Dec 2023 update. I have this same model at work for the coffee kcup drinkers. I accidentally ordered a box of green tea kcups instead of pods. One day, I wasn't feeling well and broke out a tea kcup to throw in the machine. I didn't rinse off the pieces first. To my happiness, my tea didn't taste at all like coffee. Didn't have grounds in it either. So, there's that! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is my 2nd ninja coffee maker. As long as they keep innovating their products, I will be a dedicated fan. I had my first Ninja for 3 years before it started to leak. I had taken for granted how easy the Ninja made my morning routine, so I bought a different brand as a replacement that looked "fine". It was fine, but was more involved than I wanted it to be. And I missed my Ninja. Also, when I found out that Ninja has a separate line for hot/boiling water, I became obsessed with getting my hands on it. PROS: Convenient water reservoir - 60 oz - that can be moved to the back from the side, if that suits your set up. Easy reservoir to remove, fill, and return to the base. Or, fill with a pitcher. Delay start - I mean, who doesn't like to have their coffee waiting for them. SEPARATE HOT/BOILING WATER DISPENSER for tea, hot chocolate, instant oatmeal, instant soups, etc. This is an amazing option to have available!! No tea drinker likes using the coffee maker for their tea. This is a total game changer. Coffee pod adapter - if you like to use pods, you have that option. And it is easy to use and easy to clean. [I bought this same machine for my office lunchroom. It meets everybody's needs. The tea drinker gets his tea, everybody gets to choose their favorite coffee pod, and everyone gets to choose the strength of coffee they want. We stored the carafe, as we aren't likely to use it much there.] Cone shaped permanent filter, with option to add a paper filter (size 2 fits perfectly; size 4 fits, but needs to be squished down) if you prefer. Loose grounds really make the best coffee. Wide range of coffee sizes to choose from (unless you use pods, and then you are limited, probably bc it doesn't make sense to make 20 oz of coffee with a pod) Open/close manual feature. If you are waiting for the pot to fill and need to sneak a cup, I really like that there is a slide knob to manually move from right to left, AND it shows you on the display panel if it is open or closed. Built in coffee scoop. I can never find mine for some reason. The fact that this one has a storage spot on the machine makes my mornings super easy. Frother. It doesn't heat your milk, but it is fun to use. It is attached to the machine, and pulls in and out for easy use. It lies flush when stored. The frother part is easy to remove for easy cleaning. A really fun bonus. Sometimes I froth my creamer before adding it, cold even, and it's just a little different treat. The control panel is intuitive and easy to use to select your favorite options. It didn't take a lot of thought to make an assortment of coffee styles. I love that. Cleaning feature for descaling. Personally, I prefer having this option than not. You can use vinegar or coffee descaler. Cup platform. Also attached to the machine, and flips up and out of the way when not in use. Perfection. Smart hot plate. The user manual says this isn't available on all models, but it is included on mine. (Possibly not on the models with thermal carafe?) This it's my second newest favorite feature. Small size cups of coffee do not turn on the hot plate, but half carafe or larger does (you also have the option of manually turning the hot plate on to keep a cup of coffee warm). So, I can use any travel mug with this machine and make almost limitless sizes that I want. The machine tells you how many ounces and the quick start guide tells you how many of their scoops to use, from individual cups all the way to a full carafe. *****There is little-to-no thinking involved******. Which leads to my next favorite feature. The footprint is fairly small, given all the features. The Ninja machine at work is set up for daily pod use. My machine at home is set up for grounds in a filter. Changing back and forth isn't that hard, but being able to use the machine the way I want to without changing it, is absolute perfection. Granted, I am the only person at my home using this machine, but adding the pod adapter isn't hard at all. The Ninja pod adapter is the only thing you have to change to use a pod. The top cover slides back, and you drop in the adapter and slide it forward to lock it in. To go back to filter, you push the adapter backward to unlock the adapter, pop it out, put the permanent filter back in, and slide the cover forward. That's it. Cons I had a little struggle at set up with both office and home machines understanding how the cover and adapter worked together and getting them to operate smoothly. This was totally fixable by a thorough reading of the instructions, but once I got it, I got it, and I feel silly that it took me a minute. Maybe bc the feature is totally different than any other coffee maker. The user manual says that reusable pod filters are not compatible. However, it is easy to use the permanent filter, even for small cups of coffee, that this shouldn't be a deal breaker. SUMMARY The build is solid, intuitive, and multifunctional with very little thought required. Easily adaptable and useful for multiple types of hot beverage drinkers. I am so happy with my Ninja coffee maker. It just makes my mornings go smoother on my way out the door, or enjoying a specialty coffee on the weekends. You really can't go wrong here. Highly recommend 👌!!
