by Ana Maria |
Last Updated: March 22, 2021 Ninja Coffee Bar is among the most versatile coffee bar brewers that have rolled out of Shark Ninja’s belts. Its numerous features make it a perfect alley for coffee lovers who want to experiment different with coffee concoctions that they enjoy in their favorite coffee joints.
So, is it a ‘coffee bar’ as it claims? Read on our Ninja Coffee Bar CF091 review to find out!
It’s pod-free!
This feature alone makes the Ninja Coffee Bar a great relief to serious coffee addicts who don’t want to be restricted to pods each time they want a treat of coffee.
Sure! Your at home freshly ground coffee might offer better satisfaction than the k-cup-based varieties. This also offers you more control over how your coffee tastes like. Another benefit here is that you’ll be able to save quite a good chunk of money down the road.
This coffee bar’s control interface seems quite busy. But that’s because this is where all the magic happens. It might take a few attempts before you can comfortably brew an extremely inviting shot of cuppa without fiddling with the buttons.
But you’ll look like a real barista before your guests once you get a good hang of it.
Just below the water reservoir is a digital clock that shows actual time. It is followed by a power button to the left and a ‘Delay Brew’ timer to the right. The latter allows you to delay the brewing process for some minutes so you can get it while still fresh.
At the middle of the control panel is a large and intuitive knob. This is where you choose your Ninja CF091 brew size: regular cup, extra large cup, travel mug, extra large multi-serve, half a carafe, and full carafe.
Worth noting is that the Ninja Coffee Bar System CF091 has a fold-up cup and travel mug holder and a separate plate for the large multi-serve coffee pots and carafes. The reason for this is that the pot plate gets hot to keep the coffee hot during the brewing process.
Other CF091 customization settings include;
- Classic button – it gives your coffee a well-balanced flavor
- Rich – this feature is the opposite of classic and takes your brew to the most extreme end in terms of intensity
- Over ice – this one comes in handy when you want to brew super hot and refreshing cup of coffee over ice especially in the afternoon
- Specialty – as the name alludes, this setting allows you to try out your barista tricks by preparing a wide variety of hot, cold, or frozen coffeehouse beverages.
Another easily notable feature of this brewer system is its fairly large 54oz water reservoir. Its transparent design not only adds to its aesthetics but also keeps you alert on when to top it up.
We appreciate that it is easily removable for easy refilling and has fluted ridges on the sides for easy handling.
There is yet another key component that we can’t fail to mention here- you guessed right, the inbuilt frother. This comes in handy for those who want to experience the real goodness of café drinks- cappuccinos and lattes- at the comfort of their home.
Features
- Has an advanced flavor extraction feature, which utilizes thermal technology to squeeze out all the flavor from your coffee and transferring them to your cup
- Has an inbuilt frother that enables you to brew and froth your beverages
- Doesn’t use pods and can brew copious amounts of coffee thanks to the carafe coffee system
- Has a clean cycle that prompts you when the machine needs cleaning
- Able to use up to six customizable brew sizes
- Has a permanent coffee filter that is not only efficient but also easier to clean
- Has a clock on the right of the coffee bar, thus allowing you to set the brewing time
- Comes along with a recipe book that contains 20 recipes of some specialty drinks, and how to brew them using the Ninja coffee bar
Pros
- Can act as a single server and a larger server at the same time, thus giving you more value for your money
- Able to automatically brew at the set time
- Has six different brew sizes giving you a wide variety to choose from
- The brewer is large enough in that you can brew directly into your big travel mugs
- Has the option of flipping out the stand to fit your average cups snuggly
- Allows you to customize your beverages
- It is cost effective since you use your ground coffee
- It comes along with a conveniently attached scooper that eases up your scoping process
- Has a simple to use and clean electronic milk frother
- Makes super hot coffee each time
Cons
- Only capable of brewing from ground coffee; therefore if you have any coffee beans you must grind them first
- The water reservoir may start to leak thus needing constant replacements
- Reports of poor customer service
- Has a learning curve in that, you need to experiment with various variety of coffees and measurements to make a cup that suits your taste
Summary
The Ninja coffee bar brewer is a convenient utility that can be used as a single server or a larger server compliments to its applicable brew sizes. It utilizes ground coffee instead of pods to come up with beverages that can be customized to suit your individual taste.
Its advanced settings help you get all the best from your ground coffee and other beverages. The ability to customize your drinks helps you have a lively time over a hot and great-tasting beverage that has various levels of richness.
Admittedly, the brewer may seem complicated to use at first. But it’ll soon be a breeze after the short learning curve.
It’s a good thing that Ninja Sharks also includes a detailed recipe to help you try out different beverage preparations.
Possible alternatives
The Ninja CF091 offers you a great way of enjoying your freshly ground coffee. Its asking price, however, may be a little bit high for some.
In that case, you might want to consider a cheaper solution including The Scoop (check it out in our best 10 single serve coffeemakers reviews). The Scoop always comes first whenever we want to recommend a single serve brewing system that allows you to use your home-ground coffee.
On the same note, however, you may want to have a taste of the exotic coffee varieties produced by world-renowned brands.
If this is the case, then you should consider another model that utilizes the k-cup pods such as the Keurig brand. With this model, you will be able to enjoy great flavors from companies such as the Starbucks, Green Mountain and so forth.
Also, depending on the available space on your kitchen and office tops, you may want to consider a compact and lightweight coffeemaker. The Keurig K15 Platinum might be a great option if your kitchen is suffering from space.
It also makes a good option if you want a coffee brewer that you can use at home and carry it with you to the office.
Verdict
In our opinion, the Ninja Coffee Bar Glass Carafe System CF091 portrays a perfect mix of convenience and choice. Its versatile and easy to use nature places it above most of your typical coffee making machines. But what we like most is that it brings all its goodness without being insanely expensive.
Concerning the learning curve, you may need to invest some amount of time during your first days with this machine, to figure out the options that each of its settings offers. For those who are used to grabbing their cup at the Starbucks, the Ninja CF091 comes with numerous coffee recipes to get you on your feet with regard to coffee preparation.
It comes with a one year warranty which gives room for replacement in case of any breakages or failures.