Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601BK

By Ninja · Espresso Machines · Kitchen & Cooking · More from Ninja

  • 25 grind settings
  • 1650 W power
  • 12.99 x 13.39 x 14.57 in size
  • 25.73 lb weight
  • 43 in cord

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Summary

A 3-in-1 semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in 25-setting burr grinder, weight-based dosing and an automatic milk frother, aimed at beginners who want espresso without a second appliance on the counter. Check the learning curve before you buy: it still needs hand tamping, and setup runs a water-hardness test and calibration before the first good shot.

Strengths

  • The built-in grinder and scale remove two variables beginners normally fight: grind size and dose weight.
  • Tom’s Guide and Tech Advisor both gave it Editor’s Choice for coffee quality.
  • It takes whole beans or pre-ground coffee, with no capsule lock-in.
  • A 70 oz water tank and integrated accessory storage keep refills rare and the counter tidy.
  • Owners report easy operation, decent espresso and milk froth that works.
  • Reviewers call it quieter than average while brewing.

Weaknesses

  • It is semi-automatic, not automatic: you still tamp by hand and prep the puck.
  • Setup is involved, with a water-hardness test and calibration before the first shot.
  • The US model has no single-shot basket, no pressure gauge and an uninsulated steam wand.
  • The Guardian’s year-long test found the milk frother overheating to 72°C and the grinder drifting too coarse.
  • One owner went through three units, with Barista Assist stuck on grind setting 1 for every bean.
  • WIRED reported occasional leaking and a drip tray that cannot hold two cups.

Verified specifications

ModelES601BK (Midnight Black); the stainless-steel finish is the ES601.
Operationsemi-automatic; brews espresso, drip coffee and cold brew.
Grinderconical burr with 25 grind settings.
Dosingbuilt-in scale for weight-based dosing, not timed dosing.
Barista Assistsuggests grind size and auto-calibrates brew settings.
MilkDual Froth system steams and whisks automatically.
Pressure9 bar per WIRED and TechRadar; Tech Advisor states 15 bar.
Power1650 W, 120 V, 13.75 amps.
Water tank70 oz (2 litres).
Bean hopper250 g.
Displaylarge digital screen across the top.
Dimensions12.99 × 13.39 × 14.57 in; 25.73 lb.
Cord43 in per SharkNinja; Tom’s Guide measured 40 in.
Warranty1 year limited in the US; 2 years in the UK with registration.
In the boxportafilter, milk jug, double and Luxe baskets, assisted tamper, funnel, cleaning brush, cleaning disc, descaling powder, cleaning tablets and a hard-water testing kit.
Omissionsno pressure gauge, no hot-water spout and no single-shot basket on the US model.
Full research notes and sources

Grinding, dosing and Barista Assist

The grinder is a 40 mm conical burr set with 25 settings, and the machine weighs each dose on a built-in scale instead of guessing by time. Barista Assist watches the shot and suggests a grind size; Tom’s Coffee Corner says it usually lands on settings 5 to 7 for espresso and 23 to 25 for coffee. Reviewers and owners treat that suggestion as a starting point, not a guarantee. Tech Advisor called the grind-size recommendation unreliable, and one owner reported it always suggesting setting 1 whatever the bean. The Guardian found the grinder drifting too coarse to pull a proper shot after months of use. Switching beans means pulling out a locking hopper, which reviewers call fiddly rather than quick.

Milk, coffee styles and heat-up

The Dual Froth system steams and whisks milk automatically, and reviewers rate the result for lattes and cold foam. The Guardian measured a 35-second heat-up and 2 minutes 20 seconds of steam time, with noise at 48 dB brewing, 58 dB steaming and 63 dB grinding. Temperature is the catch: The Guardian found the frother pushing milk to 72°C at every setting, even after descaling. EspressoRadar and WIRED both note the steam wand runs hot and needs wiping right away, and WIRED found drip coffee good rather than great and cold brew bitter.

Repairs, parts and running costs

Upkeep is descaling, cleaning and fresh beans. Ninja sells the consumables and spares separately: descaling tablets and powder at $14.99 each, a cleaning supply kit at $34.99, a knock box at $29.99, a tamping mat at $19.99, a portafilter at $43.99 and replacement baskets from $19.95 (Ninja, 2026). The Guardian reports that Ninja does not sell internal parts to third parties for repair, and a repair shop owner told it the machine is built to a budget. Treat it as a sealed appliance you replace rather than service. The US warranty is one year.

Is it worth it?

Coffeeness saw the machine at $479.99 and Tom’s Guide listed a retail price of $499.99, which undercuts the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch and Breville Barista Express by about $200; the integrated weight-based grinder is rare at that price. SharkNinja lists the ES601BK at $599.99 and Best Buy has shown it at $532.99 on sale from $599.99, and above $600 it meets established brands with longer track records and deeper service networks. If you want espresso with no separate grinder and can live with hand tamping and a setup ritual, it earns its place. If you want push-button drinks, or plan to repair rather than replace, look at a true automatic or a machine with a longer warranty.

Which model this is

SharkNinja sells this as the Luxe Café Premier in Midnight Black, model ES601BK; the stainless-steel finish is the ES601. The wider lineup also includes the Mini (ES301), Mini Plus (ES351) and Pro (ES701). The US listing covered here is ASIN B0GPNCM5HM, and the US machine ships without a single-shot basket. Don’t confuse it with the smaller Mini Plus, which has a 44 oz tank.

Sources

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Owner reports:

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