The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is designed as a one-stop solution for coffee enthusiasts who enjoy a variety of brewing styles. With the ability to brew espresso, drip coffee, cold brew, and even cold-pressed espresso, this machine stands out in the home coffee maker market. Unlike other fancy espresso machines that can be intimidating for home use, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier simplifies the brewing process while offering multiple functions. Priced at around $500, it is marketed as a more accessible alternative to premium machines like the Breville Barista Express and De’Longhi La Specialista.
This review will dive deep into its features, performance, and comparisons to help you determine if it’s the right fit for your needs.
Machine Overview
The Ninja Luxe Café is a multi-functional marvel that combines the best features of a drip coffee maker, a single-serve coffee maker, and an espresso machine. Designed with Barista Assist Technology, this machine helps users craft a variety of coffee drinks, from lattes and cappuccinos to macchiatos, with ease. Its large touchscreen display and preset settings make it incredibly user-friendly, ensuring that even beginners can brew like a pro. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick cup of drip coffee or a meticulously crafted espresso, the Ninja Luxe Café has you covered.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier Features
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is a premium coffee maker that combines cutting-edge technology with sleek design, catering to coffee enthusiasts who appreciate quality and convenience. Launched by Ninja Kitchen, a brand renowned for its innovative kitchen appliances, the Luxe Café Premier emerged from a desire to provide an exceptional at-home brewing experience.
Ninja Kitchen began its journey in 2008, quickly gaining popularity for its versatile blenders and coffee makers. The Luxe Café Premier was developed to meet the demands of modern consumers seeking versatility in brewing styles, ease of use, and superior flavor extraction. This coffee maker has quickly become a favorite for those wanting to replicate café-quality beverages right in their own kitchens, making it a staple for both casual drinkers and coffee connoisseurs alike.
Design and Aesthetics
Sleek and Modern Design: The Ninja Luxe Café Premier features a contemporary look that complements any kitchen décor. Its polished stainless steel finish gives it a premium feel.
User-Friendly Interface: The control panel is intuitive, with clear buttons and a digital display, making it easy for users to navigate settings and select brewing options.
Compact Footprint: Designed to fit comfortably on countertops, the machine is compact without sacrificing functionality, making it suitable for small spaces.
Versatile Color Options: Available in various colors (like black, silver, and limited edition hues) to suit different aesthetic preferences.
Key Features of the Ninja Luxe Café Premier
1. Multi-Brew Functionality
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is capable of brewing espresso (double and quad shots), drip coffee (6 to 18 ounces), cold brew, and cold-pressed espresso. Its Barista Assist Technology provides automated brew adjustments to simplify the brewing process, making it user-friendly for beginners. It stands out for its ability to make cold brew in 10 minutes, which is significantly faster than traditional cold brew methods.
Cold-Pressed Espresso: This unique feature allows the machine to produce espresso-like coffee using cold water and high pressure, making it ideal for iced drinks, such as lattes and espresso martinis.
2. Built-in Burr Grinder with 25 Settings
The integrated conical burr grinder in the Ninja Luxe Café Premier espresso maker offers 25 grind settings, giving you full control over grind size for different brew methods. Additionally, the machine automatically adjusts the grind based on the brewing method selected, removing the guesswork.
Precision Grinding: A well-calibrated grinder is crucial for extracting the best flavors from coffee beans. The Ninja Luxe’s automatic adjustment makes it beginner-friendly, while still offering flexibility for more experienced users.
3. Hands-Free Milk Frothing
The milk frother allows users to froth both dairy and plant-based milks with ease. It offers adjustable settings for cold foam, thin froth, and thick froth. The frother also includes an automatic cleaning function, which simplifies maintenance.
Plant-Based Milk Performance: With the rise in popularity of plant-based milk, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier’s ability to froth almond, soy, and oat milk at optimal textures is a significant benefit.
4. User-Friendly LCD Display
The LCD display guides users through every step of the brewing process, including grind size, brewing options, and milk frothing settings. It also provides alerts for bean refills and cleaning, making it ideal for beginners or anyone who wants a more intuitive experience.
Espresso and Quad Shot Capabilities
The Ninja Luxe Café excels in its espresso-making capabilities, offering a range of options for espresso lovers. Whether you prefer a classic double shot or a robust quad shot, this machine delivers. The quad shot feature is particularly noteworthy, producing a 100ml shot of espresso with a unique brewing process that includes a different preinfusion and pulsing “timbre” to the pump action. This results in a stronger, more intense coffee experience, perfect for those who need an extra kick. With the Ninja Luxe Café, you can easily create lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos, all with the touch of a button.
Coffee Beans and Quality
Quality is at the heart of the Ninja Luxe Café experience, and it all starts with the coffee beans. The machine’s built-in grinder ensures that your beans are ground to the perfect consistency for each type of coffee drink. With 25 grind size settings, you have the flexibility to customize your brew to your exact preferences. Whether you prefer using whole coffee beans or ground coffee, the Ninja Luxe Café accommodates both, allowing you to adjust the amount of coffee used for each drink. This ensures that every cup is brewed to perfection, delivering rich, flavorful coffee every time.
Hot Brewed Coffee Modes
The Ninja Luxe Café offers two distinct hot brewed coffee modes: Classic and Rich. The Classic mode uses a medium-coarse grind and a medium flow rate to produce a balanced, smooth cup of coffee. For those who prefer a bolder flavor, the Rich mode uses a finer grind and a slower flow rate, resulting in a stronger, more robust cup. Additionally, the machine allows users to adjust the brewing temperature and the amount of coffee used, providing even more control over the final product. Whether you like your coffee mild or strong, the Ninja Luxe Café caters to your taste.
Cold Pressed Espresso and Specialty Drinks
One of the standout features of the Ninja Luxe Café is its ability to make cold pressed espresso, perfect for a variety of specialty drinks. Using a slow drip cold brew process, the machine creates a smooth, low-acidity cold brew coffee in a fraction of the time it takes traditional methods. This feature is ideal for iced lattes and other cold coffee drinks. Additionally, the machine’s frother can whip up the perfect consistency for cappuccinos and lattes, whether you prefer dairy or plant-based milk. From cold brew to hot chocolate, the Ninja Luxe Café offers a wide range of options for coffee lovers who enjoy both hot and cold drinks.
In-Depth Comparisons
1. Ninja Luxe Café Premier vs. Breville Barista Express
Price: The Breville Barista Express is priced around $700, making the Ninja Luxe Café ($500) a more affordable option.
Customization vs. Automation: Breville offers more manual control, which is preferred by experienced baristas. In contrast, the Ninja Luxe Café’s automation simplifies the process, making it more suitable for beginners who still want high-quality coffee without the hassle of manual adjustments.
Milk Frothing: Breville’s manual steam wand provides greater control, but Ninja’s automatic frother with multiple preset options is easier to use, especially for beginners.
Conclusion: The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is ideal for users seeking convenience, while Breville is better suited for those wanting more control over every detail of the coffee-making process.
2. Ninja Luxe Café Premier vs. De'Longhi La Specialista Prestigio
Grind Control: Both machines feature a built-in burr grinder, but Ninja offers 25 grind settings compared to De’Longhi’s fewer options. Ninja also automatically adjusts the grind based on the brew type, adding convenience.
Cold Brew Capability: The Ninja Luxe Café offers cold brew and cold-pressed espresso options, while the De’Longhi lacks cold brewing features, giving the Ninja an edge for those who enjoy iced coffee drinks.
Price: At around $850, the De’Longhi La Specialista Prestigio is significantly more expensive than the Ninja Luxe Café Premier, which offers comparable features at a lower price point.
Conclusion: If you want cold brew capability and a more budget-friendly option, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier is the better choice.
Performance and Ease of Use
Espresso and Coffee Quality
Ninja Luxe Café Premier delivers rich espresso shots with a balanced flavor and thick crema that rival those from a coffee shop. Its automated settings ensure consistency, making it ideal for both beginners and those who want convenience. The cold brew and cold-pressed espresso functions work efficiently, providing smooth and flavorful results.
Built-in Grinder and Frother
The burr grinder is one of the most efficient features of this machine, and its 25 settings allow for great flexibility when switching between espresso and drip coffee. The hands-free milk frother works well with both dairy and plant-based milks, and the ability to adjust foam thickness makes it versatile for a variety of drinks.
Maintenance and Durability
With its automated cleaning cycles, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier is easy to maintain. However, regular descaling and occasional cleaning of the grinder and frother are necessary to ensure long-term durability and performance. The intuitive design and easy-to-remove components make maintenance straightforward.
FAQs About the Ninja Luxe Café and Espresso Machines
What Makes the Ninja Luxe Café Unique?
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is a standout coffee system designed for versatility and ease of use. It allows you to make both regular coffee and espresso shots with minimal effort, accommodating various drink sizes to suit your needs. Equipped with a built-in scale and an advanced milk frother, the Luxe Café Premier ensures precise measurements and consistent results every time.
This machine excels in creating drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and even cold foam for iced drinks. With its stylish design and user-friendly features, it’s no wonder the Ninja Luxe Café consistently receives glowing reviews.
How Do I Brew Espresso with the Luxe Café Premier?
Brewing espresso with the Luxe Café Premier is simple:
Add fresh coffee grounds to the filter basket or use pre-measured pods.
Choose your grind setting for a finer grind if you’re using fresh beans.
Fill the water tank with filtered water for the best flavor.
Select your desired drink size, such as a single or two espresso shots.
Start brewing using the grind button for precise control.
For those who love variety, you can make a bold regular espresso or create a balanced latte with plant-based milksusing the milk frother.
Can I Use the Ninja Luxe Café for Iced Drinks?
Yes! The Ninja Luxe Café is perfect for creating refreshing iced drinks. Simply brew espresso or cold press coffee directly over ice. The machine’s cold foam feature lets you top your drink with smooth foam for a café-quality finish. Adding ice to your drinks is seamless, thanks to the machine’s versatile design.
Does the Ninja Luxe Café Include All the Accessories I Need?
Absolutely. The Ninja Luxe Café Premier comes with all the accessories you need to get started, including:
A high-quality milk jug for steaming and frothing milk.
A set of two filter baskets for single and double basket options.
A convenient cleaning brush for easy maintenance.
A removable bottom tray to catch spills and make cleaning hassle-free.
With these tools, you can explore the full range of the Luxe Café Premier’s capabilities.
Can I Use Plant-Based Milks with the Luxe Café Premier?
Yes, the Luxe Café Premier works wonderfully with plant-based milks. Whether you prefer almond, oat, soy, or another option, the machine’s advanced milk frother creates rich, creamy foam or thin foam, depending on your preference. This flexibility makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking to enjoy lattes or cappuccinos without dairy.
What Is the Bean Hopper Used For?
The bean hopper is where you store whole beans before grinding. The Luxe Café Premier features a durable bean hopper that ensures your beans stay fresh. This is especially important if you’re trying out new beans to explore different flavor profiles.
What Are the First Impressions of the Luxe Café Premier?
Ninja Luxe Café reviews often praise the machine’s sleek design, intuitive controls, and ability to brew regular coffeeand espresso shots with ease. Users love how the machine takes minimal counter space while offering premium functionality, such as a built-in scale and advanced milk frother. These features make a lasting impression on new owners, even after just a few weeks of use.
How Do I Maintain the Ninja Luxe Café?
Proper maintenance keeps your machine performing like new. Here are some tips:
Quick Purge: Use this feature to clean the system after each brew.
Clean the Filter Baskets: Regularly rinse the filter basket to remove any buildup of coffee grounds.
Empty the Bottom Tray: Keep the removable bottom tray clean to prevent overflow.
Descale the Water Tank: Use a cleaning solution to descale the water tank every few months, especially if you use filtered water.
The cleaning brush included with the machine makes these tasks simple and ensures the Luxe Café Premier stays in excellent condition.
Can the Luxe Café Premier Brew for Two Cups Simultaneously?
Yes, the Luxe Café Premier can brew for one or two cups at the same time, making it ideal for couples or guests. Use the double basket to prepare two balanced espresso shots in one brew cycle. This feature is especially handy when entertaining or crafting multiple drinks back-to-back.
What Can I Make with the Luxe Café Premier?
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is designed for versatility, allowing you to create:
Espresso shots with a rich crema.
Lattes with intricate latte art, thanks to the milk frother.
Smooth cold foam for iced drinks.
Regular or thin froth for cappuccinos.
Bold regular coffee with a customizable strength setting.
With features like the built-in scale and precise controls, this machine ensures every drink is tailored to your taste.
Are There Other Reviews of the Luxe Café Premier?
Yes, several Ninja Luxe Café reviews highlight its performance, design, and ease of use. Many users note that it competes well with other machines in its category, offering excellent value for its price. Whether you’re new to espresso or a seasoned coffee enthusiast, the Luxe Café Premier is frequently recommended for its reliability and consistent results.
Does the Luxe Café Premier Support Cold Press Brewing?
Yes, the machine offers the ability to create a smooth, low-acidity cold press coffee. Simply use cold water with the appropriate setting, and the system will brew coffee that’s perfect for hot days or as a base for iced drinks.
How Does the Luxe Café Premier Compare to Other Machines?
When compared to other machines, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier stands out for its versatility, intuitive design, and premium features. Unlike standard coffee makers, it allows you to brew everything from regular coffee to café-quality espresso shots. The addition of a built-in scale, filter baskets, and an adjustable milk frother makes it a top choice for coffee enthusiasts.
Final Verdict: Is the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Worth It?
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is an excellent all-in-one machine for coffee lovers who want to enjoy a variety of brewing options without investing in multiple devices. Its versatile brewing modes, built-in grinder, and automated milk frothing make it ideal for both beginners and experienced users.
While it may lack the fine-tuned control of higher-end machines like the Breville Barista Express, its ease of use, cold brew capabilities, and competitive price make it a strong contender in the home coffee market.
Credits to Tom’s Coffee Corner
For more details or to purchase, visit the official Ninja Kitchen website.
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