On trial:

This article is part of a paid-for partnership with Ninja

Who knew bean-to-cup could be so easy? This 3-in-1 winner takes all the guesswork out of great-tasting coffee

I can’t deny loving – maybe over-indulging in – good coffee, but I must also confess to being a bit of a technophobe, so I have always preferred my daily special being prepped by friendly local baristas. Well, that’s all just changed. Ninja has transformed this hesitant bean brewer into a competent pro. And not just your simple Americano, oh no! Dirty chai or espresso martini anyone?

Simply put, whatever cup of joe floats your boat, this Ninja bean-based godsend will make easy work of it. Essentially three machines in one, it handles espresso, cold brew and filter coffee equally effortlessly. Plus, with 25 grind settings, four milk-frothing presets, seven drink sizes, three espresso styles and four coffee types, there’s no end of options, 

But does all that make it complex to use? Not at all. Because Barista Assist Technology is on hand to calibrate, calculate and recommend the best settings to deliver a perfect cup every time.

Yes, it really is. After the teeniest amount of trial and error, I was making delicious Americanos, lattes and cappuccinos with minimum fuss. 

What I really love about the Ninja Luxe Café Premier is that it feels hands-on, but really the machine does the hard work for you; you switch the portafilter from the grinder to the group head (after using the assisted tamper) and press a button. Then add the right amount of milk to the jug, place it under the steam wand and adjust to the correct froth preset. Just about everything else is calculated by Barista Assist Technology, meaning you can sit back and enjoy your delicious drink.

Once I’d read the easy-to-follow guides and watched the helpful how-to videos, I realised just how straightforward this machine is. 

I started brewing as advised, with a simple double espresso that allows the machine to calibrate based on your beans. Espresso number two was pretty much spot on, as was the creamy oat latte, incredible Americano and perfectly frothed cappuccino that followed. I was very quickly buzzing (in more ways than one) at how easily I’d picked it up.

There’s the smallest amount of self-calculation necessary – personally, I found the milk measure recommendations slightly too high for me, so simply tweaked the amounts to suit my own cup size and tastes. 

The coffee really does taste just as good as my preferred coffee houses; I have at least five local cafes I like to pop into, whose profits may now be ever-so-slightly dented! The other great thing about this machine is that you can adjust the strength of your brew by using a single, double or luxe basket. And, if you particularly love the coffee from that chain or artisan independent, they more than likely sell the beans too – so replicating your favourite brew at home is a cinch.

This was one reason why I hadn’t invested in my own machine in the past – the potentially complicated cleaning process. I needn’t have worried: this machine does the hard work for you via automated clean and purge cycles. Even better, auto purging also means the steam wand cleans itself from inside after use. Better still, the funnel, baskets, cleaning disc, water reservoir, bean hopper and drip tray parts are all dishwasher safe and a cleaning brush and kit is included to keep things tidy. When your drip tray is full, an orange button appears letting you know to empty it – simply slide the whole compartment out and rinse.

The hands-free Dual-Froth System, with its four auto presets, makes any milky drink (whether plant-based or dairy) possible – including hot chocolates and chai lattes, so everyone in your household can enjoy the benefits of the Ninja Luxe Café Premier. 

Even though it looks mighty impressive, the dimensions are pretty compact and contain smart hidden storage – so when you consider everything it does, this neat machine really does earn its space in your kitchen. And, as everything from the portafilter to the cup trays are sturdily constructed, you can feel the quality.

For me, it really is an affordable luxury, especially compared to similar machines out there – I can’t imagine making better coffee quite this easily. What I love most about the Ninja Luxe Café Premier is that it still feels like I’m putting in the effort to get artisan-standard perfection, even though I’m actually doing very little. Realistically, if I stopped visiting coffee shops for a few months, I'd easily cover the cost of this machine. Plus, it comes complete with a 2-year guarantee upon registration with Ninja (UK & ROI only). So all in all, I’d say this great all-rounder is also great value.

★★★★★