Review: Ninja AutoBarista coffee machine is versatile, but upkeep is a dealbreaker for one reviewer
A TechCrunch reviewer tested SharkNinja's fully automatic AutoBarista coffee machine, which makes 13 drinks at the press of a button. She found its upkeep to be a dealbreaker, and the device costs $999.99.
Amanda Silberling, a senior writer at the technology outlet TechCrunch, has published a review of the Ninja AutoBarista, a fully automatic coffee machine from the manufacturer SharkNinja. The home appliance can make 13 different drinks with one press of a button, including espresso, drip coffee, cappuccino and flat white.
How it works
The machine's versatility rests on a feature called Grind iQ. It detects the size, roast type and freshness of the coffee beans, then automatically calibrates the grind size, weight and dose. When the user changes the number of shots, their intensity or the temperature, the system adjusts again. The device also has a milk frother with a stainless steel pitcher, where temperature and foam heaviness can be set, plus a setting for plant-based milk. It rinses itself before and after making each drink, and it can also produce a fairly fast cold brew.
The author says the machine is not meant for coffee purists who want to control every detail of brewing. Instead, she describes it as being for people who love coffee but have never analyzed their espresso pucks. In her view, the drinks are good.
Drawbacks
The reviewer names the drip tray as the dealbreaker. It fills after only a few drinks, and she overfilled it more than once, spilling coffee-tinted water on her kitchen floor. Beneath the tray sits a knock box for spent espresso pucks; if it is left unemptied for even a few days, blue mold can form.
She notes that most people may not find the upkeep so arduous. She herself prefers her OXO cold brew maker, which costs just six percent of the AutoBarista's price.
Verdict
The author acknowledges that the Ninja device combines a drip coffee maker, espresso machine, milk frother, grinder and food scale. However, she concludes that unless a buyer plans to use that versatility, the $999.99 price is not worth paying.
