Fancy becoming an official coffee botherer?:bit.ly/coffeebotherers Join the brew time mailing list (trust me, you'll be glad you did 🙂): coffeeblog.co.uk/joinbrewtime European version now launched in the UK has a hot water spout, single shot basket, Americano on the menu & single espresso. See my 1 month update: ua-cam.com/video/AdieBU2MhAY/v-deo.html Full Tutorial (using the 601 UK/EU): ua-cam.com/video/2BSYSEaMI-k/v-deo.html Order from Amazon.com: amzn.to/482TlN0 Pre-order from Amazon UK: amzn.to/4h4C22z Pre-order from Amazon.de: amzn.to/4gVR9LD 501 "Essensials" version now available to order on Amazon.de: amzn.to/4h4oWSQ At 8:05 where I say "press and hold the grind size button" I meant the drink size button, Doh!
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Seems so according to the same question I posed to Kev. He recomends Creworks 3000w. I see it is sold by Amazon fr wherre I live at 99 eur which is a good price. Creworks suggest using it best for under 2400 w
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Step down converter required if you're using a 120v model (I bought this one: amzn.to/3As6McZ ) but I reckon it'll be available here within a couple of months. Ta, Kev.
Wow that's very kind of you Mark, thanks! 😎. Thanks again for your help, being able to study your first look post and pick your brains was very helpful!
Kev, this was incredibly informative and thorough review -truly the best I’ve seen in a while! Your attention to detail and clear explanations made it easy to understand the features and benefits of the machine. Keep up the fantastic work! I look forward to your future videos.
I wouldn't worry. You've got a better espresso machine. Better built, better components, better (Baratza) burrs, and better tasting espresso. The Ninja does it all for $500, is better than a $350 machine + $150 grinder, and if that's your budget, then great. But even Kev admits it's essentially a disposable piece of kit.
not into coffee, came across your video. What an amazing review! You have an engineering mind. You put yourself in the shoes of the average user. Bravo sir.
I got this machine on August 5th and have almost gone through a pound of coffee so far. This is my first espresso machine. I was thinking about getting the Breville Bambino Plus. But, so far I am very happy with the Ninja Luxe.
Whilst the Sage Touch Impress is no doubt a better looking machine, the price is no longer justified considering what features the Ninja comes with. The ability to make cold foam and filter coffee makes it a winner in my eyes.
Except, having tried both ( by shop does demos ).. The Sage/Breville makes far better espresso if you dial it in and get it right. But that's really all it does as well. IME, that's all I need it for. I'd keep this as a separate machine to make all the other drinks, though. As a super coffee machine, this thing is amazing.
This has been really helpful. I’m waiting for a big birthday which is rapidly approaching. I was set on a barista pro and then started having doubts when I saw this launch. This review has really helped me decide the Barista pro is the correct decision.
Just a note on longevity, have had a Ninja smoothie blender for the best part of 10 years, while my mum and sister have had multiple nutri bullets, my ninja is still going strong, along with my shark steam mop (same parent company i believe). I do take care of my stuff though, but have had multiple washing machines in that same time. I would say from experience Ninja stuff is pretty good quality.
The issue with espresso machines is they have a number of components that won't last forever, usually just little things like O-rings & gaskets. How long they last will depend on various factors including how often the machine is been descaled (descaler solution can reduce the life of O-rings etc), and sometimes there can just be a batch of these things that don't last as long as they usually would. There are various little, often inexpensive components too in coffee machines like this that are prone to going after a few years, and are really cheap and simple to replace, IF the parts are available and there's the necessary structure in place. When there's the logistics in place to be able to diagnose and repair stuff like this, it's really nothing, for example a machine develops a little leak internally, it's opened up, an O-ring is degraded, it costs pennies, it's replaced, the machine will probably happily go on for another few years. The issue that I mention about "kitchen appliances" is that there's usually no provision in place for someone to have their machine diagnosed and repaired, and even where the user is handy or knows an engineer, often there are specific parts that aren't easily available. Within the warranty period, I'd usually expect appliances at this kind of cost to be replaced, and outside of warranty, I assume (I could be wrong, it's been known to happen 😄) that getting hold of very simple, cheap parts, such as a group gasket, won't be possible or at least won't be easy, exactly the same as I've seen with other appliance brands that look like Sage/Breville machines, perform like them in some respects at least, but are really made as appliances, to be box shifted, and replaced if they break. Sage/Breville haven't been perfect in this regard to be honest, up until recently it's often been a real pain to get hold of their parts, they've been "available", but in many cases not, unless you hunt them down from another country. Thankfully they've been working on that, and you can get the parts for them (UK: coffeeclassics.co.uk/parts) so if you're handy you can do repairs yourself in the future, if you're not you can find an engineer who will. Ta Kev
One other thing, saw a video where the reviewer opened the luxe up and it was not simple. Some hidden screws, screws requiring long bits, pieces that need to open a certain way, etc. But in a year or two I’m sure there will be plenty of videos on fixing these.
There is no electronic that will last forever, like those Kelvinator fridges from the past. We need to accept the fact that life expectancy of any electronic is 5 years give or take, anyway, we will all want a new thing in a few years so lets just buy what we like and enjoy it as long as it last.
'Secret life as a Ninja'. 😂 Hilarious! Love it! Excellent video, keep them coming. The Ninja looks like an awesome machine, very versatile, very clever & at an amazing price. Love the storage compartments too. ☕️👌
To me sadly it's the opposite. I used to love this channel but since the exaggerated "comedy" scenes got more and more I started to lose interest and rather watch other channels.
Yet here you are, watching my videos 🤓😄. There's too much serious in the world if you ask me, we plan on doing more light hearted comedy stuff, defo not less, so you may want to smash that unsub button 😂.
I have a retired Barista Express I used for 9 years and am currently using the Barista Pro. If you can swing it, it's a wonderful machine. I like the shot timer the best. Good luck.
Legit burst out laughing at the small cups 15:35 Great thorough review though! And I'm similarly confused by the lack of hot water dispenser. I suppose the drip coffee does eliminate the need for an easy Americano but why not have the option anyway?
Just heard about this having had Ninja appliances that simply don't die - ever, a bit like my Gaggia Classic! So glad I saw this before plumping for the Breville which I see tend to break down after 4 to 5 years. Finally, good quality builds at a price that isn't simply silly and given all the extra features that are proper and not just throw away. Can't wait to get my hands on one!
This looks like an amazing entry level machine for the average person who wants to enjoy great coffee. I got my first bean to cup machine last year in the Barista Pro, I certainly don't regret it but definitely remember the first messy week getting to grips with it.
What a brilliant review. You should do reviews of other stuff. Was looking at several reviews and this is easily the most informative, most professional and most entertaining. Well done. 👍
Thank you so much for the review!!!Try this for cold espresso. Put the cup with the hot espresso inside the freezer and after 5,10 minutes put it in a shaker with 3 or more ice cubes and start shaking for 1 or 2 sec.Then put as many ice cubes you want in a glass (the same you have in your video) and put the shaken coffee in.This way you drink coffee not water with coffee!!!
Just ordered one. They are now available (more expensive than you suggest but....) enjoyed your informative video and will subscribe and even purchase some beans. How nice am I?
I love this channel, it's just so high quality in all aspects. My only complaint would be that it sometimes feels a little too "sterile", I can't paint a better picture. And then this banger of an intro comes around...
Brilliant video man, been looking at this machine a fair bit but so far all the “reviews” have been influencers who got sent the machine. Was hoping you would get your hands on it. Will have to watch out for a UK release
Thanks for the great review. I had a barista touch impress and ended up returning it because the intelligent dosing stopped working. I was just about ready to drop $2k for the Oracle Jet, but then I saw this Ninja Lux and ordered it from Amazon. The reviews I watched so far all give me hope that I made the right choice ($500 vs $2k).
If you have that much money, but a budget/in the middle? A used Sage/Breville dual boiler is the absolute best beast of a machine. The company went the screen and fancy grinder and options/bling route instead of doubling down on what is basically the same as a $2500 prosumer level machine. Even new, at the price, the dual boiler is a steal and IMO, the best machine they ever made.
While I won’t be buying this machine, I’m happy to see so many features for the price point. It’ll make others step their game up. Save have long been the home espresso machine for many, hopefully they’ll take note here too.
You can't steam milk while brewing, but you can operate the cold frother while brewing, so you if you're making a cold pressed espresso and cold froth for a Frappuccino for example, you can do that simultaneously. Cheers, Kev.
Cheers for this review buddy. I’ve been looking at the barista express impress and now you’ve cemented my purchase of the machine. I appreciate the review, was waiting for reviews to come out for this first. Plus we don’t know when you can get it in the uk which doesn’t help choosing this
Hi Kev. Just watched you video on the UK Ninja machine and I'm torn! Thanks again for an entertaining yet formative review. I want to dip my toe into the home Barista hobby but I also need a machine to do the daily grind. You say that maybe that the Ninja isn't the machine to progress a Barista hobby but does it have the facility to dial in? Wetherby start and stopping the machine or halting processes? As I've mentioned in my previous emails I have a little resistance from others in the family to have a machine that just makes coffee. Having discussed this if I get a machine that could do both the resistance is waning, so I could splash the cash and dive in? I'm sure I'm not alone as given the investment I bet others would like to experiment on bringing on their Barista skills. Thanks again for for keeping me engaged. Regards Steve
I've had one for a few weeks now and love it! The only thing I don't like about it is the couple pounds of weight I've put on from having 1-2 lattes every day...
YES! Thank you for this, a proper, fun, Q&A about this one. I think you're the first to tackle it more from a coffee enthusiast angle than an influencer Tik-Toker bullcrap one - I very much appreciate it. While I don't disagree with your comment regarding potential longevity and reparability versus the Sage (Breville, had a BBE and now using a moded BDB), I guess that remains to be seen - my current Ninja kitchen appliances appear to have been built to last so who knows. The only question left for me would be is there any ability to extend the pre infusion like on the Breville by holding the shot button ? Otherwise, curious to see how it fares with lighter roasts.
Thanks for the very kind words 🙏🙏😎. Nah you can't change the preinfusion. I've heard mainly good stuff about Ninja products, and overall I'm positive about the build quality (my engineer friend is going to do a tear down for me to let me know what's what, keep a look out for the video). But with espresso machines there are always things that will go at some point, mainly daft little thinks like O-rings and gaskets. If you go 3 years without needing to replace one of these, you've done well. So it depends on whether there's any provision in place for what to do if this happens. Sage/Breville have an out of warranty support partner, and it's much better now as they're supplying the parts, so someone could either have a look themselves or just find a local engineer to diagnose and repair. With some appliance brands that are producing similar looking machines to Sage, you can't even get a replacement group gasket, as it's a very specific part, so out of warranty just something as insignificant as that will render it useless. So it'll be interesting to see what the crack is here with Ninja. Ta, Kev.
I already ordered my machine. Always wanted to get into home espresso but found the sage / Breville machines in the USA to be very intimidating with dialing up the machine. t
I have had mine for 2 months now. I put a 20oz travel mug under it and I select 16 oz and for some reason it always overfills the mug. I wonder if there is a way to recalibrate for amount of water it flows when making coffee.
So apart from the fact that they arent directly comparable since they are targetted at different consumer groups, between the ninja luxe and the breveille barista express, for the average coffee drinker, if they were at a similar price point (i found a couple deals) which do you think is better value for the money overall? I likely would use the ninja to replace my current Keurig, and I would definitely use the cold brew and cold foam options with the occasional espresso drink. Where as the breville would likely last much longer, but see far less daily use as well. Do you still think it's a better investment long term?
If you find that the "classic" setting is a bit too intense, you could just remove a small amount of the coffee from the basket prior to brewing, or you could add more hot water, although the US version as I've mentioned doesn't have a hot water button, the EU version it appears will have, so whether the US version will be updated maybe, time will tell. Cheers.
@@Coffee_Kev perfect!!! Thank you….hot water dispenser would certainly be nice but not a deal breaker….perhaps they’re holding outon that for the next version so we all have to buy it twice 🤣😂
I have the Lelit Victoria with a 2.5 L water tank. I make only Americano's with hot water from the steam wand. I make two coffees a day. I find the Victoria tank good for only two days, when you include all the purges, cleaning and drink water dispersed. The Ninja would require even more frequent changes if it dispensed hot water. If I'm in a hurry for one cup of water, in the microwave for one minute.
What part of what I said do you think wasn't objective, just out of interest? I don't disagree with you where espresso is concerned actually. What I said about the comparison with the Sage machine wasn't concerning espresso quality, I was referring to how these are completely different kinds of machines. Cheers, Kev.
Hi Coffee Kev, love your videos, and for last 9 months have been using the sage bambino plus (bought a refurbished one off amazon)- it’s a great little machine - but steam wand keeps getting blocked have tried everything- (every 2 weeks roughly) even though I purge my wand daily 😂 how does this machine (ninja) compare to bambino plus? I have a sage grinder pro - but slowly looking for a replacement as Bambino outgrowing - starting to annoy me 😅
Hi Kev great video as always! I have a Sage Barista Pro that is a few years old now and I was considering replacing. If this is around £499 as you expect would you recommend this over a new Barista Pro at £649? This looks great and I do like Ninja products although I have loved my Barista Pro as well! Thanks again
I still like my Barista Express a little more, though, yes, it is a fiddly thing compared to an actual $1500-$2000 proper PID type prosumer machine. BUT... all I care about is espresso, and once dialed in, it makes espresso as good as most coffee shops in town. My gripe, though, is the workflow on it is slow and making two cups of whatever I feel like in the morning for myself and my son is a solid 10 minute affair from start to cleaning and reassembly. I like the hot water feature on the Barista Express. But the included grinder is admittedly a bit rubbish. If I had to do it over again, I'd have gotten the Bambino Plus and a separate grinder as it's very hard to get a consistent amount of grind from it. You will need a timer and scale, a proper self-levelling tamper, and some other accessories that the Bambino Plus doesn't really need or that a proper grinder would solve. And the milk frother on the Express is simple but also 20 year old tech. So it's not like the Express/Bambino is perfect - far from it. But it DOES make better espresso if that's all you care about :)
How do you fill the water or did I miss that part. Do you need to pull it out. I have cupboards above where i would put it and don’t want to be pulling it out every time it needs filled.
Hey Kev its now on the Ninja site at £550, but not in stock yet, would you say this or a Sage Barista pro which is the same money with discount, im coming off a Barista express which just died, keep up the good work fellow Coffee botherer :)
Thanks 😎. Just depends on what you want. The Luxe is a hugely flexible family coffee machine, the Barista pro is a home barista espresso machine with an integrated grinder. If you've slipped down the home barista rabbit hole, I don't think the Luxe is really for you, although it would probably have it's moments even for seasoned home baristas. I've made quite a few iced coffees with it, with cold foam, and since I've had it, although I've been continuing to use my usual machines for flat white, I've made myself a filter style coffee with it most mornings, love it. Cheers, Kev.
Thanks for this review. I bought the Sage Express Impress and spoke to you over email at length about it and we came to the conclusion that the grinder was calibrated incorrectly. I ended up sending it back and got a full refund as they no longer had any stock of the one I bought. Now I've seen this review Im pretty sure this is the machine that is right for me at the moment and will replace my Sage Grinder and Bambino Plus just because of the flexibility and ease of use. I'm not a huge fan of pure espresso and prefer hot and cold milk based drinks which this seems to be very good at.
What sort of issues did you have? I've got one and I had pretty weird results with it - needed to grind most coffees at around 5 to get anything near drinkable, plus the grind setting would randomly change on its own and a few other weird things that just made using it a frustrating experience with many many wasted coffee beans. Had the grinder replaced under warranty and it's now much better, needing 12-15 ish grind settings which seems more realistic. I've had mine for nearly a year now and it's doing ok but the grind setting still seems to randomly change from time to time which is irritating. I am really liking the look of this Ninja machine though. I like that it can do cold brew and quad shots, very tempted.
Hi Kev, do you think a Sage Barista Express would make a better/tastier espresso then this Ninja? Im looking to get one and on Amazon they are both same price nearly. And Im not sure which 😵💫 Thank you! 🙏🤜🤛
Hi, I’m a newbie to home coffee and I am researching like you wouldn’t believe, I was just about to order a niche zero/ df64 couldn’t make mind up on conical or flat burr, I love espresso 😊, going to buy a sage dual temp - then I saw this video 🤣🤣 - how would you change from caff to de caff beans - I can’t drink caff in the afternoon 😢 - can you single dose the grinder? Thank you for your videos - I have subscribed ❤
Yeah, and the hot water spout. Just keep in mind that the advanced settings menu is different on the UK model, so ignore what I say in this about adjusting stuff, see my pinned comment for how that's changed. I've not noticed any temp issues, but have you tried running a couple of blank shots to warm everything up? Also, the heater kicks in after grinding, and heats up the group, so if you want to purge the grinds anyway to ensure you're starting with all fresh coffee in the basket, you can help to pre-heat by starting the grind as soon as you turn the machine on, dump that first dose, install the portafilter, with no coffee in the basket, then just give it a minute or two, and then press the brew button, put your cup below so that gets heated up too - then grind again & start your shot, this should make sure you're starting out well heated up.
Yeah you could use a separate grinder if you wanted to, it wouldn't work as intended, the barista assistance wouldn't be able to work, but yeah you'd be able to do it.
Hey, thanks for the video! The boiler in my Breville Infuser Espresso Machine BES840XLjust went bad. And the ninja would save me some time for sure. I do enjoy nerding out, but I think I’ll replace it with the ninja. Sending into Breville to see how much it i will be to fix.
Great video! As you said I’m still leaning towards the express for my setup, but this is as you say an alternative if for my example, new born and option for quicker cuppa. It’s just regretting the whole hands on experience! Just a quick one, did you fine you can get better microform for latte art with the manual steam? Know it’s not as powerful as sage Oh and I’ll give your coffee a butchers, think you mentioned it 👍
Thanks 🙂. With manual steam, yeah defo, it's capable of perfect microfoam manually. On Auto, the steam only option (that you'd set it to if you're using it manually) doesn't aerate, it only steams, so it's MEGA loud (milk screaming due to no aeration) and there's no stretching at all so can't pour anything with it in terms of latte art, if you put it on the next one up, it's good but it's just a little bit on the stiff side for pouring, they could do with a setting in between those two. I think most "normal" coffee drinkers will be really happy with the auto froth though. Oh did I mention my coffee, couldn't remember if I had 😝. Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev just watched again, yea you did mention haha. Thanks, food for thought but I wanted a natural progression from my bambino plus of 8 years and growing experience with dialling in and the process or making the shot. Good machine ninja but still think I’d miss the art side of it as you say so thanks for the vid 👍
Hello, new to your channel, just wondering if you have any advice - my ninja machine is not dripping much espresso, it just drips and I have to press the espresso button 3-4 times to get the correct amount. I passed through just water and that seemed to work but when the coffee is in doesn’t seem to work properly. Do you have an ideas what this could be, also is there any possibility it could be the beans I’m using (lavazza) thank you
A hot water dispenser looks great in a brochure but it's a fast way to empty your water reservoir. I have a water dispenser and never use it and I drink americanos all the time. I heat the water I need in a pan. Interesting machine but I would question reliability in the long term. There's only so much reliability you can design into a $500 machine. I've had a Decent Espresso machine for about 5 years and reliability is perfect but it's expected at its price point. I like that this machine has gone in a completely new direction. Oddly enough, the low price point is somewhat troublesome as in, how do you make a profit and still build in reliability. I would suggest using only bottled water to avoid the whole scaling issue. What kind of maintenance is suggested in the user manual?
The taste of the espresso will come down to the beans you're using, mainly. If you're using the touch impress purely following the barista guidance, and using the Ninja purely following the barista guidance, using the same beans - I would imagine you'd be hard pressed to taste the difference. We'll try this in a future video though, doing some blind taste testing purely using the barista guidance on both and seeing what the difference is.
Depends really.... tamp pressure, boiler pressure (thermoblock or jet pressure) and whether which grinder does the best job... These machines are too automatic and coming close to super automation. Just stick with something semi-auto like a classic machine like the Gaggia Classic EVO or even that new Asian HiBrew espresso machine that cost about $299 on Amazon. That machine has a PID as well as a pressure gauge (it heats up very quickly). Learn a bit about espresso and how to dial in a shot. Get a single dose grinder (HiBrew G5) and a scale. Dial in the right amount of grind coffee and size to your taste (you control everything), steam the milk the way you want..
I suspect the 110V version can't do hot water very well as it'll be limited to ~1.8kW. The 220V will be much more capable. Interesting machine, almost seems to good to be true at that price point, but it's probably a bit of a Ninja loss leader, certain for the first year or two.
Love this machine but with my pod machine I can happily switch to a decaf in the afternoon as I tend to do. With this machine I’d have to go through the dialing in process again just to switch to decaf beans. Not sure I’m willing. But it sure looks like a great machine
yeah what to do about decaf is always a pain. De'Longhi have handled it the best so far, in my opinion, with the Rivelia: ua-cam.com/video/p3eFm2funos/v-deo.html
@@SomeRandomUA-camr2024 don’t want to clutter up my kitchen counter with 2 coffee machines so I will stick with my pod machine for now I guess. Or I guess just use decaf coffee in the ninja all the time as it’s about the taste for me. The caffeine is not that important to me. Cheers.
Hi Kev I am torn between this and delonghi Rivelia. My main use is going to be mainly 1-2 coffees a day with more on the weekends. I like black coffee but enjoy occasional milk coffees. I know they are very different machines but if you had to compare them what would you say?
Yeah, bit of a tricky one. Rivelia has the dual hoppers and switch mode, which is very clever, great option for switching beans. In terms of espresso quality, Rivelia is pretty good, but the Ninja makes "true" portafilter espresso, and the barista assistance does a really good job too. Also I prefer the cold frothing on the Ninja vs the Rivelia, if that matters to you - and you don't need to buy an add on for that either, as you do with the Rivelia. Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kevthank you so much for the reply I mostly do hot drinks but good quality black coffee is really important for me. I was leaning towards the Rivelia due to mess free and probably longer lifespan due to build quality. The Ninja came out of no where 🥷and the barista assist and the features are just too good to resist.
Before i saw this machine soon hitting the Uk i was about to buy the Sage Bambino plus and the Sage smart grinder pro which with your discount code is probably about £100 more than the Ninja machine. What would you recommend to get Kev?
Depends on you, the Barista pro is a traditional espresso machine with a built in grinder, you have complete control over the dose, ratio/volume. The Ninja Luxe is really a family coffee machine, it'll do espresso too, and it does a flipping good job of it too, to be fair, but if you weren't bothered about filter style coffee, cold brew style, cold pressed espresso, cold froth and so on, and you just wanted an espresso machine, you'd probably find the Barista Pro a better bet. Ta, Kev.
I have a sage barista touch which is 4 years old now. Is it worth selling it for the ninja as the price used for the touch is pretty much the price of the ninja?
It's difficult to say, to be honest. Vs the Barista Touch, the Luxe has the barista assistance which is very good, and of course it has the filter style coffee, cold brew style, cold pressed espresso and cold froth. I'd say the Barista Touch has slightly better shot quality potential, and more control over the espresso. Ta, Kev.
I currently have a la pavoni that I do not use as often as I should as I just can’t get the consistency on it to know I’m going to enjoy why I make with it. Can’t decide if I should buy one thing like this an know I’ll get good enough, easily achieved drinks or a normal pump driven espresso machine that I will at east feel like I’m making the code myself but may now end up using as much as a result…
I've had the Barista Express and I still want a Profitec PID machine some day. Definitely keep that La Pavoni and keep learning. You will thank yourself eventually ;) The most common roblem with using that machine is that you need to pre-infuse the portafilter and then ramp up the pressure. This takes a lot of practice on that. BUT, IMO, few hings make better espresso with a wider range of beans. The downside is, as you know, the workflow is laughably 'Italian". As in, espresso is done when it's done. :) Most consistent in a consumer machine that I've had was the Breville/Sage dual boiler. Absolutely idiot-proof once you have your grind dialed in.
Available on JL to pre order for 25th Sep onwards at £550, Hey Kev I had a Sage express but it just died after 5 years, so I was looking at a Sage pro, all I will be making is the best flat white type coffee I can, so do you think the Barista pro or Ninja? Thanks
If you're someone who never, or very rarely touched the grind adjustment on the express, as I know quite a few people do, "set & forget mode", then I'd say the Ninja is better suited. If you always dialled in with the express, and you're accustomed to the control you have over the shot, I think you'd find the barista Pro a better fit. Cheers, Kev.
As a noob to this, I would’ve bought this over the impress express . I still love my sage but if the price of this stays as expected I can see a lot being bought.
yeah there's the 501, 601 & 701. 701 has a tamp lever, and from what I can gather it also has ristretto and lungo on the espresso menu, and an extra thick milk foam option, plus a third espresso basket. 501 doesn't have the cold stuff. It does look like the 601 UK version is coming with a hot water button too, although I've not been able to get confirmation from Ninja. I've got the 601 on pre-order so I'll update as soon as I get it.
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European version now launched in the UK has a hot water spout, single shot basket, Americano on the menu & single espresso.
See my 1 month update: ua-cam.com/video/AdieBU2MhAY/v-deo.html
Full Tutorial (using the 601 UK/EU): ua-cam.com/video/2BSYSEaMI-k/v-deo.html
Order from Amazon.com: amzn.to/482TlN0
Pre-order from Amazon UK: amzn.to/4h4C22z
Pre-order from Amazon.de: amzn.to/4gVR9LD
501 "Essensials" version now available to order on Amazon.de: amzn.to/4h4oWSQ
At 8:05 where I say "press and hold the grind size button" I meant the drink size button, Doh!
Hi! Thanks for the video, is this dual voltage or would I need a step down converter to use it in the UK now?
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Seems so according to the same question I posed to Kev. He recomends Creworks 3000w. I see it is sold by Amazon fr wherre I live at 99 eur which is a good price. Creworks suggest using it best for under 2400 w
@@TheSergeantPorkchop Step down converter required if you're using a 120v model (I bought this one: amzn.to/3As6McZ ) but I reckon it'll be available here within a couple of months. Ta, Kev.
Do you have any idea when and if it will be available in Europe ?
I've emailed Ninja to ask for ETA in UK, no response yet - will update when they come back
I think this may be the best review video you've done so far. and that's saying something. Well covered, Kev!
Wow that's very kind of you Mark, thanks! 😎. Thanks again for your help, being able to study your first look post and pick your brains was very helpful!
Kev, this was incredibly informative and thorough review -truly the best I’ve seen in a while! Your attention to detail and clear explanations made it easy to understand the features and benefits of the machine.
Keep up the fantastic work! I look forward to your future videos.
Wow what a nice comment, thanks! Made my day 😎. Cheers, Kev.
Great review it answered all the questions I had for it
I bought the Breville Barista Touch Impress a couple months ago and Im kicking myself now… this machine looks awesome
I wouldn't worry. You've got a better espresso machine. Better built, better components, better (Baratza) burrs, and better tasting espresso. The Ninja does it all for $500, is better than a $350 machine + $150 grinder, and if that's your budget, then great. But even Kev admits it's essentially a disposable piece of kit.
I live in the USA and need to replace my old coffee maker. This was delightful to watch - and a lot of fun! Thanks for the brilliant presentation.
not into coffee, came across your video. What an amazing review! You have an engineering mind. You put yourself in the shoes of the average user. Bravo sir.
That's very kind of you, thanks🙏🙏 😎😎
I got this machine on August 5th and have almost gone through a pound of coffee so far. This is my first espresso machine. I was thinking about getting the Breville Bambino Plus. But, so far I am very happy with the Ninja Luxe.
did you buy it in the UK?
Whilst the Sage Touch Impress is no doubt a better looking machine, the price is no longer justified considering what features the Ninja comes with. The ability to make cold foam and filter coffee makes it a winner in my eyes.
Usually Ninja products are on big sale after a while.
Nah mate this Ninja looks way better! It looks so tidy and smart! But I agree that this is way more appealing for the price of what it can do.
Except, having tried both ( by shop does demos ).. The Sage/Breville makes far better espresso if you dial it in and get it right. But that's really all it does as well. IME, that's all I need it for. I'd keep this as a separate machine to make all the other drinks, though. As a super coffee machine, this thing is amazing.
This has been really helpful. I’m waiting for a big birthday which is rapidly approaching. I was set on a barista pro and then started having doubts when I saw this launch. This review has really helped me decide the Barista pro is the correct decision.
Just a note on longevity, have had a Ninja smoothie blender for the best part of 10 years, while my mum and sister have had multiple nutri bullets, my ninja is still going strong, along with my shark steam mop (same parent company i believe). I do take care of my stuff though, but have had multiple washing machines in that same time. I would say from experience Ninja stuff is pretty good quality.
The issue with espresso machines is they have a number of components that won't last forever, usually just little things like O-rings & gaskets. How long they last will depend on various factors including how often the machine is been descaled (descaler solution can reduce the life of O-rings etc), and sometimes there can just be a batch of these things that don't last as long as they usually would.
There are various little, often inexpensive components too in coffee machines like this that are prone to going after a few years, and are really cheap and simple to replace, IF the parts are available and there's the necessary structure in place.
When there's the logistics in place to be able to diagnose and repair stuff like this, it's really nothing, for example a machine develops a little leak internally, it's opened up, an O-ring is degraded, it costs pennies, it's replaced, the machine will probably happily go on for another few years.
The issue that I mention about "kitchen appliances" is that there's usually no provision in place for someone to have their machine diagnosed and repaired, and even where the user is handy or knows an engineer, often there are specific parts that aren't easily available.
Within the warranty period, I'd usually expect appliances at this kind of cost to be replaced, and outside of warranty, I assume (I could be wrong, it's been known to happen 😄) that getting hold of very simple, cheap parts, such as a group gasket, won't be possible or at least won't be easy, exactly the same as I've seen with other appliance brands that look like Sage/Breville machines, perform like them in some respects at least, but are really made as appliances, to be box shifted, and replaced if they break.
Sage/Breville haven't been perfect in this regard to be honest, up until recently it's often been a real pain to get hold of their parts, they've been "available", but in many cases not, unless you hunt them down from another country. Thankfully they've been working on that, and you can get the parts for them (UK: coffeeclassics.co.uk/parts) so if you're handy you can do repairs yourself in the future, if you're not you can find an engineer who will.
Ta
Kev
One other thing, saw a video where the reviewer opened the luxe up and it was not simple. Some hidden screws, screws requiring long bits, pieces that need to open a certain way, etc. But in a year or two I’m sure there will be plenty of videos on fixing these.
There is no electronic that will last forever, like those Kelvinator fridges from the past. We need to accept the fact that life expectancy of any electronic is 5 years give or take, anyway, we will all want a new thing in a few years so lets just buy what we like and enjoy it as long as it last.
You really answered the exact question that I had in mind… I was comparing this machine to the Brista express
'Secret life as a Ninja'. 😂 Hilarious! Love it! Excellent video, keep them coming. The Ninja looks like an awesome machine, very versatile, very clever & at an amazing price. Love the storage compartments too. ☕️👌
That intro is gold! hahah
hehe thanks! We had fun with that 😄
To me sadly it's the opposite.
I used to love this channel but since the exaggerated "comedy" scenes got more and more I started to lose interest and rather watch other channels.
Yet here you are, watching my videos 🤓😄. There's too much serious in the world if you ask me, we plan on doing more light hearted comedy stuff, defo not less, so you may want to smash that unsub button 😂.
@@IchsehmirFilmean For me it's exactly the opposite, other channels sometimes seem too technical and monotonous, great variety in humour here :)
That was funny
Great review! Very informative and helpful! Could be a great Christmas gift!
Great review, in depth with little faff and good humour! :D Really interested in getting this when it is released in the UK!
really enjoyed this rapid fire FAQ style presentation of the review!
Thanks :-)
Very informative and funny delivery. Quick and snappy but also very engaging. New subscriber here!
Very kind of you, cheers 😎👍, Kev.
Would love to see a compare/vs video with this and the touch impress
I’d love to see that comparison too, as do many I’m sure.
it's coming 👍
@Coffee_Kev same as may sell my barista touch for this
Great review as always Kev! Super helpful info and has made me think the Barista Express will likely be my next machine instead. Thanks!
Cheers, very kind!😎
I have a retired Barista Express I used for 9 years and am currently using the Barista Pro. If you can swing it, it's a wonderful machine. I like the shot timer the best. Good luck.
Legit burst out laughing at the small cups 15:35
Great thorough review though! And I'm similarly confused by the lack of hot water dispenser. I suppose the drip coffee does eliminate the need for an easy Americano but why not have the option anyway?
Just heard about this having had Ninja appliances that simply don't die - ever, a bit like my Gaggia Classic!
So glad I saw this before plumping for the Breville which I see tend to break down after 4 to 5 years.
Finally, good quality builds at a price that isn't simply silly and given all the extra features that are proper and not just throw away. Can't wait to get my hands on one!
This looks like an amazing entry level machine for the average person who wants to enjoy great coffee. I got my first bean to cup machine last year in the Barista Pro, I certainly don't regret it but definitely remember the first messy week getting to grips with it.
Yeah this machine will hugely shorten the learning curve 👍
Friendly FYI. The grind by weight is accurate but only on the espresso mode. For other modes, it's grind by time like you mentioned.
What a brilliant review. You should do reviews of other stuff. Was looking at several reviews and this is easily the most informative, most professional and most entertaining. Well done. 👍
Thanks, I have quite a few videos for you to check out!
Thank you so much for the review!!!Try this for cold espresso. Put the cup with the hot espresso inside the freezer and after 5,10 minutes put it in a shaker with 3 or more ice cubes and start shaking for 1 or 2 sec.Then put as many ice cubes you want in a glass (the same you have in your video) and put the shaken coffee in.This way you drink coffee not water with coffee!!!
If I was buying my espresso machine right now, I would definitely buy this instead of the Barista Pro that I did buy.
Just ordered one. They are now available (more expensive than you suggest but....) enjoyed your informative video and will subscribe and even purchase some beans. How nice am I?
Class intro and a great video!
Thanks for making this review so fun to watch! Informative too 😁
Thanks for the very kind words! 😎
I love this channel, it's just so high quality in all aspects. My only complaint would be that it sometimes feels a little too "sterile", I can't paint a better picture. And then this banger of an intro comes around...
Haha thanks! We'll have to do more like this, it was fun! 😄
Wow almost went for the Touch Impress but I’m going to wait for this!
Brilliant video man, been looking at this machine a fair bit but so far all the “reviews” have been influencers who got sent the machine. Was hoping you would get your hands on it. Will have to watch out for a UK release
Cheers 😎. I'll update the pinned comment as soon as I get a date. Ta, Kev.
15:33 lmao them tiny cups, well played
haha, thanks!
This was a brilliant video. Take a bow.
Thanks for the great review. I had a barista touch impress and ended up returning it because the intelligent dosing stopped working. I was just about ready to drop $2k for the Oracle Jet, but then I saw this Ninja Lux and ordered it from Amazon. The reviews I watched so far all give me hope that I made the right choice ($500 vs $2k).
If you have that much money, but a budget/in the middle? A used Sage/Breville dual boiler is the absolute best beast of a machine. The company went the screen and fancy grinder and options/bling route instead of doubling down on what is basically the same as a $2500 prosumer level machine. Even new, at the price, the dual boiler is a steal and IMO, the best machine they ever made.
While I won’t be buying this machine, I’m happy to see so many features for the price point. It’ll make others step their game up. Save have long been the home espresso machine for many, hopefully they’ll take note here too.
Question, can you froth milk while brewing coffee or is it just one function at a time?? Great review, seriously tempted on e they release in Europe
You can't steam milk while brewing, but you can operate the cold frother while brewing, so you if you're making a cold pressed espresso and cold froth for a Frappuccino for example, you can do that simultaneously. Cheers, Kev.
Thanks for this, what would you choose; this or Barista touch impress?
I would also love to know this. As in if u were personally getting one
Me too! Kevin, which one would you choose?
Cheers for this review buddy. I’ve been looking at the barista express impress and now you’ve cemented my purchase of the machine. I appreciate the review, was waiting for reviews to come out for this first. Plus we don’t know when you can get it in the uk which doesn’t help choosing this
Glad you found my video helpful Daniel.
We need a tear down to see what’s inside. It maybe more repairable than you think. I’m just not doing it to mine😂😂 I love this thing btw
Someone already did that on UA-cam. Saw this morning
which channel ?@@Vahan210
How did you buy it? I’m in Australia and tried to order direct from Ninja but it doesn’t ship here.
Hi Kev.
Just watched you video on the UK Ninja machine and I'm torn!
Thanks again for an entertaining yet formative review.
I want to dip my toe into the home Barista hobby but I also need a machine to do the daily grind.
You say that maybe that the Ninja isn't the machine to progress a Barista hobby but does it have the facility to dial in?
Wetherby start and stopping the machine or halting processes?
As I've mentioned in my previous emails I have a little resistance from others in the family to have a machine that just makes coffee.
Having discussed this if I get a machine that could do both the resistance is waning, so I could splash the cash and dive in?
I'm sure I'm not alone as given the investment I bet others would like to experiment on bringing on their Barista skills.
Thanks again for for keeping me engaged.
Regards Steve
I do believe it grinds by weight, because if it runs out of beans before the needed amount it will sound an alarm asking for more beans.
I've had one for a few weeks now and love it! The only thing I don't like about it is the couple pounds of weight I've put on from having 1-2 lattes every day...
YES! Thank you for this, a proper, fun, Q&A about this one. I think you're the first to tackle it more from a coffee enthusiast angle than an influencer Tik-Toker bullcrap one - I very much appreciate it. While I don't disagree with your comment regarding potential longevity and reparability versus the Sage (Breville, had a BBE and now using a moded BDB), I guess that remains to be seen - my current Ninja kitchen appliances appear to have been built to last so who knows. The only question left for me would be is there any ability to extend the pre infusion like on the Breville by holding the shot button ? Otherwise, curious to see how it fares with lighter roasts.
Thanks for the very kind words 🙏🙏😎.
Nah you can't change the preinfusion.
I've heard mainly good stuff about Ninja products, and overall I'm positive about the build quality (my engineer friend is going to do a tear down for me to let me know what's what, keep a look out for the video). But with espresso machines there are always things that will go at some point, mainly daft little thinks like O-rings and gaskets. If you go 3 years without needing to replace one of these, you've done well. So it depends on whether there's any provision in place for what to do if this happens. Sage/Breville have an out of warranty support partner, and it's much better now as they're supplying the parts, so someone could either have a look themselves or just find a local engineer to diagnose and repair. With some appliance brands that are producing similar looking machines to Sage, you can't even get a replacement group gasket, as it's a very specific part, so out of warranty just something as insignificant as that will render it useless. So it'll be interesting to see what the crack is here with Ninja. Ta, Kev.
Just placed an order for a bag of brownie and italian Espresso coffee! Cheers
swimming pool sized "coops" ! 😁😁 (and I even didn't get the 'swimming pool sized' if it wasn't for the autogenerated subtitles!)
I have the De'Longhi ECAM 44.660.B - is this a justified upgrade?
I already ordered my machine. Always wanted to get into home espresso but found the sage / Breville machines in the USA to be very intimidating with dialing up the machine. t
I have had mine for 2 months now. I put a 20oz travel mug under it and I select 16 oz and for some reason it always overfills the mug. I wonder if there is a way to recalibrate for amount of water it flows when making coffee.
That introduction was fucking epic hahaha 😂
Very, very nice review!
Pre-ordered through curry’s for 25/9 and £549, I think this is going to be extremely popular!
Beautiful machine
So apart from the fact that they arent directly comparable since they are targetted at different consumer groups, between the ninja luxe and the breveille barista express, for the average coffee drinker, if they were at a similar price point (i found a couple deals) which do you think is better value for the money overall? I likely would use the ninja to replace my current Keurig, and I would definitely use the cold brew and cold foam options with the occasional espresso drink. Where as the breville would likely last much longer, but see far less daily use as well. Do you still think it's a better investment long term?
Thanks Barista Express it is! I was flip flopping but i think this sums it up nicely for me.
Hi sir! Do you mind if I ask why?
When making the “Classic Coffee” I like mor of a 1:18 vs 1:15…..is there a way to adjust that? Thanks.
If you find that the "classic" setting is a bit too intense, you could just remove a small amount of the coffee from the basket prior to brewing, or you could add more hot water, although the US version as I've mentioned doesn't have a hot water button, the EU version it appears will have, so whether the US version will be updated maybe, time will tell. Cheers.
@@Coffee_Kev perfect!!! Thank you….hot water dispenser would certainly be nice but not a deal breaker….perhaps they’re holding outon that for the next version so we all have to buy it twice 🤣😂
My barista assist is a bit up and down started at 15 and came down to 12 then wanted 7 then 5 and now 9 🤯
Compare it to delonghi elleta explore and other delonghi series also Barista sage please
Just ordered some of your Brownie Blend, also pre ordered this machine through curry’s.
Excellent 😎, thanks for your order. Hope you love it. Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev it’s very nice coffee, got my cousin to order some too. Will definitely be ordering again.
I have the Lelit Victoria with a 2.5 L water tank. I make only Americano's with hot water from the steam wand. I make two coffees a day. I find the Victoria tank good for only two days, when you include all the purges, cleaning and drink water dispersed. The Ninja would require even more frequent changes if it dispensed hot water. If I'm in a hurry for one cup of water, in the microwave for one minute.
This looks amazing for the price!!! Oh. I saw that £309 advert. Silly me. 🙄
I'm assuming it's going to be just under the £500 point here, same as it is in dollars in the states, but watch this space. Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev The exchange rate means nothing when pricing for the UK 😳 That's probably why I've got a Niche 😅
good review - well done
Thanks 😎
Hi Kev, I really wished you compared the ninja to the sage objectively. It seems like the ninja can make equally as good espresso.
What part of what I said do you think wasn't objective, just out of interest? I don't disagree with you where espresso is concerned actually. What I said about the comparison with the Sage machine wasn't concerning espresso quality, I was referring to how these are completely different kinds of machines. Cheers, Kev.
Hi Coffee Kev, love your videos, and for last 9 months have been using the sage bambino plus (bought a refurbished one off amazon)- it’s a great little machine - but steam wand keeps getting blocked have tried everything- (every 2 weeks roughly) even though I purge my wand daily 😂 how does this machine (ninja) compare to bambino plus? I have a sage grinder pro - but slowly looking for a replacement as Bambino outgrowing - starting to annoy me 😅
Hi Kev great video as always! I have a Sage Barista Pro that is a few years old now and I was considering replacing. If this is around £499 as you expect would you recommend this over a new Barista Pro at £649? This looks great and I do like Ninja products although I have loved my Barista Pro as well! Thanks again
My Sage has been a nightmare for maintenance so also curious if anyone would recommend anything above the ninja or just go with this.
Great video! Any idea if it will have a single basket option, the manual mentions that "Single Basket *
(not available on all machines)"
Mine came only with a double and a luxe, I did think I'd read "single" somewhere, but it didn't come with a single.
I still like my Barista Express a little more, though, yes, it is a fiddly thing compared to an actual $1500-$2000 proper PID type prosumer machine.
BUT... all I care about is espresso, and once dialed in, it makes espresso as good as most coffee shops in town. My gripe, though, is the workflow on it is slow and making two cups of whatever I feel like in the morning for myself and my son is a solid 10 minute affair from start to cleaning and reassembly.
I like the hot water feature on the Barista Express. But the included grinder is admittedly a bit rubbish. If I had to do it over again, I'd have gotten the Bambino Plus and a separate grinder as it's very hard to get a consistent amount of grind from it. You will need a timer and scale, a proper self-levelling tamper, and some other accessories that the Bambino Plus doesn't really need or that a proper grinder would solve. And the milk frother on the Express is simple but also 20 year old tech. So it's not like the Express/Bambino is perfect - far from it. But it DOES make better espresso if that's all you care about :)
Are the water touching parts made off steel or metal in Ninja luxe cafe?
How do you fill the water or did I miss that part. Do you need to pull it out. I have cupboards above where i would put it and don’t want to be pulling it out every time it needs filled.
Hey Kev its now on the Ninja site at £550, but not in stock yet, would you say this or a Sage Barista pro which is the same money with discount, im coming off a Barista express which just died, keep up the good work fellow Coffee botherer :)
Thanks 😎. Just depends on what you want. The Luxe is a hugely flexible family coffee machine, the Barista pro is a home barista espresso machine with an integrated grinder.
If you've slipped down the home barista rabbit hole, I don't think the Luxe is really for you, although it would probably have it's moments even for seasoned home baristas. I've made quite a few iced coffees with it, with cold foam, and since I've had it, although I've been continuing to use my usual machines for flat white, I've made myself a filter style coffee with it most mornings, love it.
Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev Got the Pro and its perfect thanks.
Can you add shipping to Ireland for your coffee?
Thanks for this review. I bought the Sage Express Impress and spoke to you over email at length about it and we came to the conclusion that the grinder was calibrated incorrectly. I ended up sending it back and got a full refund as they no longer had any stock of the one I bought. Now I've seen this review Im pretty sure this is the machine that is right for me at the moment and will replace my Sage Grinder and Bambino Plus just because of the flexibility and ease of use. I'm not a huge fan of pure espresso and prefer hot and cold milk based drinks which this seems to be very good at.
What sort of issues did you have? I've got one and I had pretty weird results with it - needed to grind most coffees at around 5 to get anything near drinkable, plus the grind setting would randomly change on its own and a few other weird things that just made using it a frustrating experience with many many wasted coffee beans. Had the grinder replaced under warranty and it's now much better, needing 12-15 ish grind settings which seems more realistic. I've had mine for nearly a year now and it's doing ok but the grind setting still seems to randomly change from time to time which is irritating.
I am really liking the look of this Ninja machine though. I like that it can do cold brew and quad shots, very tempted.
@@francois738 Similar to yours. I had to go to the finest grind setting to get something even passable out of it.
Great review!!!
Thanks! 😎
Hi Kev, do you think a Sage Barista Express would make a better/tastier espresso then this Ninja?
Im looking to get one and on Amazon they are both same price nearly.
And Im not sure which 😵💫
Thank you! 🙏🤜🤛
Hi, I’m a newbie to home coffee and I am researching like you wouldn’t believe, I was just about to order a niche zero/ df64 couldn’t make mind up on conical or flat burr, I love espresso 😊, going to buy a sage dual temp - then I saw this video 🤣🤣 - how would you change from caff to de caff beans - I can’t drink caff in the afternoon 😢 - can you single dose the grinder? Thank you for your videos - I have subscribed ❤
I was looking at this as I'm looking at upgrading from pod machines but I think im gonna give it a miss and get the sage barista pro
Morning kev got mine yesterday in the uk comes with a single shot aswell has anyone said that a double shot comes out quite cold
Yeah, and the hot water spout. Just keep in mind that the advanced settings menu is different on the UK model, so ignore what I say in this about adjusting stuff, see my pinned comment for how that's changed.
I've not noticed any temp issues, but have you tried running a couple of blank shots to warm everything up?
Also, the heater kicks in after grinding, and heats up the group, so if you want to purge the grinds anyway to ensure you're starting with all fresh coffee in the basket, you can help to pre-heat by starting the grind as soon as you turn the machine on, dump that first dose, install the portafilter, with no coffee in the basket, then just give it a minute or two, and then press the brew button, put your cup below so that gets heated up too - then grind again & start your shot, this should make sure you're starting out well heated up.
Yeah nice one just run some hot water through the group head with a empty porta filter just a beginner but loving it thanks
Might seem a strange question but can you use a separate grinder with this machine or do you have to use the built in grinder to make coffee with it.
Yeah you could use a separate grinder if you wanted to, it wouldn't work as intended, the barista assistance wouldn't be able to work, but yeah you'd be able to do it.
Hey, thanks for the video!
The boiler in my Breville Infuser Espresso Machine BES840XLjust went bad. And the ninja would save me some time for sure. I do enjoy nerding out, but I think I’ll replace it with the ninja. Sending into Breville to see how much it i will be to fix.
I should also say I’ve had the Breville for about 3.5 years and it has been good overall. I hope the Ninja can last as long!
@@JC-rr7rc The boiler is easy enough to replace, though. Breville is very good about replacement parts, IME.
Great video! As you said I’m still leaning towards the express for my setup, but this is as you say an alternative if for my example, new born and option for quicker cuppa. It’s just regretting the whole hands on experience! Just a quick one, did you fine you can get better microform for latte art with the manual steam? Know it’s not as powerful as sage
Oh and I’ll give your coffee a butchers, think you mentioned it 👍
Thanks 🙂. With manual steam, yeah defo, it's capable of perfect microfoam manually. On Auto, the steam only option (that you'd set it to if you're using it manually) doesn't aerate, it only steams, so it's MEGA loud (milk screaming due to no aeration) and there's no stretching at all so can't pour anything with it in terms of latte art, if you put it on the next one up, it's good but it's just a little bit on the stiff side for pouring, they could do with a setting in between those two. I think most "normal" coffee drinkers will be really happy with the auto froth though. Oh did I mention my coffee, couldn't remember if I had 😝. Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev just watched again, yea you did mention haha. Thanks, food for thought but I wanted a natural progression from my bambino plus of 8 years and growing experience with dialling in and the process or making the shot. Good machine ninja but still think I’d miss the art side of it as you say so thanks for the vid 👍
Hello, new to your channel, just wondering if you have any advice - my ninja machine is not dripping much espresso, it just drips and I have to press the espresso button 3-4 times to get the correct amount. I passed through just water and that seemed to work but when the coffee is in doesn’t seem to work properly. Do you have an ideas what this could be, also is there any possibility it could be the beans I’m using (lavazza) thank you
A hot water dispenser looks great in a brochure but it's a fast way to empty your water reservoir. I have a water dispenser and never use it and I drink americanos all the time. I heat the water I need in a pan.
Interesting machine but I would question reliability in the long term. There's only so much reliability you can design into a $500 machine.
I've had a Decent Espresso machine for about 5 years and reliability is perfect but it's expected at its price point.
I like that this machine has gone in a completely new direction. Oddly enough, the low price point is somewhat troublesome as in, how do you make a profit and still build in reliability.
I would suggest using only bottled water to avoid the whole scaling issue.
What kind of maintenance is suggested in the user manual?
In terms of taste does the espresso taste the same or better than the breville barista touch impress
The taste of the espresso will come down to the beans you're using, mainly. If you're using the touch impress purely following the barista guidance, and using the Ninja purely following the barista guidance, using the same beans - I would imagine you'd be hard pressed to taste the difference. We'll try this in a future video though, doing some blind taste testing purely using the barista guidance on both and seeing what the difference is.
@Coffee_Kev that sounds amazing. I can't wait
Depends really.... tamp pressure, boiler pressure (thermoblock or jet pressure) and whether which grinder does the best job... These machines are too automatic and coming close to super automation. Just stick with something semi-auto like a classic machine like the Gaggia Classic EVO or even that new Asian HiBrew espresso machine that cost about $299 on Amazon. That machine has a PID as well as a pressure gauge (it heats up very quickly). Learn a bit about espresso and how to dial in a shot. Get a single dose grinder (HiBrew G5) and a scale. Dial in the right amount of grind coffee and size to your taste (you control everything), steam the milk the way you want..
I suspect the 110V version can't do hot water very well as it'll be limited to ~1.8kW. The 220V will be much more capable. Interesting machine, almost seems to good to be true at that price point, but it's probably a bit of a Ninja loss leader, certain for the first year or two.
Came here to eye up potential new machine after my sage failed, ended up contacting espresso repair to fix it after hearing about them in the vid 😃
Excellent, Radu is great 👍
@@Coffee_Kev he really is, fixed my sage but I still bought the Ninja. Arrives on 4th (apparently) thank you!
499dollar
Just the grind by weight function is worth it
The Eureka Libra is like 600eur here
Kev do you know if there’s a puck screen that will fit this? The portafilter is 53mm?
Yeah there are loads of 53mm puck screens, I can't see why they wouldn't fit. Ta, Kev.
Love this machine but with my pod machine I can happily switch to a decaf in the afternoon as I tend to do. With this machine I’d have to go through the dialing in process again just to switch to decaf beans. Not sure I’m willing. But it sure looks like a great machine
yeah what to do about decaf is always a pain. De'Longhi have handled it the best so far, in my opinion, with the Rivelia: ua-cam.com/video/p3eFm2funos/v-deo.html
Keep the pod machine for the decaf.
@@SomeRandomUA-camr2024 don’t want to clutter up my kitchen counter with 2 coffee machines so I will stick with my pod machine for now I guess. Or I guess just use decaf coffee in the ninja all the time as it’s about the taste for me. The caffeine is not that important to me.
Cheers.
I have a mini Nespresso machine next to my espresso machine. So for decaf i use cups on the Nespresso macchine;)
@ wish I had the counter space for 2 machines but yes your idea is a good one for sure
Hi Kev I am torn between this and delonghi Rivelia. My main use is going to be mainly 1-2 coffees a day with more on the weekends. I like black coffee but enjoy occasional milk coffees. I know they are very different machines but if you had to compare them what would you say?
Yeah, bit of a tricky one. Rivelia has the dual hoppers and switch mode, which is very clever, great option for switching beans. In terms of espresso quality, Rivelia is pretty good, but the Ninja makes "true" portafilter espresso, and the barista assistance does a really good job too. Also I prefer the cold frothing on the Ninja vs the Rivelia, if that matters to you - and you don't need to buy an add on for that either, as you do with the Rivelia. Ta, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kevthank you so much for the reply I mostly do hot drinks but good quality black coffee is really important for me. I was leaning towards the Rivelia due to mess free and probably longer lifespan due to build quality. The Ninja came out of no where 🥷and the barista assist and the features are just too good to resist.
Before i saw this machine soon hitting the Uk i was about to buy the Sage Bambino plus and the Sage smart grinder pro which with your discount code is probably about £100 more than the Ninja machine. What would you recommend to get Kev?
So this compared to the Breville Barista Pro.. Which one should i buy ?
Depends on you, the Barista pro is a traditional espresso machine with a built in grinder, you have complete control over the dose, ratio/volume. The Ninja Luxe is really a family coffee machine, it'll do espresso too, and it does a flipping good job of it too, to be fair, but if you weren't bothered about filter style coffee, cold brew style, cold pressed espresso, cold froth and so on, and you just wanted an espresso machine, you'd probably find the Barista Pro a better bet. Ta, Kev.
Brilliant review - thanks ! I may have found my new ideal machine !!!
More like a coffee Jedi!!!
haha :-)
I have a sage barista touch which is 4 years old now. Is it worth selling it for the ninja as the price used for the touch is pretty much the price of the ninja?
It's difficult to say, to be honest. Vs the Barista Touch, the Luxe has the barista assistance which is very good, and of course it has the filter style coffee, cold brew style, cold pressed espresso and cold froth. I'd say the Barista Touch has slightly better shot quality potential, and more control over the espresso. Ta, Kev.
Nice video 👍🏻. What machine would you recommend for a non milk drinker?
Cheers! Depends on budget and so on, but usually I'd recommend the same as for a milk drinker, as most machines have a milk option.
I currently have a la pavoni that I do not use as often as I should as I just can’t get the consistency on it to know I’m going to enjoy why I make with it. Can’t decide if I should buy one thing like this an know I’ll get good enough, easily achieved drinks or a normal pump driven espresso machine that I will at east feel like I’m making the code myself but may now end up using as much as a result…
I've had the Barista Express and I still want a Profitec PID machine some day. Definitely keep that La Pavoni and keep learning. You will thank yourself eventually ;)
The most common roblem with using that machine is that you need to pre-infuse the portafilter and then ramp up the pressure. This takes a lot of practice on that. BUT, IMO, few hings make better espresso with a wider range of beans. The downside is, as you know, the workflow is laughably 'Italian". As in, espresso is done when it's done. :)
Most consistent in a consumer machine that I've had was the Breville/Sage dual boiler. Absolutely idiot-proof once you have your grind dialed in.
Available on JL to pre order for 25th Sep onwards at £550, Hey Kev I had a Sage express but it just died after 5 years, so I was looking at a Sage pro, all I will be making is the best flat white type coffee I can, so do you think the Barista pro or Ninja? Thanks
If you're someone who never, or very rarely touched the grind adjustment on the express, as I know quite a few people do, "set & forget mode", then I'd say the Ninja is better suited. If you always dialled in with the express, and you're accustomed to the control you have over the shot, I think you'd find the barista Pro a better fit. Cheers, Kev.
As a noob to this, I would’ve bought this over the impress express . I still love my sage but if the price of this stays as expected I can see a lot being bought.
Looks like 2 variants priced at €649 ES601UK and €829 ES701UK here in Ireland
Yeah. I also saw that. The 701 for example has an integrated tamper. I am not sure about the other differences
yeah there's the 501, 601 & 701. 701 has a tamp lever, and from what I can gather it also has ristretto and lungo on the espresso menu, and an extra thick milk foam option, plus a third espresso basket. 501 doesn't have the cold stuff. It does look like the 601 UK version is coming with a hot water button too, although I've not been able to get confirmation from Ninja. I've got the 601 on pre-order so I'll update as soon as I get it.
It does have a hot water button :)