Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System, Auto-iQ Tea and Coffee Maker with 6 Brew Sizes, 50 fluid ounces, 5 Brew Styles, Frother, Coffee & Tea Baskets with Glass Carafe (CP301),Black

*CAVEAT – I’ve been making loose leaf tea a certain way for 15+ years and that is what I’m used to. I’m a bit of a tea snob that tends to buy more expensive, high-grade teas. Taste is subjective, and someone without my tea drinking background will undoubtedly have a different view of things. I do not drink coffee, so I have no opinion on that side of things.*
The first thing I would say is that, yes, it works. I’ve had this thing for about a day now, and have drunk a lot of tea. My tea drinking habits lend itself well to how this operates. I usually do one mug at a time, so this thing is perfect for me in that respect. So far I have tried a green, 2 oolongs, 3 blacks, and an herbal chai. Most of what I’ve made has been made on the ‘Classsic’ setting. I’ve not tried the specialty, cold, or over ice brewing methods yet. My old way was to use an electric kettle that heated water to a specific temp based on the type of tea, steeping basket in the mug, and steep for a set amount of time depending on tea.

Forget the scoop thing when making tea. I applaud the effort and idea of having a scoop nested in and held on the side of the unit, but it’s entirely too big for a single cup of tea. It has suggestions on the back of the scoop for how much to use for tea. Whoever came up with it has no idea how to make tea. For a single cup of tea, use 1 teaspoon – I think that’s why it’s called a *tea*spoon. The small side of the scoop is closer to tablespoon sized. The suggestion on the scoop says one scoop for a cup. It will make a cup of tea that is really, really strong – I tried it just to see how it would do.
I am definitely looking forward to using the fold out frother for my matcha. That should make that process a whole of whisking the matcha a lot quicker and easier, but this unit does not have a water only option so it’s still going to take some time as I’ll have to run a green preset without any tea in it or break the kettle back out if I want a cup.

Everything not permanently attached to the unit itself is dishwasher safe (except the thermal carafe if you get that version), so cleanup is simple. There is also a cleaning routing in the machine itself that is supposed to clean out mineral deposits from the insides…have to wait and see if it works.

There is some noise when you run it, but that’s to be expected. The first run it sounded horribly loud, but I’ve either gotten used to the noise or it’s quieted down some. The end of cycle beep isn’t terribly loud, but I can hear it from about anywhere in my house, so it’s good enough. It does eventually auto shutdown if you don’t mess with it.

There are different steeping baskets for both tea and coffee with permanent filters for both. Having 2 baskets will prevent the coffee or tea tastes from bleeding over to one another. I do occasionally see a bit of tea leaf that manages to slip past the permanent filter, but can’t say that the leaf bits haven’t been the result of my quick cleaning of the basket rather than it actually getting around the filter while brewing. It also automatically detects whether you have the tea basket or coffee basket in and selects tea or coffee, which is nice.

The water reservoir on the side has a little flip up lid so you can pour into it, and it has a plastic bit that sticks out at the maximum fill level, so it’s easy to see when you’ve hit the mark. Alternatively, you can just pull the whole reservoir off and carry it to the sink or wherever to fill.

The brew baskets swing out from the front, so you don’t have to raise a lid to access them. Which is good, as this thing is just barely able to fit under my cabinets.

Of the things I’ve tried, the chai was the best (remarkably given the temp- more on that later), followed by the oolongs, and closely by the green. The black tea suffers for not being hot enough. I’m finding that the ‘Rich’ setting gets things closer to what I’m used to flavor-wise than the classic. Almost everything I’ve tried benefits from taking your time and savoring the tea. This thing makes tea that is more of an experience to slow down and enjoy than something just to drink. The flavors are smoother than what I’m used to, but I find the flavor…different – it isn’t bad, just…slightly different. I’m not sure exactly why that is, but I think it’s the steeping method and temperature used.

My only problem with the machine so far is I find myself wishing that it made the tea hotter …if it was just a bit hotter…just a bit – it doesn’t make *hot* tea, it makes very warm tea. For the oolongs, whites, and greens, that isn’t a problem as they are supposed to be steeped at lower temperatures. But black and herbal teas are supposed to be steeped at or near boiling. What comes out with the black and herbal setting is nowhere near boiling. If I could adjust the temperature more to my liking, I think I would love this machine. As is, I think it’s something that I will get used to in time, but am not completely thrilled with right now as it’s just different from how I’ve always made tea. There is a high altitude calibration method. I may run it just to see if it makes a difference.

People who like their hot tea scalding are definitely going to be disappointed, but I think most people will be happy with this machine. Easy to use, fairly quick, consistent results (so far), easy to clean, and can do a variety of sized cups and mugs (albeit, there is no way to adjust for anything other than the preset sizes). It is a good machine overall. Just needs a few tweaks to go from good to great.
Bottom line. Would I recommend it? Yes, with some small reservations.

*Update* I thought a quick update was in order since I’ve been using it for a week and found a few things that should be mentioned. The temperature thing seems to be related to the single coffee mug size. I have a travel mug, and the temperature is pretty much perfect in that doing the small travel mug size. I think it’s the combination of the room temp mug and the small amounts of tea it releases during the steep cycles.
Also, watch your mugs if you’re using it for single cup stuff. I’ve learned the hard way that some of my mugs are smaller than others. I have 2 mugs that will overflow s little and one that goes right to the very top doing a Rich with the small mug size.

Having grown tired of coffee pods and wanting to save money, I bought a fancy automatic coffee and espresso maker with built-in grinder and all the bells and whistles. I had it for a couple of months before it started malfunctioning. Thankfully Amazon took it back and I started looking for something less prone to breaking down. I settled on this Ninja system with the stainless steel carafe, and bought a separate coffee grinder. GAME CHANGER! After only a few days of use, I can confidently say that if you’re looking to move away from pods and want an easy coffee solution, this machine is for you! Nothing like the smell of freshly ground coffee and brewing your single cup in minutes. Plus you have the flexibility to brew an entire carafe when company calls. Easy set up, easy to use and a breeze to clean. Only downside is there is no water filter on board, so I recommend using distilled water. Otherwise, 10/10!

I’ve been using this coffee maker for almost 2 years every single day for my morning coffee and the occasional afternoon coffee. Needless to say, I’ve gotten mileage out of it. I decided after having the glass pot for while that I wanted the thermal one to keep the coffee warmer for longer after the hot plate stopped. It does a great job at that and I do absolutely recommend the thermal pot. Also to note, the thermal pot has a larger opening on the top than the glass one which helps deal with the leaking problem I was eluding to.

So the leaking issue basically has to do with the way that the mechanism works that opens the hole in the filter section to allow the water out. When it tries to open it, it pushes the whole filter system upwards against a spring-loaded part at the bottom to allow the liquid to flow through. The problem is that the filter system is tightly fitted with the top part of the coffee maker meaning it moves the filter instead of the spring. This makes it so that the place where the liquid is supposed to come out isn’t opened enough and the liquid travels across the bottom surface where it comes out and can often leak around the pot it’s supposed to fall into. With the glass pot, it happens more because it’s smaller on top. Luckily the thermal one is much bigger and doesn’t usually run into this issue. What I’ve found that fixes the issue is if you add some sort of spacer on top of the removable filter so that the system fits more snug. This will avoid any kind of leakage issues.

I’ve also heard spotted complaints about the water reservoir leaking or the part the connects to the reservoir leaking. I have not run into this issue but I’ve read about it and typically the problem is where the bottom part of the reservoir meets the coffee maker. It seems like the rubber/silicone parts that are meant to seal off the connection are faulty and allow water to come out. If you’re looking for a solution to this, I’d recommend either looking for a replacement piece for that or cleaning it. I have also seen videos online about this issue that might be worth looking at.

TLDR: Amazing overall, will still recommend. The thermal pot is better than the glass pot, keep an eye out for possible leaks. Pick up spacers of some kind if there are leaks.

I used to have a job as the manager of an espresso shop. I am snobby about my coffee (and tea). Anyone who knows about the intricacies of balanced drip coffee flavor knows that a great deal depends on the TEMPERATURE of the brew. An ideal coffee brew should be brewed between 195 F and 200F. This machine delivers. Brewed at the perfect temperature, you can brew cheap coffee grounds or high-end fresh ground beans and both come out with outstanding well-balanced flavor.

I used to own the previous version (CF091 model) and I upgraded to this CP301 because I drink a lot of Tea as well. I’ll give several model comparisons. I have found the CP301 to brew at more consistent temperatures (and hotter) than the CF091. Very pleased.

Teas are also especially sensitive to temperature. While Herbal teas can be brewed with boiling water, some of the more delicate teas require a slightly lower temperature to enjoy the full bodied flavor without scorching. This machine makes exceptional tea as well and has temperature variation for tea temps. You won’t need to adjust your machine, just select the kind of tea you are brewing and it adjusts the temperature accordingly.
Herbal 208F, Black Tea 189-205F, Oolong 185-199F, White Tea 180-190F, Green Tea 165-178F

Some details on the machine:
–11″ (deep) including carafe handle x
12″ (wide) with frother folded [extended frother adds 4.7″ to width of unit] x
15″ (high) **note: this unit is TALL and may not fit under low cabinets. You will not want to operate this unit under cabinetry because it does release steam and may damage your cabinetry. Also, the water reservoir needs to be lifted UP to remove and fill, so you will require extra few inches height clearance to operate and fill the machine.

–the water reservoir is 9.5″ high when removed. This is taller than the CF091 model. The old model was short enough to fit under my water cooler spout, this one is a little too tall.

–single serve brewing is fantastic and offers a lot of options for cup sizes. The included measuring spoon takes out the guess work and I found that using their guide yields both perfect coffee and tea as long as you make the scoops heaping. Coffee measurements on front of scoop, loose leaf tea measurements on the back of scoop in green. The scoop shows all the different cup and carafe sizes offered in the machine. This is a great option if you are used to a Keurig machine as you can single serve brew for yourself at a fraction of the cost.

–There are multiple options to make adjustments to your brewer: High altitude setting to adjust for boiling point, warming plate can be set to off, or adjust your time up to 4 hours with auto shut off at the end. Default setting is 2 hours with HOT set plate. Can be changed to WARM set plate to avoid scorching your coffee left for long periods of time. There is a “delay brew” option you can set to the time you want it ready in the morning.

–Use #4 paper cone filters or included wire mesh permanent filter (included) [I use paper filters for both coffee and tea because I find the clean up easier] I find the mesh coffee filter lets through too much sediment for my fine grinds. The tea insert comes with its own filter and works great, but I still prefer to use a paper filter with loose leaf teas because clean up is a breeze.

–DISHWASHER! The glass carafe, brew-through lid, permanent filters, removable filter holders, water reservoir, flip-top lid, frother whisk, and scoop are top-rack dishwasher safe. [this is according to the manufacture guide]

–FROTHER– the milk frother folds away when not in use. It works REALLY well. It does NOT heat the milk & is not a steamer, only froths. For warm drinks, I fill my mug with a little milk and sugar, place in microwave for 30 seconds, then froth. You can operate the frother and maker at the same time. Coffee can be brewed directly into that cup, or poured from the carafe. For cold drinks and iced coffee with cream, simply froth cold milk and add to iced coffee, it gives a perfect velvety texture to your drinks. You can even use the frother with liquid whipping cream! For whipping cream, be sure to use a very cold glass cup. (store one in the freezer.)

–A simple half twist removes the frother attachment. I just twist and immediately run under hot water after each use and it stays clean. If you allowed milk to dry on it, simply twist off and place in dishwasher to sanitize and you’re back in business. You can use any kind of milk with the frother (almond, soy, non-fat, etc.) Non-fat dairy milk will give you the most foam. If you like lots of foam, hold the frother at an angle just at the surface of the milk and your milk will double or more in size.

–Intuitive: One of the things I was curious about before getting the machine was if it would remember my settings. It does! When I put in the tea filter holder, it remembers my last used setting for TEA. When I put in the coffee filter holder, it remembers my last used setting for coffee. This is fantastic, and makes the machine practical for switching between brew types.

–Iced: You can brew iced coffee or tea over ice directly into the included glass carafe or make one cup at a time. I did not think I would use the “cold brew” feature, but once I tried it, I was HOOKED. I no longer go to Starbucks any more. I brew iced coffee right at home and it is smooth, sweet and delicious (not bitter at all.)

PROs: makes great iced and hot coffee and tea with a multitude of sizing options. Cheaper than buying pods with better results from a fresh grind. Permanent filters included for both coffee and tea or use #4 paper cone filters. Separate coffee and tea filters & holders ensure no mingling flavors. Milk frother is easy to clean and use- the perfect accessory if you love velvety coffee house drinks. Auto shut off can be programed to run from 0-4 hours. Smaller overall footprint than the CF091. The largest travel size mug you will be able to clear is 8″ high (my Yeti 30 ounce clears, but just barely.) This has eliminated a great deal of gadgets in my kitchen. I got rid of two milk frothers, tea balls, tea pot, tea strainers, French press, and pour over coffee maker. I purchased (separate) the Ninja double wall plastic pitcher and can brew a fresh pot of drinkable iced tea in about ten minutes. I brew straight into the pitcher and store it in my fridge. No more waiting all day for sun tea or waiting for tea to cool to drink iced. 

Ninja Coffee Bar 50-Ounce Double-Wall Tritan Over Ice Carafe for Iced Coffee and Tea (CFICE50W)

CONs: It’s really tall and needs an open space on your countertop to function properly. The drip-stop is automatic ONLY at the end of the brewing cycle. If you want to pause during brew, you need to press the drip stop button before and after removing/replacing carafe to pause and resume brewing. The glossy black surface is prone to fingerprints and won’t match all kitchens. I would have preferred a matte neutral surface (or stainless) on the majority of the appliance.

Hope this review and photos are helpful to your purchase decision. Willing to answer questions if you post a question to my review. 🙂