Ninja Luxe Cafe vs Breville Bambino Espresso Machine

Buy the Ninja Luxe Cafe if you want one machine that grinds, doses, brews espresso and drip coffee, and makes cold drinks without learning barista skills. Buy the Breville Bambino if you want real espresso in a small space and are willing to grind separately and steam milk by hand. The Luxe Cafe does far more and automates the hard parts, but it is large, heavy and reviewers call its cold brew weak. The Bambino is compact, heats in about 3 seconds and earns strong expert praise, but it has no grinder and rewards practice.

• Choose the Ninja Luxe Cafe if you want drip coffee, espresso and cold drinks from one countertop machine with guided grinding, dosing and frothing.
• Choose the Breville Bambino if you have a small kitchen, already own a grinder and want fast, hands-on espresso with a real steam wand.