autobaun70
Well-Known Member
Anyone else have one of these? I've always just used a standard drip machine during the week, and occasionally used it as a pour over (basket portion only) when I had time, using hot water off of the stove. The downside of the standard drip units is their low heat. It is very rare to see one that can break 180 - 185 degrees.
Recently, the drip machine began to perform poorly, and no amount of cleaning or descaling helped. Got to doing some research, and decided on the Ninja based on the Amazon reviews, and a few other consumer tests. I ultimately bought it from Kohls, as they do not exclude the brand from their coupons. I had a 30% off, and was able to get it for $130.00 out the door, and got $20.00 Kohls cash to boot.
So far, I have been very pleased. Testing the water temp with a thermapen, it is spot on, at 198 degrees. It also doses a specific amount of water, based on your chosen brew size, and meters it out over a predetermined time interval, rather than just "running until dry" like a standard drip machine. This is very handy, and allows you to brew directly into a travel mug, without worrying if you used too much water in the tank. I use a 30oz yeti rambler, which is spot on for a 1/2 carafe brew size. This also eliminates having to rinse the carafe daily.
It has several modes that I have yet to play with, for ice coffee, and concentrate for expresso style blended drinks. The online reviews indicate that the espresso style does a good job, but does not accurately replicate a true espresso. This is not my thing anyway, so it is a limitation I don't mind living with.
The only thing I wish I had done differently was to get the thermal carafe version. Only reason being, when you brew a 1/2 or full carafe size, and are brewing directly into a large travel mug, you have to remember to turn off the warming plate. Not a hug deal with a metal cup, but could be a big deal if using a reeves or other plastic mug. It wasn't in stock at the local store, and I didn't feel like driving 30 minutes to the next closest store.
Recently, the drip machine began to perform poorly, and no amount of cleaning or descaling helped. Got to doing some research, and decided on the Ninja based on the Amazon reviews, and a few other consumer tests. I ultimately bought it from Kohls, as they do not exclude the brand from their coupons. I had a 30% off, and was able to get it for $130.00 out the door, and got $20.00 Kohls cash to boot.
So far, I have been very pleased. Testing the water temp with a thermapen, it is spot on, at 198 degrees. It also doses a specific amount of water, based on your chosen brew size, and meters it out over a predetermined time interval, rather than just "running until dry" like a standard drip machine. This is very handy, and allows you to brew directly into a travel mug, without worrying if you used too much water in the tank. I use a 30oz yeti rambler, which is spot on for a 1/2 carafe brew size. This also eliminates having to rinse the carafe daily.
It has several modes that I have yet to play with, for ice coffee, and concentrate for expresso style blended drinks. The online reviews indicate that the espresso style does a good job, but does not accurately replicate a true espresso. This is not my thing anyway, so it is a limitation I don't mind living with.
The only thing I wish I had done differently was to get the thermal carafe version. Only reason being, when you brew a 1/2 or full carafe size, and are brewing directly into a large travel mug, you have to remember to turn off the warming plate. Not a hug deal with a metal cup, but could be a big deal if using a reeves or other plastic mug. It wasn't in stock at the local store, and I didn't feel like driving 30 minutes to the next closest store.
