Ninja vs Sage Filter Coffee Machines

Ninja and Sage both sell espresso machines aimed at home baristas, with a built-in grinder on Ninja's side and a strong focus on milk on Sage's. Ninja's range runs from the CFN802UK Prestige DualBrew at £249 to the ES601UKBK Luxe Cafe Premier in black at £475 and the ES601UK at £499. Sage starts with the Bambino at £279 (£278 in Black Truffle), then the Creatista Plus BNE800BSSUK at £499 and the Barista Pro Bean to Cup Coffee Machine at £649.

Ninja's Luxe Cafe models have a built-in grinder with 25 grind settings on the ES601UK, hands-free frothing and a 3-in-1 design. The Premier range adds dual froth for hot and cold milk and 15 or more presets. The CFN802UK DualBrew makes filter coffee and pod-style drinks. Sage's Barista Pro has a 12-bar pump, a milk frother and a 1.9-litre tank, while the Creatista Plus offers 1.5 litres, three programmable cup sizes, 11 milk temperatures and programmable water hardness. The Bambino uses ThermoJet heating with a 9-bar pump and a 1.9-litre tank for simple button control.

Ninja suits people who want to grind fresh beans at home for filter or espresso drinks and like guided brewing, and the ES601UK offers the most features at £499. Sage suits people who want to learn espresso on a simpler machine, such as the Bambino at £279, or who want more direct milk control with the Creatista Plus at £499 or the Barista Pro at £649. The Ninja Luxe Cafe models are large, so check worktop space before buying.

Bottom line: choose Ninja if you want a built-in grinder, dual froth and guided brewing for £475 to £499, or the DualBrew at £249 for filter and pod-style cups; choose Sage if you want simpler espresso from £278 to £279 or milk-focused control from £499 to £649.