The Ninja Speciality Coffee Maker is a flexible appliance that can brew a traditional cup of coffee in addition to your preferred specialty drinks that are served in a cafe setting. It is not possible to make tea or cold brew coffee with this device. In spite of this, it still provides a significant amount of leeway for baristas working from home.
Pros
A wide variety of brew types and sizes
Intelligent warming plate
Included with a permanent filter
Cons
There are no cold brew or tea alternatives available.
Large carbon footprint
Coffee can on occasion be scalding.
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is comparable in many ways to the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System, although it is offered at a price that is around $30 lower. Both machines are able to brew normal coffee in a variety of serving sizes in addition to speciality cocktails in the style of a coffee shop. Even features like “Delay Brew” and a fold-out milk frother are shared across the two. However, in comparison to the Hot and Cold Brewed System, the Ninja Specialty does not have any brew features, which is the trade-off for its more affordable price tag.
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, in contrast to the Hot & Cold machine, does not have the capability of preparing cold brew coffee nor is it able to steep tea. If you don’t need anything more than a kettle to make tea, and you’re patient enough to make cold brew overnight in a mason jar, these omissions from the Ninja Specialty’s control panel will hardly matter — especially considering that it still boasts a variety of brew strengths and sizes. However, if you do need anything more than a kettle to make tea, then you should look elsewhere.
The Cost of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
2019 saw the launch of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, which carried a suggested retail price of $180. Presently, you can purchase it on Amazon for the price of $150. (opens in new tab). It is an updated version of the Ninja Coffee Bar, which was sold at the same price but has since been discontinued. There isn’t much of a distinction between the two coffee makers; the Ninja Specialty has a sleeker and more rounded look, but it doesn’t have the Coffee Bar’s extra-strong Cafe Forte brew setting.
The Ninja Specialty is $30 less than the comparable Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Maker (opens in new tab), which has an automatic milk frother but can only brew one cup at a time. The Ninja Specialty also has a footprint that is slightly smaller than the Mr. Coffee model.
You won’t need to spend money on paper filters because the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker comes with a permanent filter already installed; but, if you like, you may make use of a paper cone with a #4 hole size instead. Remember to give the reusable filter a thorough cleaning after each use to prevent the coffee from tasting bitter. (It can go on the dishwasher’s upper rack.)
The Features of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is comparable to the Hot & Cold model in that it offers six different brew sizes: a standard cup, an XL cup, a travel mug, an XL multi-serve travel mug, a half carafe (five cups), and a full carafe (ten cups). The Hot & Cold variant is priced significantly higher.
There are also two brew strength options available, which are referred to as “classic” and “rich,” respectively. You also have the option to select ‘over ice,’ which will allow you to brew hot coffee over ice without diluting the flavor of the coffee. The “specialty” option generates highly concentrated coffee that can be used to make beverages like cappuccinos and lattes.
There are no options for brew intensity when making iced coffee with the Ninja Speciality, and there is just one size available for the specialty drinks (4-oz.). In spite of this, for a machine of its price range, the Ninja Specialty offers an impressive variety of brewing options.
For those mornings when you want to wake up to a freshly brewed pot of coffee, the Ninja Specialty coffee maker has a button that allows you to brew the coffee in advance and set it to brew at a later time. There is a sliding Drip Stop switch located at the bottom of the brew basket. This switch is helpful if you absolutely need to get your first cup of coffee before continuing to brew the rest of the pot.
Because the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker comes with a glass carafe, the bottom of the machine features an Intelligent Warming Plate that regulates the temperature based on the amount of coffee that is contained within the carafe. You are able to pre-set the length of time that the warming plate is to be active, with a maximum time of four hours. You also have the option of manually adjusting the temperature of the warming plate by pushing the button labeled “Stay Warm.”
This feature, which is becoming increasingly common in more expensive machines, does not require the use of any coffee capsules for a single brew. If, on the other hand, you’re interested in making lattes out of your K-Cups, you’ll need to fork out an additional $40 to purchase the Keurig K-Cafe Special Edition (opens in a new tab), which features a slick brushed-nickel finish similar to that of espresso machines found in cafes.
The Design of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
The dimensions of the Ninja Specialty Machine are 12 inches by 8.8 inches by 15 inches. Although it is about two inches narrower than the Hot and Cold, it has the same length and height measurements as the latter.
The Ninja Specialty has a fold-away milk frother and hanging storage for the included Ninja Scoop. The Ninja Scoop is a useful tool that has the number of scoops that are recommended for each size of brew printed on it.
A pull-down platform for single-cup brews is located in the middle of the machine. The base of the machine has space for both travel mugs and tumblers in addition to the glass carafe that holds 50 ounces of liquid. In addition to this, there is a blinking red light that shows whether or not the warming location is currently in use.
The water reservoir on the right has a capacity of 50 ounces, a flip-top lid, and markings that indicate the minimum fill lines for each of the different brew sizes. However, I prefer the more discrete placement of the reservoir behind the control panel of the Hot and Cold Brew System. The design of the Ninja Specialty makes it easy to remove the reservoir if you need to take it to a tethered water source; however, I find the placement of the reservoir behind the control panel of the Hot and Cold Brew System to be preferable.
With the Ninja Specialty, you won’t have to worry about storing brew baskets when they aren’t in use, however with the Hot and Cold model, this is something you will need to take into consideration. However, you will still need to clear a good amount of counter space for the Ninja Specialty.
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is very simple to operate.
The Ninja Specialty Coffee’s control panel is easy to understand and use. There is a single knob that allows you to select the desired amount of coffee to be brewed. Alternately, all you have to do is push the button that is associated with the flavor of coffee that you would like, and you will be set to go.
The brewing times for the Ninja Specialty are relatively comparable to those of the Hot and Cold System. When using the “traditional” setting, brewing a full carafe of coffee takes about ten minutes to complete.
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker’s detachable pieces, including the glass carafe, may be cleaned in the top rack of a dishwasher without causing any damage. The Clean button will light up if the appliance requires a more in-depth descaling of the calcium buildup that has occurred.
The Capabilities of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, on the whole, was capable of making some respectable cups of coffee. When I made the unfortunate decision to choose the “rich” setting, there were instances when the flavor of my coffee was acrid and, on sometimes, even burned. When I brewed coffee with the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System, I used the same kind of coffee and the same brew setting, and I didn’t have that problem.
The Intelligent Warming Plate is not to blame for the burnt, bitter taste of the coffee because I have a habit of immediately pouring myself a cup of coffee as soon as a carafe is ready to be served. On the other hand, I discovered that it performed a good job of keeping my better pots of coffee warm without overheating them, which is just the opposite of what I had expected.
Even though I’m not a huge fan of iced coffee, the ‘over ice’ setting on the Ninja Specialty did a good job of preventing the coffee from becoming too watered down. However, just like the hot coffee I made with the Hot and Cold System, the iced coffee I made didn’t have a particularly smooth texture.
My go-to drinks were the speciality coffees, which were simple to prepare in general and especially when using the fold-out milk frother that was provided. Because the “specialty” brews gave a wonderful and well-balanced base for me to add foamy milk and other accents to, I particularly enjoy the flat whites and cappuccino-style coffees that I’ve tried. This is one of the reasons why I appreciate them so much (like cinnamon).
When the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is finished brewing, it will give off a high-pitched beep and start making a few whirring sounds during the startup process. Aside from that, it’s a really quiet piece of machinery.
What we didn’t like
When it comes to iced coffee and other specialized drinks, I do wish there was more freedom with choosing brew settings and size settings; but, this is not out of the ordinary for the majority of at-home speciality brewers. However, for approximately $30 more than the Ninja, you can get the Braun MultiServe, which allows you to choose from a variety of brew strengths for your iced coffee. (Opens in new tab)
On the Ninja Specialty, the buttons are positioned so that they are practically flush with the control panel. Except for when it’s time to adjust the time on the clock, this isn’t a problem at all. The layout does not lend itself to continually pressing the same button due to the way it was designed. This is a rather minor point of contention given that you only need to set the time once you have it plugged in — and again if you want to utilize Delay Brew — given that you only have to set the time once you have it hooked in.
Should you go ahead and purchase the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker?
In general, the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is a flexible appliance that provides all of the components necessary to prepare a variety of specialized beverages. It will be ideal for anyone who is looking for a coffee maker that is able to produce a respectable cup of coffee in the morning in addition to being able to handle more complex beverages when the occasion calls for them.
Anyone who doesn’t want as many features as the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System can save money by opting for the Ninja Specialty, which is a cheaper alternative. In addition to the capability of the Hot and Cold Brewed System to produce tea and cold brew, these two Ninja coffee makers have several tasks in common with one another. Since both machines are fairly effective at what they do, the choice will ultimately come down to your individual tastes as well as your financial constraints.
Keep in mind that beverages in the manner of espresso are made at the Ninja Specialty. The DeLonghi Stilosa (opens in new tab) is one of the best espresso machines you can purchase, and it costs approximately $50 less than the Ninja. If you are looking for a real espresso maker, you should consider purchasing the DeLonghi Stilosa. If you would rather have a normal coffee maker, you can save even more money by purchasing the drip coffee maker from Braun called the BrewSense (opens in new tab), which also has the capability of brewing just one cup at a time.
