You’ll have spotted the spoiler above: I’ve awarded it 5/5 stars, but that doesn’t mean this coffee machine is 100 per cent perfect – keep reading to discover all my opinions on the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series and whether or not I think its £699.99 RRP is justified.
For more reviews, you can also check out our guide to the best bean-to-cup coffee machines.
First impressions of the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series coffee machine
Fresh out of the box, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series is a sophisticated and shiny machine, and providing you’ve got the space in your kitchen (and you’ll need a lot), I think it makes for a smart addition to the countertop.
For coffee machine novices, the number of buttons and switches might seem a little intimidating at first, but there’s a quick-start guide to help with the set-up, as well as a detailed instruction manual.
Photograph: Natalie Bass / Good Food
A water hardness test is included, too, so your machine can gauge how regularly it will need to be descaled then alert you to do so. Limescale can cause long-term damage to a coffee machine, so I think it’s always worth using filtered water (from a water filter jug or built-in tap) if you can.
Ninja claims that this machine ‘comes without all the trial and error of traditional espresso machines’, which is a bold statement – as anyone who uses coffee machines regularly will know, usually there’s a bit of back-and-forth involved when you dial in a new bag of coffee beans.
What I think the claim relates to is that the recommended grind size is displayed on the front of the machine after you pull each espresso shot – so, even if the grind size isn’t quite right the first time, the machine will correct itself for the next.
Photography: Natalie Bass / Good Food
I love this feature as I hate wasting coffee for no good reason and it’s quite rare among even some of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines I’ve tested. Ninja’s own system isn’t flawless – during the set-up I still had to pull three or four shots of espresso to achieve the ideal extraction window (25-30 seconds), but it did improve the more I used it.
How to use the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series coffee machine
Once you’ve secured the portafilter under the grinder and selected the grind size you’d like (you can refer to the numbers on the display panel for guidance), the machine gets to work. The grinder is quick and surprisingly quiet – a blessing for anyone with an open-plan kitchen/living space.
Filling up the water tank is simple – it pulls out from the back and the ‘maximum’ line is quite high, so I found it easier to fill a jug and pour water straight into the machine, rather than carry the tank to and from the sink.
There are 25 drinks to choose from, including single espresso (regular, lungo, ristretto), double (regular, lungo, ristretto), quad, americano, cold pressed and filter (classic, rich and over ice). If you want milk, there are additional settings for that, too, including options to adjust the froth level and milk type (dairy or plant-based).
Photography: Natalie Bass / Good Food
When you’re ready to clean the machine, there’s a button on the display that activates a cleaning cycle. The drip tray also has a pouring spout, so I could easily empty it without making a mess.
The filter baskets, funnel, cleaning disc, water reservoir, lid, bean hopper and drip tray can go in the top rack of a dishwasher, too. That said, I’d recommend only doing this every so often, as hot temperatures and harsh cleaning detergents might shorten the lifespan of some parts.
Results of the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series coffee machine
So, does the Ninja Luxe Café Pro actually make a decent cup of coffee, or is it just a jack of all trades, master of none?
I enjoyed every drink I made with this machine, but where I think it shines is espresso-based coffee. Each shot had just the right balance of bitterness and acidity and was topped with glossy, hazelnut-coloured crema.
Photography: Natalie Bass / Good Food
Another highlight was the automatic milk steaming, which uses an extra-large jug with a whisk inside it to rotate the milk as it heats up, creating a whirlpool motion.
I’d always rather steam the milk for a cappuccino or latte myself as it makes such a difference to the texture, but with the Ninja Luxe Café Pro I was blown away – the microfoam was perfectly creamy and silky-smooth. The size of the milk jug also allows you to make two coffees at once.
When it came to cold brew, I thought this was missing some of the richness you get from brewing via traditional methods, but was still smooth and sweet.
Filter coffee was delicious too, but because I was switching between making espresso-based coffee and filter coffee during my testing, I didn’t change which beans I was using.
This meant my filter coffee wasn’t as fruity and light as I usually like it, as the roast level was too dark. With that in mind, it’s worth switching to a lighter roast if you want a more traditional filter coffee, or compromising with a medium roast if you don’t want to keep switching your coffee beans.
Is the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series coffee machine worth it?
For sheer convenience and versatility, I think the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series is worth every penny. It’s good-looking, robustly made and performs each function well, and when you factor in the £699.99 RRP versus other models on the market, it offers remarkable value.
If you want a machine that masters one specific function, you might be better off buying a dedicated model (filter coffee purists, for instance, will find plenty of options in our best filter coffee machines guide).
But for a busy household or anyone who likes to switch up the type of coffee they drink throughout the day, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series is a winning choice.
Wattage: 1650W
Functions: 25 drink settings, 25 grind settings
Weight: 17.25KG
Capacity: 2L
Warranty: 2 years
Cost to run: 1.9p (based on 25.73p/kWh – one coffee each day p/week)
Available from:
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