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

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

Getting started involved familiarizing myself with the machine, and this is one machine you'll definitely want to refer to the manual for the first few times.In theory, the Ninja DualBrew should be simple to set up. When you take it out of the box, the only parts that really need installation are the milk-frothing wand and snapping in the measuring spoon. Of course, Why settle for a basic coffee maker, when you can have an entire caffeine system at your fingertips? 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.Stylish and sophisticated, we have found in the Ninja DualBrew Pro a machine that seems to do it all. Whether you're tight on space or like the idea of a drip coffee maker that can do more than just normal coffee (and be good at those things too) the Ninja DualBrew Pro will be your countertop companion, with a narrow footprint. With larger coffee brews that use the carafe, a warming plate automatically turns on, staying warm from 15 minutes up to four hours. Its factory keeps the plate on for two hours, but it’s not difficult to adjust that time setting. If you’re making a smaller brew, it’s not required to use the carafe. A regular coffee mug will do, and there’s a single-serve platform that hinges down to rest the mug on, preventing any spills or splashes.

Ninja pods and grounds coffee maker review | Real Homes

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. There are clean cycles for each mode: grounds, pods, and hot water. For grounds, make sure the coffee maker is in that mode and the brew basket is installed. You’ll fill the water tank with a descaling solution or white vinegar, and the carafe should be placed below to hold the dirty water. You just press the clean and start brew buttons and let the machine do its thing. It should take about 75 minutes. You’ll want to run a classic brew with just water to rinse out the machine after, and you’ll be good to go. The same steps are taken with the pod mode, only the K-cup adapter will be installed. For the hot water mode, ensure you’ve got the knob on the side switched to the water droplet. That’s it for maintenance, making for super manageable upkeep. 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. You can boil hot water to two different temperatures, which can be used for things like oatmeal, hot chocolate, or tea. To switch to hot water mode, turn the dial to the water droplet icon. Then, water will be dispensed next to the coffee outlet. Test 5: Keeping coffee warm 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.It's an extension of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, which my family was using every day up until I unboxed the Ninja DualBrew Pro. On the first reaction, the DualBrew Pro looks like a high-end upgrade in a slightly smaller, sleeker bundle, finished off with a touch-screen display. Both offer several customizations from cup size to brew style with special conveniences like a built-in milk frother and intelligently adjusting warming plate. The fold-out milk frother is a convenient feature with a designated spot on the left side of the machine that folds out for use. It's a very basic whisk style design and does not heat milk, so you will also have to microwave your milk as an extra step. It made very good froth from both hot and cold milk. You'll want to immediately snap it off to rinse once you finish frothing milk, otherwise, it will drip onto the counter. It's very easy to remove.

Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System review - Real Homes Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System review - Real Homes

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. Nutribullet decided to design its first coffee maker with K-cup integration too, seen in the Nutribullet Brew Choice Pod + Carafe, which is also significantly cheaper than the Keurig and the Ninja, and it comes with a reusable pod. Pop in a K-cup with the Pod holder to choose from 6, 8, or 12 oz. cups, or brew a 6, 9, or 12 cup carafe. It can automatically detect and adjust whether you've inserted a coffee pod or a filter filled with coffee grounds. 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.Type of coffee: What type of coffee does this machine take? Is it an appropriate volume for the resulting beverage? 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.

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

The Ninja can brew up to 12 cups of coffee, or 55-ounces. That is quite a large volume, so you can really brew as much or as little in various increments that are enough for a single-serving, a few cups, or the whole carafe. It's easy to simply turn the dial to your desired ounce size, with 13 options to choose from in all. During brewing, a progress indicator flashes along the dial to show how much is left to brew. The included scoop has the recommended coffee portions based on your selected cup size, so there is no guesswork on how much coffee to use. Note if you do use the Rich brew function, it does yield slightly less coffee. After testing the DualBrew, I can confirm it makes a great cup of joe relatively easily, whether you're using the traditional grind and filter method or slotting in the K-cup pod adapter to brew that way. The control panel is more complicated than some, but most should get the hang of it after a few brews. There’s plenty of size variety when brewing, and you also get to choose from different brew styles: classic, rich, over-ice, and specialty. I didn’t notice much of a taste difference between the classic and rich brews. The over-ice option did succeed in making a less watery iced coffee. However, the specialty brew, which makes a 4oz espresso-like coffee, didn’t come close to espresso quality, though the brew was stronger than typical coffee.

Cup options: Keurig K-Cup, Cup, XL cup, travel mug, XL multi-serve, half carafe & full carafe, plus four pod options Most reviewers are full of praise for this coffee maker. They love the ability to make drip coffee as well as use K-cups in a single appliance. Most comment on the fact that it keeps partners happy - everyone gets their favorite type of hot drink without arguments. Most users love the taste of their coffee and plenty of people think that toying with the different flavor setting has led them to get even more out of their favorite pods. 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. 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 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.