Recommended Free Tools
If you want fresh-ground coffee without buying a separate grinder, both the Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601BK and Breville Barista Express BES870XL have one built in. Choose the Ninja for guided operation and espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew in one machine; choose the Breville if you want a more hands-on portafilter workflow and manual milk texturing.
At a glance: Ninja convenience or Breville control?
| What matters | Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601BK | Breville Barista Express BES870XL |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Guided brewing and several coffee styles in one machine | A hands-on espresso workflow with manual milk texturing |
| Drinks listed by the manufacturer | Espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew (SharkNinja) | Espresso-focused features on the cited US product page (Breville) |
| Built-in grinder | Burr grinder, 25 settings, and weight-based dosing (SharkNinja) | Conical burr grinder, 16 settings, and dose control (Breville) |
| Milk | Hands-free preset frothing; TechRadar says the wand cannot be used manually (TechRadar) | Manual milk texturing (Breville) |
| Price information | SharkNinja’s US catalogue displayed $499.99–$599.99 at access; the displayed range can change and may reflect variants (SharkNinja) | Current price is not stated on the cited source excerpt; check the local listing for the BES870XL |
The grinder-setting counts describe each manufacturer’s listed controls, not a head-to-head measure of grind quality. These sources also do not establish which machine makes better-tasting espresso in a controlled comparison.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Why choose the Ninja Luxe Café Premier?
It covers more than espresso
The Premier is designed for espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew. That range makes it the stronger fit if people in your household want different styles of coffee without adding another brewer. SharkNinja also lists grinder recommendations, weight-based dosing, and hands-free frothing among its features (SharkNinja).
It aims to make the process more guided
Its grinder guidance and weighing-based dose are intended to take some guesswork out of preparing a drink. TechRadar’s 2026 guide reports that its reviewer found the Luxe Café easy to master and got consistently good results; that is a reviewer’s usability impression, not a direct taste test against the Barista Express (TechRadar).
#1 Best Overall
- MANUAL HAND-TEXTURED MICROFOAM: The powerful steam wand on this cappuccino maker and latte machine is designed to quickly turn milk into smooth, flavorful microfoam for creating latte art at home
- PRECISE DOSE GRINDING: Integrated precision conical burr grinder on bean-to-cup espresso machine grinds on demand to deliver correct amount of freshly ground coffee directly into portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean
- WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and draws out all the flavors evenly during the extraction for a balanced-tasting espresso, latte or cappuccino
- RECEIVE 2 FREE BAGS OF SPECIALTY COFFEE: Included when you purchase and register any Breville coffee machine; T&Cs apply
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature regulation (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, so espresso coffee maker allows for precise espresso extraction
Know the trade-off on milk
The Ninja’s frothing is hands-free and preset rather than a manual steam-wand technique. TechRadar specifically notes that the wand cannot be operated manually, so it is less suited to someone who wants to practise controlling milk texture themselves (TechRadar).
Why choose the Breville Barista Express?
It gives you a more hands-on espresso routine
The US Barista Express BES870XL combines a built-in conical burr grinder with a 54 mm portafilter. Breville specifies low-pressure pre-infusion followed by 9-bar extraction, along with PID temperature control (Breville). Those are manufacturer specifications describing its espresso workflow, not evidence that it outperforms the Ninja in the cup.
Rank #2
- MANUAL HAND-TEXTURED MICROFOAM: The powerful steam wand on this cappuccino maker and latte machine is designed to quickly turn milk into smooth, flavorful microfoam for creating latte art at home
- PRECISE DOSE GRINDING: Integrated precision conical burr grinder on bean-to-cup espresso machine grinds on demand to deliver correct amount of freshly ground coffee directly into portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean
- WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and draws out all the flavors evenly during the extraction for a balanced-tasting espresso, latte or cappuccino
- RECEIVE 2 FREE BAGS OF SPECIALTY COFFEE: Included when you purchase and register any Breville coffee machine; T&Cs apply
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature regulation (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, so espresso coffee maker allows for precise espresso extraction
Manual milk texturing is its clearest contrast
Breville provides a steam wand for manual milk texturing. If learning to texture milk is part of the appeal of making espresso at home, that direct control may matter more to you than the Ninja’s hands-free preset approach (Breville).
Its listed grinder has fewer settings, but the count is not a quality score
Breville lists 16 grinder settings and dose control for the BES870XL, compared with the Ninja Premier’s 25 settings and weight-based dosing (Breville) (SharkNinja). The numbers alone do not show which grinder produces better coffee; focus instead on the workflow and adjustment style you prefer.
Rank #3
- MANUAL HAND-TEXTURED MICROFOAM: The powerful steam wand on this cappuccino maker and latte machine is designed to quickly turn milk into smooth, flavorful microfoam for creating latte art at home
- PRECISE DOSE GRINDING: Integrated precision conical burr grinder on bean-to-cup espresso machine grinds on demand to deliver correct amount of freshly ground coffee directly into portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean
- WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and draws out all the flavors evenly during the extraction for a balanced-tasting espresso, latte or cappuccino
- RECEIVE 2 FREE BAGS OF SPECIALTY COFFEE: Included when you purchase and register any Breville coffee machine; T&Cs apply
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature regulation (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, so espresso coffee maker allows for precise espresso extraction
How to decide before you buy
- Choose the Ninja Premier if guided preparation, hands-free frothing, or having drip coffee and cold brew as well as espresso are priorities.
- Choose the Barista Express if you want a portafilter-based routine and manual control over milk texturing.
- Compare local prices and exact model numbers. The cited Breville page is for the US BES870XL, and the SharkNinja catalogue and its displayed prices are US-facing. A 2026 Ideal Home UK guide names the Luxe Café as its beginner pick, but UK naming, availability, and prices are market-specific (Ideal Home).
- Check the counter space in person or against product dimensions. A supported footprint comparison for these exact models is not established here, so do not assume one is smaller.
- Decide whether the extra drink modes and guided features justify the price where you shop. The Ninja catalogue price is a changeable US display, not a guaranteed current price in another market.
Do you need to buy a separate grinder?
No separate grinder is required to start with either configuration: both machines include grinders. A separate grinder could be an individual choice for flexibility in a broader coffee setup, but the cited product information does not establish that you need one alongside either machine.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- MANUAL HAND-TEXTURED MICROFOAM: The powerful steam wand included with this cappuccino and latte machine is designed to quickly turn milk into smooth, flavorful microfoam for latte art at home
- INTELLIGENT DOSING: The smart dosing system in this bean-to-cup espresso machine automatically calculates and adjusts the level of fresh coffee for a precise dose, every time
- PRECISION MEASURMENT: Espresso coffee maker also includes a smart system which auto corrects the next dose, taking the guesswork out of manual espresso making
- RECEIVE 2 FREE BAGS OF SPECIALTY COFFEE: Included when you purchase and register any Breville coffee machine; T&Cs apply
- ASSISTED TAMPING: Replicating the action of a professional barista, assisted tamping features 7 degree 'barista twist' finish and consistent 10kg of pressure, for a polished puck surface and clean tamp face
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
