Ninja - Hot & Iced XL Coffee Maker with Rapid Cold Brew 12-cup Drip Coffee Maker & Single Serve Brewing - Black

This coffee maker has it all. Hot or Cold, Cold Brew. Various size single servings or a whole 12 Cup Carafe. It filled all the check boxes and works fantastically.

As a former coffee fanatic (or caffeine fiend), I was excited to get my hands on the Ninja Hot & Iced XL Coffee Maker with Rapid Cold Brew. While I already own a Ninja coffee maker and appreciate the quality, the cold brew function on this model really drew me in. Cold brew in 10-20 minutes is what Ninja claims from this machine, which I was excited to test out. Unboxing and First Impressions The Ninja Hot & Iced XL boasts a sleek design and feels well-constructed. The carafe has the typical Ninja quality I would expect, and it also came well packaged, which is something I tend to be critical about. The unit is equipped to create coffee with various brew size options, from a single cup to a full carafe, making it perfect for solo coffee mornings or gatherings. The controls are delightfully straightforward, with a knob for selecting the brew size and buttons for choosing the brew style (classic, rich, over ice, or cold brew). There's also a built-in scooper cleverly tucked into the side of the unit, a feature I truly appreciate – no need to scramble around looking for where you last put your old scooper. Putting the Ninja Hot & Iced XL to the Test Following the simple instructions, I opted for a cold brew with ice in my mug. The machine allows you to adjust the number of ounces being brewed, so I started with a modest 8 ounces for my first test run. The cold brew function itself took about five or six minutes, which is significantly faster than the typical cold brew steeping process. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. The resulting cold brew was smooth and surprisingly low in acidity, exactly as promised. There was a slight lukewarm temperature to the coffee itself as it dripped out, which initially had me questioning the "cold" part of the equation. However, the ice in my mug quickly addressed that, resulting in a refreshing and flavorful cold brew. A minor heads-up: I did experience a small spill during the cold brew process, even though the Ninja said the brewing cycle was complete. A quick wipe-down resolved the issue, but it's something to be mindful of when using this function for the first time. I would recommend engaging the drip stopper after your single serving is done brewing. I also tested doing a full pot of classic brewed hot coffee, comparing it against the Ninja coffee maker I already own. As expected, this brewer does a great job unlocking the true flavor of your coffee. For those who don’t know – the Ninja will first let out a small amount of very hot water to prep your coffee grounds for brewing, followed by waiting a minute. Techniques like this are used by baristas to bring out the full flavor of a given roast. The machine is also picky about how much hot water is released at once during the brewing process, which again, is supposed to mimic how a barista would carefully add controlled amounts of hot water to the coffee that they’re brewing. Notes Worth Remembering •

{TLDR: Really nice machine if you need a drip maker or volume but you would also like to have Iced Coffee and Cold Brew Abilities at your fingertips. A well made machine that is well done and refined ...and works great!) If you are in need of a standard drip coffee pot but you like coffee a little more than the average person then this brewer will keep you happy. I rarely drink drip coffee anymore since getting an automatic espresso machine that also makes “by the cup” regular brew also but that is also why I wanted to give this 12 CUP machine a “shot.” See what I did there? When I have company, it is a pain to brew each cup one at a time for multiple people! The more important reason being that summers here in the south are very hot and my quad-espresso survival fuel becomes hard to deal with after a certain time of year and I found myself switching up and asking the barista for cold brews to supplement my daily espresso drink. I found cold brew is smoother, sweeter, more mellow but still great flavor notes and generally goes down easier and I never get heartburn or indigestion with cold brews. Getting my survival fuel from a barista daily, as you can imagine, can be VERY Expensive so I started my self training to become my own barista, at home! Thus my waning countertop space. However, this machine is a welcomed asset to my line up and my countertops are starting to look like a chain coffee house at this point but if I was “normal” I can see this fitting really nicely on my counter as my only machine. I really like the removable water reservoir and lid and I love the machine overall and all the little things they designed into it like the measuring spoon on the side that sits in its own little recess and is easy to grab and put back on. This machine looks similar to a ton of the machines NINJA has released in the past, all with their own set of features and this one focuses on COLD BREW as its “bonus feature.” The cold brew function is perfect for people like me who are impatient and always on the move and also, flexible in the way my cold brew is prepared. By that I mean this machine doesn’t do cold brew in the traditional sense with cold or room temperature water over an extended time of up to 24 hours but instead does some really neat tricks to REALLY CLOSELY MIMIC that traditional cold brew taste and experience, including the lack of heartburn! It starts with a warm to hot blooming and lets that soak the coffee grinds, then after a pause it injects more water but less warm and then pauses for soaking and extraction again and does this over and over until it is finished and most of the brew process by my thermometer takes place in the high 90 degree mark after the initial 150-130 degree pre-wet and bloom. This produces a “cold brew” that is VERY close to the taste of a traditional cold brew process and doesn’t produce that “drip brew that’s been in the fridge” taste and texture. It is smooth and sweet just like a “traditional” cold brew and I have no idea how, why or the science behind it but NINJA figured out a work around to get me large quantities of cold brew in about 20 minutes instead of 24 hours!!! The “over ice” feature works similarly as drip, because that is what Iced coffee is. It just reduces the volume of water per the size selection you choose on the machine to accommodate for the cup being full of ice already. So a more concentrated brew same amount of grinds used for a hot brew of the same cup size. I put a cup full to the top with ice under it on the little flip down arm that holds it or directly on the warming plate if it is a bigger cup or tumbler and set it to brew and the perfect amount and brew comes out every time. No spills, no mess, just a perfect cup of iced coffee every time. I have filled different sized cups to the tippy top with ice trying to get the machine to fail and every time it is perfect when I come back to check on it after I hear the beep that it is finished. The warming plate is smart and only comes on when brewing a carafe size selection in a hot brew modes. So there is no fuss and the machine is set up correctly for ease of use by the end user. The warming plate can be programmed to 3 different temps depending on your preference and can also be set to auto turn off at the time that you want from 15 minutes after the brew is done to 6 hours later. I really like that they set it up like that because I can set it to medium or low for several hours and the coffee still tastes fresh and not burnt due to the carafe also has a brew through cover on it and it prevents evaporation over time like a standard coffee pot does. So if you like to brew and let the pot sit for hours before you get to another cup or until you are done with it THIS is the brewer you need. The warming plate can be turned on to reheat the pot after it has been off for a period of time just by pressing the “warm” button. All the parts come off and are easy to clean and the machine even has a built-in descaler program that you can use with a descaling solution or white vinegar. That is awesome in a residential unit! I can program it to brew at a specific time so coffee is ready to go before I am and then if I forget to shut off the machine when I run out of the house the, I have the piece of mind to know the machine will turn off on it own shortly after I made my realization that I forgot something. “COLD BREW” VS. “OVER ICE” ….Cold Brew Brews using more grinds (personal preference) and at a reduced temperature and compensates the liquid amount so there is a perfect amount for each vessel size on the dial. Even the initial “bloom” liquid is cooler than the “over ice” process. The Over Ice is basically the standard brew with a reduced output because it compensates automatically for the cup size selected having ice in it. Classic Brew introduces a “bloom” and pauses then gives half a cup, pauses again to soak/extract to most from the grinds and then flows the remainder of the drink. “Rich” does the same at a slightly higher temp and gives a longer duration of soaking and blooming between stages and finishes off with slightly less volume to make a richer cup of coffee. I like this setting best because it brews a great taste (I like strong coffee, hence my espresso “problem”) that is full bodied and nutty and leaves me “with room” for cream & sugar or Syrups and sauces. While this will not replace my espresso machine, it will save me a ton of money over the summer on Cold Brews and now I have the option to also have “over ice” when I am in the mood AND now I can brew full pots for when I have people over instead of making individual cups one at a time for them. This is a great little machine and I have been very happy with everything NINJA that I own and have zero issues with their stuff. The machine does a great job and it is SIMPLE to do whatever I want with it and it is easy to clean. Win-Win in my book. I would recommend this to others, in fact, I already told my cousin she should get one because she is just like me with the coffee issues and she likes Cold Brew and Iced Coffees. This one does a great job no matter what function it is told to do. Two Thumbs up! I genuinely like this brewer!

I love the cold brew option. I never knew this was an option and it works great. It takes time but the method of setting a brew time is so easy to program

NINJA hot & iced XL Coffee maker with rapid cold brew has made fantastic coffee cold or hot. This is a simple-to-use coffee maker with easy settings. Rich and delicious brew came out perfect each time. There are 4 styles of brewing. Classic, Rich, Over ice, and cold brew. It makes 12 cups with the included glass carafe which sits nicely with the coffee maker. Setting it up where easy, comes with a filter and a scoop that sits flush. The water reservoir is quick to remove and easy to clean. So far I enjoyed the iced coffee and cold brew settings the most. It was pleasant having a rapid cold brew at home. Made a nice Carmel with a cream cold brew that put a smile on my face. Ninja did great with this product adding a single-cup foldaway platform. There is an intelligent warming plate that keeps the coffee hot for up to 4-hours. At the end of the day, I’m not disappointed with the offerings this coffee maker gives. I truly LOVE things that make life simple and this is a very easy & yet intelligent brew maker that doesn’t make things complicated. It does with it does best and that’s making coffee. The design language of Ninja products doesn’t hurt either. 5 out of 5 stars.

I love the style of it. I love simplicity of using it. The quality is absolutely amazing. The price is a great price

I can honestly say that I am thoroughly enjoying every cup of coffee from this Ninja coffee maker. A little too much actually, I am drinking more coffee than I probably should. I have tried every type of coffee it can make, from regular hot coffee in both classic and rich modes, iced, and cold brew. I do not have a favorite because they all come out so smooth and delectable. Setting it up was simple. Besides washing all of the washable components, all I had to do was plug it in and have it do a full brew cycle with only water to rinse off any remaining factory residue. The coffee maker comes with a carafe that can brew up to 12 cups, a tank with measurements, a permanent filter, and a smart scoop. The carafe comes with a brew-through lid that has a stem leading down into the carafe, preventing heat loss during the brew process. I feel that it truly works because my coffees are piping hot when I serve them. They are not as piping hot when I have it brew into a regular cup unless I prewarm the cup. The smart scoop included is such a great addition, it takes the guesswork out of adding ground coffee into the filter by depicting the recommended scoops to add depending on how much coffee you are making. There is a a built-in notch on the side of the coffee maker to store the scoop. The display shows the time when not actively brewing. When brewing, the machine has a meter that shows how far it is along in its brew cycle. Once done, a few faint beeps will let you know you can grab your coffee. It has a delay option as well that can be preset up to 24 hours in advanced. The warming plate is customizable and can be set to low, medium, or hot depending on how much heat is desired for the remaining coffee to sit at. The time the warming plate remains hot can also be customized. Incorporated into the filter holder is a “drip stop” mechanism that allows the flow to stop dripping out. It is such a useful component to quickly pour a cup before the machine has finished brewing. The quality of every cup of coffee I have made is magnificent. Everyone I have made coffee for has commented on how smooth and delicious it is. The hot coffee brews surprisingly quick, even larger batches. The cold brew and iced coffee, which neither I nor my husband normally cared for before now, is so good that we both have an extra cup in the afternoon now. The cold brew takes a few minutes longer than the iced, but it really is quite the experience. The whole machine vibrates as it makes it in slow increments that result in a rich, full-bodied flavor. The instructions state that a full cup of ice to be placed in a heat-safe cup and the brew cools as it drips into it. Once finished, about half the ice will be melted and you end up with ice cold cup of coffee. The large removable water tank comes with measurements that allow you to know where to fill it according to how much you would like to brew. There are 8 serving sizes to choose from and three categories: cup, travel mug, and carafe. Only the carafe option will activate the warming plate. I have noticed a discrepancy in the chosen ounces and actual output. The coffee maker tends to make more coffee than directed to. To give an example, when I choose the 16oz setting, I end up with a 20oz output. There are two main reasons this can be an issue. One, if you are making and using a cup instead of the carafe to brew, it will reach the top of the cup leaving no allowance for extra additions, such as milk, and may even potentially overflow. The manual explicitly tells you not to allow overflow or leaks around it because it may harm the machine, so that can be an issue. Two, the extra water ends up diluting the amount of coffee added resulting in a weaker brew. I have learned to circumvent this issue by just choosing a lower ounce setting when making a personal coffee. The only time this doesn’t work is when brewing for two because I have to make the lowest carafe setting so that the warming plate will turn on. This results in me having to use extra ground coffee and water plus the excess coffee sitting around tempting me. All things considered, I still think this coffee maker is absolutely worth it. I can deal with having extra coffee, although my jitters might say otherwise. I have piping hot coffee to warm me up on cold days and ice-cold coffee to cool me down on hot days. All of which satiate my tastes buds far more than any overpriced coffee chain option can. Ninja really nailed it with this coffee maker.

I received the Ninja XL coffee maker about a week ago and overall we love it. My wife is a big coffee drinker and usually has about 3-4 cups a day so this gets a good workout. The Ninja XL is really a breeze to get started. You fill the tank with enough water for the amount of coffee you plan to make, select the amount you are making, press Classic or Rich (stronger tasting coffee), and off it goes. When Classic is selected, the coffee comes out pretty quickly. The coffee takes a little longer in Rich mode. The iced coffee was relatively easy to make. We filled the carafe with ice and selected Classic style for the brew type and let it run. Very straight-forward. If you are making just one cup, there is pull out stand to pour directly into a cup or mug also. One nice feature that we really liked was the ability to stop the flow at any time. Our previous coffee maker would stop when you pulled out the carafe, but some extra would always drip on the heating tray. With the slide stop on the Ninja, no coffee drips on the heating tray...much better for keeping it clean. One of the challenges with this coffee maker is that the it doesn't go by standard cups, and instead uses custom sizes. For example, a "Small Cup" is 8.5 oz, "Cup" is 9.5 oz, "Travel Mug" is 14 oz, etc. However, the machine shows ounces so you have to either memorize the conversion to standard cups or keep the instruction manual close by at the beginning. You get used to your normal amount pretty quickly, but need to look back at the manual when you have company for a large batch. Overall, we really love this coffee machine. There are additional features that our old maker didn't have, so more experimenting over the next couple of weeks. I would highly recommend this coffee maker.

We love our Ninja coffee maker!! We purchased this product because we wanted to have a coffee maker that can give us some variety. The normal functions to make traditional drip coffee are amazing. If you get some flavored coffee it works great on the rich setting. The system is super easy to use and we love the ability to make drip coffee sizes for not just pots but also individual cups. Often times allows my wife and I to have different types of coffee but still enjoy it together. We actually enjoyed this so much I suggested purchasing one for my workplace. The cold brew and over ice function are great. The only thing I wish is that it was a bit colder when it brews. It often times is still warm, that the ice we put in it gets melted and water downs the coffee. But in the grand scheme of things isn’t a big issue. But that’s the only reason I give this 4 stars and not 5. If your looking for a great machine that can make great quality coffee and is very easy to use that also give you variety of ways to make it. I highly suggest this machine. I hope this helps!!