tried everything- (every 2 weeks roughly) even though I purge my wand daily 😂 how does this machine (ninja) compare to bambino plus? I have a sage grinder pro - but slowly looking for a replacement as Bambino outgrowing - starting to annoy me 😅
Honestly... I'm sorry but being new here, I had to say; Kev gives cbeebies presenter vibes... 🙈 just waiting for him to pull out a coffee like "here's one I prepared earlier" 😂😂 I'm so sorry!! Lol 🙈😂
I think I'm probably way too immature for that audience to be fair 😆
More like a coffee Jedi!!!
haha :-)
I still like my Barista Express a little more, though, yes, it is a fiddly thing compared to an actual $1500-$2000 proper PID type prosumer machine.
BUT... all I care about is espresso, and once dialed in, it makes espresso as good as most coffee shops in town. My gripe, though, is the workflow on it is slow and making two cups of whatever I feel like in the morning for myself and my son is a solid 10 minute affair from start to cleaning and reassembly.
I like the hot water feature on the Barista Express. But the included grinder is admittedly a bit rubbish. If I had to do it over again, I'd have gotten the Bambino Plus and a separate grinder as it's very hard to get a consistent amount of grind from it. You will need a timer and scale, a proper self-levelling tamper, and some other accessories that the Bambino Plus doesn't really need or that a proper grinder would solve. And the milk frother on the Express is simple but also 20 year old tech. So it's not like the Express/Bambino is perfect - far from it. But it DOES make better espresso if that's all you care about :)
Love this machine but with my pod machine I can happily switch to a decaf in the afternoon as I tend to do. With this machine I’d have to go through the dialing in process again just to switch to decaf beans. Not sure I’m willing. But it sure looks like a great machine
yeah what to do about decaf is always a pain. De'Longhi have handled it the best so far, in my opinion, with the Rivelia: ruclips.net/video/p3eFm2funos/видео.html
Keep the pod machine for the decaf.
@@SomeRandomRUclipsr2024 don’t want to clutter up my kitchen counter with 2 coffee machines so I will stick with my pod machine for now I guess. Or I guess just use decaf coffee in the ninja all the time as it’s about the taste for me. The caffeine is not that important to me.
Cheers.
I have the De'Longhi ECAM 44.660.B - is this a justified upgrade?
When making the “Classic Coffee” I like mor of a 1:18 vs 1:15…..is there a way to adjust that? Thanks.
If you find that the "classic" setting is a bit too intense, you could just remove a small amount of the coffee from the basket prior to brewing, or you could add more hot water, although the US version as I've mentioned doesn't have a hot water button, the EU version it appears will have, so whether the US version will be updated maybe, time will tell. Cheers.
@@Coffee_Kev perfect!!! Thank you….hot water dispenser would certainly be nice but not a deal breaker….perhaps they’re holding outon that for the next version so we all have to buy it twice 🤣😂
Didnt seem like a ninja product until he said all the extra accessories you can buy.
As a noob to this, I would’ve bought this over the impress express . I still love my sage but if the price of this stays as expected I can see a lot being bought.
499dollar
Just the grind by weight function is worth it
The Eureka Libra is like 600eur here
Can someone please do a bean to cup automatic vs one of these
Hi Kev great video as always! I have a Sage Barista Pro that is a few years old now and I was considering replacing. If this is around £499 as you expect would you recommend this over a new Barista Pro at £649? This looks great and I do like Ninja products although I have loved my Barista Pro as well! Thanks again
Can you air fry chicken nuggets in it?
Probably, does just about everything else! 😄
15:34 The funniest 3 seconds of my life.
hahaha, glad you appreciated that. We felt it had to be done 😄😄
Before i saw this machine soon hitting the Uk i was about to buy the Sage Bambino plus and the Sage smart grinder pro which with your discount code is probably about £100 more than the Ninja machine. What would you recommend to get Kev?
This looks amazing for the price!!! Oh. I saw that £309 advert. Silly me. 🙄
I'm assuming it's going to be just under the £500 point here, same as it is in dollars in the states, but watch this space. Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev The exchange rate means nothing when pricing for the UK 😳 That's probably why I've got a Niche 😅
Beautiful machine
Love the vids Kev, but I'm afraid the constant advertising of your beans has left me not choice but to......buy a bag. I'll get back to you on my verdict. P.S slapping a brownie on the pic is unfair temptation, i hate you. But also i don't. Keep up the great vids!
Haha, excellent! 😆. Thanks for your kind words, hope you like Choc Brownie, and aren't too disappointed by the lack of an actual chocolate brownie in the bag! Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev wait, there's no brownie?!? Hah coffee is my real love so I'll let it slide. Looking forward to it
Hi, I’m a newbie to home coffee and I am researching like you wouldn’t believe, I was just about to order a niche zero/ df64 couldn’t make mind up on conical or flat burr, I love espresso 😊, going to buy a sage dual temp - then I saw this video 🤣🤣 - how would you change from caff to de caff beans - I can’t drink caff in the afternoon 😢 - can you single dose the grinder? Thank you for your videos - I have subscribed ❤
Looks like 2 variants priced at €649 ES601UK and €829 ES701UK here in Ireland
Yeah. I also saw that. The 701 for example has an integrated tamper. I am not sure about the other differences
what is the milk frother you use with temperature gauge
I was looking at this as I'm looking at upgrading from pod machines but I think im gonna give it a miss and get the sage barista pro
What is a "normal" coffee drinker?? I don't want to be "anormal" so this machine is good for me 😅 I think even passioned hobby baristas need some rest sometimes from the time wasting procedures of making coffee drinks. I like this ninja and its useful functions - no one can call me "average" coffee drinker from the "mass mainstream" because of this
By normal coffee drinker I just mean someone who hasn't fallen down the home barista rabbit hole. It's not a slur 😆. Honestly if I had the space for this in the kitchen, I'd have it at home just for when I need fast coffee without putting in too much effort, and for making cold brews and the big travel cups of filter style coffee.
😂😂😂 16:44 You are a riot, Kev!!
@@Coffee_Kev Unfortunately, most coffee RUclipsrs (although not all of them are professional baristas) tend to tell viewers what to do and what not to do, or to put them into a category. Even a coffee lover and nerd can like different and unconventional methods of brewing coffee or use the machine they want. No one has the coffee sovereignty to tell others what to do.
Great review!!!
Thanks! 😎
Great video. Super neutral.
Great video! As you said I’m still leaning towards the express for my setup, but this is as you say an alternative if for my example, new born and option for quicker cuppa. It’s just regretting the whole hands on experience! Just a quick one, did you fine you can get better microform for latte art with the manual steam? Know it’s not as powerful as sage
Oh and I’ll give your coffee a butchers, think you mentioned it 👍
Thanks 🙂. With manual steam, yeah defo, it's capable of perfect microfoam manually. On Auto, the steam only option (that you'd set it to if you're using it manually) doesn't aerate, it only steams, so it's MEGA loud (milk screaming due to no aeration) and there's no stretching at all so can't pour anything with it in terms of latte art, if you put it on the next one up, it's good but it's just a little bit on the stiff side for pouring, they could do with a setting in between those two. I think most "normal" coffee drinkers will be really happy with the auto froth though. Oh did I mention my coffee, couldn't remember if I had 😝. Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev just watched again, yea you did mention haha. Thanks, food for thought but I wanted a natural progression from my bambino plus of 8 years and growing experience with dialling in and the process or making the shot. Good machine ninja but still think I’d miss the art side of it as you say so thanks for the vid 👍
gold dust this video
Maybe add a paper filter to the bottom for filter coffee and then brew again through another paper filter cone into the cup :D
Haha, yeah you could do that. Portapaper is a good shout actually for people who really want paper filtered.
Great video! Any idea if it will have a single basket option, the manual mentions that "Single Basket *
(not available on all machines)"
Mine came only with a double and a luxe, I did think I'd read "single" somewhere, but it didn't come with a single.
with gears you mean the gears from the internal grinder ?
I currently have a la pavoni that I do not use as often as I should as I just can’t get the consistency on it to know I’m going to enjoy why I make with it. Can’t decide if I should buy one thing like this an know I’ll get good enough, easily achieved drinks or a normal pump driven espresso machine that I will at east feel like I’m making the code myself but may now end up using as much as a result…
I've had the Barista Express and I still want a Profitec PID machine some day. Definitely keep that La Pavoni and keep learning. You will thank yourself eventually ;)
The most common roblem with using that machine is that you need to pre-infuse the portafilter and then ramp up the pressure. This takes a lot of practice on that. BUT, IMO, few hings make better espresso with a wider range of beans. The downside is, as you know, the workflow is laughably 'Italian". As in, espresso is done when it's done. :)
Most consistent in a consumer machine that I've had was the Breville/Sage dual boiler. Absolutely idiot-proof once you have your grind dialed in.
Smoke bomb … I want one here in Australia 🇦🇺.. its gonna be expensive here tho
Hey, thanks for the video!
The boiler in my Breville Infuser Espresso Machine BES840XLjust went bad. And the ninja would save me some time for sure. I do enjoy nerding out, but I think I’ll replace it with the ninja. Sending into Breville to see how much it i will be to fix.
I should also say I’ve had the Breville for about 3.5 years and it has been good overall. I hope the Ninja can last as long!
@@JC-rr7rc The boiler is easy enough to replace, though. Breville is very good about replacement parts, IME.
This isn't for me, but I would absoloutly reccomend this to Family and friends wanting to get a decent, easy to use machine.
This is exactly what I believe too Ryan
I'm confused why they haven't included pressurised baskets. Don't they know their target market? It's mainly beginners right?
Since it has a built in, espresso capable grinder, it really doesn’t really need pressurized baskets.
@@coreycannon4511 I think this comment shows why they should have included a pressurised basket. All other bean to cup machines use pressurised baskets. The quality of the actual grinder makes no difference. A pressurised basket provides a much greater room for error in grind size settings. Every coffee bean (as in roast types and bean types) is different and requires the grind size settings to change. With a pressurised basket it doesn't require such fine setting changes. My view is that this is a huge oversight by ninja that will result in poor coffee for most beginners.
The idea is that the barista assistance means no need for pressurized baskets, and I think they're right. As long as people are following the guidance to use beans with a roasted on date, certainly with more classic espresso beans, the machine will get them dialled in, really quick too. I'll do a video switching from lots of different beans and purely following the guidance, and using the DI Fluid R2 Refractometer, to challenge this, but so far from my experience with it, just following the screen guidance telling me what grind size to change to, it's worked extremely well!
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks for the explanation Kev. So are you saying that it might not get it right first time but will dial it in based on learning from the previous extraction times? That's clever if so
The lack of hot water dispenser has put me off. Was looking forward to getting one of these 🤦♂️😏
Yeah, weird choice. Maybe they think everyone has a boiling water tap these days? I know some people do, and if you do then that wouldn't be an issue, but I think a big % of people buying this would have preferred a hot water spout.
Can you even use it with a UK outlet?
Last time I used a US imported espresso machine in the UK it exploded... Wrong voltage.
Nah I'd just wait for it to be released here, they're on pre-order at Curry's at present, end of Sep, they were on pre-order on Amazon but that's just been removed, they're on the Ninja Kitchen UK website too but no mention yet of release date.
I'm using a 110V version here via a stepdown converter.
Ta, Kev.
Thanks! @@Coffee_Kev
Nice video 👍🏻. What machine would you recommend for a non milk drinker?
Cheers! Depends on budget and so on, but usually I'd recommend the same as for a milk drinker, as most machines have a milk option.
US version is only 120 volt. 😭
What do you think of this vs the Rivelia for espresso and cappuccino taste? Ordered the Rivelia as my Sage Barrista touch broke and wanted something a bit more simple but this looks good too (even though I would have to wait for this and not sure I can!)
The Rivelia is very good, but it's still auto bean to cup espresso, so it's just not quite the same where the espresso taste is concerned. So it just depends on your palate really, if you like the true portafilter espresso you'll have had from the barista touch, you may find that (even though the Rivelia is one of the best auto bean to cup machines I've used to date) the Rivelia doesn't quite give you the same intensity in your espresso and cappuccino as the barista touch would, and the Ninja will give you that same intensity, it's a portafilter machine and the espresso it produces is proper true portafilter espresso. Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev thanks for taking the time to do a detailed reply…makes sense!
Think I might take convenience over taste for now and see if I regret it or not! 🤣
Keep up the good work, loving the channel!
Currys list this at £549.99, release date 25/09/24.
This is insane, there are far more pricier machines on the market that take 15 minutes just to heat up.
Brilliant review - thanks ! I may have found my new ideal machine !!!
i believe it is a dual boiler to i think'. cool machine think i like my touch impress better
It has a thermocoil of some sort, and it seems to me there's some other heater in there too, I'm not sure whether it's a group heater or a cup warmer heater that also heats the group, it seems to kick in as soon as you grind. There's one pump, so it's not a dual boiler type machine, although cold whisk will run while you're brewing coffee, so in all respects it will work like a dual boiler when you're making cold milkies. Ta, Kev.
May I ask what you paid for postage to the uk? Considering doing this!!
About $175 including import duty, and then about £80 for the stepdown transformer. I think it'll probably be available here either next month or the month after, I'd be surprised if they leave it longer than that.
@@Coffee_Kev wow! Didn’t expect it to be as much! Thank you for your commitment! Think I’ll just wait until it’s out in the uk 😅
hilarious as ever
Bought the Ninja today.
However----> It grinds very slow like it's struggling, then it stops telling me to add beans, even though the hopper is full!!! The motor hums like it's too weak, then the motor stalls. . Very sad for a $500 machine.
So frustrating. Any thoughts anybody??
oooh no! To be fair, literally every machine out there will have some failures, it could just be a defective grinder, it happens. I'd get in touch with Ninja or the retailer, get them to replace it. Cheers, Kev.
Just needs a hot water dispenser and a ground decaf bypass for those later day coffees
Agree re the hot water 👍. If you switch to decaf later in the day, I'd just put in roughly how much full caff you're likely to use in the day and just be ready to top it up if you start to turn empty, and then when it's time to switch, press and hold the start grind button to purge any remaining beans, then drop a few grams of decaf in and purge them too (to make sure you've got all the full caff out), just put roughly how much decaf you'll need in, then purge again after, next morning just purge a couple of grams of full caffeine before you brew. Yes the first decaf won't be quite dialled in unless you purge more beans first (the machine will need to learn what to do with the new beans, purging for 5 seconds or so speeds that up) but it'll be infinitely better than pre-ground via a bypass. Ta, Kev
@@Coffee_Kev I don't understand the no hot water comments. I this machine today at IFA Berlin and the "Premier" level machine (which is what you reviewed) does indeed have hot water: It's a group head bypass - its slow but serves fine for an Americano. Keep your kettle if you want to make tea.
As for product levels, EU will launch in October with an Essential (less features, no hot water) and Premier. Q1 next year will add a top level machine with integrated tamp, a more pro steam wand and software upgrades (for coffee nerds). Ninja have been on this product since 2016 and seem to have really thought this through.
Nice review. What I missed a bit what is really the taste and what will be the difference if I spend 2000$+ in a setup.
The comparison to sage was mainly about build quality and they are different machines but why?
In the end I would be interested in the taste. I have currently a 3000$ Jura machine and it’s awful compared to my Berezza Espresso setup I had before.
If this machine can at least extract espresso with 9bar it should be maybe a good alternative .
I gave up my Berezza cuz I need in the morning something fast without 45min heat up time. Would never buy a classical e61 espresso machine again.
why is your $3000 Jura machine awful? Super automatic machines are known for their convenience as ease of use over the quality of the drinks its produces. That being said, does your $3000 Jura give you the option to customize your espresso: volume of water, amount of coffee grinds by weight, temperature, pre-infusion, pressure etc??? I have an Saeco that cost nearly $3000 and that machines does all the above and much more. The espresso from it is very well balanced, however, the drinks are not as hot as I would like them sometimes. You may want to try HiBrews $299 espresso machine that has a 58mm portafilter, pressure gauge, temp controller and temp gauge and you can control the temp of the steamer (PID). HiBrew's G5 coffee grinder is a great inexpensive choice too. The machine heats up in under 3 minutes tops and it does make professional Cafe quality drinks. you just need to buy a scale so you can weigh out the coffee. Only downside I found is the group head is made of plastic... I probably wouldn't purchase this Ninja product because it isn't professional commercial grade. I'd look into either the new Sage/Breville Oracle Jet or the new Kickstarter $1100 espresso machine that has a rotary pump (ships in November).
The reason the comparison to Sage was about build quality and how they differ as machines, is simply that taste is subjective, it depends on the beans, your palate, and how well extracted the shot is.
To just say "espresso tastes better on X machine" is impossible, and this is why I don't like doing blind taste tests too. What we're really testing is how well extracted the shot is in each machine, and to do a fair test like this would require a much more scientific approach than just tasting.
In a nutshell, if you were to buy a £2k setup (and the fact you're thinking of doing that would tell me this machine probably isn't for you) you would have more control and precision, I'd expect you to be able to achieve whatever tastes better to you, using a wider range of beans.
But if you were to walk up to your 2k plus setup, using an espresso blend on both (I don't know how the Ninja will deal with lighter roasts, but I'll test this) set a timer, and declare that the winning machine is the one that gives you enjoyable espresso the quickest, I think the Ninja would probably win that race in most cases.
I'm actually thinking about installing one of these in our kitchen at some point when we have a new one done. We have no space currently and a new kitchen is way, way overdue. In an ideal world, I'd have my espresso setup, and this machine next to it in my coffee corner, for when I just need drinkable espresso quick, or when I want a filter or a cold brew - or when we have someone round who just wants a "coffee" ! ;-).
Ta
Kev
@Coffe_Kev thank you very much much for the answer.
@mamadouaziza2536
Why is a Jura (Z10) awful for espresso… the simple answer is it can’t brew an espresso. Machines like jura are made mainly out of plastic. They have maybe a brewing preassure around 2-4bar and can’t really extract it. The reason is simple as well because they are built for convenience and fast coffee. If you use metal you need to heat it up or your temperature will get cooled down and is very inconsistent. Hybrid machines from quick mill tried already years ago to find a compromise between espresso machines and full automatic coffee machines.
The other reason is that the built in grinder in automatic machines are never that good. With a real espresso setup you would need to adjust the grinder if the air humidity changes a bit or if you use slightly different beans. If its to fine you cannot extract anymore coffee even with the high pressure. So a full automatic machine would never grind really fine especially the brewing pressure is much lower. Beside that the grinder wouldn’t even be able to do it.
So for me full automatic machines were always a compromise you have to take for a fast easy coffee. But more and more alternatives are rising like dual boiler machines with fast heat up, machines like this one here and so on. And this is what im looking for. A machine you can extract espresso but for my usage (2 coffee/espresso/americano in the morning before work). Thats why i sold my E61 Bezerra and bought the Jura. My hope was that the lower brewing pressure get compensated by the pre-infusion and stuff. But for me the results are just bad even i can play around on the machines you can’t fix the physical limitations.
@@daveX81
Ok. Good observations.. I don't have any issues with the Saeco I have as the grinder does grind fine enough for espresso. Some days I simply don't want to use a separate grinder, weigh out the beans, fill a portafilter, tamp and froth milk. I want the machine to do it and I am aware that there is a compromise.. However, there are days I do want to play around with making espresso and I enjoy using a semi auto machine and separate grinder. Problem is which machine to buy and use? Lelit Victoria has been good.. BTW: my Saeco has 9 bars of pressure but I do hate the daily routine maintenance!!!!
@@mamadouaziza2536 you have to be really careful about brewing pressure and pump pressure. My Jura has a pump pressure of 15bar but the brewing pressure is still around 3 bar.
There is no full automatic machine in this world which has 9bar brewing pressure nor could grind fine enough for 9bar pressure. The only machine I know which exists is the quick mill 5000. And it’s a kind of hybrid as well.
In terms of taste does the espresso taste the same or better than the breville barista touch impress
The taste of the espresso will come down to the beans you're using, mainly. If you're using the touch impress purely following the barista guidance, and using the Ninja purely following the barista guidance, using the same beans - I would imagine you'd be hard pressed to taste the difference. We'll try this in a future video though, doing some blind taste testing purely using the barista guidance on both and seeing what the difference is.
@Coffee_Kev that sounds amazing. I can't wait
Depends really.... tamp pressure, boiler pressure (thermoblock or jet pressure) and whether which grinder does the best job... These machines are too automatic and coming close to super automation. Just stick with something semi-auto like a classic machine like the Gaggia Classic EVO or even that new Asian HiBrew espresso machine that cost about $299 on Amazon. That machine has a PID as well as a pressure gauge (it heats up very quickly). Learn a bit about espresso and how to dial in a shot. Get a single dose grinder (HiBrew G5) and a scale. Dial in the right amount of grind coffee and size to your taste (you control everything), steam the milk the way you want..
Don't know, just for those who doesn't know how to make a good coffee, this machine is for them, never liked super automatic machines and this seems to be one of those
This definitely isn't a super auto, no brewing unit, it's a portafilter machine with barista guidance to help to figure out the best grind size for the beans you're using and the brew type you select. Less control than a traditional setup, but it's delivers true espresso, which most brewing unit super auto machines don't quite produce.
What is better the Breville Barista Impress or this Ninja
18:16
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks I saw that after I sent my message. You had already answered my question on your video before I asked it. Next time I'll wait until the video is done.
@@teegal2628 haha no worries 😄
How do you order this to the UK from USA
If you see my pinned comment, I've linked to it on Amazon USA. Personally I'd hang on, I'd be very surprised if they don't launch it here in the UK either next month or Oct, it wouldn't make sense for them to leave it until after that. If you get one from the States you'll need a 3k step down converter, about £80, and its quite bulky, and you won't have a UK warranty - plus you'll pay about $175 delivery and import fees. Ta, Kev