The Luxe Café Mini Plus, model ES351, is the Mini with one change that matters: its steam wand is automatic. A temperature probe in the tip lets the machine steam and stop by itself on three hot presets, steamed milk, thin froth and thick froth, with dairy or plant milk. Everything else is the Mini: a compact body about 31 centimetres wide, a 60-setting burr grinder over a scale with grind suggestions after each shot, espresso and hot or iced drip coffee, a 47-ounce tank and a 250-gram hopper. Like the Mini it has no cold brew, cold foam or US hot water. It launched in summer 2026, and the one US hands-on review so far, from Tom's Coffee Corner, is positive on espresso and mixed on the feature that justifies the Plus, so read this as an early verdict.
This machine includes a built-in grinder — see our verdict below on how it compares to pairing the machine with a dedicated grinder.
The compact Luxe Café with an automatic, probe-controlled steam wand and accurate long drinks. The auto froth varied a lot in the one US test, the tank is small, and there are no cold drinks or hot water. Early evidence only.
Best for: Small kitchens that want one-press milk drinks and guided espresso
Boiler
Single heater
Wattage
1650W
Tank
1.4L
Weight
8.8 kg
Steam
Automatic
✓ Pros
Automatic steam wand with a probe that stops at temperature
Full-bodied espresso; long drinks landed close to target volume
Compact body with 60 grind settings and a built-in scale
Strong steam power for its size
✗ Cons
Automatic froth results varied a lot in testing
No cold brew, cold foam or hot water in the US
Small 47 oz tank empties quickly
Cramped under the spout with a scale
Shot Quality
Tom's Coffee Corner tested the Mini Plus for several weeks and found its espresso full-bodied, with chocolate and nutty notes and a creamy texture. It measured the machine dosing 17 to 18 grams for a double or a Caffe Crema, and found the volumetric dosing quite accurate: aiming for a 150-millilitre Caffe Crema, it got between 140 and 155. Its espresso grind settings landed around 8 to 12 on the 60-step scale, lungo around 15 to 18, and filter around 45 to 50. It heats up quickly. TechRadar's review of the plain Mini, which shares the brewing hardware, is the counterweight: it found espresso volume varied at identical settings, so the evidence on consistency is split between two units. Homes and Gardens, which tested what appears to be the European ES352 version, found the grinder consistent but prone to retention, meaning some grounds stay in the grinder between doses. The portafilter is a 54-millimetre single-spout design.
The Automatic Steam Wand
This is the reason to choose the Plus over the Mini. Ninja describes a temperature-controlled wand that makes steamed milk, thin froth or thick froth hands-free with dairy or plant milk, and Tom's Coffee Corner confirms it works by a thermoprobe in the tip, the approach Ninja also uses on its AutoBarista. Unlike the Premier and Pro there is no whisk in the jug, so there is no cold foam. The wand is strong: Tom's Coffee Corner found it has much more power than the one on Ninja's far more expensive AutoBarista Pro. The problem was consistency. In its testing the automatic results varied a lot, and its main wish for the machine was more consistent auto frothing. Homes and Gardens, using semi-skimmed dairy on the European version, found it froths quickly without spitting and pours well. You can still steam by hand, which is the fallback when a preset misses. We rate it three of five for plant milk until a tester reports.
Drip Coffee and Daily Use
The drip side brews real filter coffee in classic, rich or over-ice styles, grinding coarser than for espresso. Sizes are mug-sized rather than carafe-sized: Tom's Coffee Corner describes 6 or 8 ounces in the US, while TechRadar lists up to 12 ounces on the plain Mini, so the exact range on your unit may differ. TechRadar found the Mini's drip results perfect every time and loved the over-ice setting, which brews onto a glass of ice and is the only iced option without cold brew. Day to day, the small tank is the constraint. Tom's Coffee Corner found the Mini Plus uses a lot of water and needs refilling often, and found the space under the spout cramped with a scale. The tamper and funnel live on top of the machine, where loose grounds collect. The Mini Plus has a fold-away cup tray rather than the Mini's insertable one, and side cut-outs make it easy to lift. Both Minis share a body about 31 centimetres wide and 34 tall, a 47-ounce tank, a 250-gram hopper, a 60-setting grinder with the same grind suggestions, a built-in scale, and double and Luxe baskets.
Who It's For, Build & Value
The Mini Plus suits a small kitchen that wants lattes and cappuccinos without learning to steam, alongside guided espresso and a mug of drip coffee. If you are happy to steam by hand, the Mini does the same brewing for less. If you want iced lattes with cold foam, cold brew or a hot water tap, the larger Premier or Pro is the better fit. Build is lighter than the bigger Luxe Cafés, with plastic sides and back, and like the Mini it can slide as you lock in the portafilter, which both TechRadar and Homes and Gardens noticed on the Mini bodies. It is quiet: the Homes and Gardens reviewer said it never disturbed the reviewer sleeping upstairs. The evidence on long-term reliability is non-existent for a machine this new, and the warranty is one year.
What This Review Is Based On
This review is a synthesis of published evidence, not a test of our own unit. Specifications come from Ninja's US product page for the ES351, its Amazon listing, and where Ninja's own figures are plainly wrong we say so and use measured ones. Hands-on evidence comes from Tom's Coffee Corner's review of the US Mini Plus, TechRadar's review of the Mini on the same brewing hardware, and Homes and Gardens, whose unit had hot water, a single basket and a water filter and so appears to be the European ES352. None of the three says how it obtained its unit. We use the Homes and Gardens findings only where the hardware is shared with the US model, never for hot water. Ninja publishes no pump pressure for the Luxe Café range, and the figures in reviewers' spec tables disagree, so we do not print one. No reviewer has multi-year data yet, so long-term reliability is unknown, and we found no safety recall for any Luxe Café model.
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Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus — FAQ
What is the difference between the Ninja Luxe Café Mini and Mini Plus?
The steam wand. The Mini Plus ES351 has an automatic wand with a temperature probe and three hot presets, so it steams and stops by itself; the Mini ES301 has a manual wand. The Plus also has a fold-away cup tray. The grinder, scale, brewing, tank, hopper and size are the same.
Does the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus make cold foam?
No. Its automatic wand makes steamed milk, thin froth and thick froth, all hot. Cold foam needs the whisk jug of the Premier and Pro, which the Minis do not have, so for iced lattes with cold foam choose one of the full-size Luxe Cafés instead.
Is the Mini Plus automatic frothing consistent?
Not in the one US hands-on test so far. Tom's Coffee Corner found the automatic results varied a lot and wished they were more consistent, though it found the wand powerful. Homes and Gardens, on the European version with dairy, found it frothed well. Manual steaming remains available when a preset misses.
Does the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus have hot water?
Not in the US. There is no hot water outlet on the North American Minis, according to Tom's Coffee Corner. The European ES352 version does have one, which is why the Homes and Gardens review mentions it. For Americanos and tea at home, use a kettle or choose the Luxe Café Pro.
How big is the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus?
About 31 centimetres wide, 26 deep and 34 tall, from Ninja's US figures of 12.17 by 10.08 by 13.43 inches, and about 8.8 kilograms. Tom's Coffee Corner found the area under the spout cramped if you weigh your shots on a scale, so check cup height and scale size before you buy.
What warranty does the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus have?
One year in the US, from the date of purchase from an authorised retailer, for the original owner only. Ninja may repair the machine or replace it with a new or refurbished unit, and its owner's guide lists a shipping fee, US$20.95 at the time of writing, for sending the repaired or replacement unit back. Wear parts such as the funnel and water tank are excluded.
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