Ninja CFP201 DualBrew System 12-Cup Coffee Maker, Single-Serve for Grounds & K-Cup Pod Compatible, 3 Brew Styles, 60-oz. Water Reservoir & Carafe, Black

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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.

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

The Ninja DualBrew is for the coffee fan who loves options and bells and whistles. It's perfect for anyone looking to add a little variety to their coffee routine. Sure, it can make your classic cup of coffee, but you can take it up a notch with an extra-rich brew, iced coffee, and a coffee concentrate that mimics espresso. Plus, the included recipe book is a launching pad for trying coffeehouse-style specialty beverages at home. To make life easier, the water tank tells you how high to fill it for each size brew, showing you the same symbols on the control panel. It also slides off the base to fill up at the sink. Don’t be afraid to fill the water tank up all the way, even if you’re just brewing a cup, as the machine does the water measurement when brewing for you. You don't have permission to access "http://www.ninjakitchen.com/products/ninja-dualbrew-pro-specialty-coffee-system-zidCFP301" on this server.You’ll want to deep clean and descale the machine once in a while when performance isn’t up to par or you notice calcium build up. A light will automatically illuminate orange, letting you know if the machine feels like it’s time for a cleaning. After three weeks of heavy use, the indicator light still hasn’t come on, so I haven’t tested the cleaning mode. Cup options: Keurig K-Cup, Cup, XL cup, travel mug, XL multi-serve, half carafe & full carafe, plus four pod options Overall, I found that the frother made cold almond milk creamer pretty bubbly and sweeter but not foamy, so this machine isn’t replacing my reliance on Nespresso Aeroccino3 Milk Frother for cold foam. However, this frother was much more effective with oat milk. The milk frother also won’t heat up the milk, so you’ll need to do that on your own first. Test 4: Hot water

Ninja DualBrew Pro review: an advanced pour over coffee maker Ninja DualBrew Pro review: an advanced pour over coffee maker

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. From the very first steps of making coffee with the Ninja, I was in love. Give me organization, and I’m happy. Being able to snap the coffee scoop off the side of the machine and see on the handle exactly how much to scoop? Perfection. Using the storage bin to choose the brew basket or the pod adapter? It doesn’t get any more convenient. 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. 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.

A filter and K-cup coffee maker delivering variety to your brew

While we love that you can steam milk in the DualBrew, it's extra step that takes practice and effort. A machine like the Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic can make milky coffees like lattes and cappuccinos automatically without you having to take any extra steps. 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. Type of coffee: What type of coffee does this machine take? Is it an appropriate volume for the resulting beverage? Beyond the Ninja DualBrew Pro, there are a few other options on the market when it comes to coffee makers with K-cup integrations. The DualBrew Pro appears to have the most options and versatility when it comes to brewing. The milk frother, while a huge plus for me, does have a few quirks. First, it is simply a frother. Don’t expect it to heat your milk. This is frothing and frothing only. But it works! It works even with skim milk, giving it a beautiful, foamy texture. To froth milk, however, you have to hold the button on the top down continuously. I kept releasing my finger, and then it would stop, and I’d have to press down again. It takes a little bit to get the hang of it.

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

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! Knob to switch from coffee to hot water with Ninja Smart Scoop and milk frother (Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham) Why settle for a basic coffee maker, when you can have an entire caffeine system at your fingertips? It's also pretty tall on a countertop, so you might be better off with a more compact coffee pod machine like the Nespresso Vertuo Next if you have low cabinetry. Should you buy the Ninja DualBrew Coffee Maker?Specialty coffee concentrate is not a true espresso and requires clean up to brew specialty-serve consecutively 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. 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