The Ninja Luxe Cafe - A $499 Everything Machine

Summary

The Ninja Cafe Luxe is a $499 coffee machine with a wide range of functionalities, including espresso, quad shots, auto milk steaming, cold foam, filter coffee, and cold brew. Despite its extensive features, the machine has design and ergonomic flaws, such as a plasticky feel and a cramped workspace. It introduces 'barista assist technology' for consistent espresso quality but struggles with filter coffee and cold brew performance. The review raises concerns about the product's longevity and its contribution to e-waste, while acknowledging its potential appeal to coffee enthusiasts who value tech-assisted brewing.

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Q & A

What is the Ninja Cafe Luxe and what is its price?

The Ninja Cafe Luxe is an all-singing, all-dancing beverage station that costs $499. It has various coffee-making functionalities including espresso, quad shots, auto steaming of milk, cold foam, filter coffee, and a form of cold brew.

What does the reviewer consider as a potential game-changer about the Ninja Cafe Luxe?

The reviewer considers the machine's 'barista assist technology' as a potential game-changer. This technology helps prevent making terrible espresso by providing guidance on grind settings and other parameters.

What is the reviewer's opinion on the design and build quality of the Ninja Cafe Luxe?

The reviewer finds the design of the Ninja Cafe Luxe not to their taste, describing it as 'plasticky' and lightweight, lacking a substantial feel despite its $499 price tag.

What is the capacity of the coffee hopper in the Ninja Cafe Luxe?

The coffee hopper in the Ninja Cafe Luxe holds about 350 grams or 12 American ounces of coffee.

How does the Ninja Cafe Luxe ensure the correct grind size for espresso?

The Ninja Cafe Luxe has a digital display that shows and recommends the current grind setting based on how the shots pull, adjusting as needed to ensure optimal grind size.

What is unique about the portafilter design of the Ninja Cafe Luxe?

The portafilter in the Ninja Cafe Luxe is custom in terms of size and shape, with a double basket that doesn't go all the way to the bottom, which feels strange and wrong to the reviewer.

How does the Ninja Cafe Luxe grind coffee and what is the reviewer's test to confirm it grinds by weight?

The Ninja Cafe Luxe grinds coffee by weight, which is unusual for a machine at this price point. The reviewer tested this by using Blu Tack to simulate a dose and observed that the grinder adjusted the dose accordingly.

What is the reviewer's main complaint about the portafilter design?

The reviewer's main complaint about the portafilter design is the presence of two spouts at the bottom, which the reviewer finds unnecessary and misleading since it doesn't allow for two separate streams of espresso to be poured simultaneously.

What is the reviewer's opinion on the machine's cold brew functionality?

The reviewer finds the cold brew functionality underwhelming, noting that the resulting coffee is not cold but rather lukewarm, and lacks the acidity and texture they prefer in cold brew.

What is the issue the reviewer encounters with the filter coffee setting on the Ninja Cafe Luxe?

The reviewer encounters an issue where the machine grinds by time rather than by weight for filter coffee, leading to inconsistent results and over-extraction, despite the machine having a scale in the grinder.

What is the reviewer's overall assessment of the Ninja Cafe Luxe's performance?

The reviewer finds the Ninja Cafe Luxe to be maddeningly close to being a great machine, with impressive technology at its price point, but flawed ergonomics and questionable build quality and longevity.