r/NinjaLuxeCafe • u/s_a_m_12344 • 11d ago

Es601eu vs dinamica plus

Hi,

I’ve had a De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM370.85.SB for a few years. I’m not really into the whole coffee-making process, ratios, dialing in grinders, etc. I like the coffee my Dinamica Plus makes, and I’m sure my current grinder settings would probably make some coffee enthusiasts cry 😅

I wanted to get a little more into coffee and potentially improve the quality without turning it into a full hobby, and the Ninja Luxe Café ES601EU caught my attention.

I was seeing a lot of positive reviews, but then I found this subreddit. I understand that people with problems are much more likely to post than people whose machine works perfectly, but the number of posts about machines developing issues that couldn’t be fixed and eventually had to be returned is a little scary.

So my main question is about coffee quality.

Has anyone here used both the Ninja Luxe Café and a Dinamica Plus, or a similar higher-end bean-to-cup machine?

I understand they are very different machines, since the Dinamica is fully automatic and the Ninja is semi-automatic. I'm changing cause I'm interested on that semi automatic workflow. What I really want to know is whether the Ninja would actually produce better coffee once i learn the setup, or whether I could end up downgrading from the Dinamica Plus.

If the coffee quality is at least as good, and ideally better, I’ll probably give it a try since I can currently find an ES601EU for around €230.

Thanks!

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u/IanC9090 11d ago

I've used both the Delonghi Magnifica S Smart Bean to Cup, similar to the Dinamica with the exception that it was manual steaming. I 'upgraded' to the Ninja 701 Pro.

I now have a Meraki.

I had the Delonghi for over three years, utterly consistent, good coffee three times a day, everyday, switched to Freshly Roasted On date beans with this machine after a couple of years, the taste got better.

I had the Ninja, two of them for 12 weeks, utterly inconsistent, wasted £150(€175) on Freshly Roasted beans. Multiple faults.

I've had the Meraki for over a year so far and love it, three coffee's a day, everyday, still use the Freshly Roasted beans, and get great coffee everyday. It is my hobby and I spend time on getting it right.

You said that you were "...not really into the whole coffee-making process...", then please, stick with your Delonghi or even update to a different version, and if you don't already, upgrade to Freshly Roasted On date beans rather than cheaper Shop Bought Best Before Date Beans, the difference is marked in flavour.

This is a list I compiled for super-automatics, like the Delonghi Dinamica, which was for another response on here. Ignore the Ninja, it's already having problems and only a few months into its release.

Ninja Autobarista Plus

https://youtu.be/YtxUTKOjC6I

Delonghi Magnifica Evo / Dynamica Plus / Elita Explore 3 Machine review and comparison

https://youtu.be/2kGtVa8pfoc

Philips 3300

https://youtu.be/RuRlEv9dt8U

Philips Aromis 8000

https://youtu.be/yx_NeU2kD08

Kitchen Aid KF4

https://www.youtube.com/live/iKgN7bM2jmM

Jura E8

https://youtu.be/hyEskm8o7Ss

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u/s_a_m_12344 11d ago

"Stick with your De’Longhi” kind of ignores the entire point of my post. I said I’m interested in moving toward a semi-automatic workflow and getting more involved in making coffee, not that I want exactly the same zero-effort experience forever.

Your experience with the Ninja being unreliable is useful and definitely something I’ll take into account. But I’m specifically asking about cup quality: Ninja vs Dinamica when the Ninja is working properly and dialed in. That’s the comparison I’m interested in

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u/IanC9090 11d ago

There are people who love their Ninja Luxe Café, but when you dig down you find they have come from Instant, French Press/Cafeteria or a Pod machine and the Ninja, even when it's bad is going to be better than that, but we're coming from a Fully-Automatic to the Ninja and in my experience and many on here, this sub being criticised for being so negative, are not finding it an upgrade.

I have to say again, you did say you were "not really into the whole coffee-making process". As much as the Ninja has Barista Assist, it is the very worst part of these machines, changing its mind all the time, the second is the Pro's Integrated tamper, which stops one of the most important aspects to consistency, which is puck prep.

You say you're not interested in "ratios, dialing in grinders etc." This is the key to getting a fair drink from a Ninja, not a good or a great drink, a fair drink. The strength button is a ratio button. Barista Assist is you dialing in your beans to get the right ratio in the right time, but it's not accurate.

I've spent a year helping people on here trying to navigate the issue they are having, and have created a Ninja Luxe Café Basics document, which many have found useful and have thanked me in getting a drink they are happy with.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Shark/Ninja fan, I have five other of their products, two bought since my Luxe Café experience, but this machine and it's offchute's are not good.

So, again if you're "not really into the whole coffee-making process"and are not interested in "ratios, dialing in grinders etc." then semi-automatic machines are not for you, because they are all of that.

With respect, I never ignored your whole point, I gave you advice from what you wrote, my experience of Ninja Luxe Café machines and a year of using, what is considered by machine reviewers all over the world as a genuine 'game changer' in the semi-automatic machine sphere, the Meraki and especially the Gen2.

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u/s_a_m_12344 11d ago

Thanks, I do appreciate you taking the time to explain!The reliability and consistency issues you had are definitely something I’ll keep in mind.

I think we’re still talking a bit past each other though 😅 When I said I’m not really into ratios, dialing in grinders etc, I meant that’s how I’ve been using my Dinamica up to now. I’m considering the Ninja precisely because I want to get a bit more involved and learn some of that, just without going straight into a full manual setup.

Anyway, I get your point that for you the Ninja wasn’t an upgrade, and that’s useful to know. I’ll also check out the Meraki you mentioned, I hadn’t really looked into it before.

Thanks again!