I got my luxe cafe yesterday. I have been using a gaggia classic, and a Turin sd40 for the last year plus and have watched tons of dial in videos, foaming videos, etc. and never had a coffee i was thrilled with. On the ninja I had a good espresso and great milk drinks by my third shot. This machine is fantastic.
@@ChaotikDawgThis machine was made for people who don't have success, don't understand or don't have the time to invest in learning the finer detail of making good espresso though, so I feel OP did the right thing if they can now enjoy coffee again
I have this machine and love it. I enjoy espresso drinks, but am not the audience that's going to spend 2x to 3x+ to get the perfectly brewed espresso drink. I don't enjoy long or complicated brewing processes, I have done pour overs, French press, etc... yet found the convenience of K-Cups to be too easy to make those my daily driver. But with this machine, it is now my daily driver and I look forward to making a very decent (to my taste) cappuccino or latte in the morning. It's not about less time. It's the level of what I get for the output of that time. I prefer a good (for me even great) cappuccino over the perfectly faffed French press in the same amount of time. That said I agree the filter coffee isn't that great... but that isn't what I'm making, and when I want filtered coffee I'll use my French press or a drip coffee maker... but still, it's nice that I can make it in this if I want to. And yes, the lack of being able to place two cups under the portafilter is annoying. As for durability, feel, and style... I happen to like it very much, especially at this price point. For me at least it seems moderately better build and style than it's $500 price point. The parts including the grinder, filter, etc are all easily removable, replaceable, and in two years, I'll probably be ready for the upgrade of this product should there be one. I love James because he inspires me to the ideal... and I very much enjoy the journey he has guided me on in coffee... with this machine, I've found my personal sweet spot of daily coffee for my personal daily grind in life. 😊
My first machine was a Rancilio Silvia and my first grinder was a Compak K3. Together I paid €450 for them (second hand obviously). It took me a while to pull good espressos from it. In terms of longevity it must be a better option and if you don’t mind a steep learning curve I’d recommend going for used high quality gear. The learning curve however is steep.
It’s genuinely enlightening to me read all the comments from those who have and love this. I’ve been down the coffee rabbit hole for far too long (and for frankly a depressing amount of money) to naturally get the appeal of something like this, and my gut is always to try to guide friends who want to get into a nicer coffee setup around this price point to stick with filter, maybe splurge on a Fellow Ode or the like, and just get a clever dripper or a V60 switch. But watching this and reading all the comments has made me realize I sort of took it for granted that you get into espresso as a hobby, when in reality there are plenty of people who don’t really want or need a new hobby, they just want a decent latte in the morning that’s not going to be fussy to make. I do share a bit of the concern about longevity (the sound that motor made at the finer grind settings made the hairs on my engineer neck stick up a bit), but if this is what tempts someone away from K-cups, I’m all for it.
@@XielefR I bought a breadmaker (because I'm lazy) recently and when I read the instructions... it also makes Yoghurt and Jam. Maybe it can make coffee too?
Hi James! We're so thrilled you took the time to review the Ninja Luxe Café ☕️ We love your review and will definitely be feeding back your pointers to our product development team so we can keep improving the Ninja coffee experience. Just so you and your audience know, there are some key differences between the US model and UK model. The UK model gives you the option to brew Single Espresso, with single basket included with the product. It also has an Americano function + a separate hot-water dispenser for Americanos, teas, and more!
Aww, why would practical functions be committed for different regions? Also hope you sponsor James for your next version of this machine! I'd like to see if the revisions are worth the buy
Honestly, that was my take as well. If James Hoffmann didn’t eviscerate it completely upon contact, then it’s going to be just fine for my level of coffee drinking.
Now I mean there's two ways of looking at it. The first is that if you're coming from an area where you can't find a coffee that you genuinely enjoy drinking e.g. nothing but starbucks or worse around, and you are prepared to make time in the morning before to make a to go drink, this machine will improve your life and save you money. The other is that while there are a few bad coffees to be made at the start of your journey with a more typical benchtop grinder and seperate esperesso machine, and you would have to dial in manually with no help. But if you measure the grounds in and the shot out with something like a jewellery scale (cheap online) there's absolutely no reason you can't learn to dial in. Standard window is 18 grams in, 36 grams out (so a 2:1 ratio) in 30 seconds. Shot comes to fast, go finer, shot goes to slow, go coarser. There's really not that much to it. The results with a more typical setup just have a higher ceiling, because of the issue I will highlight below. You will be able to get excellent coffees on a regular basis, and you will have a machine that should last longer than what might happen with this Ninja. Not saying that it's guaranteed to break, but it is there first machine, so there are bound to be lemons, and that would suck at two years one month. As far as puck prep goes, some of it's worth doing, some of it is expensive with little to no upside. You can get into a WDT type tool if you want, that can help break up clumps, and help you distribute coffee evenly, and a funnel makes it easier to dump the beans into your portafilter from the container you're measuring the weight in. Both of these can be purchased as generic no label products on aliexpress or temu for not much money. But that's all you really need aside from a scale. And finally and optionally a spring loaded tamper (make sure to get the right size for your machine) can help get level tamps as well. The problem with this machine is always going to be the built in grinder. You can actually go quite cheap on the espresso machine, with something like a Bambino from your local Breville or Sage retailers, and then spend a bit more on the grinder and you will get some top notch results. If you want top notch steam performance for excellent milk, I recommend my machine, the Rancillio Silvia V6 M. The DF54 and big brother DF64v2 are highly recommended grinders, excellent value for the money flat burr grinders, and if you want the best value for money single dosing grinder the Niche Zero can't be looked past. You will be able to make some pretty good coffee with the Ninja. I just think that you will also be able to make excellent coffee in not a very long time compared with how long you will be using the same setup for with no reliability issues with a more typical setup as well.
As someone that find coffee to be the most boring drug, which I use regularly in the morning via instant coffee, I find these videos absolutely fascinating. Like watching an astrophysicist talk about space. I'm never going there, but boy do I love watching passionate people talk about the things they know a ton about.
There are actually pretty good instant coffees now. I like mount Hagen. Doesn't replace real brews but it reaches the standard of "a normal, good cup of coffee", which is certainly an improvement over the old fashioned sludge. Pretty good for rushed mornings or camping, and it dissolves even in cold water (or milk) if you're really desperate.
Holy smokers, I can't believe James Hoffmann reviewed this. Just an FYI, I’ve run this machine on American power (110V at 60 Hz) and on transformed EU power (220V => 110V at 50 Hz). Both the grinder and pump performed better at 60Hz of course. On 50Hz I noticed the grinder getting quite weak on lighter roasts. But I suspect the EU specified models will be just fine when they arrive.
James reviews everything and anything coffee. But if James wants some good coffee beans he should look up "fuego coffee roaters" out of rochester ny. Very fresh micro roast...stellar beans.
I as a coffee nerd have similar frustrations to you, however, my wife, who is not loves this thing because it actually allows her to brew decent coffee without having to bother me all the time
Hey James! I’ve had this machine for a few months now (bought it before it was even on their own website) and I have to say, it’s brought me so much joy. I love coffee and have wanted to explore coffee more. Although, I also have about 5 different hobbies and due to work, can only make coffee for myself on the weekend. Not to mention my budget was $500 max. So, this machine has been a game changer for me as it has brought me into the realm of espresso, while also guiding me so that I can make a relatively quick cup so that I can get to work on my other hobbies. So far I’ve had no issues with it and hope it will last. I actually went to complete your survey from a few weeks ago, but didn’t know how to respond as this machine does everything for me haha
I am a long time Gaggia classic owner which I have modded and upgraded. I bought a Ninja for my office after getting a super auto and being thoroughly unimpressed with the beverages it was making. So far, I think the Ninja is doing what I need it to do at the office. It is simple for my staff to operate and make drinks for themselves and our clients. It is easy to clean. I don’t think it is fantastic but I don’t know what you can get for $500 or less that is comparable for milk drinks. I don’t drink coffee or cold brew so I haven’t messed with those so far and everyone has wanted either a latte or cap. I have been pleased with it for the money. I really appreciate your review of this! Thank you for the great content.
I take this as a very good review for this machine. Every time James says “interesting” I think it’s him being reluctant to say “good” (perhaps unintentionally). I think this machine takes a big bite out of coffee snobbery: fancy gear, over the top prep rituals etc. There’s tons of appeal here for the more casual prosumer who values time and convenience over perfect extractions and scientific measurements.
Can't wait for James to give me my opinion on a machine I've never heard of and most likely was never going to buy, but will inevitably be ranked in my 'someday shopping list' based on his review... Sometimes I wonder if I actually like coffee, or if James has just convinced me that I do... 😂
One thing I love about seeing James Hoffman review an item is how quickly I come to the realisation that I am not the target audience for an item like this without being made to feel like that's a bad thing
I sold my Breville Barista Express for this and really enjoy it. I’ve never enjoyed dialing in new beans, trying to replicate tamp pressure each time, and I couldn’t always fit to go cups on that. This solved all of it and the espresso is decent enough. I agree with most of the flaws, and have found going down one grind setting usually works best for the espresso. The cold brew is decent imo, but the rest of the drink settings are there mostly for show for me. If I want drip I’ll just use my Chemex. For me, this is a more practical machine, but I’m admittedly more of an amateur enthusiast at best and don’t enjoy the science of crafting a shot as much as I first thought I might, so this is a great machine for me. For professionals or people into the science part, I can see how this would be hard to recommend. But I absolutely am happy with my purchase!
Fair reply. The machine looks interesting to me, but I enjoy "dialing in" as an overly involved pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee whether that be cappucino, latte, Americano, etc. But this Ninja machine intrigues the heck out of me and part of me wants it. Thanks for sharing your experience. This is helpful.
@@rrlabastida Yeah I'm thinking about the same thing as well. If OP don't enjoy the science of crafting a shot, maybe it is better off getting a bean to cup?
@@rrlabastidaI looked at the super autos before buying the ninja luxe. The super autos do more for you, but cleaning them can be tedious. The luxe has logic where it tells you the grind size and adjusts amount to get an ideal extraction. Very helpful.
I've bought this machine a month a half ago and I've been really enjoying it. I ONLY make lattes and this serves my purpose. I wanted a bit more expensive machine, but that meant more messing around with settings and stuff around it and that does not work my partner. She has been using the machine more than me at this point and that's a win win. I think this machine is a game changer for this price point and very accessible to people who have no experience or will to learn more complicated process. Thanks for a great video!
I'm in the same boat. I wanted a better machine, but I needed something wife could easily use. I still haven't found a bean I've loved yet, but everything has been good (and thats also part of the fun). I'll say this, I've made better lattes with this than what I've had from the majority of the coffee houses in my city. Which is pretty sad.
Yeah agree with everything you said. I have the Breville Barista Express and really wanted something I had to fiddle with less. The ninja takes the guess work out for me.
For what it's worth, Ninja's video on this machine says for a quad shot you tamp once with the filter, once without. Idk how much of a difference that would potentially make (or how often folks use a quad shot), but it's worth noting.
Our Ninja Luxe arrived yesterday after a long wait (out of stock very quick)! This review is super helpful while waiting for the arrival. Thanks, James! We absolutely LOVE it. Our first hand review: So much easier to use with decent quality. Surprisingly, it is quieter for grind and forth! The quality grind and expresso adjustment really brought out the bean's essence. So, time to upgrade our beans!!! The physical dials are solid, which reminds me of playing a digital audio workstation! (You have to feel it yourself, sorry!) For the forth, it can't get easier than this to produce silky texture using whole milk. Before this, we are debating between Breville Touch Impress and Breville Oracle Jet, this come in with 1/3 and 1/4 of the price, and way below our budget $1000. And it somehow do a better job in terms of the overall value. The "look" definitely left a few to desire, especially with the back/side of the machine using lots of black plastic. It is an eye sore at the beginning, but the front design quickly pop out to compensate that. Overall, it makes me want to drink more coffee! Not sure if it is good or bad. lol
This is the type of machine that I (a professional barista at a cafe) wouldn't need, but my wife (WFH housing analyst who wants cafe-style drinks on her own at home) would love. I feel like it's not meant to give you perfect coffee, but be a crutch in dialing in a machine and learning how to actually make them. "New coffee nerd's first espresso machine" vibes in a good way
I would love to see a Breville Barista Easy with this sort of Assist technology. But leave out all the bad filter coffee, warm brew, and other unnecessary features. Someone needs to make a $500 machine capable of making decent espresso and milk drinks.
@@brianhawthorne7603 Exactly! Get rid of all the gimmicks and just give me a pretty nice $500 machine. I'd prefer a stripped down, solid version of a single thing than a watered-sown "all"-in-"one" machine.
That’s the thing though, at this price point these machines aren’t for coffee lovers. There for the newbies or the work from home mum who wants a latte in the morning and can’t be bothered to drive to costa. The target audiences will think they are getting a great deal because of all the bells and whistles, even if they aren’t that great to us
Makes sense, but I can't tell a difference between the latte, cortado, and cappuccino that I "make" in this machine versus the varieties that are made at the coffee shop that I used to frequent. The coffee shop I used to frequent is very well known in the region to be the best coffee in the city. They even roast their beans in house. I find that if I use good beans, the machine makes little difference. It's obviously subjective, but I think there's a lot of advertising in the espresso machine world.
hey James! I have historically been a non-coffee drinker; I try to stay away from caffeine. When I watched your video on tom scott's channel with you showing that decaf can be just as good as caffeinated coffee, I was intrigued. I started watching your videos and it has been really refreshing learning from someone who is humble and modest. I am going to start getting into coffee, and I am excited about it. Thanks for the videos and education James!
I’ve had mine for about a month and a half and love it. My husband and I have not been to a coffee shop since buying it and haven’t wanted to. The taste of the lattes and coffees are always consistent. You definitely need to use freshly roasted coffee, nothing from the grocery store.
As a Lelit Bianca/Eureka Atom 75 , as well as a Aillio Bullet roaster owner, this takes me back to my first Saeco Italia espresso brewer grinder combo machine. I was tired of buying Starbucks coffee, and thought I would save money making my own. I did! And I started to love it, i learned to “dial it in” and started making a pretty good Cuppa!! I love that the ninja teaches you and sets you on your way. Obviously not something I’d buy today, but starting out!! What a marvelous idea!!!!
It looks clunky, but Ninja does this. Initial versions are functional but flawed. What is admirable is the speed and willingness to improve-they give the feel of an engineer-led company constantly tinkering (some good, some bad). Look at the Air Fryer-the first ones they made were basic, then better, then better priced, then improved (double-basket), and now double-basket in-line to take up less space. If they follow the same path (and there is money in them thar coffee machines) it will probably be good to look back at this in a year or so.
Yep, never buy the Mark 1 of any new machine because everyone knows the "I had it first" hipster crowd are really just the large group Beta testers to get the "Jaysus how did we miss that?" bugs discovered for the design/build departments.
This is the kind of machine I'd want for an office, and I honestly think that might be one of the target audiences. It's not going to blow your socks off with anything, but it'll satisfy everyone to some degree, which is valuable enough to warrant existing.
I like the thoughtfulness that was put into the design. The Engineers were clearly given a price point and told to make it work. I like the tray that can be moved up for small espresso cups. This machine is definitely for people that like to switch up what they drink but don’t want to buy everything individually which would inevitably cost more.
yeah i feel ninja has one of the best engineering teams for consumer household equipment (specifically NOT for power users). they somehow manage to come up with good technical solutions for all kinds of products with a clear focus on providing the best functionality at a low price point. design and longevity is not their main concern but their machines don't look super ugly imho and usually will last a decent time if you take care of them. they also give you some pretty useful info with additional videos, tips and recipes online.
yeah I don't know how to explain it but I feel a sense of respect from Ninja/Shark products. There's a genuine effort to make something actually as good as possible for the price-range. Even with the limitations on this machine I'm impressed by the innovation on show. If this was something targeted at me I'd be waiting for the next version
The motor struggling is probably partially due to the fact that no matter what type of transformer you run it on, the UK electric grid runs at 50 Hz, and the machine was sent from the USA, where the grid runs at 60 Hz. This causes the motor in the grinder to run at the wrong RPM, and will make it strain at times. Transformers change the voltage, but have no effect on the frequency.
Only a small pedantic point; You can get transformers that will also condition/transform the frequency. They are rarer and more expensive (generally by quite a bit), but you can get them. Mind you it's hardly worth it for a coffee grinder review I'd bet lol
You forget one small detail : as we are talking about a small motor in a budget appliance that plugs into mains, there's a 99% chance it uses a brushed universal motor. And these care pretty little about frequency... you can actually run them on DC.
I was expecting your video on this machine to decide if it's a go... I really needed to see some serious, knowledgeable critique its qualities and functions - because the rest of the internet is full of praises - which I always find hard to believe. Thank you for helping us make informed decisions - this went on my Santa list, as the part that does well aligns with my needs :)
I recently purchased one and I a, totally satisfied with its performance. I have gone the gamut over the years including roasting beans. I have a saeco semi automatic which turns out tepid brown water. I end up using an Aeropress at times when frustrated. I am happy with a reasonable good expresso and cap without getting frustrated. Use good beans, freshly roasted and once dialed (follow instructions) in it provides a consistent quality brew. I will never throw away the aeropress……. James is paid so to speak for his “pickiness”.. I am sure Ninja is dealing in the product for the next iteration. Kudos Ninja!
Finally! A review that doesn't just talk all praises and no cons. Almost every other review of this I've seen felt like an add. The biggest downside I heard about it until this review was that it cant give you just hot water....
I believe the 2 spouts are a symptom of "I saw that in my coffee shop they have 2 spouts and that's the only way I've ever seen espresso come out of a machine" syndrome
Reminds me of the Staresso. Actually pretty good portable "espresso" (debatable) maker, but it took them the _4th_ iteration to realize "wait, it's a single serve portable espresso maker. Why does it need 2 spouts?"
I've had one for a little over a month and I love it. I'm definitely the target audience. Not an espresso fanatic but like a good latte. I really like that it suggests the grind size I really don't have the knowledge or interest in weighing out my doses. I'd say it makes a better latte than at least half the coffee shops I've been to. Super easy to clean as well which is such a bonus, I got grinds all over with my last espresso machine. I don't use the cold brew or drip coffee so can't speak to that. Also the quad shot is pretty cool for making big lattes and a lot easier than running multiple shots. Nice overview of it though.
I’ll stick with my breville barista express for now, but when the time comes to replace it, hopefully the tech in this will be the new standard in home espresso machines. So for that, I’m thankful for ninja and their innovation of home machines.
Oooooo intrigued to say the least... Edit after watching: super interesting machine - if Ninja can refine the design (improve the grinder, change portafilter to single etc) this machine could be a serious contender. Have to say... $500 is a bargain considering the tech and tools included. Very tempting for those of us on a budget i.e. unable to afford a good grinder and a good espresso machine.
The ES701 version that will be released in the UK (and ultimately elsewhere) will have a single basket. It will also have more settings, a level-tamper and more function like hot water to be able to make Americanos.
@@biggusshrimpus9156 I did quite a bit of research and found nothing. There's one website that has the machine listed with a delivery set for "the next 3-6 months". My guess is maybe early 2025 since the current model (ES601) is selling like crazy.
Ninja honestly in general makes great stuff across a wide range of things. Personally we have their batch drip coffee machine and paired with a solid grinder makes very solid coffee. Individual cups all the way to a 12 cup carafe.
I hope Hames is doing well. They haven't posted since yt basically blocked/semi-deleted their channel, the channel was restored, but it might have permanently soured Hames to yt.
Thank you for this! I'm one of the ones both in comments here on YT and TikTok and with tags have been begging you to do this. It honestly did better then expected, I'm someone that would love a full barista setup and make espresso and milk coffee from scratch, but haven't got the time, the money or the space so I end up using nespresso. It seems that with this I could actually get a decent espresso, or a decent milk coffee that i originally always wanted
- I’m not giving you MORE coffee, don’t be ridiculous. - I’m in full nit pick mode right now - genuine excitement for all the little things he finds delightful We’re all my favorite parts
I bought one almost immediately after the release. I love it. It’s hands down superior to the breville. I have the rocket appartamento also. For $499 it makes fantastic coffee and very good espresso. James your coffee palette is far more refined than most people’s so it’s natural for you to pick up on the finer details of a shot. For the average joe, it makes fantastic Joe 😂
I have had this machine for 1 month. I love the simplicity of this semi-automatic espresso machine. The type of coffee bean used in this machine has a lot of influence on the final result. I have tested it with several types of beans and the beans specially roasted for making espressos give better results even with filter coffee.
I've had this machine for a little over a month. Wife and I love it simply because it (for the most part) automates our coffee making and cleaning experience. We're simpletons so we love this machine. I could nitpick some design things but nothing is perfect. I'll make two drinks a day whenever I can until it gives out on me. For $500, no big complaints from us
Watching this guys videos, nothing is ever good enough. He makes the coffee experience truly unlikable. I pray I never become this overly involved with such inconsequential details and continue to like things that taste good lol
Most of us out here don’t know a perfect espresso from a decent espresso to an average espresso and even to a lesser espresso. We add our frothed milk and sugar and cinnamon, and we’re happy.
James thank you for taking the time to review a mainstream product in depth. 🙂 For some people who have smaller spaces/kitchens and would like a way to make espresso based drinks, this might be a way for them to begin.
I always doubted James and never held much faith in his ability but now that I see this machine side with him on the grind size decision, I think he's been finally validated and vouched for.
I just laughed through most of this but that does not take away the fact it is an awesome informative review, but you are just funny. I love how you get excited over a single thing and then repeat it at a higher pitch, its like a kid in a sweet shop lol . Great video
My Breville Barista Pro came with a double-spout portafilter. I have almost never used it. If I am making coffee for two, it is rarely two single shots. And once you have all your kit out and the machine setup, pulling a second double shot takes seconds. The few times I’ve used the double spout. No matter how I arrange the cups, it dribbles over the edge. Can we just get rid of double spouts on home espresso machines? Imagine if they just shipped with a naked portafilter!
Isn’t it ironic, that the only (conventional) portafilter that can house a basket big enough to make 2 shots at once, is a bottomless. Spouted portafilters are limited on how big the basket can be.
@@brianhawthorne7603 I used to use the double spout to pull two half shots on my barista express (and then my miicoffee apex) because my wife prefers a weaker latte. Now I just use the single shot basket and I don't have to throw anything away or use two glasses. I'm totally with you though. Much easier to just pretend it's a single spout and pull twice (and dump the extra liquid if needed)
I upgraded from the Sage Bambino Plus to the Ninja Luxe and I absolutely love it. I don’t want to spend a fortune on equipment that will pull the perfect espresso shot, I want a machine that makes a damn good cappuccino that’s better than a high street coffee chain. And I’ve just discovered the filter coffee setting is great for brewing loose leaf tea!
I may be an espresso plebian, but I love this machine. It does everything that I want. Admittedly, I'm mostly a coffee purist. I drink black coffee made in an Aeropress 90% of the time, but when I want an espresso drink, this does the trick.
I absolutely _love_ the features & design of this - Sorry, James! I don't care if it makes rubbish filter coffee; who pays £400-£500 for a filter machine? The neat way everything tucks away, the magnetised milk stirrer - it's got all I need and more, and they did it all for the price of a PlayStation 5. I'm used to emptying drip trays fairly often, so even that doesn't upset me. The whole thing's neat as a pin! (cute as a button? Choose your cliché). Replaceable grinder wheels would be good tho... Edit: I hear the grinder's replaceable!!
you popped up in my suggestions, and as a self confessed coffee head i have to say i found this review to be possibly the best review i have seen of anything ever! You have an ability to remain impartial and have no brand loyalty. It's refreshing to see. You really took a deep review and looked into things that many people would miss - such as the drip tray fill rate and microns of the ground produced. I'm properly impressed! Subscribed as soon as i saw this video, and look forward to more. Good work fella!
I am very pleased with this machine. I use it almost exclusively for espresso and lattes. I love the ease of use for making a couple of lattes in the morning. Thank you for your review.
The fact that even the robot that should follow the scientific protocol with which it was created is changing its opinion to „yes, what James says“ is beyond hilarious!
I think its just following a super simple algorithm. If the shot was too quick, lower the grind size, if the shot was within an acceptable range, then set recommended grind size to what was used for that shot. Im willing to bet if he pulled another shot at 4 then it would have set the recommended grind size back to 4
Got mine this past Sunday, and I have brewed numerous espressos, and lattes. Since that’s what I primarily drink, I’m very happy with the purchase. I looked at the Brevilles, and though they are nicer quality, I can’t justify paying twice, or three times as much just because it looks nicer. Longevity, we will have to see. If I want drip coffee, I still have my regular machine. So that’s not an issue for me. To be honest, I don’t see myself ever using the “Luxe” filter. But it’s nice it’s an option if I’m in a pinch for drip coffee. I’m a total beginner in the coffee world. I’ve been drinking K-cups for the past 20 years 🤮. The Ninja has made coffee fun for me again, and maybe when I’m willing, and skilled to go further, perhaps a nicer machine may don my kitchen counter. Till then, I’ll be enjoying and hoping it’s durable enough.
Been hoping for this review! I love this machine. This machine ended up being just $150 more than my starting setup (grinder, casabrews machine, and accessories). In my old setup, I found that I didn't enjoy the process of dialing in beans that much. My standard was just "can I get an experience similar to the average local cafe." I like to sample shots of espresso whenever I go out, but my preferred drink is an iced mocha. With this machine I got way better tasting espresso along with much less trial and error, AND way better mochas. I like that the default ratio is 1:2.5, I think my palate prefers shots closer to a lungo. The built in accessories were also a nice win for me, I like having everything contained neatly. I share the same gripes with the double spout and oddly cramped space, but as someone who only drinks espresso and never filter coffee, I'm so glad I got this. It's removed all of the troubleshooting and allowed me to just enjoy the grinding, tamping, and tasting. I was also surprised that the machine's process doesn't include a WDT step, yet still makes decent tasting shots.
James, I already own a Gaggia Classic Pro and have no intention of buying this, but I couldn’t not watch it … your style is just so eloquent and prosaic, a true Brit presentation
ES601UK (the version launching first in the UK) will have another button for hot water and a spout to dispense it. This is why it costs more than the American (ES501) version
Yeah, I probably wouldn’t have even looked at this if it wasn’t a Ninja…they have such great kitchen products that I figured anything they put out would have the same type of quality.
Excellent! 😃 I was wondering when you might have a play with the Ninja. I think the espresso with guardrails analogy is spot on. Absolutely agree with you on the excessive use of water, I'm constantly emptying the drip tray. I also got mine from the States, the 220v version though has a hot water button, an Americano option & a single shot basket apparently. My pre-ordered UK version is coming later this week so I'll find out for sure then. There's a "Pro" version coming out, with a tamp lever and no need for a dosing collar, with ristretto and lungo on the menu, and an extra thick milk foam option.
I have this machine and really love it. I wanted a user friendly espresso machine and this is it! It was also in our budget. I suppose I could spend more on a machine, but I don’t really want to. I appreciate the detailed review. I have enjoyed making iced espresso drinks with cold foam and sipping them on my way to work! So much more affordable than going to a drive through coffee place PLUS I can make modifications on the kind of milk I froth and the amount of sugar I have in my iced drink.
The problem I’ve noticed with watching James’ videos is that I feel like every coffee machine is kind of “meh”. I really should get a new machine but I hesitate with every single machine he reviews 😂
The thing is, a machine like this is going to be a delight to mock for those of us who regularly consume James’ content as we like spending significant amounts of money trying to make negligible gains on a product that we obsess over. But we’re the exception, the minority, the “elite.” For your average consumer, espresso is just too finicky and complicated and getting it to be palatable takes too much effort. That makes it unobtainable for most people. A machine like this is going to make “good” espresso obtainable by anyone willing to spend the money for this machine. They don’t have to invest in another couple hundred dollars worth of accessories and mods. I’ll never use a machine like this, but I REALLY appreciate how it’s going to make home espresso more accessible for many, many people.
This machine made me realise one thing: Many of the others out there are overpriced for what they are. Great little innovations, I really really love it.
So I saw some RUclipsrs reviewing this machine saying it was good yesterday, and was very pleased to see a thorough review as always to reassure me that the alternatives are still the better ways to go.
I love my coffee latte and ruff. Its always interesting to see coffee-brewing devices, but I'd rather drink sublimated coffee and have consistent and pleasing brewing process and a place to steer my milk (I usually buy frothing devices separately and they break all the time). This finally looks ideal! No need to find place to store tamper, no coffee grounds everywhere, no waste of time figuring out why my coffee is so bad, its not good enough even for dissolving it in milk. I think I'm in love with this machine.
What I worry about with these all-in-one machines is it seems like it's forcing you to follow a step-by-step process but say for example the grinder breaks down can you skip that step and use an external grinder and still make coffee or do you have to throw out the whole machine. That's going to mean a lot for its longevity.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Your reaction to the validation by the machine on your grind setting really did make me laugh out loud.
Same
Same 😂
11:57
Same! Funniest moment in a long time!
He cracks me up sometimes. 🤣
That "im in a nitpicking space, just let me go" was such a mood. I know that exact feeling
"The window of 'good' is maybe too wide" is certainly up there as one of the most politely British criticisms I've ever heard.
😂😂😂
preferable to tired comments about "participation trophies."
I got my luxe cafe yesterday. I have been using a gaggia classic, and a Turin sd40 for the last year plus and have watched tons of dial in videos, foaming videos, etc. and never had a coffee i was thrilled with. On the ninja I had a good espresso and great milk drinks by my third shot. This machine is fantastic.
Bruh gaggia classic and turin sd40 is a great setup, maybe you just aren't doing it right and needed the training wheels.
@@ChaotikDawgThis machine was made for people who don't have success, don't understand or don't have the time to invest in learning the finer detail of making good espresso though, so I feel OP did the right thing if they can now enjoy coffee again
I have this machine and love it. I enjoy espresso drinks, but am not the audience that's going to spend 2x to 3x+ to get the perfectly brewed espresso drink. I don't enjoy long or complicated brewing processes, I have done pour overs, French press, etc... yet found the convenience of K-Cups to be too easy to make those my daily driver. But with this machine, it is now my daily driver and I look forward to making a very decent (to my taste) cappuccino or latte in the morning.
It's not about less time. It's the level of what I get for the output of that time. I prefer a good (for me even great) cappuccino over the perfectly faffed French press in the same amount of time.
That said I agree the filter coffee isn't that great... but that isn't what I'm making, and when I want filtered coffee I'll use my French press or a drip coffee maker... but still, it's nice that I can make it in this if I want to. And yes, the lack of being able to place two cups under the portafilter is annoying.
As for durability, feel, and style... I happen to like it very much, especially at this price point. For me at least it seems moderately better build and style than it's $500 price point. The parts including the grinder, filter, etc are all easily removable, replaceable, and in two years, I'll probably be ready for the upgrade of this product should there be one.
I love James because he inspires me to the ideal... and I very much enjoy the journey he has guided me on in coffee... with this machine, I've found my personal sweet spot of daily coffee for my personal daily grind in life. 😊
I like this reply. I'm just deciding if we should go for this and your 'normal person' response has helped another non expert make his mind up! thanks
Yea I would totally get this machine if I was in your category. It's pretty damned good value for $500.
Great review!
thanks for being a Guinea Pig on this product.
My first machine was a Rancilio Silvia and my first grinder was a Compak K3. Together I paid €450 for them (second hand obviously).
It took me a while to pull good espressos from it.
In terms of longevity it must be a better option and if you don’t mind a steep learning curve I’d recommend going for used high quality gear.
The learning curve however is steep.
It’s genuinely enlightening to me read all the comments from those who have and love this. I’ve been down the coffee rabbit hole for far too long (and for frankly a depressing amount of money) to naturally get the appeal of something like this, and my gut is always to try to guide friends who want to get into a nicer coffee setup around this price point to stick with filter, maybe splurge on a Fellow Ode or the like, and just get a clever dripper or a V60 switch. But watching this and reading all the comments has made me realize I sort of took it for granted that you get into espresso as a hobby, when in reality there are plenty of people who don’t really want or need a new hobby, they just want a decent latte in the morning that’s not going to be fussy to make. I do share a bit of the concern about longevity (the sound that motor made at the finer grind settings made the hairs on my engineer neck stick up a bit), but if this is what tempts someone away from K-cups, I’m all for it.
I do wonder about plastic pieces in the coffee
most sane comment in the whole section, thanks
Great video!
How good is it at airfrying?
😅😅🤣🤣🤣
Version 2 will probably roast the beans for you using a built in air fryer.
Overextracted, probably
@@oalbrecht and the grinder can mix icecream?
@@XielefR I bought a breadmaker (because I'm lazy) recently and when I read the instructions... it also makes Yoghurt and Jam. Maybe it can make coffee too?
Hi James! We're so thrilled you took the time to review the Ninja Luxe Café ☕️ We love your review and will definitely be feeding back your pointers to our product development team so we can keep improving the Ninja coffee experience.
Just so you and your audience know, there are some key differences between the US model and UK model. The UK model gives you the option to brew Single Espresso, with single basket included with the product. It also has an Americano function + a separate hot-water dispenser for Americanos, teas, and more!
Aww, why would practical functions be committed for different regions? Also hope you sponsor James for your next version of this machine! I'd like to see if the revisions are worth the buy
I’m happy to see a manufacturer here for future product development. Not enough manufacturers do that.👍
@@theshadowthie1 electric kettles aren't popular in the US, hence a "hot water on demand" feature is actually a selling point
@@sabotage9926 but its the UK_Version that has the hot-water-dispenser or did I read that wrong?
@@yorunox oh yeah i misread... so wierd???
The way I see it, James saying this machine makes “pretty good” espresso, means that it makes amazing espresso by my standards. 😂
Looking to get my first espresso machine at some point soon, when I have cash for one worth buying.
Honestly, that was my take as well. If James Hoffmann didn’t eviscerate it completely upon contact, then it’s going to be just fine for my level of coffee drinking.
@@RJayTurner exactly my thought. If its "ok" for James, its probably great for me.
Now I mean there's two ways of looking at it. The first is that if you're coming from an area where you can't find a coffee that you genuinely enjoy drinking e.g. nothing but starbucks or worse around, and you are prepared to make time in the morning before to make a to go drink, this machine will improve your life and save you money.
The other is that while there are a few bad coffees to be made at the start of your journey with a more typical benchtop grinder and seperate esperesso machine, and you would have to dial in manually with no help. But if you measure the grounds in and the shot out with something like a jewellery scale (cheap online) there's absolutely no reason you can't learn to dial in. Standard window is 18 grams in, 36 grams out (so a 2:1 ratio) in 30 seconds. Shot comes to fast, go finer, shot goes to slow, go coarser. There's really not that much to it.
The results with a more typical setup just have a higher ceiling, because of the issue I will highlight below. You will be able to get excellent coffees on a regular basis, and you will have a machine that should last longer than what might happen with this Ninja. Not saying that it's guaranteed to break, but it is there first machine, so there are bound to be lemons, and that would suck at two years one month.
As far as puck prep goes, some of it's worth doing, some of it is expensive with little to no upside. You can get into a WDT type tool if you want, that can help break up clumps, and help you distribute coffee evenly, and a funnel makes it easier to dump the beans into your portafilter from the container you're measuring the weight in. Both of these can be purchased as generic no label products on aliexpress or temu for not much money. But that's all you really need aside from a scale. And finally and optionally a spring loaded tamper (make sure to get the right size for your machine) can help get level tamps as well.
The problem with this machine is always going to be the built in grinder. You can actually go quite cheap on the espresso machine, with something like a Bambino from your local Breville or Sage retailers, and then spend a bit more on the grinder and you will get some top notch results. If you want top notch steam performance for excellent milk, I recommend my machine, the Rancillio Silvia V6 M. The DF54 and big brother DF64v2 are highly recommended grinders, excellent value for the money flat burr grinders, and if you want the best value for money single dosing grinder the Niche Zero can't be looked past.
You will be able to make some pretty good coffee with the Ninja. I just think that you will also be able to make excellent coffee in not a very long time compared with how long you will be using the same setup for with no reliability issues with a more typical setup as well.
he also said " The window of GOOD is maybe too wide"
As someone that find coffee to be the most boring drug, which I use regularly in the morning via instant coffee, I find these videos absolutely fascinating. Like watching an astrophysicist talk about space. I'm never going there, but boy do I love watching passionate people talk about the things they know a ton about.
You should try the real thing one day.
once i was a instant drinker, then i tried french press and never went back, and then i tried espresso, and boy i ain't going back to being french.
@@LGTVQHDsimilar journey to me, started at instant, went drip coffee, v60 and I've settled on aero press. Next big shift will be to a flaire espresso
Just try some pour over speciality coffee
There are actually pretty good instant coffees now. I like mount Hagen. Doesn't replace real brews but it reaches the standard of "a normal, good cup of coffee", which is certainly an improvement over the old fashioned sludge. Pretty good for rushed mornings or camping, and it dissolves even in cold water (or milk) if you're really desperate.
Holy smokers, I can't believe James Hoffmann reviewed this.
Just an FYI, I’ve run this machine on American power (110V at 60 Hz) and on transformed EU power (220V => 110V at 50 Hz). Both the grinder and pump performed better at 60Hz of course. On 50Hz I noticed the grinder getting quite weak on lighter roasts. But I suspect the EU specified models will be just fine when they arrive.
Ich wusste das ich dich hier in den Kommentaren finde ;-)
Your series on this machine is great, I really enjoyed it - especially the teardown one!
@@jameshoffmann Thank you so much, sir - I’m blushing over here. ☺️
Tom’s series is a home run
James reviews everything and anything coffee. But if James wants some good coffee beans he should look up "fuego coffee roaters" out of rochester ny. Very fresh micro roast...stellar beans.
I as a coffee nerd have similar frustrations to you, however, my wife, who is not loves this thing because it actually allows her to brew decent coffee without having to bother me all the time
James Hoffman: "Lets get to coffee"
Also James Hoffman: "When I went bowling as a kid"
Totally on character for him, haha
Gold medal comment
Moment of appreciation for the engineers and designers of this machine.
Hey James! I’ve had this machine for a few months now (bought it before it was even on their own website) and I have to say, it’s brought me so much joy. I love coffee and have wanted to explore coffee more. Although, I also have about 5 different hobbies and due to work, can only make coffee for myself on the weekend. Not to mention my budget was $500 max. So, this machine has been a game changer for me as it has brought me into the realm of espresso, while also guiding me so that I can make a relatively quick cup so that I can get to work on my other hobbies. So far I’ve had no issues with it and hope it will last. I actually went to complete your survey from a few weeks ago, but didn’t know how to respond as this machine does everything for me haha
How did you buy it?
@@sdtok527 was at my local Best Buy before they had it on their own website
@@sdtok527 likely, with money.
I am a long time Gaggia classic owner which I have modded and upgraded. I bought a Ninja for my office after getting a super auto and being thoroughly unimpressed with the beverages it was making. So far, I think the Ninja is doing what I need it to do at the office. It is simple for my staff to operate and make drinks for themselves and our clients. It is easy to clean. I don’t think it is fantastic but I don’t know what you can get for $500 or less that is comparable for milk drinks. I don’t drink coffee or cold brew so I haven’t messed with those so far and everyone has wanted either a latte or cap. I have been pleased with it for the money. I really appreciate your review of this! Thank you for the great content.
You know it's going to be a good James video when within 2 mins you get him saying 'I need to get to the core philosophy of this machine'
I take this as a very good review for this machine. Every time James says “interesting” I think it’s him being reluctant to say “good” (perhaps unintentionally). I think this machine takes a big bite out of coffee snobbery: fancy gear, over the top prep rituals etc. There’s tons of appeal here for the more casual prosumer who values time and convenience over perfect extractions and scientific measurements.
i interpret this review the same way.
Can't wait for James to give me my opinion on a machine I've never heard of and most likely was never going to buy, but will inevitably be ranked in my 'someday shopping list' based on his review...
Sometimes I wonder if I actually like coffee, or if James has just convinced me that I do... 😂
Agreed. I was actually like "a Ninja Slushiest Maker would be cool to have...."
One thing I love about seeing James Hoffman review an item is how quickly I come to the realisation that I am not the target audience for an item like this without being made to feel like that's a bad thing
I sold my Breville Barista Express for this and really enjoy it. I’ve never enjoyed dialing in new beans, trying to replicate tamp pressure each time, and I couldn’t always fit to go cups on that. This solved all of it and the espresso is decent enough.
I agree with most of the flaws, and have found going down one grind setting usually works best for the espresso. The cold brew is decent imo, but the rest of the drink settings are there mostly for show for me. If I want drip I’ll just use my Chemex.
For me, this is a more practical machine, but I’m admittedly more of an amateur enthusiast at best and don’t enjoy the science of crafting a shot as much as I first thought I might, so this is a great machine for me. For professionals or people into the science part, I can see how this would be hard to recommend. But I absolutely am happy with my purchase!
thank you for being an early innovator on this product.
How do they compare with the super automatic bean to cup machines? At this price they are on the ball park and offer more convenience
Fair reply. The machine looks interesting to me, but I enjoy "dialing in" as an overly involved pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee whether that be cappucino, latte, Americano, etc.
But this Ninja machine intrigues the heck out of me and part of me wants it. Thanks for sharing your experience. This is helpful.
@@rrlabastida Yeah I'm thinking about the same thing as well. If OP don't enjoy the science of crafting a shot, maybe it is better off getting a bean to cup?
@@rrlabastidaI looked at the super autos before buying the ninja luxe. The super autos do more for you, but cleaning them can be tedious. The luxe has logic where it tells you the grind size and adjusts amount to get an ideal extraction. Very helpful.
🎉 finally! Anyone else been waiting for this since they saw the machine come out?
Oh yes! I wrote suggesting he reviewed it too!
I've bought this machine a month a half ago and I've been really enjoying it. I ONLY make lattes and this serves my purpose. I wanted a bit more expensive machine, but that meant more messing around with settings and stuff around it and that does not work my partner. She has been using the machine more than me at this point and that's a win win. I think this machine is a game changer for this price point and very accessible to people who have no experience or will to learn more complicated process. Thanks for a great video!
I'm in the same boat. I wanted a better machine, but I needed something wife could easily use. I still haven't found a bean I've loved yet, but everything has been good (and thats also part of the fun).
I'll say this, I've made better lattes with this than what I've had from the majority of the coffee houses in my city. Which is pretty sad.
Yeah agree with everything you said. I have the Breville Barista Express and really wanted something I had to fiddle with less. The ninja takes the guess work out for me.
For what it's worth, Ninja's video on this machine says for a quad shot you tamp once with the filter, once without. Idk how much of a difference that would potentially make (or how often folks use a quad shot), but it's worth noting.
I was thinking that you would just take off the filter if you didn't reach well.
Our Ninja Luxe arrived yesterday after a long wait (out of stock very quick)! This review is super helpful while waiting for the arrival. Thanks, James! We absolutely LOVE it.
Our first hand review: So much easier to use with decent quality. Surprisingly, it is quieter for grind and forth! The quality grind and expresso adjustment really brought out the bean's essence. So, time to upgrade our beans!!! The physical dials are solid, which reminds me of playing a digital audio workstation! (You have to feel it yourself, sorry!) For the forth, it can't get easier than this to produce silky texture using whole milk. Before this, we are debating between Breville Touch Impress and Breville Oracle Jet, this come in with 1/3 and 1/4 of the price, and way below our budget $1000. And it somehow do a better job in terms of the overall value. The "look" definitely left a few to desire, especially with the back/side of the machine using lots of black plastic. It is an eye sore at the beginning, but the front design quickly pop out to compensate that. Overall, it makes me want to drink more coffee! Not sure if it is good or bad. lol
This is the type of machine that I (a professional barista at a cafe) wouldn't need, but my wife (WFH housing analyst who wants cafe-style drinks on her own at home) would love. I feel like it's not meant to give you perfect coffee, but be a crutch in dialing in a machine and learning how to actually make them. "New coffee nerd's first espresso machine" vibes in a good way
I would love to see a Breville Barista Easy with this sort of Assist technology. But leave out all the bad filter coffee, warm brew, and other unnecessary features. Someone needs to make a $500 machine capable of making decent espresso and milk drinks.
@@brianhawthorne7603 Exactly! Get rid of all the gimmicks and just give me a pretty nice $500 machine. I'd prefer a stripped down, solid version of a single thing than a watered-sown "all"-in-"one" machine.
would love to hear evaluation by James of the auto/semi-auto machines like Jura, Saecco/Gaggia
That’s the thing though, at this price point these machines aren’t for coffee lovers. There for the newbies or the work from home mum who wants a latte in the morning and can’t be bothered to drive to costa. The target audiences will think they are getting a great deal because of all the bells and whistles, even if they aren’t that great to us
Makes sense, but I can't tell a difference between the latte, cortado, and cappuccino that I "make" in this machine versus the varieties that are made at the coffee shop that I used to frequent. The coffee shop I used to frequent is very well known in the region to be the best coffee in the city. They even roast their beans in house. I find that if I use good beans, the machine makes little difference. It's obviously subjective, but I think there's a lot of advertising in the espresso machine world.
hey James! I have historically been a non-coffee drinker; I try to stay away from caffeine. When I watched your video on tom scott's channel with you showing that decaf can be just as good as caffeinated coffee, I was intrigued. I started watching your videos and it has been really refreshing learning from someone who is humble and modest. I am going to start getting into coffee, and I am excited about it. Thanks for the videos and education James!
I’ve had mine for about a month and a half and love it. My husband and I have not been to a coffee shop since buying it and haven’t wanted to. The taste of the lattes and coffees are always consistent. You definitely need to use freshly roasted coffee, nothing from the grocery store.
Glad to hear your husband and you have even less reasons to leave the house together.
As a Lelit Bianca/Eureka Atom 75 , as well as a Aillio Bullet roaster owner, this takes me back to my first Saeco Italia espresso brewer grinder combo machine. I was tired of buying Starbucks coffee, and thought I would save money making my own. I did! And I started to love it, i learned to “dial it in” and started making a pretty good Cuppa!! I love that the ninja teaches you and sets you on your way. Obviously not something I’d buy today, but starting out!! What a marvelous idea!!!!
It looks clunky, but Ninja does this. Initial versions are functional but flawed. What is admirable is the speed and willingness to improve-they give the feel of an engineer-led company constantly tinkering (some good, some bad). Look at the Air Fryer-the first ones they made were basic, then better, then better priced, then improved (double-basket), and now double-basket in-line to take up less space. If they follow the same path (and there is money in them thar coffee machines) it will probably be good to look back at this in a year or so.
yes Ninja has 100 engineers here in the States constantly improving their products. That is why, like cars, you should never buy the first.
@@gosman949 My thought exactly. I'll wait for a Version 2 (or 3) that includes those refinements.
Ninja's toaster oven-style air fryer is absolutely incredible. I hope their coffee-maker evolution follows the same trajectory.
I just wish they would send this version to James as a prototype so we could skip the not great first edition
Yep, never buy the Mark 1 of any new machine because everyone knows the "I had it first" hipster crowd are really just the large group Beta testers to get the "Jaysus how did we miss that?" bugs discovered for the design/build departments.
This is the kind of machine I'd want for an office, and I honestly think that might be one of the target audiences. It's not going to blow your socks off with anything, but it'll satisfy everyone to some degree, which is valuable enough to warrant existing.
I like the thoughtfulness that was put into the design. The Engineers were clearly given a price point and told to make it work. I like the tray that can be moved up for small espresso cups. This machine is definitely for people that like to switch up what they drink but don’t want to buy everything individually which would inevitably cost more.
yeah i feel ninja has one of the best engineering teams for consumer household equipment (specifically NOT for power users). they somehow manage to come up with good technical solutions for all kinds of products with a clear focus on providing the best functionality at a low price point. design and longevity is not their main concern but their machines don't look super ugly imho and usually will last a decent time if you take care of them. they also give you some pretty useful info with additional videos, tips and recipes online.
yeah I don't know how to explain it but I feel a sense of respect from Ninja/Shark products. There's a genuine effort to make something actually as good as possible for the price-range. Even with the limitations on this machine I'm impressed by the innovation on show. If this was something targeted at me I'd be waiting for the next version
I like how James buys all the products. It makes me trust him more.
As an American, I agree with this machine 100%. Ninja just understands us so well.
The quad basket must be Lance Hendrick's puck-ratio dream 😂
Literally a 1:1 format
lololololol
The motor struggling is probably partially due to the fact that no matter what type of transformer you run it on, the UK electric grid runs at 50 Hz, and the machine was sent from the USA, where the grid runs at 60 Hz. This causes the motor in the grinder to run at the wrong RPM, and will make it strain at times. Transformers change the voltage, but have no effect on the frequency.
Only a small pedantic point; You can get transformers that will also condition/transform the frequency. They are rarer and more expensive (generally by quite a bit), but you can get them. Mind you it's hardly worth it for a coffee grinder review I'd bet lol
You forget one small detail : as we are talking about a small motor in a budget appliance that plugs into mains, there's a 99% chance it uses a brushed universal motor. And these care pretty little about frequency... you can actually run them on DC.
I was expecting your video on this machine to decide if it's a go... I really needed to see some serious, knowledgeable critique its qualities and functions - because the rest of the internet is full of praises - which I always find hard to believe. Thank you for helping us make informed decisions - this went on my Santa list, as the part that does well aligns with my needs :)
I recently purchased one and I a, totally satisfied with its performance. I have gone the gamut over the years including roasting beans. I have a saeco semi automatic which turns out tepid brown water. I end up using an Aeropress at times when frustrated. I am happy with a reasonable good expresso and cap without getting frustrated. Use good beans, freshly roasted and once dialed (follow instructions) in it provides a consistent quality brew. I will never throw away the aeropress……. James is paid so to speak for his “pickiness”.. I am sure Ninja is dealing in the product for the next iteration. Kudos Ninja!
Finally! A review that doesn't just talk all praises and no cons. Almost every other review of this I've seen felt like an add. The biggest downside I heard about it until this review was that it cant give you just hot water....
Coffee Sandcastles just made my day
Hames Joffman sound bite ready for the taking
The pure joy of getting the recognition from the machine on grind setting is priceless.
One off the best of the James i have seen in a long time. Thanks a lot😂
I believe the 2 spouts are a symptom of "I saw that in my coffee shop they have 2 spouts and that's the only way I've ever seen espresso come out of a machine" syndrome
I think you hit the nail directly on the head!
The Bambino has two spouts. It does help you know if you're getting an even extraction.
Reminds me of the Staresso. Actually pretty good portable "espresso" (debatable) maker, but it took them the _4th_ iteration to realize "wait, it's a single serve portable espresso maker. Why does it need 2 spouts?"
I've had one for a little over a month and I love it. I'm definitely the target audience. Not an espresso fanatic but like a good latte. I really like that it suggests the grind size I really don't have the knowledge or interest in weighing out my doses. I'd say it makes a better latte than at least half the coffee shops I've been to. Super easy to clean as well which is such a bonus, I got grinds all over with my last espresso machine. I don't use the cold brew or drip coffee so can't speak to that. Also the quad shot is pretty cool for making big lattes and a lot easier than running multiple shots. Nice overview of it though.
I’ll stick with my breville barista express for now, but when the time comes to replace it, hopefully the tech in this will be the new standard in home espresso machines. So for that, I’m thankful for ninja and their innovation of home machines.
Oooooo intrigued to say the least...
Edit after watching: super interesting machine - if Ninja can refine the design (improve the grinder, change portafilter to single etc) this machine could be a serious contender. Have to say... $500 is a bargain considering the tech and tools included. Very tempting for those of us on a budget i.e. unable to afford a good grinder and a good espresso machine.
I bought direct from ninja and it was $450 and free shipping. In case anyone else is curious
The ES701 version that will be released in the UK (and ultimately elsewhere) will have a single basket. It will also have more settings, a level-tamper and more function like hot water to be able to make Americanos.
@@SomeRandomRUclipsr2024 👌🤝
@@SomeRandomRUclipsr2024 when will that release?
@@biggusshrimpus9156 I did quite a bit of research and found nothing. There's one website that has the machine listed with a delivery set for "the next 3-6 months".
My guess is maybe early 2025 since the current model (ES601) is selling like crazy.
Ninja honestly in general makes great stuff across a wide range of things. Personally we have their batch drip coffee machine and paired with a solid grinder makes very solid coffee. Individual cups all the way to a 12 cup carafe.
"Just give me one spout!" is a line Hames Joffman is going to have a field day with, I feel
I hope Hames is doing well. They haven't posted since yt basically blocked/semi-deleted their channel, the channel was restored, but it might have permanently soured Hames to yt.
There's also, uhh, "purge-hole"
The second espresso was for Hames
Thank you for this! I'm one of the ones both in comments here on YT and TikTok and with tags have been begging you to do this. It honestly did better then expected, I'm someone that would love a full barista setup and make espresso and milk coffee from scratch, but haven't got the time, the money or the space so I end up using nespresso. It seems that with this I could actually get a decent espresso, or a decent milk coffee that i originally always wanted
Watched a review of this literally two hours ago and was thinking: I hope James makes a video about this😂😂
Don't ya love it when that happens?
Same but weeks ago for my first review video, been patiently waiting for this.
Totally normal. I get brain fog too sometimes. What you need is a big ol' cup of coffee.... or espresso... americano....? lol
- I’m not giving you MORE coffee, don’t be ridiculous.
- I’m in full nit pick mode right now
- genuine excitement for all the little things he finds delightful
We’re all my favorite parts
This is honestly quite cool. It does everything reasonably well at a reasonable price. I feel like its a good value.
I bought one almost immediately after the release. I love it. It’s hands down superior to the breville. I have the rocket appartamento also. For $499 it makes fantastic coffee and very good espresso. James your coffee palette is far more refined than most people’s so it’s natural for you to pick up on the finer details of a shot. For the average joe, it makes fantastic Joe 😂
14:50 DRINK THE QUAD SHOT JAMES. IT’S WHY WE ARE HERE.
I swear😂
FINALLY.!!!!!!!!!!!... feels like i have waited so long to hear your opinions on this.
I have had this machine for 1 month. I love the simplicity of this semi-automatic espresso machine. The type of coffee bean used in this machine has a lot of influence on the final result. I have tested it with several types of beans and the beans specially roasted for making espressos give better results even with filter coffee.
So good to see some review videos again. More please :)
I've had this machine for a little over a month. Wife and I love it simply because it (for the most part) automates our coffee making and cleaning experience. We're simpletons so we love this machine. I could nitpick some design things but nothing is perfect. I'll make two drinks a day whenever I can until it gives out on me. For $500, no big complaints from us
Watching this guys videos, nothing is ever good enough. He makes the coffee experience truly unlikable. I pray I never become this overly involved with such inconsequential details and continue to like things that taste good lol
Finally when i first saw this on my feed i said James has to review this 🔥
Possibly the most entertaining James Hoffman video I have watched to date! I literally chuckled at his reactions a few times... "maddeningly close!"
Most of us out here don’t know a perfect espresso from a decent espresso to an average espresso and even to a lesser espresso. We add our frothed milk and sugar and cinnamon, and we’re happy.
I just love James' exchanges with inanimate objects! 😅
James thank you for taking the time to review a mainstream product in depth. 🙂 For some people who have smaller spaces/kitchens and would like a way to make espresso based drinks, this might be a way for them to begin.
I'd missed the simpler reviews videos, super excited to see this c:
I always doubted James and never held much faith in his ability but now that I see this machine side with him on the grind size decision, I think he's been finally validated and vouched for.
James will be so relieved to hear that you vouch for him.
@JakeBarnes12 Well I don't know about that, I'm no $500 coffee maker.
I just laughed through most of this but that does not take away the fact it is an awesome informative review, but you are just funny. I love how you get excited over a single thing and then repeat it at a higher pitch, its like a kid in a sweet shop lol . Great video
The tamper pressing zoom edit at 4:30 is the best edit ever on this channel.
Tarantino energy
The intern doing the editing stayed up late to finish that
Thank you! I totally missed this and it's amazing. :)
I'm so glad I went back to check on that, beautiful, thanks for the heads-up! 😎👌
Why is it so funny to see James so animated about "the double spout"? :D
Perfect Hames Joffman fodder.
My Breville Barista Pro came with a double-spout portafilter. I have almost never used it. If I am making coffee for two, it is rarely two single shots. And once you have all your kit out and the machine setup, pulling a second double shot takes seconds. The few times I’ve used the double spout. No matter how I arrange the cups, it dribbles over the edge. Can we just get rid of double spouts on home espresso machines? Imagine if they just shipped with a naked portafilter!
Isn’t it ironic, that the only (conventional) portafilter that can house a basket big enough to make 2 shots at once, is a bottomless. Spouted portafilters are limited on how big the basket can be.
@@brianhawthorne7603 I used to use the double spout to pull two half shots on my barista express (and then my miicoffee apex) because my wife prefers a weaker latte. Now I just use the single shot basket and I don't have to throw anything away or use two glasses.
I'm totally with you though. Much easier to just pretend it's a single spout and pull twice (and dump the extra liquid if needed)
Is the double spout to allow proper flow?
I miss these review vidoes. They're always so informative - it's the reason I bought my Gaggia and Sage.
I upgraded from the Sage Bambino Plus to the Ninja Luxe and I absolutely love it. I don’t want to spend a fortune on equipment that will pull the perfect espresso shot, I want a machine that makes a damn good cappuccino that’s better than a high street coffee chain. And I’ve just discovered the filter coffee setting is great for brewing loose leaf tea!
Thank you for reviewing this device. Appreciate the details and humor.
Saw someone else review one of these the other day and was thinking "mmh I wonder what James thinks about this....." And here it is lol 😂
saam i just thought about it yesterday 😂 well i guess ninja's sales are going down lol
Yep, I watched 2-3 earlier this month and thought the same
I reckon they're going up. James didn't out and out slate it, and that for most coffee things is likely a badge of honour.
Nice, however, I will stick with my grinder separate from the espresso coffee maker. I just ordered the Frigidaire steam espresso maker with frother
I just came here for a review, i dont think coffee is as important to me as it is to this fella, god love him
TBH if i didn't have a grinder, espresso machine and v60 i'd be really interested in this.
Got this machine after watching all the comparison vid . Price is great and does what I need it to and accessible for the rest of family is perfect
Oh, just so pleased to see good old review on something🎉
I didn't think a coffee machine review could be full of humor without straying from the topic for a moment :) Great video!
I may be an espresso plebian, but I love this machine. It does everything that I want. Admittedly, I'm mostly a coffee purist. I drink black coffee made in an Aeropress 90% of the time, but when I want an espresso drink, this does the trick.
I absolutely _love_ the features & design of this - Sorry, James! I don't care if it makes rubbish filter coffee; who pays £400-£500 for a filter machine? The neat way everything tucks away, the magnetised milk stirrer - it's got all I need and more, and they did it all for the price of a PlayStation 5. I'm used to emptying drip trays fairly often, so even that doesn't upset me. The whole thing's neat as a pin! (cute as a button? Choose your cliché). Replaceable grinder wheels would be good tho... Edit: I hear the grinder's replaceable!!
you popped up in my suggestions, and as a self confessed coffee head i have to say i found this review to be possibly the best review i have seen of anything ever! You have an ability to remain impartial and have no brand loyalty. It's refreshing to see. You really took a deep review and looked into things that many people would miss - such as the drip tray fill rate and microns of the ground produced. I'm properly impressed!
Subscribed as soon as i saw this video, and look forward to more. Good work fella!
I am very pleased with this machine. I use it almost exclusively for espresso and lattes. I love the ease of use for making a couple of lattes in the morning. Thank you for your review.
The fact that even the robot that should follow the scientific protocol with which it was created is changing its opinion to „yes, what James says“ is beyond hilarious!
I think its just following a super simple algorithm. If the shot was too quick, lower the grind size, if the shot was within an acceptable range, then set recommended grind size to what was used for that shot. Im willing to bet if he pulled another shot at 4 then it would have set the recommended grind size back to 4
Got mine this past Sunday, and I have brewed numerous espressos, and lattes. Since that’s what I primarily drink, I’m very happy with the purchase. I looked at the Brevilles, and though they are nicer quality, I can’t justify paying twice, or three times as much just because it looks nicer. Longevity, we will have to see.
If I want drip coffee, I still have my regular machine. So that’s not an issue for me. To be honest, I don’t see myself ever using the “Luxe” filter. But it’s nice it’s an option if I’m in a pinch for drip coffee.
I’m a total beginner in the coffee world. I’ve been drinking K-cups for the past 20 years 🤮. The Ninja has made coffee fun for me again, and maybe when I’m willing, and skilled to go further, perhaps a nicer machine may don my kitchen counter. Till then, I’ll be enjoying and hoping it’s durable enough.
Been hoping for this review! I love this machine. This machine ended up being just $150 more than my starting setup (grinder, casabrews machine, and accessories).
In my old setup, I found that I didn't enjoy the process of dialing in beans that much. My standard was just "can I get an experience similar to the average local cafe." I like to sample shots of espresso whenever I go out, but my preferred drink is an iced mocha.
With this machine I got way better tasting espresso along with much less trial and error, AND way better mochas. I like that the default ratio is 1:2.5, I think my palate prefers shots closer to a lungo.
The built in accessories were also a nice win for me, I like having everything contained neatly.
I share the same gripes with the double spout and oddly cramped space, but as someone who only drinks espresso and never filter coffee, I'm so glad I got this. It's removed all of the troubleshooting and allowed me to just enjoy the grinding, tamping, and tasting.
I was also surprised that the machine's process doesn't include a WDT step, yet still makes decent tasting shots.
11:51 Give the man one spout, Ninja! 😂😂
James, I already own a Gaggia Classic Pro and have no intention of buying this, but I couldn’t not watch it … your style is just so eloquent and prosaic, a true Brit presentation
ES601UK (the version launching first in the UK) will have another button for hot water and a spout to dispense it. This is why it costs more than the American (ES501) version
It also has a single shot basket and americano function (with it now delivering hot water)
But when do we get it?!!
@@Monkebabygirl Funny you said that - I just got a notification mine has been shipped!
Awesome! Thanks for the info!
@@ScottJamesIrvine Currys sent me an email yesterday saying there was a delay, and that they should have it with me in around a week :(
I like the idea, ninja has been spot on with a lot of products. I will wait until the next generation of this machine.
Yeah, I probably wouldn’t have even looked at this if it wasn’t a Ninja…they have such great kitchen products that I figured anything they put out would have the same type of quality.
Excellent! 😃 I was wondering when you might have a play with the Ninja. I think the espresso with guardrails analogy is spot on. Absolutely agree with you on the excessive use of water, I'm constantly emptying the drip tray. I also got mine from the States, the 220v version though has a hot water button, an Americano option & a single shot basket apparently. My pre-ordered UK version is coming later this week so I'll find out for sure then. There's a "Pro" version coming out, with a tamp lever and no need for a dosing collar, with ristretto and lungo on the menu, and an extra thick milk foam option.
I have this machine and really love it. I wanted a
user friendly espresso machine and this is it! It was also in our budget. I suppose I could spend more on a machine, but I don’t really want to. I appreciate the detailed review. I have enjoyed making iced espresso drinks with cold foam and sipping them on my way to work! So much more affordable than going to a drive through coffee place PLUS I can make modifications on the kind of milk I froth and the amount of sugar I have in my iced drink.
The problem I’ve noticed with watching James’ videos is that I feel like every coffee machine is kind of “meh”. I really should get a new machine but I hesitate with every single machine he reviews 😂
😂 same
The thing is, a machine like this is going to be a delight to mock for those of us who regularly consume James’ content as we like spending significant amounts of money trying to make negligible gains on a product that we obsess over. But we’re the exception, the minority, the “elite.” For your average consumer, espresso is just too finicky and complicated and getting it to be palatable takes too much effort. That makes it unobtainable for most people. A machine like this is going to make “good” espresso obtainable by anyone willing to spend the money for this machine. They don’t have to invest in another couple hundred dollars worth of accessories and mods.
I’ll never use a machine like this, but I REALLY appreciate how it’s going to make home espresso more accessible for many, many people.
This machine made me realise one thing: Many of the others out there are overpriced for what they are. Great little innovations, I really really love it.
As a complete coffee n00b, this is a great machine to delve in. Coffee is certainly better than before and prefer it over some cafes.
Being familiar with how picky James is about his coffee. I’d have to say this is a glowing review.
So I saw some RUclipsrs reviewing this machine saying it was good yesterday, and was very pleased to see a thorough review as always to reassure me that the alternatives are still the better ways to go.
I don't drink coffee but I'm here to watch THE MAN
I love my coffee latte and ruff. Its always interesting to see coffee-brewing devices, but I'd rather drink sublimated coffee and have consistent and pleasing brewing process and a place to steer my milk (I usually buy frothing devices separately and they break all the time). This finally looks ideal! No need to find place to store tamper, no coffee grounds everywhere, no waste of time figuring out why my coffee is so bad, its not good enough even for dissolving it in milk. I think I'm in love with this machine.
What I worry about with these all-in-one machines is it seems like it's forcing you to follow a step-by-step process but say for example the grinder breaks down can you skip that step and use an external grinder and still make coffee or do you have to throw out the whole machine. That's going to mean a lot for its longevity.