Ninja Luxe Cafe vs Meraki Espresso Machine

In this video, we compare the Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier to the Meraki espresso machine. These are two highly anticipated machines, and while they are in different price brackets, people want to know how they compare, and whether the Meraki is worth the 3.5x higher price tag. Let's see!

-- Products used/recommended in this video --
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► Ninja Luxe Cafe (Amazon):

► Ninja Luxe Cafe (Ninja direct):

Machine source: provided by Ninja and Meraki for review

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:13 Is the Meraki 3.5x better at Espresso?
3:35 Ninja vs Meraki as companies
5:09 Build
7:44 Scales
8:30 Espresso Recipe (ratio)
9:13 Value Proposition
10:21 Disclaimer
10:54 Grinder Comparison
12:35 Meraki Espresso Workflow
14:46 Ninja Espresso Workflow
18:46 Outta here

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#TomsCoffeeCorner #Espresso #HomeBarista

[TomsCoffeeCorner]

There are a couple things I wish I would’ve remembered to include in this review.
First of all, I was wrong about the 37 ounce capacity of the Ninja - I measured it at 2.085 liters, or 70.5 ounces.
Next, a dual boiler has the inherent ability to be able to extract and steam milk at the same time. But also, you can make successive drinks, too.
Since the boilers maintain their temperature, there is no ramping up steam temperature, or cooling back down.
With that being said, I wish that the Meraki had a settable standby time. It turns itself off rather quickly, and it’s hard to keep the brew group and portafilter heated. Hopefully they fix that in the upcoming iterations.
Thanks for watching!

[squishyflac]

Hope your channel keeps on growing tom, your unbiased opinions are always so refreshing and your knowledge is great! Thanks for giving me a place to come to when i have questions on things

[JackInDaBoxx]

Ive had 2 Sage machines, both broke within 2 years. Just pre-ordered a Ninja, excited

[baronofgreymatter]

You can do manual milk frothing on the ninja...look in the safety manual its like page 16

[bluowl]

I’m glad Ninja took a chance and made this type of machine. I’ve owned a few different machines and have always migrated to the super autos or semi-auto machines. I wish I could try out the luxe to see what the espresso tastes like.

[alejandroulate]

Hello from Costa Rica. I would have liked to see the latte art at the end so I could compare the quality visually. Thank you so much.

[charlesthevoice]

Great comparison video Tom! Thank you for the time you take to give us as thorough info and clear unbiased explanations as possible. Your the best! Habt ein tolles Wochenende!

[jk]

Here in South Africa we also have a Metro stop very close to OR Thambo airport, and one inside the airport. If you stop at the first stop you can see the airport stop. But the price to go inside the airport is 3 times the normal price.

[stanleyderochea]

I love my ninja lux. My only issue is the subpar grinder. Dark roast is my favorite, and my grimder setting is at it's finest setting. I guess that means medium and light roast are out of the question since they require a finer grind than dark roast

[Saifkhan-tcuq]

Regularly follow your content, very informative .

Got the ECP 35.31 after getting a positive review from you.

Thanks 😊

[lzyturtle]

Hey Tom, i really really like your videos! Great quality and great facts. I would like some more up top shots after doing the latte art though.

[larrainesnow]

I read there is a 700 Ninja Luxe Café Premiere coming out. Would you happen to know about it?

[GHETTO]

Thanks for the review. I dont get that people are upset by this comparison. You can compare every espresso machine with each other regardless of the price. Anyway great review.

[OneAnonymous-lt]

Hey Tom, please make hand grinder videos. I'm waiting for my Kingrinder k6 to arrive and would love to know more about 1Zpresso, Commandante and Kinu

[toni]

I would have wait and compare this with the ninja 701

[albertabdullayev]

You're absolutely right! The practice you're referring to is increasingly common in the consumer goods industry, including espresso machines. It involves "private labeling" or "white labeling" where products are manufactured in factories (often in China) and then branded with a different name. These products are marketed as premium or European/American products, even though their manufacturing origins are in low-cost production countries.

In the case of coffee machines, brands like Meraki (and others) may market their products as being of European or American origin, but the actual manufacturing could be done in China or other regions known for cost-effective production. The brand then adds a layer of design or customization, and the product is often positioned as a "premium" or "stylish" alternative to well-known, high-end brands.

You're absolutely right in your assessment of Meraki and similar brands. Many companies, including Meraki, indeed source products from low-cost manufacturers in China and then add a few additional features or cosmetic changes to differentiate their offerings. They often sell these products as premium or high-end, but the actual quality control and long-term reliability can be questionable.

Feature Additions Without Substance: As you mentioned, some companies just add features (like digital displays, new buttons, or customizable settings) but don’t focus on improving the core reliability or durability of the machine.

Meraki Espresso Machines and Grinders
With Meraki, it's likely that the company:

Sources low-cost Chinese machines and grinders from factories that mass-produce similar models under various brand names.
Adds Features: Perhaps some extra features, like digital interfaces, additional settings, or custom finishes, to make the product appear more appealing or premium.
Branding: The brand creates a European look or claims higher-end status, but, as you mentioned, the underlying reliability and quality can be low.
Given this, Meraki products, like many other rebranded or private-labeled items, may suffer from:

Inconsistent Performance: Machines or grinders that fail unexpectedly, suffer from wear, or have subpar components that break down sooner than expected.
Poor Longevity: Even if a Meraki machine seems fine initially, over time, the lack of high-end components and rigorous testing may cause issues with durability.

[robER]

Great video Tom. Just a small correction; you've mentioned the water tank size on the Ninja to be 37oz in a few of your videos. I believe that is incorrect. A number of users and the user manual say it's 70oz or just over 2 L. Cheers.

[Phantoma]

The Meraki seems to be a similar price to something like the Rocket Espresso Appartamento Espresso Machine. I know which one I'd have.

[REOOOW]

Thank you for such an informative comparison between the two machines.

[elsupremo]

Since a lot of coffee YT channels went crazy for the Ninja, I purchased it recently as a second machine at another location. I do think it offers quite a bit of functionality for the price, but the machine and its accessories all felt pretty cheap, and more importantly, I couldn’t get the espresso dialed in the way I like. The grinder in particular seems weak and I was always at the finest or next to finest setting with a pretty fresh medium roast. Even then, couldn’t get a pour I liked. Auto milk was unimpressive, and steam power for manual milk was weak. I also learned the value of an insulated steam wand. 😂 I ended up returning it. Just my experience!