We got a new coffee maker! Our Ninja Hot and Cold machine had been slowly deteriorating over the last year. I noticed that the coffee became less flavorful over time, which I assume is because the water was no longer getting hot enough. We had the machine for 7 or 8 years, so it had brewed thousands of cups for us over the years! A good run!
As a 30-something, a new coffee machine is about as exciting as it gets! I kid, I kid! But I am truly very pleased with our new machine. After (too much) research, we landed on the Breville Luxe Precision Brewer Coffee Maker. Having just come out in May, there was not a ton of information about this machine online. I read just about everything I could get my hands on, which ultimately led to the purchase. So, I wanted to add to the info about this machine so others may stumble upon it during their own research!
Pros
- Removable side water tank: The tank is located on the side, not the back, which makes it far more accessible. A removable water tank was a non-negotiable for us. If a model didn’t have one, it was immediately ruled out.
- SCA-Approved Golden Cup Standard: This certification ensures the machine meets key brewing parameters like water temperature, brew strength, and extraction time. After our last machine started failing, I realized just how essential proper water temperature is for fully extracting flavor from coffee grounds. You can change the 'Golden Cup' settings to your own personal liking, but the default is great and makes for a quick and easy setup. When you look into the specifics of the machine, it shares more similarities with an Espresso machine in terms of precision brewing than it does to a typical drip machine. When I was researching this machine before purchasing it, many people mentioned that it's essentially a pour-over machine. They actually have an attachment that you can buy if you want the full pour-over experience.
- Newest model: This model came out recently in May, so this is their newest model.
- Fast brewing time: I can brew a cup of coffee in under 5 minutes, start to finish.
- Programmable timer: Great for busy mornings, you can set it ahead of time and wake up to fresh coffee.
- Brews both hot and cold coffee: We only drink hot coffee, but it's worth noting as I know many prefer cold brew.
- Sleek, modern design: It looks significantly more polished than many standard drip coffee makers. It particularly looks better than our old machine, which makes me happy. There are several colors to choose from. I chose stainless steel because our appliances are all stainless, so this just felt cohesive.
- No pods (a must!): I’m anti-pods. While we do own a Nespresso and use it occasionally on weekends, our daily brew is always ground coffee. This machine fits that preference perfectly.
- Single-cup brewing (without pods): My husband and I each drink one cup of coffee in the morning using different grounds. We never need a whole pot unless we have guests. Finding a machine that can brew a single cup directly into a mug, without pods, is like finding a needle in a haystack. This does it. Technically, any coffee maker can make one cup of coffee. But the coffee has to brew into a carafe in almost all machines that don't use pods. The distinction here is that we wanted to just set our cup underneath and not have to deal with carafes. You may think that you can just put your cup underneath any machine, but you can't. It would make a splattery mess! This machine is touted as being able to use a cup, but I couldn't find any photos or reviews online that feature someone actually using a cup. So that is why I created this blog post!
- Supports different grounds per cup: This was also essential for us. We can quickly swap out grounds between cups, which is ideal for two different coffee preferences.
- Includes two filter basket options: Comes with both a cone filter (for smaller batches) and a flat-bottom filter (for larger batches), giving you flexibility depending on how much you're brewing.
- Water Filter Included: The charcoal filter sits in the reservoir and makes sure your water is clean and crisp. When setting up the machine, you test your water hardness, and the machine compensates for your water.
Cons
- Manual water fill for each cup: This is the biggest con for us. You need to fill the water reservoir with the exact amount of water you want to brew. Unlike our old machine, which allowed us to keep the reservoir full and simply select the ounces we wanted brewed, this model requires manual measuring. So in the morning, my husband fills the reservoir for his cup, brews it, then refills it for mine. It's a minor inconvenience, but the one thing we’d change if we could. Still, it’s not a deal-breaker.
- Still includes plastic: While it has fewer plastic parts than many machines, and particularly much less than our previous machine, the water tank and a few other components are still plastic. I’d love to see a glass water tank and overall, plastic-free models in the future.
- Noisier than ideal: It’s a bit loud, but not noticeably louder than most other machines.
- No built-in frother: Our previous Ninja machine included a frother, which was a nice bonus. This one does not. We don't typically use milk, except when making cappuccinos with our Nespresso. It was convenient to use our Ninja's built-in frother instead of getting out our froth machine. This is not really a con for me. I am indifferent about this, but it may be a larger con for some.
- Steep Price: Drip coffee machines are typically inexpensive. This is definitely more costly than most.
- No Clock Display: This doesn't have a clock on display when not in use. The only reason they have you set the time is for the auto-brew timer option. I am so used to seeing the time on our old machine. This really doesn't matter considering our oven, microwave, and Amazon Echo Show all three display the time in our kitchen.
New Machine compared to our old machine.
We loved our old machine, the Ninja Hot and Cold Brew. The Breville makes a tastier cup of coffee, but I still think the Ninja is a good, solid choice, especially when you factor in the much lower price point. I almost repurchased the newer version, but I chose the Breville due to the rave reviews on its taste. I have no regrets and am very pleased with our new machine, but you'll be happy with this if you're looking for a more wallet-friendly option.
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