We review the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine!
There is something sacred about my morning coffee time – it’s the true start to my day in that literally nothing good will get done before I’ve had caffeine, or begun the morning with my favourite little ritual of coffee, scrolling and writing out my to-do list for the day.
Therefore, I take coffee seriously, and I need a machine that can deliver a coffee that’s just as good, if not better, than the café down the road.
Can the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine do that for me? Is it my new morning BFF? Is it worth shelling out a substantial amount of money – $1099 – for?
I’ve given it a test over a week with all manner of coffees, and here’s my honest review of the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso:
What is the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine?
In short, it’s a very good-looking, do-everything coffee machine that manages to feel both boujee and brilliantly practical at the same time. It’s designed to give you barista-style coffee at home without needing a hospitality degree or 14 different attachments cluttering your kitchen.
Most importantly: it makes really good coffee. Whether you’re a flat white fanatic, a long black loyalist, or someone who just wants their iced oat latte without having to hoof it down to the fancy café down the road, this machine does your back – because it can do SO MUCH.
What It Does (AKA, The Coffee Menu You Deserve)
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is a 3-in-1 machine, which basically means it’s the overachiever of coffee makers. You get:
- Espresso (with a crema that’s genuinely impressive)
- Filter coffee (old school, yes – but awesome if you’re like me and you’re trying – and failing – to cut back on dairy)
- Cold brew (for the iced coffee lovers and Gen Z’s who refuse to drink hot coffee – so great if you’re a multigenerational house!)
You can switch between styles super easily with the press of a button, and everything from grind to brew size is easy to adjust. There’s even a built-in milk frother that doesn’t require a separate jug or impressive arm strength.
Want to make a hot flat white on Monday and an iced latte on Friday? Done. Prefer a classic filter coffee for your Sunday Wordle moment? She’s got you.
Looks Good, Feels Good: Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Review
We know looks aren’t everything, but when it comes to appliances that live on your kitchen bench, it does help if they’re not hideous. Luckily, this machine is genuinely quite chic. It’s solid and shiny with just the right amount of “I take my mornings seriously” energy.
It’s not teeny tiny, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a decent spot for it – but once it’s there, it honestly makes your kitchen feel like your own little espresso bar. It’s smaller than my old machine (thank God, I literally couldn’t fit that thing in my kitchen) and impressively svelte considering what it does. Light a candle, put on a playlist, pretend you’re in Paris. Bliss.
After a week of use, this is what I love the most:
- It’s genuinely easy to use: You don’t need to decipher a complicated manual or master the perfect tamping pressure. It tells you what to do and when to do it, and it just works. The machine, through the Barista Assist Technology, works out exactly what the grind of your specific beans is which is a revelation – it used to take SO much trial and error to figure it out. It’s like magic.
- Built-in storage: Everything has a place – even the accessories. No more random bits rattling around your kitchen drawers to lose, which is amazing for my Virgo anal-retentiveness.
- The frother: Silky milk, cold foam, hot foam, almond milk, oat milk – it can handle it all. Perfect for those café-level creations at home – without you having to have any actual barista skills. I normally love to steam my own milk, but it does a good job automatically, and you can adjust the foam levels to your heart’s desire (and I’m sorry but cold foam is SO MUCH FUN).
- Flexibility: Having espresso, filter and cold brew all in one machine means you’re ready for whatever your mood (or hangover) requires.
Here’s what you need to take into consideration:
- You still need to clean it: Yes, it’s high-tech, but it’s not magic. You’ll need to clean the frother and empty the grounds. It’s not hard, but if you’re dreaming of a zero-maintenance machine, this probably isn’t for you – it’s not a tough task by any means, but it is a bit more mental load.
- It’s not small: This is a bit of a commitment, bench-space wise. If your kitchen is tiny or you’re already playing Tetris with your toaster and air fryer, you’ll want to plan your placement – especially if you’re upgrading from a small Nespresso.
I’ve managed to make a perfect flat white (well, I’m still working on the milk art but the texture, taste and foam ratio were perfection), brew filter coffee for afternoon work marathons, and even make my first ever cold brew with cold foam which was an absolute novelty – the foam was like a CLOUD) and in the week I’ve had it, it does feel like I’m having so much more fun with my coffee (well, after the seriousness of the morning FW!). It was a breeze to set up, it’s intuitive and it’s fun.
Buy this if you:
- You want really good coffee at home without getting deep into espresso geekery
- You drink different styles of coffee depending on your mood, the day, or the season, or you have people in your home that love different coffee styles
- You love the idea of a home café corner that actually looks good and works well
- You’re done with pod machines but not quite ready for a $3000 barista beast
Final Verdict
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier is basically your personal barista – one that lives in your kitchen, doesn’t judge your PJs, and remembers how you like your coffee. It’s perfect for busy mornings, lazy weekends, and all those little “I deserve a treat” moments in life – or every morning. It faithfully, easily and happily gives you A daily dose of coffee joy that feels like a genuine upgrade. If you’re looking for a way to level up your mornings (and say goodbye to sad instant coffee), this might just be the best decision you make all year.
(Disclaimer – we have an ongoing partnership with Ninja, and a machine was sent to us for consideration. However this review is completely editorial, has not been approved or checked by Ninja and is independent of any partnership)