Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Review

The Ninja Specialty coffee maker enters an arena crowded with excellent coffee machines. This Ninja Specialty coffee maker review will show why it has dominated the market.

With a combination of quality and style, performance and efficiency, this Ninja Specialty coffee maker review highlights its versatility in making any coffee drink you desire.


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If you enjoy experimenting with your coffee and like it hot, cold or strong, then the Ninja Specialty coffee maker will make your experience fun and fulfilling. A coffee enthusiast will delight at the versatility and simplicity of the Ninja Specialty coffee maker.

Pros:

  • can prepare a range of coffee drinks
  • brews in various sizes – single cup, to full carafe
  • large 50 oz capacity glass or ceramic carafe
  • programmable functions for delicious coffee
  • runs on patented Flavor Thermal Extraction technology
  • makes hot, iced and specialty coffees
  • looks stylish and modern with an elegant design
  • compact and fits into small spaces comfortably
  • has a 50 oz removable water reservoir
  • easy to operate (just push a button)
  • can be pre-programmed to turn on at specified time
  • heater plate keeps coffee warm for upto 2 hours
  • works with any kind of blend or coffee beans
  • suitable for large families and groups
  • affordable for the range of features included

Cons:

  • takes longer to brew delicious coffee
  • advanced technology comes with a slightly higher price
  • descaling can take time (needed once every 3 to 6 months)
  • cannot make espresso or work with K-pods

By the time you’re through this Ninja Specialty coffee maker review you’ll appreciate the reasons. But if you’re in a rush, let’s get 3 big questions out of the way first.

1. Is there any major drawback or deficiency with the Ninja Specialty coffee maker?

No, there are none. The Ninja Specialty coffee maker is a good choice for any home or office. With its sturdy yet sleek design, this is an impressive coffee machine that will suit most needs.

If you simply cannot afford more time to look into the details and are in a rush to order the Ninja Specialty coffee maker, go ahead secure in the knowledge that you’ll be happy with your coffee machine.

2. Are there any other coffee makers like the Ninja Specialty coffee maker?

The big advantage offered by the Ninja Specialty coffee maker is the ability to handle so many coffee making tasks with a compact device. There are few other options – especially at this price point – that can do all that the Ninja coffee machine can.

But for the user who seeks specific features, there are several alternatives that can serve as well.

Black+Decker 12 cup coffee maker review - Alternatives

For example, if you only need a good single serve coffee maker and drink traditional coffee most of the time, then a Keurig K-Mini coffee maker or the more robust Keurig K-Elite coffee maker are good choices.

If you are often in the mood for an espresso along with a more conventional coffee drinking habit, then a combination machine like the Breville Vertuo coffee and espresso machine might suit your taste better.

And don’t forget the Black & Decker 12 cup coffee maker for brewing bigger batches of your favorite drink.

3. Where to buy the Ninja Specialty coffee maker?

You can pick up the Ninja Specialty coffee maker from retail outlets like Walmart, Macy’s, Target or local appliance stores that have a range of coffee makers in stock.

A surefire way that’s also easier and more convenient is to order your Ninja Specialty coffee maker online from an e-commerce portal like Amazon.com

Buy the Ninja Specialty coffee maker from Amazon.com

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This way you save yourself the trouble of going to the store, and get the machine delivered right to your doorstep with no extra cost. You may even save a few bucks because these online stores run frequent price discounts and coupon deals.

So now let’s get a little deeper into the pros and cons of the device in our Ninja Specialty coffee maker review. But first…

Why Should You Trust ‘A Barista’s Daughter’?

This website was created to meet a need. That’s the need for more information about coffee machines.

With the explosion of models and brands of coffee makers, it has grown difficult to sift through the clutter and find the right machine for your needs. There are so many variations, each with sub-types that are almost identical.

That’s why ‘A Barista’s Daughter‘ came into being. We are not expert baristas. And we are not even coffee specialists. We are enthusiasts who enjoy our daily cuppa… just like you. And we are good at research.

So the information you’ll find here, and unbiased reviews of various coffee machines, are designed to help you find the right type of coffee maker to suit your requirements. While we may get a commission for any products sold off this website (at no extra cost to you), this will never be the reason why we promote or criticize a specific model.

We do not receive money or any gifts and incentives from manufacturers or retailers for our reviews. Everything is fair, unbiased and compiled for your benefit. Hopefully you’ll find it worthwhile, too, and tell your friends about ‘A Barista’s Daughter‘.

Okay, with that out of the way, here’s the Ninja Specialty coffee maker review.

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Review

The Ninja Specialty coffee maker is unusual since it packs so many coffee brewing options into a compact machine with a small footprint.

It’s because this coffee machine can make such a wide range of coffee drinks – iced, hot and specialty (cappuccinos and lattes) – that it is a popular favorite among users. You can prepare 4 customizable drinks, each in a choice of 6 sizes.

The Ninja coffee maker is sleek, attractive and modern as well as being loaded with features that are any coffee lover’s dream. And your coffee is rich, delicious and has a great flavor.

If you’re ready to invest in a coffee machine that lets you experiment with new drinks, can brew many different variations, or need to whip up large batches at a time, then you’ll like the Ninja Specialty coffee maker.

What’s In The Box

  • The Ninja Specialty coffee maker
  • 50 oz glass or ceramic carafe
  • warming plate (not with a ceramic carafe)
  • inspiring coffee recipe guide
  • removable water reservoir
  • integrated milk frother
  • Ninja scoop for measuring
  • cup holder for spare cups

Why Choose the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker?

Ninja has achieved a remarkable result with its coffee machines. By combining sophisticated technology with design elegance and durability, the manufacturer has come up with a way to brew a range of delicious coffee drinks right at home.

One reason for this is Ninja’s patented technology for Flavor Extraction. It enables better cooking of grounds or beans, leading to richer, highly flavored coffees.

Whether you’re in the mood for a piping hot cup of java, or want a relaxing cool mug of iced-coffee, or need that extra strong shot of specialty coffee, the Ninja Specialty coffee maker can handle it. This versatility and wide range of brews is what makes the model such a popular favorite among users.

The price is slightly more than other coffee makers. But what you’ll get in exchange for it is worth a lot more. This makes the Ninja Specialty coffee maker fair and affordable for the value it delivers.

After all, where else can you choose from a range of 5 different brews in 6 distinct brew sizes?

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Review : Appearance and Design

 

 

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Review - Drinks

The Ninja Specialty coffee maker is an attractive and elegant coffee machine with a modern look and feel. Made of a combination of black and translucent plastic with stainless steel, the device lends a touch of class to any room and fits with diverse decors.

From the front you can see the control panel and filter basket, which slides out like a drawer for easy filling. The water reservoir can also be easily removed for cleaning.

On the control panel, easy to use buttons are clearly labelled. There is a dial to select cup sizes and 4 buttons that let you choose the kind of coffee to brew. A power button and a clean button are also readily accessible. The inclusion of a digital clock is a nice touch.

Technical Specifications

The Ninja Specialty coffee maker weighs 13.4 pounds and measures 12 x 9 x 15 inches. It is taller than wide and cannot fit under low shelves. But in cabinets or small kitchens you’ll have no problem setting up this appliance. It runs on 120V electric power.

The coffee machine is made up of many parts which are easily assembled or taken apart. There’s a glass carafe, measuring scoop and a water reservoir that can be refilled.

Glass or Thermal Carafe:

With a capacity of 50 oz this can hold up to 10 cups of water which should suffice for most households. The carafe is dishwasher safe which makes it quick and easily cleaned. The thermal carafe is a little more expensive than glass, but keeps your brew warm for longer.

Water Reservoir:

The equally large water reservoir can take 50 ounces of water, sparing you the hassle of refilling it each time you want to brew coffee. There’s a simple way to tilt open the cap and fill it up.

Ninja Scoop:

It’s useful to measure coffee grounds for your drink and many recipes tell you how many scoops to use.

Milk Frother:

A foldable and compact milk frother on the right side of the machine helps whip up a nice, thick and creamy froth to go on your coffee drinks. It however doesn’t heat milk up as it froths.

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker review - Milk Frother

Filter:

There’s a permanent metal-mesh water filter that avoids the need for disposable paper filters. This ensures your drink has a delicious flavor without particulate contamination.

Heated Plate:

The Ninja Specialty coffee maker‘s hot plate keeps your pot of coffee warm for around 2 hours. This add-on isn’t included with models where there’s a thermal carafe (because you don’t need it!).

Brewing Size

You get a choice of different brew sizes with the Ninja Specialty coffee maker. Using a knob-like dial, you can select the appropriate option from

  • large XL cup (11 ounces)
  • small cup (9 ounces)
  • travel cup (14 ounces)
  • large or tall travel mug (18 ounces)

You can even choose to brew a half carafe (25 oz) or full carafe (50 oz) at the same time, if you wish. If you choose these options, make sure you’re using a big enough container.

Brewing Time

The Ninja coffee maker takes a little longer to brew coffee. But that’s because of how it extracts the flavor from coffee grounds, and the result is a more full bodied and delicious drink.

If you’re used to getting coffee in just a minute after pressing the button, you may be disappointed at having to wait longer. But when you take that first sip, you’ll be rewarded for your patience!

Your coffee is brewed at the perfect temperature of 175-180 F for the optimal extraction.

A Word About Thermal Flavor Extraction Technology

Almost every Ninja Specialty coffee maker review praises the strong, rich and delicious coffee brewed using this machine. The secret behind it lies in an innovative technology.

Thermal flavor extraction technology harnesses the power to extract all the flavor from coffee grounds. To do this, the coffee grounds have to be saturated evenly.

So the Ninja Specialty coffee maker starts brewing, but stops midway through. This happens several times along the process, giving water more time to seep into the coffee grounds. After a brief pause, the brewing restarts again.

The result is a full bodied strong brew that coffee fans love.

Programmable Brew Settings

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker review - Control Panel

You not only get to select your brew size, you can also adjust the style to make hot or cold coffee drinks. There are pre-set selections like classic, rich and over-ice brews.

Classic:

This is like drip coffee and a favorite classic for anyone who likes black coffee or traditional coffee with milk.

Rich:

If you prefer a stronger cuppa, this setting concentrates your drip coffee for that extra buzz in the morning. The volume of your drink under this setting will be slightly less, but the coffee will be rich and stronger.

Over-Ice:

You can make cold coffee with the Ninja Specialty coffee maker by placing ice in your cup and choosing the right option.

Specialty:

An extra-concentrated blend setting, this brews just a few ounces at a time (4 oz, unless you adjust the settings). But it’ll be far more stronger, almost like an espresso.

You can also use this function to prepare Ninja Signature brews like the Cafe Specialty and Cafe Forte which are rich, frothy gourmet coffee drinks that young and old alike will enjoy. These drinks take a little longer to prepare, but you’ll agree they are well worth the wait.

All these functions can be automated. There’s an inbuilt timer which adjusts how long to brew your coffee for the particular setting. This is guided by the Ninja Coffee Bar system which is powered by a catchily named Auto-IQ intelligence technology.

An interesting way to use the timer is to even determine ahead of time when you’ll want it to brew your beverage. So you could program your Ninja Specialty coffee maker hours ahead of when you want your coffee, a feature some users find delightful.

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Review : Ease of Use

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker review

One of the nicest things about the Ninja Specialty coffee maker is that everything is fully automated.

You don’t need to twiddle with any settings of water temperature or strength. Just pick a brew option and press the button.

With the right size and brew selected, just make sure the water reservoir has been refilled and you’re good to go. Everything else is pre-programmed.

Drip Stop Function

A toggle beneath the filter just over the outlet spout can be turned to the drip stop position. This instantly stops the flow and prevents messy spills or accidental heat injury in case of a mistake like having a cup that’s too small.

Delay Brew Function

In case you need to stop the brewing process midway for some reason, there’s a handy delay-brew button.

Cleaning Up

Regular everyday cleaning after use is simple and quick. Wash your carafe and lid with soap and warm water. Rinse the milk frother whisk well or pop it into the dishwasher. Wipe the other parts with a damp cloth. And you’re done.

The deep cleaning of a Ninja Specialty coffee maker is similar to any other coffee machine. Wash out the components with water before using a white vinegar solution to remove any mineral or salt build up. This is recommended once in every 3 months of use.

It’s easy but takes a little longer.

A Clean button glows to indicate the cleaning cycle is underway. Another indicator tells you when it’s time to descale calcium deposits. The oils coating coffee beans end up in grounds and coat the heating elements. So cleaning up your coffee machine is an integral part of enjoying great coffee drinks.

What’s Not Great About the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker?

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker review - Compact

Even if the Ninja Specialty coffee maker gets many things right, there are a few things it lacks or isn’t good at.

In any case, you’re covered under the manufacturer’s 1-year limited warranty against defects, though it won’t cover accidents or natural wear and tear changes.

It’s Slow

You may have to wait as long as 4 minutes for a single cup (and 8 minutes for a full carafe) of coffee. But then, the quality of your beverage may convince you that it’s a worthwhile exchange. Patience for delight sounds like a good deal!

And because the heating elements are primed, the second or third brews will be quicker. Some suggest pre-heating with hot water, but the quality of your coffee may vary. If the machine runs really slow, it might be time for descaling.

It’s Noisy

At least when the coffee machine starts up and heats the water, it can be rather noisy. To be fair, this isn’t the kind of noise that’ll wake you from a nap or disturb everyone in the room. But if you want a truly quiet coffee machine, this isn’t one.

Once it warms up, the noise level drops and you’ll only hear the notification beep when your coffee is ready.

It’s Plastic

While there are a few stainless steel parts, most of the Ninja Specialty coffee maker is plastic and glass. It can break or need replacing more often than other premium coffee machines.

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Review : Should You Buy It?

Any Ninja Specialty coffee maker review finally arrives at the big question.

Is this coffee machine right for you – and should you get it?

As always, there’s no right answer for everyone. It may be right for you under certain conditions.

The Ninja Specialty coffee maker is overall a nice, efficient machine that’s reliable, easy to maintain and simple to use. It can make a range of coffee drinks quickly and easily.


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Think of it as a combination of drip coffee maker, single serve coffee maker, and partly an espresso maker as well.

And for the extensive range of features and functionality, it is quite affordably priced. You can see more Ninja Specialty coffee maker reviews and buy the Ninja Specialty coffee maker online from Amazon.com

Buy the Ninja Specialty coffee maker at Amazon.com

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The Ninja website calls this the highest quality, innovative coffee machines available now.

Is this true?

Most owners of this high quality coffee brewing machine will agree. Take a look and see if you agree.


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