On a budget? The long and short of it is that the Ninja Luxe Café is far better value for money than the Pro. It offers all the brilliant 4-in-1 brewing you could need, but you will have to hand-tamp your portafilter and the milk jug won't offer enough space for two drinks in one.
Pros
- The cheaper option
- Still makes awesome espresso
- Can make cold brew, drip coffee and more
- Capable automatic milk steaming
Cons
- Its assisted taming creates more work for you
- There's no hot water dispenser
Is the Ninja Luxe Café Pro better than the original? Yup. It has an in-built tamping arm, which creates a much more straightforward workflow for busy coffee-lovers, and there's a hot water dispenser to make your Americanos better than ever. But it's also $150 more than the original.
Pros
- XL jug can make drinks for two
- Hot water dispenser
- Single shot basket included
- Tamping arm speeds up workflow
Cons
- Significantly more expensive
- Some updates feel unnecessary
The Ninja Luxe Café shook up the coffee maker market when it launched in 2024, but Ninja catches on fast, and it's already released a new and improved version of its flagship espresso machine: the Ninja Luxe Café Pro.
The Pro may look similar, but there are some vital differences that you should consider before you make your purchase. For a start, it's $150 more expensive than the original model, which could offer pause for thought if you're hoping to spend less than $600 on a coffee maker.
For that extra $150, you'll get a savvy in-built tamping arm that will keep your brewing process mess-free, and there's also the addition of a hot water dispenser, which will satisfy Americano-lovers.
We tested (and loved) both in our Ninja Luxe Café review and the Ninja Luxe Café Pro review, but the right one for you will depend on your coffee preferences and your budget. Here's what happened when we pitted two of the best espresso machines head-to-head.
Ninja Luxe Café vs Ninja Luxe Café Pro: Specs compared
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Ninja Luxe Café Pro | Ninja Luxe Café |
|---|---|---|
Price (on manufacturer's website) | $749 / £699 | $599 / £499 |
Dimensions | 13.39" x 12.48" x 14.84" | 12.99" x 13.39" x 14.57" |
Settings | 29 | 19 |
Weight | 27.07 lbs | 25.73 lbs |
Grinder | Conical burr, 25 settings | Conical burr 25 settings |
Tamping | In-built tamping arm | Tamping guide and dosing funnel |
Dosing | Weight-based | Weight-based |
Espresso filter | 53mm, single basket, double basket and luxe basket | 53mm, double basket and luxe basket |
Water reservoir capacity | 67.6 fl oz / 2.0L | 67.6 fl oz / 2.0L |
Pressure | 15 bar | 15 bar |
Steam settings | 5 styles | 4 styles |
What's the difference?
There are some subtle design differences here, but they're barely visible. Here are the main differences you should know about before you buy.
Size
For a start, the Pro is marginally larger and heavier than the original Ninja Luxe Café. But unless you're working with a very specific space, I don't think that will be a deciding factor for you.
Grinding
Tamping arm
The most significant difference here is probably in the tamping arm. This will make a massive difference to your workflow. The original machine included assisted taming in the form of a screw-on funnel to make sure you don't spill grounds on your counters, and a hidden compartment to store your tamper when not in use.
With the Ninja Luxe Café Pro, there's no need to even take your portafilter out. Simply press the arm down and it will evenly compress your puck for a perfect extraction.
Because the grinder is weight-based, you won't ever need to trim your grounds or top up your filter with either machine, but it's still a great convenience factor that makes a huge difference to the user experience.
To be honest, I was surprised Ninja didn't include a tamping arm in the original machine.
Brewing
A new single filter
The original Ninja Luxe Café made the rogue choice of including a double and quad basket, but no single filter. That's pretty odd for an espresso machine, even if, I confess, I never brew a single shot for my morning drink.
If you're watching your caffiene intake, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro could be better for you. It includes a single filter, allowing you to make shorter drinks.
Bonus brewing settings
The original Ninja Luxe Café can make espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew. With the Ninja Luxe Café Pro, you can also make use of a hot water dispenser and added hot water button. This will allow you to make tea or matcha, and top up espresso to make Americanos.
The dispenser sits right next to the group head, meaning it tops up your coffee automatically after brewing certain drinks, which I particularly enjoyed.
The Pro will also make ristretto and lungo, which in essence is a different pre-set ratio of water to coffee. A ristretto is a short, strong shot, and a lungo is a longer and more watered-down coffee.
Milk steaming
Milk jug
Another design difference to consider is the increased milk jug capacity you'll get with the Pro.
The original Ninja Luxe Café comes with an 8-oz jug, whereas the Pro's jug is 12.5-oz. This allows you to make milk for two drinks at once. But be warned, it's seriously huge, and makes hand-steaming a little fiddly.
Steaming wand
The steam wand with the Ninja Luxe Café Pro is thicker than the original machine. It doesn't make too much of a difference in use, but the thicker wand stays marginally cooler after use.
Bonus milk settings
The Ninja Luxe Café Pro has an added milk setting for "extra-stiff" foam. Think the sort of rigid, dry milk you'd get on a hot cappuccino, and it's that sort of texture.
This is more of a nice-to-have than a must-have, because the original has a cappuccino setting that's perfectly capable of creating stiff foam.
Winner: Ninja Luxe Café Pro
Ninja Luxe Café vs Ninja Luxe Café Pro: Price & availability
Probably the most significant factor separating the Ninja Luxe Café Pro and the original model is that all-important price tag. And it looks like Ninja has bumped up the price of the Pro since it first launched at $699 in May.
Right now, the Pro is retailing for $750 at NinjaKitchen, which makes the latest release a whole lot more expensive than the original Ninja Luxe Café, which retails for $599. Does it offer an extra $150 worth of features? In my opinion, no.
It's a really bizarre price increase, because it takes what was a competitively-priced machine, adds a few useful features, and thrusts it straight into the premium coffee maker market.
It's not that the Ninja Luxe Café Pro can't compete with the likes of $750 Breville or De'Longhi machines, but at $599, the Ninja Luxe Café offered much better value for money.
Winner: Ninja Luxe Café
Ninja Luxe Café vs Ninja Luxe Café Pro: Verdict
Pound for pound, the Pro is a better machine than its predecessor. Its tamping arm is a game-changer for your brewing experience, and the addition of a single basket, ristretto and lungo settings, and a hot water dispenser makes it notably more capable.
But is it worth the extra money? That's for you to decide. If you're someone who bought the original and is considering upgrading, I highly doubt you'll find the added functions of the Pro worth the $750 price, but for an extra $150, it's worth considering how much you'd use the hot water dispenser, XL milk jug, or single basket. Aside from the tamping mechanism, these machines are built very similarly, so you'll be able to get a great coffee from both.
If you want the best machine: You should buy the Ninja Luxe Café Pro. It's the better machine for features, design, and user experience.
If you want the best value: The Ninja Luxe Café isn't as capable as the Pro, but at $150 less, it might be a more realistic option for you. It still makes fantastic drinks, but you won't get the same variety thanks to the omission of a hot water dispenser and single basket. But that could be a trade-off you're willing to make, especially if there's a good deal available on the older model.
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