The Ninja Luxe Café Premier (model ES601) is a semi-automatic espresso machine that also brews drip coffee and cold brew, with a grinder, a scale and a tamper built in. Ninja sells it for $599.99 on its US store.
What is the Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601 espresso machine?
Ninja calls it a 3-in-1: espresso, drip coffee and cold brew from whole beans, all in one machine. You pick a drink, and Ninja's Barista Assist Technology recommends a grind size, weighs the dose on a built-in scale and adjusts the brew temperature and pressure for that drink. You still lock in the portafilter and tamp with the assisted tamper, which is why Ninja's own model comparison lists it as semi-automatic rather than fully automatic.
Espresso comes as a double or a quad shot. Drip coffee has three styles, classic, rich and over ice, and cold brew has two, cold brew coffee and cold-pressed espresso. Drip and cold brew can be made in seven sizes from 6 to 18 oz. Milk is handled by the Dual Froth System, which steams and whisks at the same time with four hands-free presets.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601 specs
| Model | ES601 (Stainless Steel) |
|---|---|
| Price | $599.99 on sharkninja.com |
| Machine type | Semi-automatic, built-in grinder, scale and assisted tamper |
| Grinder | Conical burr, 25 grind settings |
| Dosing | By weight, built-in scale |
| Drinks | Espresso (double, quad), drip (classic, rich, over ice), cold brew, cold-pressed espresso |
| Drip and cold brew sizes | 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 oz |
| Milk | Dual Froth System, 4 presets: steamed, thin, thick, cold foam |
| Power | 1650 W at 120 V |
| Weight | 25.73 lb (11.7 kg) |
| Dimensions | 12.99 x 13.39 x 14.57 in (L x W x H) |
| Warranty | 1 year limited |
Ninja does not publish the water tank size, the bean hopper capacity or the pump pressure on its product page, nor does Amazon's US page, so none of those is stated here.
How the Ninja Luxe Café Premier grinds, doses and tamps
The conical burr grinder has 25 settings, and Barista Assist recommends one for the drink you choose, finer for espresso and coarser for drip or cold brew. The built-in scale is the part that sets it apart from most grinder-and-portafilter machines: it doses by weight for each drink, so you are not judging the dose by eye or by grind time. The assisted tamper in the box presses the puck before you lock the portafilter in.
During the shot, Barista Assist monitors and adjusts the brew temperature and pressure. Ninja does not publish the numbers it works to, only that the adjustment is tailored to the drink.
Drip coffee and cold brew on the Ninja Luxe Café Premier
This is the machine's other half. It brews drip coffee in three styles, classic, rich or over ice, and rapid cold brew without an overnight steep. Cold-pressed espresso is brewed at a lower temperature and pressure, which Ninja suggests for iced lattes and espresso martinis. Drip and cold brew both run from 6 to 18 oz, so one machine covers a single espresso drinker and a household that wants a large mug of filter coffee.
Hands-free milk frothing on the Ninja ES601
The Dual Froth System combines a spinning whisk with an automatic steamer. Pour milk into the jug, choose steamed milk, thin froth, thick froth or cold foam, and it textures the milk without a wand to hold. It works with dairy and plant-based milks, and there is a manual option if you would rather froth yourself.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier vs De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
The De'Longhi La Specialista Opera EC9555M is $799.95 and is the closest match on paper: a grinder, an assisted tamping lever and cold brew in one machine. The Opera has 15 grind settings, a pressure gauge on the front and a manual steam wand. The Ninja has 25 grind settings, weighs the dose on a built-in scale, adds drip coffee and froths milk hands-free with a cold foam preset, for $200 less. The Opera is the one that publishes its water tank (2 liters) and pump pressure.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier vs Breville Barista Express Impress
The Breville Barista Express Impress BES876 is $799.95, with 25 grind settings, the Impress Puck System for assisted tamping, a pressure gauge, a 54 mm portafilter and a 2 liter tank. Its milk is steamed by hand with a wand. The Ninja matches the grind range, doses by weight rather than adjusting from the last tamp, and adds hands-free frothing, drip coffee and cold brew. The Breville gives you the wand work and the gauge that some people want to learn on.
Is the Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601 worth it?
At $599.99 it costs $200 less than either machine above, and it covers more kinds of coffee than both: espresso, drip and cold brew, plus hands-free milk. What you give up is published detail. Ninja lists no tank size, hopper size or pump pressure, and the warranty is one year. Nobody on this site has tested it, so taste, noise and how long it lasts are not claimed here. Browse the rest of the espresso machines to compare.
Who should buy the Ninja Luxe Café Premier (and who should not)
It suits a household that drinks lattes and filter coffee, wants cold brew without an overnight wait, and would rather be guided through grind and dose than learn them by trial. It is a poor fit if you want to steam milk with a traditional wand, want a pressure gauge to read, or need the published specs to plan around, such as the tank size.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601 cost?
Ninja's US store lists it at $599.99.
Does the Ninja Luxe Café Premier have a built-in grinder?
Yes. It has a conical burr grinder with 25 settings, and a built-in scale that doses by weight for each drink.
Can the Ninja Luxe Café Premier make cold brew?
Yes. It makes cold brew coffee and cold-pressed espresso, which is brewed at a lower temperature and pressure, in sizes from 6 to 18 oz.
Does the ES601 froth milk automatically?
Yes. The Dual Froth System steams and whisks milk hands-free with four presets, steamed milk, thin froth, thick froth and cold foam, or you can froth manually.
Is the Ninja Luxe Café Premier semi-automatic or fully automatic?
Ninja's own model comparison calls it semi-automatic. It recommends the grind, doses by weight and adjusts the brew, but you lock in the portafilter and use the assisted tamper yourself.
What warranty does the Ninja Luxe Café Premier have?
Ninja lists a one year limited warranty.
