The slim profile also makes it a no-brainer for small space dwellers. You can’t beat its space-saving ways. Is there anyone who wouldn’t like it? If hot steamed milk is critical to your morning coffee or you prefer a true espresso, then this might not be your machine. If you’re brewing pods, you can remove the used pod from the Ninja pod adapter and then remove the adapter from the brewer. The Ninja DualBrew Pro is made with modular parts that can be easily removed, so it’s easy to remove Ninja pod adapter, frothing tool, and water reservoir for cleaning. They're all dishwasher safe, saving you from washing it by hand. How does it rate online? If you and your partner or roommate can’t agree on whether you want pods or grounds, or if you like the flexibility of having both options then the Ninja® PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker can’t be beat. The ability to brew either pods or grounds — and brew them both well — is not something you see in most machines. Add in the 4 oz. specialty option and the milk frother, and you have a machine that can do it all. This was my preferred method because it uses less waste than pods, and I was able to add more grounds if I wanted a stronger brew. I found that the Ninja DualBrew Pro did an effective job of saturating the coffee grounds so my brew was rich and balanced every time. Test 3 - Frothing Milk For the over-ice brew, Ninja says that it’ll produce a more concentrated brew and suggests that you fill whatever vessel the coffee is dispensing into full of ice. I followed the instructions and made the same 8oz brew, which took just under 3.5 minutes. Some of the ice melted, while the drink’s temperature immediately after brewing was 42°F / 5°C. As an avid iced coffee drinker, I really wanted this feature to work great, and to my surprise, it did. Unlike when you throw ice cubes in hot coffee, it wasn’t watered down, plus it was cool and refreshing as soon as it finished brewing.

Ninja® DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System Ninja® DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System

This machine doesn’t come with a coffee grinder, so you’ll need to grind your own coffee beans or buy grounds. If you’re brewing coffee grounds, use the included Ninja Smart Cup to measure coffee grounds and follow the guidance for the number of scoops for each brew size, which can be found on the handle of the Smart Scoop. The Ninja DualBrew is essentially an extension of its Specialty line, with the new k-cup additions and hot water spout. I've previously reviewed the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, which is a 10-cup coffee maker that also offers the Classic, Rich, Over Ice, and Specialty settings for mugs to the full carafe, with a built-in measuring spoon and milk frother. Featurewise, the DualBrew Pro is a clear upgrade with the interface refresh, Ninja Pro Adapter, and hot water dispenser, all of which are reflected in the price. The Specialty Coffee Maker does come with its own reusable filter, which is one thing I really wish the DualBrew Pro came with. How do you add a TV to a traditional living room? This interior designer's space offers the perfect hidden storage solution The milk frother is a nice feature as well, and easy to use and remove to clean. It does not have a heated element like a steam wand you might find on an espresso machine, but at this price point, and the fact that it stores on-board and takes up minimal space, it is convenient. Cleaning and descaling: How easy is it to provide maintenance for the machine? This may involve anything from removing coffee stains to getting rid of limescale.I tested the other two brew styles: rich and over-ice using the exact same settings and grind measurements as my classic brew. When using the rich brew style, it actually makes slightly less coffee, so my 8oz brew became 7oz. It took slightly under 3 minutes to brew and was 145°F / 62°C. After tasting the coffee, there wasn’t a noticeable difference from the classic brew. I ended up testing on larger size settings with similar results.

Ninja Single-Serve Pods and Grounds Specialty Coffee Maker Ninja Single-Serve Pods and Grounds Specialty Coffee Maker

This specialty brew is definitely not something you want to sip on like a traditional espresso, so I made an oat milk latte with it. Its flavor wasn’t as strong as I like, but still enjoyable to drink - and make - thanks to the milk frother. When you want to brew a cup of coffee using a K-Cup pod, there’s an adapter that has to be put in place right on top of where regular grinds brew. Be sure to leave the brew basket installed, but you don’t need a filter. The DualBrew automatically recognizes when the adapter is installed. It’ll automatically limit your settings, preventing you from making a coffee larger than 12 oz. The adapter is also different than a regular Keurig, as it has three wider “needles” that puncture the top of the pod compared to the typical one, helping better saturate the coffee. For the 4 oz. specialty setting, the concentrate itself is quite strong, and while it resembles espresso, it is not espresso and tastes best when mixed with milk, or following along with one of the recipes in the included recipe booklet.You'll need a fresh paper filter for each drink, but a convenient alternative is to choose the specialty brew with a K-Cup, which creates much less mess. The Ninja® PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker comes with an instruction guide that walks you through each brewing process. Ninja's new DualBrew Pro is one of the most luxe options out there, with special features like the ability to brew a specialty brew, iced coffee, fold-out milk frother, built-in measuring spoon, and a hot water spout, all in a narrow, space-saving footprint. But let's be clear — it's big.Cuisinart also has its own K-cup compatible coffee maker, the Cuisinart Coffee Center Coffee Maker & Single-Serve Brewer, which also has a convenient side-by-side build. While its design just doesn't feel as sleek, it has two separate water reservoirs as if two coffee machines were combined together. Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System: our verdict EasyCleaning: Clean function, dishwasher-safe parts, and removable pod adaptorallow you to easily deepclean your unit.​ The Ninja® DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System delivers Classic, Rich, Over Ice, and Specialty brews from your favorite coffee grounds or coffee pods. Customize your brew with 9 grounds sizes from single serve to carafe and 4 pod sizes from 6 to 12 oz. Use the fold-away frother to create cappuccinos and lattes or dispense hot water from the independent hot water system to make tea or soup. If you like to enjoy your coffee with frothed milk or creamer, you can also use the frothing tool to foam up half a cup of milk, a milk alternative, or creamer. To do so, swing the arm of the frother and install the frother whisk by twisting up and to the right. Ensuring that the frothing whisk is submerged just below the surface, and press and hold the frothing button for 30 to 45 seconds. Then remove the frother by twisting up and to the left and clean at the sink or dishwasher. Fill up your favorite cup (or the glass carafe) with ice cubes and select the Over Ice button to brew. The cycle brews slower than hot and will start and stop for a short period before beeping to end. Ninja said this is to ensure all the coffee grounds are evenly saturated. I commonly used this feature with a travel-sized mug, and then would top it with cold-frothed milk. Divine!

Ninja pods and grounds coffee maker review | Real Homes

It's well-suited for smaller sized kitchens that don't have space for two, three, or even four coffee makers as well as those that value a machine that counts drip coffee, single-serve coffee, iced coffee, and specialty lattes among its features.However, if you're looking for a machine that does not require the extra step of removing and storing the K-cup adapter, we'll discuss some alternatives later. Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System: Specs

Ninja DualBrew Pro review: almost all-in-one perfection Ninja DualBrew Pro review: almost all-in-one perfection

The Keurig K-Duo is perhaps the first that comes to mind, straight from Keurig itself. The boxy side-by-side model has its standard K-cup brewer on one side, and a 12-cup carafe and heat plate for drip coffee. They both share the same 60 oz. water reservoir and switching between brew settings are as simple as selecting a cup or carafe. The taste of the coffee from the Ninja DualBrew Pro varied depending on the brew style, but it doesn’t get watered down. Coffee made on the specialty method is designed for espresso-based drinks and is well-balanced when combined with dairy or creamer. Dual Coffee Maker: Grounds and pods coffee system with 9 grounds brew sizes (Small Cup, Cup, XL Cup, Travel Mug, XL Travel Mug, ¼ Carafe, ½ Carafe, ¾ Carafe, or Full carafe) in addition to 4 traditional pod brew sizes (6, 8, 10, or 12 oz). Operation: How easy is it to use the machine? Are the prompts/buttons legible? If the machine makes a sound, is it clear to understand what is happening?

If you want to make something other than coffee, the Ninja DualBrew also offers hot water by turning a knob on the side. The hot water comes from a separate water line than the coffee, and I can attest that there’s no coffee taste whatsoever. There are two heat settings, boil and hot. When using the boiling setting, hot water came out after just a few seconds. However, the water wasn’t actually boiling, as it measured at 180°F / 82°C, but still worked for steeping my tea. The hot setting dispensed water at 160°F / 71°C, which could work for making hot cocoa or a hot water bottle.