I get it, finding an espresso machine worth your time and money can quickly lose its excitement. When I tried experimenting with espresso machines in the past, I was overwhelmed and intimated by all of the different models, price tags, and not to mention the learning curve that comes with them. Most espresso machines come with a lot of trial error and take a while before you can finally get that perfect cup down.
That is, until I discovered the Ninja Luxe Café. We all know Ninja has some of the most popular kitchen appliances on the market, and this one is like the Swiss Army Knife of coffee. At $549, the machine is still pricey, but it has a built-in grinder, a milk steamer and frother, and can make espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew, making it an incredible bang for your buck. But I was skeptical to see if the quality was as good as the convenience.
Ninja Luxe Café Features
The Ninja Luxe Cafe along with the instruction manual, inspiration guide, and some of its accessories.
The Ninja Luxe comes with a lot of different features and accessories that are super helpful and easy to use once you get to know them. First, you get a portafilter that comes with two different baskets, a weighted tamper, and funnel that helps contain all of the grounds. The machine also has convenient slots located on each side to store all of these which is super helpful. That way you’re not constantly having to keep up with them. It also comes with a milk jug and a small cleaning brush. Lastly, cleaning tablets and water strips are included to determine a setting on your machine during setup.
One thing I thought I was going to toss but am so glad I didn’t was the handy Inspiration Guide filled with drink recipes like flavored Lattes, a Flat White, Shaken Espresso, Caramel Macchiato, Espresso Martini, etc. But my favorite feature about this machine is it has a built-in grinder that also measures out the exact amount of grounds you need depending on what you’re making. This has always been my biggest problem when making espresso at home. But with the Ninja Luxe, you just pour your beans in the hopper, attach the portafilter, select your drink of choice, size, and the machine figures out the amount needed and grinds it directly into the portafilter.
Brewing: How It Works & Tastes
My Ninja Luxe Espresso machine after brewing a decaf latte.
The machine comes fully assembled and the setup is fairly simple, but I also scanned the QR codes on the instruction manual to watch the video tutorials.
Once the machine was cleaned out and ready to use, it requires a couple of test rounds with your espresso beans. But again, since the machine can figure out the levels and grind size for you, it’s really as simple as pouring your beans in the hopper, selecting your drink, and adjusting the grind size to the machine’s recommendation. There’s a small basket for double espresso and a luxe basket for anything more than that. The luxe basket is also what you use for drip coffee and cold brew. The machine will read if you need to change the grind size based on what you’re making and you simply move the dial up or down based on what it tells you.
Espresso & Lattes
Don’t expect any latte art from me anytime soon.
Espresso was the first drink I ventured into knowing I was excited about making a latte. My beans already in the hopper, I put the double espresso basket in the poratfilter along with the funnel and lined it up with the grinder. Since I had already done a few practice rounds, my grind size was where it needed to be and I didn’t have to move the dial at all. I hit the Start Grind button and it immediately started filling my portafilter with grounds. Next, I removed the funnel and tamped down the grounds so they weren’t overflowing at all. I locked the portafilter into the main part of the machine and hit Start Brew. The espresso itself brewed quickly and there’s a meter on the screen to let you know it’s progress and beeps when it’s done. I tried it as is at first and was impressed with how bold yet smooth the flavor was. Since I don’t have a proper espresso glass, or a demitasse cup, when I make flavored lattes I usually just add in a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar to the bottom of a mug and let the espresso drip on top of it. The milk frother is also super simple to use. I just pour my milk into the jug and select my milk type, then select my level of froth (steamed milk, thin froth, thick froth or cold foam). The frothing does take about a minute or so, and once I pour it over my espresso it creates the most creamy and delicious latte that I find tastes so much better than any others I’ve ever attempted in the past. They actually taste better than some of the ones I buy from coffee shops in my area as well. The frother also immediately purges out any milk or liquid on its own that helps with cleaning. And when making an iced latte, you can choose the “cold pressed” setting so the espresso doesn’t come out so hot. The espresso still comes out lukewarm, I’d say. It’s warm enough to mix with any syrups or sugars, but isn’t hot enough to melt any ice, which is incredibly hard to find with coffee makers and espresso machines with cold settings. I love making both hot an iced espressos with this machine and they’re probably what I make the most.
Iced Coffee & Cold Brew
An iced coffee I made with cold foam.
The machine has an “Over Ice” setting as well as a “Cold Brew” setting. The only difference is the cold brew is going to give you much stronger, richer coffee that lasts much better with ice in my opinion. If you select Cold Brew, all you have to do is adjust your grind size and everything else is as normal. Put a cup of ice under your portafilter for the coffee to dispense so it all mixes well. The cold brew does take a little longer to make, a few minutes or so depending on how many ounces you choose. Note, if you select 10oz of cold brew, it means 10oz with ice, not just 10oz of cold brew coming out. Again, the coffee that comes out isn’t freezing cold, but it isn’t hot either, more so lukewarm. That’s why you want the coffee and ice to mix together to dilute the cold brew just a bit. And the combination of the cold foam with the cold brew is amazing. The cold foam gets incredibly cold and thick, much better than anything store-bought.
Drip Coffee
The Ninja Luxe can do a lot, but the simplest of them all is Drip Coffee. The drip setting calls for a higher grind adjustment, so get it to the recommended size, and grind your beans. You can make yourself an individual mug of coffee, fill up a taller thermos, or go up to 18oz for a few cups. The drip does take the longest of all formulas, though. I chose the Rich brew and personally found the coffee didn’t come out as strong as I like it. My husband made some drip a few days later with some new beans and we found it was much stronger and flavorful than my first attempt. Overall, I would say it does make a good cup of drip coffee, we’re just still figuring out the kinks of that setting since it’s the one we use the least.
My Overall Thoughts
I’ve been using the Ninja Luxe Cafe for about a month now and continue to be impressed with it. While I do actually love it, there are a few flaws with it that I’m a bit nit-picky about. For starters, every time you switch out beans it takes a while and a lot of test runs to figure out what grind size it needs to be at before you get a good pour again, and you end up wasting some beans. If you plan on using the same beans, you probably won’t run into this problem, but if you’re like me and like to switch up your beans here and there, it’s something to be aware of. Another feature that would have been great to have is hot water. Since there’s no way to dispense hot water, that keeps at-home baristas from adding to their Americanos, or brewing a cup of tea. Still, the Ninja Luxe does a lot for a good price. These factors are by no means deal breakers.
Compared to other espresso machines on the market I’ve used, this one seems the most user-friendly and definitely offers the most features. After getting used to it, I can easily whip up a delicious latte or cold brew in minutes and I’m seriously impressed with the quality of the drink it brews. I find it’s well worth the price tag considering so many espresso machines that only do espresso are well above $500. I’m incredibly happy with this machine and give it my stamp of approval. It combines quality and convenience and is perfect for those who want to elevate their daily coffee without any additional stress.
Anna Mahan is the Associate Commerce Editor at Country Living, where she regularly covers the best sales and shares hidden gems you’ll want to know about. Joining the Country Living team in 2023, Anna creates plenty of gift guides, finds celeb-loved items, and reviews everything from beauty and skincare products to worthy home goods. Putting products through earnest testing processes, she can help determine the best quality and price, so readers get the best out of their purchase. She grew up listening to classic country and still loves the new stuff, so you’ll often find her writing about the latest on musicians like Dolly Parton and Lainey Wilson. When she’s not writing or scoping out viral trends, you can find her reading, watching Gilmore Girls for the umpteenth time, or convincing someone to do a TikTok with her.
