Ninja Coffee Bar: A Review of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker

Ninja Coffee Bar

The Ninja brand offers plenty of options for coffee lovers with their selection of Ninja Coffee Bar coffee makers. No matter what your taste in coffee might be, each item they provide promises the impressive features and new technology of their "next-generation brewing system." Their brewers promise exact temperatures, removable water reservoirs on the side of their machines, conveniently removable brew baskets, and smart scoops for measurement. 

From their Hot and Cold Brewed System to their Specialty Coffee Makers and Ninja Coffee Bar options, the Ninja company offers many coffee makers for true coffee connoisseurs. For this reason, we have listed the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker as number three on our best coffee brewer guide.

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Our Top Choice - Ninja Specialty Coffee Bar

Establishment of Ninja Coffee

Ninja is one of the brands that the SharkNinja Operating LLC has developed. Formerly known as Euro-Pro Operating LLC, the company formed outside of Montreal in 1996, producing household appliances including coffee makers and blenders, cleaning solutions, and even vacuums. 

Now that the company operates outside of Boston in the United States, they eventually changed their name to SharkNinja in 2017. The innovation and competitive prices are the company's pride, according to their website. So, just how innovative are their coffee makers?

Ninja Coffee Bar System

Ninja has several models of their Coffee Bar System machines, but overall you will have the same or similar overall parts and features in each of them. Here's what to expect and what is included in the Ninja Coffee Bar System.

The setup includes four different brewing options, Classic, Rich, Iced, and Specialty. Newer models also include a cold brew option, while some older models have a cafe forte brewing style.

Our Top Choice - Ninja Specialty Coffee Bar

Here is what you can expect each brewing option to be:

• Classic: As you might imagine, the classic brew is just what its name suggests—your tried and true cup of coffee. You can't go wrong with this setting.
• Rich: While there is no espresso option on the Ninja Coffee Bar, rich gives you a more potent brew than the classic choice. An excellent coffee won't be too overwhelming, and you could also pair it with your creamer of choice.
• Iced: The iced brewing option is an awesome one for anyone who loves iced coffee. It doesn't get watered down in the brewing process since you can brew some hot coffee over a cup of ice.
• Specialty: Once again, there is no specific espresso option, but the specialty brew allows you to make coffees like cappuccino or cafe latte (typically espresso drinks).
• Cafe forte: As previously mentioned, this brewing option is typically available on older Ninja Coffee Bar models. No matter which coffee grounds you use, you can choose the cafe forte option to truly bring out the flavors and other components of your chosen drink. 
• Cold Brew: Available on newer models, the cold brew option is a quicker version of what you envision a proper cold brew to be. It is still brewed more slowly and at a cooler temperature, though. And not to worry, this option always produces a nice, smooth cup of coffee.

Ninja Coffee Brewer Features

Other cool features include its Auto IQ One Touch Intelligence. All you need to do is select your cup size, and the machine will measure the water and pull the coffee for you. This aspect makes it much easier than having to do it all yourself.

Since you can choose your cup size, it's convenient to select the single-cup option, which allows you to choose your own grounds. 

For more examples of what you can expect from a Ninja Coffee Bar system, let's take a look at the largest machine in the lineup, the CF907. This model brews anything from your choice of a single cup to a full carafe of coffee. It boasts five of the brewing methods mentioned above (excluding the cafe forte) to suit various coffee needs.

Our Top Choice - Ninja Specialty Coffee Bar

The removable water reservoir can hold up to 50 oz, meaning it holds enough to brew a whole carafe at one time. The thermal carafe that comes with this model has a capacity of ten cups. Another fun feature is the frother, which allows you to make the coffee-shop style coffee you like, without the high price per cup.

One downside to the Nina Coffee Bar models is that they tend to take up a significant amount of counter space because of their numerous features and attachments. However, if you believe that coffee is life, this may not bother you too much. 

You will also have to remember that shutting the machine off requires you to do so manually.

Ninja Coffee Bar Filter

Ninja Coffee Bars come with a gold-tone permanent filter. This reusable filter preserves both the small particles of coffee and the coffee's natural oils. The SharkNinja company says the flavor this filter helps provide is similar to using a French press.

If you have only ever used disposable filters in your regular coffee maker at home, you may not be quite as familiar with permanent filters. They can provide a better flavor for your coffee and save you some extra money since you won't have to buy boxes of paper filters continuously.

Also, as the name suggests, you won't have to replace the filter. You can easily clean the filters provided in the Ninja Coffee Bar models.

Ninja Coffee Reviews

Anyone who loves coffee and has spent plenty of time (and money) at major coffee chains will want to know how the coffee tastes. Is it better than the pricey latte you grab every morning before work? 

There is no doubt that Ninja coffee is delicious, but like most food and drink, it all depends on your taste. The quality is there for any of the brewing options you may choose. The Auto IQ system also has a hand in the fantastic taste these machines provide for your coffee.

You may prefer your "classic" cup to taste "rich," or perhaps you like a stronger espresso option, but the Ninja machines can brew you the same delicious array of drinks as a small coffee bar. All models are known for the great-tasting coffee, no matter your preference.

Best Ninja Coffee Maker

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker

The Specialty Coffee Maker brews classic, rich, iced, and specialty coffee. Coffee fans would also love the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker for its brewing options, innovative features, and the many parts and accessories that come with it.

You get various sizes to choose from while you brew, including your standard cup, XL cup, travel mug, XL multi-serve, half carafe, and full carafe. The carafe size on the Specialty Coffee Maker also has a capacity of 10 cups.

Our Top Choice - Ninja Specialty Coffee Bar

It also comes with plenty of attachments and accessories to give you a full coffee experience. There is a fold-away frother, the Ninja smart scoop, gold-tone permanent filter, and a recipe inspiration guide. Depending on the model, you will get a thermal or a glass carafe.

Something great about the Specialty Coffee Maker is the fact that you do not need pods for brewing. SharkNinja claims you can save up to $200 a year using grounds instead of pods.

Let's get into the specifics of the brewing options and other Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker details. 

• Specialty Brew: The specialty brew feature allows you to make lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and other creative drinks that you can find in coffee shops. This setting promises a rich coffee concentrate.
• Iced Coffee: Your delicious coffee will not be watered down as you can brew it with the strength it needs and let it pour into your glass filled with ice.
• 6 Brew Sizes: As mentioned, there are plenty of sizes to choose from. You can brew what you need for the day or just what you need for the moment.

Pros:

• Several brewing options
• Six different brew sizes
• It comes with accessories like the Smart Scoop
• Removable water reservoir, gold-tone permanent filter, and frother included
• Includes recipe guide and quick start guide
• Coffee is not watered down 
• No pods
• Long-lasting machine

Cons:

• Take up a lot of counter and/or cabinet space
• Some models may not have as many tea features

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Ninja Coffee Grinder

Coffee grinders can be tough to choose from, especially if you're picky about your coffee not losing any flavor as you grind it up. Sadly, many grinders end up lessening the punch you might want your cup of coffee to pack.

The Ninja company does have a grinder attachment for their various coffee makers, which is just as high-quality as their other machines and gadgets. The Ninja Coffee & Spice Grinder Attachment aims to help make your life easier when dry grinding coffee beans.

The 12 tbsp capacity grinder can grind down not only coffee but also spices and seeds that can be tough to reduce. It can also grind enough coffee beans to fill your Ninja carafe! A nice bonus is that the grinder is dishwasher safe, making both grinding and cleanup easy.

If you happen to be new to coffee grinders, you can look at other options that work well and some even on a budget.

Ninja Coffee Bar Recipes

You may have noticed that most Ninja coffee makers come with a recipe guide, and they even show these recipes on their website. These guides are quite handy if you want to venture into making more than your usual cup of coffee, but you're not sure where to begin. 

The recipes are easy to follow, and since the guide comes with the product itself, it can tell you what steps to take with the machine. You can be your own barista with recipes for drinks like cappuccino, espresso, and iced coffee.

Below are a few examples of what you can make with a Ninja coffee brewer.

Ninja Coffee Bar Cappuccino

A cappuccino is a classic choice when ordering or making coffee. To make the perfect cappuccino using a Ninja coffee maker, the company suggests the following:

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons ground coffee
• 5 ounces of 1% milk

How to Make:

• Set your size to the Travel Mug setting
• Set your brewing option to Specialty
• Place the ground coffee into the brew basket.
• Place milk into the glass frother jar and microwave on high for 60 seconds. Remove it from the microwave, place the lid on tightly, and pump the frother 15 times. 
• Pour the frothed milk into a mug, then set your mug in place to brew.
• Make sure you have selected the travel mug size option and press the Specialty Brew button.

Ninja Coffee Bar Coffee

The classic brew setting on Ninja coffee makers promises a hot cup of coffee that is rich, smooth, and balanced. It should not be bitter or sour.

Ingredients:

• 2–3 scoops of your preferred ground coffee
• Filtered water

How to Make:

This recipe might be the easiest of all of the recipes when it comes to instructions. You only need to do the following:

• Add 2–3 scoops of your favorite ground coffee.
• Add the filtered water.
• Place a coffee cup on the coffee maker's single-cup platform.
• Select the Cup setting.
• Press the Classic Brew button.

You can also increase the amount of classic coffee by adding 4-6 scoops of ground coffee and setting it to brew in your carafe.

Ninja Coffee Bar Espresso

As previously mentioned in this article, the Ninja Coffee Maker does not technically make espresso. However, that doesn't mean that you can't brew a robust and rich coffee with a concentrated flavor, like this recipe for a specialty brew that gives you cappuccino, latte, and flat white-style options.

Ingredients:

• 3–4 scoops of ground coffee
• Filtered water
• Milk

How to Make:

• Pour in 3–4 scoops of your choice of ground coffee.
• Add the filtered water.
• Froth the milk with the Ninja frother attachment, pour the frothed milk into a mug, and place your mug on the platform
• Select the Travel setting.
• Select the Specialty Brew button.

Ninja Coffee Bar Iced Coffee

Who doesn't love a cup of iced coffee? Ninja has plenty of iced coffee recipes on their site as well as hot coffee ones. One that we found interesting was the Thai-style iced coffee recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 3 scoops (or tablespoons) of ground coffee
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups ice

Instructions:

• Place your chosen ground coffee into the brew basket.
• Combine both the sweetened condensed and regular milk in a large plastic cup and stir to make sure they are combined. Add the ice to this cup and it in place to brew.
• Select the XL Cup size
• Select the Over Ice brew button.
• Stir to combine once the brew is finished.

How To Clean Ninja Coffee Maker

Cleaning the Ninja Coffee Bar is not all that different from cleaning any other coffee maker. The parts you can remove should be cleaned when needed and as instructed, while you can wipe down the machine's exterior.

Parts of the Coffee Bar, such as the filter and the glass carafe, are dishwasher safe (as long as you keep them in the top rack), but you can just as easily hand wash them with other dishes. The other removable items should not go in the dishwasher, and instead, you should make sure they are hand washed.

For example, cleaning the frother after each use is easy, as the part that gets dirty can be twisted off, washed, and twisted back on. You can also clean the water reservoir easily thanks to the removable lid.

When cleaning the glass or thermal carafe, make sure to wash it with warm, soapy water. You can also use a foam (not wire) brush to reach further into the carafe for a good cleaning.

Our Top Choice - Ninja Specialty Coffee Bar

Be sure to remember that while the glass carafe can go on the top rack of the dishwasher, the thermal carafe is NOT dishwasher safe.

For deep-cleaning the machine, like all others, you will need a cleaning agent (such as white vinegar). Luckily, your device will let you know when that time comes, as the Clean light will turn on when you need to descale. You can find cleaning instructions in your manual and even on the Ninja website, depending on your machine model.

Becoming a Coffee Ninja: Why You Should Use a Ninja Pot

Is a Ninja Coffee Bar or Specialty Coffee Maker worth the purchase? Definitely, and you should be able to find the model that suits what you need best.

The Ninja Coffee Maker is reliable, long-lasting coffee machines that allow you to bring plenty of versatile coffee recipes to life. Thanks to the machines' competitive technology and durability, you won't have to make a new coffee maker purchase soon after buying one of these. 

The reasons Ninja Coffee Maker became so popular among the many brewing systems on the market include:

• Their customizable brewing and size options
• The delicious coffee you can make with any of those options
• How simple it is to brew whatever you like at the touch of a button.

Since you can brew your choice of latte, iced coffee, cappuccino, and so on, you can have a coffee shop in your own home. What's not to like?

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FAQ

How to Reset the Ninja Coffee Bar

If you need to reset your Ninja Coffee Bar, you will want to check some settings to ensure if a reset is needed at all. First, check that you have set up your Coffee Bar correctly according to manual instructions. If something still seems off, check the indicator lights on the brew panel. 

You can then run a cleaning cycle on the machine to clean out any possible clogs. You can also use white vinegar diluted with water into the water reservoir to help with the cleaning. If none of these work, try unplugging the machine and letting it sit for five minutes before plugging it in, and it should reset.

Ninja Coffee Bar Manual

As mentioned earlier, cleaning will depend on your model number, but the Ninja website does provide an FAQ on each of their products. Depending on which Ninja Coffee Maker you own, the manual may vary.

How to Use a Ninja Coffee Bar

To use the Ninja Coffee Bar, you can look at your model's Quick Start Guide or watch one of Ninja's helpful youtube videos to give you an idea of how their products work and how to begin making your cup of custom coffee.

How Much Is the Ninja Coffee Bar?

Prices vary on these machines depending on the age of the model and the attachments they come with. 

You can do your own Googling and check Ninja's website or Amazon to see what the price of your desired model might be. Overall, they are on the pricey side but worth it for coffee lovers.

Which Ninja Coffee Bar Is the Best

Deciding which Ninja Coffee Bar is the best is also a more personal choice. Most people will probably gravitate towards the newer models and their updated brew options and attachments to customize the coffee experience. Of course, we recommend the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker.

Ninja Coffee Bar Keeps Shutting Off

Some people have found that problems with the water reservoirs have led to the machines continuously shutting off. The problem is usually with the valve connected to it. If the valve has broken or looks abnormal, you can buy a replacement from Ninja.

If everything looks OK, you could try resetting your machine or contacting Ninja's customer service to see if they can help with the issue.

Ninja Coffee Pot Verdict

The bottom line is that the Ninja coffee maker is a fantastic addition to any coffee connoisseur's kitchen. If you like variety in your drinks and want to ultimately save money by making your own tasty recipes at home, the Ninja Coffee Bar and Specialty Coffee Maker are worth the purchase. The technology and durability of this coffee brewer speaks for itself.

Our Top Choice - Ninja Specialty Coffee Bar