Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with Classic and Rich Brews 60 oz Water Reservoir and Thermal Flavor Extraction

I must have read a gazillion reviews about a gazillion different coffee makers before I finally decided on this one. So far, so good! It makes a decent, and hot, cup of coffee with pretty minimal fuss. I chose this one mostly due to the removable water reservoir. I've always been bothered by not being able to see where the water is hanging out overnight when I set it to brew in the morning. Even with regular cleaning with vinegar, I always have a sense it is dirty because I can't see it. Though this one is removable, there is still the unseen place the water travels to get to the coffee grounds, but I imagine that is just a tube that goes from the reservoir to the drip mechanism. I'll still clean regularly but I'm sure this won't bother me as much. The carafe is nice and sturdy; I like this! I also like that I do not have to hold the lid nor does it drip when I'm pouring coffee. What I don't care for much is the locking lid. It's somewhat cumbersome and kind of fussy, but once you get it in place it does do it's job fantastically. I am thankful to report I did not experience any chemical smell or taste after brewing as some reviewers have. As is true with most appliances I've researched and purchased, if one reads the user manual prior to first use, one will rarely have problems with the appliance. Some reviewers have complained about the filter. I'm guessing maybe they have tried to use both the provided permanent filter together with a paper filter. The instruction manual clearly says, multiple times, not to do this. It also says to use a coarser grind of coffee if you're going to use the permanent filter as a fine grind may clog it. I don't use the provided filter because I find them a pain to clean and they change the flavor of your coffee. You do need to use a #4 cone filter and you do need to fold it at the seams in order for it to work properly. I'm not currently working so I haven't used the delay brew feature yet. Some reviewers say it doesn't work properly and I'm wondering if the steps in the manual were followed. It's not quite as easy as others I've had so I'm happy to see clear instructions in the manual. I can see if you try to set it up without precisely following the steps provided it might be pretty frustrating. All in all, I'm glad I made this purchase. All the time I spent researching seems to have paid off! Read more

I have only had this coffee maker about a week. But so far, I'm in love with it. It makes a good cup of coffee, and I love all the features. I used to have a Mr. Coffee, and I am SO glad I upgraded. The Ninja makes a notably better cup of coffee, smother and less bitter. The ease of making the coffee is great. I LOVE that it has the water container on the side of the machine (probably my favorite feature)! You pop it off and fill it at the sink and pop it back on. No spilling water on the counter. The other problem I had with the pitcher on the Mr. Coffee is when I would pour the water in, as it dripped on the counter, so would get on cabinets under the counter, and ruined some of the wood. Problem solved. Love the design. I love the sturdiness of the pot. It does not spill coffee on my counter, like, you guessed it, my Mr. Coffee. The programming for delayed brew is super easy. I use it every day. With my Mr. Coffee, the programming never worked. I like that I don't have to buy filters, because it comes with a gold filter. I also save money because I used less coffee for a better brew. If you are chugging along with something cheap like a Mr. Coffee, it is worth every penny to upgrade. I am a happy camper in the morning. Read more

Bottom line - My review is real, so save yourself a lot of time if you are on the fence and just go for it. This coffee maker is the best I have owned in many years, and I have owned at least a dozen different brands. Our coffee has never tasted so good. Background - I spent an entire morning looking for a replacement coffee maker after ours stopped working. I sorted through about 100 models and kept going back to this Ninja because the price was great, the reviews were great and it had all the features I wanted in a smaller footprint. Then I started reading random comments indicating the reviews were fake, so I went to multiple other places to continue my search. I saw this particular model selling at several other places so I read the reviews from each. Nobody had a bad thing to say, so naturally I had serious doubts! After several hours of searching and reading, I finally decided to just go ahead and take a chance. The price on Amazon was the same as all others, but it also included same day delivery, so I bought it. Performance - This coffee maker exceeded all my expectations. It is well built, heavy duty and solid to the touch. The coffee pot lid locks in place so nothing spills. The pot pours beautifully and nothing drips. The coffee brews so HOT, I actually have to wait a few minutes before taking a sip, and the pot stay warm function can be increased from two hours to four. It has a 1T coffee scoop built into the side,their formula one scoop to one cup (it's a 5 ounce cup) water. It has a gold permanent filter, but I immediately switched to brown paper after the first pot because there was a dark sediment at the bottom that only paper eliminates. It's super simple to use, very easy to maintain, removable parts can go in the dishwasher, and it does an exceptional job. I'm enjoying a great cup of coffee as I write this review. p.s. I use the gold filter to strain stock into storage containers. It does a great job filtering and washes clean in the dishwasher. Read more