Ninja Luxe Café vs Breville Barista Express
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Both have a built-in grinder and sell for under $700. The difference is who does the work. The Ninja guides you: it suggests the grind, weighs the dose and froths milk on its own. The Barista Express leaves grinding, tamping and steaming to you, and rewards practice with more control.
Specs and prices from Ninja's and Breville's US websites, checked Nov 1, 2026. Each point under "Reviewers agree" is made by at least two of the linked reviews. We don't own or test these machines; see how we choose.
The short answer
Get the Ninja Luxe Café if
you want good lattes from the first week, plant milks frothed for you, and drip coffee or cold brew from the same machine.
Get the Barista Express if
you want to learn espresso as a skill, like a pressure gauge and manual steaming, and don't need drip coffee.
Side by side
| Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601 | Breville Barista Express BES870XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.99 | $699.95 |
| Drinks | Espresso, drip coffee, cold brew | Espresso, hot water |
| Grinder | Conical burrs, 25 settings, recommends a setting | Conical burrs, 16 settings |
| Dosing | Built-in scale, by weight | Timed, adjusted by hand |
| Tamping | Assisted tamper | Hand tamper (magnetic, stored on the machine) |
| Milk | Automatic frothing, 4 presets incl. cold foam; manual mode | Manual steam wand |
| Shot feedback | Barista Assist adjusts the brew | Pressure gauge |
| Portafilter | Not published | 54 mm |
| Water tank | 70 oz | 67 oz |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
Reviewers agree
Ninja Luxe Café Premier
- It is very beginner-friendly: it recommends a grind setting, weighs the dose and adjusts the brew for you. (Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Coffee Kev)
- Automatic frothing works well with dairy and plant milks. (Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Coffee Kev)
- It trades control for convenience and isn't a substitute for a traditional espresso machine if you want to refine your shots. (Tom's Guide, Coffee Kev)
- The US model has no single-shot option. (Tom's Guide, Coffee Kev)
Breville Barista Express
- It makes good espresso once the grind is dialed in. (Tom's Guide, TechGearLab)
- There is a real learning curve: grinding, tamping and steaming are manual. (Tom's Guide, TechGearLab, Coffee Chronicler)
- The built-in grinder is fine to start with but is the weakest part of the machine. (TechGearLab, Coffee Chronicler)
- You can't brew and steam at the same time. (TechGearLab, Coffee Chronicler)
How to decide
- Will you enjoy the process? If dialing in a shot sounds like a chore, the Ninja is the better buy. If it sounds like a hobby, the Breville gives you more room to improve.
- What do you drink? Mostly lattes, iced drinks or plant milk: Ninja. Mostly espresso and cappuccinos you want to perfect: Breville.
- Does anyone in the house drink drip coffee? Only the Ninja makes it.
Our editor's view, from owning bean-to-cup machines: the beans decide the taste more than the machine, so choose the one whose routine you will actually keep up.
Other machines to consider
- Breville Barista Express Impress ($799.95): the Breville, with assisted tamping and dose feedback.
- Ninja Luxe Café Pro ($749.99): the Ninja, with hot water and a built-in tamping lever.
- Breville Bambino Plus ($499.95) with a separate grinder: automatic milk and a grinder you can upgrade.
Full details: Ninja Luxe Café Premier · Breville Barista Express · Best espresso machine for beginners