Ninja is no stranger to the world of coffee machines, having launched several models over the past few years. However, what’s been particularly interesting is how the brand has approached coffee from multiple angles. We’ve seen traditional coffee makers, bean-to-cup machines and hybrid systems that attempt to do a bit of everything. Now, Ninja is taking another step forward with the new AutoBarista Pro, a machine that puts a much bigger emphasis on automation than ever before.
Like some of its predecessors, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro combines multiple brewing methods into a single appliance. This time, however, it’s bringing together bean-to-cup espresso, filter coffee and rapid cold brew functionality, creating what is arguably Ninja’s most ambitious coffee machine to date.
I’m a big fan of both Ninja as a brand and the coffee machines it’s released so far, so I couldn’t wait to put the AutoBarista Pro to the test.
Price and availability
The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is priced at £899.99 in the UK, making it the brand’s most premium coffee machine yet. It’s available directly from SharkNinja, as well as retailers including Currys, John Lewis and Argos. In the US, it retails for $949.99.
At launch, the machine is available in a stainless steel finish, although Ninja’s website also lists several alternative colours currently marked as sold out, including Midnight Blue, Oat Milk, Mocha and Vista Green. That suggests a wider range of finishes could become available in the near future.
Unboxing and set up
As with most Ninja machines, but somewhat surprisingly compared to other bean-to-cup coffee machines, the AutoBarista Pro is incredibly easy to set up. The whole process mainly involves removing the seemingly endless amount of packaging stickers (something Ninja is very thorough with), attaching the cup rack, and filling both the bean hopper and water tank.
You’re also prompted to install the included water filter, which I’d highly recommend if you live in a hard water area like I do. The process is straightforward, and requires soaking the filter for a few minutes, inserting it into the holder, and setting the reminder dial to the month you installed it. Once that’s done, it clips into the bottom of the water tank and stays securely in place. After everything is filled and ready to go, you can switch the machine on and start getting familiar with the controls.
At this stage, I did find it slightly disappointing that the water tank isn’t accessible from the front, requiring you to pull the machine forward to remove and refill it. Plenty of manufacturers have started addressing this issue on newer models, so it feels like a missed opportunity here.
GrindIQ
Now, the main step to focus on between physically setting the machine up and pouring your first shot is the GrindIQ process. You’ll want to run this before you start brewing and again whenever you switch to a different bag of beans. During the sequence, the machine pulls 2-3 shots whilst automatically calibrating the grinder.
GrindIQ works by pulling a shot and monitoring the flow rate and pressure. If either is off, it’ll tweak the grind for the next shot, repeating the process until it’s happy. That said, if you prefer your espresso a little finer (or coarser), you can still manually offset the grinder by up to two steps either way.
When I ran the calibration, it used around 200g of beans, which felt like quite a lot for the process. It’s definitely worth doing to get the best results, but it’s something to bear in mind. Personally, it’d make me think twice about using an expensive specialty coffee for calibration, and I’d probably reach for a more affordable bean that I still enjoy instead.
Design and features
Despite featuring 3-in-1 functionality, the AutoBarista Pro is an incredible looking machine. The integrated grinder, central control panel and automatic milk frothing system are all neatly incorporated into the unit, and it all feels very premium indeed. However, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a fairly substantial appliance that will demand a decent amount of countertop space.
At the front, you’ll find an intuitive control interface that provides access to 13 one-touch drinks, including Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Flat White, Cold Brew and filter coffee. The machine features the brand’s new AutoBarista Technology, which removes much of the trial and error traditionally associated with home espresso machines.
It automatically adjusts key brewing variables depending on the drink selected, including Grind iQ Technology, which calibrates the grind size to suit the beans being used, helping to maximise flavour extraction without requiring manual adjustment. Alongside this sits Calibrated Brewing Technology, which optimises water temperature and pressure to ensure each drink is brewed consistently.
(Image credit: Lizzie Wilmot / T3)
The AutoBarista Pro also allows users to create and save up to two custom profiles, storing preferences such as drink strength, size, temperature and froth style. For households with multiple coffee drinkers, this means favourite drinks can be recreated with a single tap rather than having to manually adjust settings each time.
Milk-based drinks are handled by Ninja’s FrothPerfect Technology, and it’s a significant step up from the simpler frothing system found on the Ninja Prestige DualBrew System. The automatic wand works with both dairy and plant-based milk and offers five froth settings – steamed milk, thin froth, thick froth, extra-thick froth and cold foam.
(Image credit: Lizzie Wilmot / T3)
Ninja has also included two interchangeable 340g bean hoppers, making it easy to switch between different coffee beans without emptying the grinder. This is particularly useful if you like to alternate between regular and decaf coffee or experiment with different roasts.
A dual-shot brewing function is also included, allowing two espresso shots to be prepared simultaneously for faster drink preparation.
Performance
Once I’d finished admiring the AutoBarista Pro, it was time to see how it actually performed. If you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know that a cappuccino is always my starting point, so that’s exactly where I began.
The first thing that caught me off guard was that this isn’t the quickest automatic bean-to-cup machine I’ve tested. After selecting my drink, there was around two to three minutes of grinding, whirring and preparation before anything actually started pouring. That’s not necessarily a problem if you’re not in a rush, but compared to many rivals, it does feel a little slow.
You’re also prompted to pour milk into the jug before the drink starts. Like the Ninja Luxe Café, the jug features clear measuring markers so you know exactly how much milk to add. I particularly liked its larger size, which seemed to help heat the milk more evenly during the frothing process.
(Image credit: Lizzie Wilmot / T3)
Once the brewing process began, the milk was frothed first. Initially, I was concerned that it might cool down before the espresso was ready, but that wasn’t an issue and the temperature remained excellent throughout.
I also loved the small lights positioned above both the milk and coffee dispensing areas. It’s such a minor detail, but it’s something I haven’t seen on many machines before. When the milk starts frothing, one light illuminates, and when the espresso begins pouring, another switches on above the coffee outlet. It makes the machine feel more premium and I can imagine it being particularly useful on dark winter mornings.
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That said, my first cappuccino was a little disappointing. Despite running the GrindIQ sequence in advance, the espresso shot felt quite watery and lacked the rich crema I’d been expecting. Given it was the machine’s first brew, I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. On the plus side, the milk texture was excellent and produced a silky finish.
The next day, I decided to try some different beans to see if the results changed. I therefore ran the GrindIQ sequence and brewed a straight espresso, which definitely helped. There was more crema this time and the shot seemed thicker, so I’d strongly recommend changing coffee beans and running the sequence again if your experience is similar to mine.
Performance then seemed to improve slightly after several drinks, and the machine became quicker once it had settled in. That said, it’s still not the fastest bean-to-cup machine I’ve tested. I’ll pop a TikTok below, but please be aware I’ve cut it down for timing purposes and it features the first cappuccino I made before switching beans.
Where the AutoBarista Pro really shines is customisation. The large display is excellent, making it easy to adjust drink strength, add an extra shot, alter milk texture and tweak brewing temperatures. Everything is clearly laid out and straightforward to navigate.
One feature I particularly appreciated was the dual bean hopper system, which is something you typically see more often on manual bean-to-cup machines than fully automatic models. Whilst I probably won’t switch between hoppers every day, I love the fact that they’re removable for cleaning.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to tip a machine upside down to remove leftover coffee beans before returning it to a brand, so being able to lift the hopper off entirely will make maintenance far easier.
(Image credit: Lizzie Wilmot / T3)
Verdict
The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is an incredibly user-friendly automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine. Setup is simple, the interface is intuitive, and the sheer amount of drink customisation on offer makes it easy to tailor drinks to your exact preferences. Features such as the dual bean hoppers, automatic milk frothing system and user profiles also help justify its premium positioning.
That said, it isn’t perfect. Brewing can feel slower than some rivals, and a high espresso quality can involve multiple GrindIQ sequences, which uses up a lot of beans. However, if convenience, versatility and ease of use are your priorities, the AutoBarista Pro is a highly capable all-in-one coffee machine that you will immensely enjoy.
Alternatives to consider
If you’d prefer to stay with Ninja but don’t necessarily need the AutoBarista Pro’s fully automatic approach, the Ninja Luxe Café remains an excellent alternative. It’s a little more hands-on and requires more user input, but it rewards that effort with fantastic coffee and remains one of the brand’s strongest machines.
Another impressive alternative is the De’Longhi Eletta Ultra. It’s one of the newest premium bean-to-cup machines on the market and offers an enormous drinks menu alongside excellent personalisation features. It is more expensive than the AutoBarista Pro, however, so you’ll need to decide whether those extra features justify the additional outlay.
