Ninja Prestige Dualbrew System CFN802UK Review

Introduction

A pod coffee machine gives you fast espresso when you want it and access to many different flavours, while a filter coffee machine offers volume and is ideal for gentler coffees and dinner parties.

Rather than having two machines to deliver these very different styles, the Ninja Prestige Dualbrew System CFN802UK is both a filter coffee machine and a Nespresso original-compatible espresso machine.

It’s easy to use, for the most part, and saves on counter space if you want both styles of coffee. There are a couple of minor niggles that you should pay attention to, though.

Design and Features

• Filter and Nespresso coffee
• Adjustable cup and jug size
• Foldaway milk frother

Not much bigger than a regular filter coffee machine, the Ninja Prestige Dualbrew System CFN802UK is a good space-saver if you want the option of filter coffee or Nespresso original pods.

This machine is neatly divided into two. On the right-hand side is the Nespresso option, which takes pods via the flip-up flap. This machine is compatible with Nespresso original pods, both sold by Nespresso and third parties.

Once the pod is in place, the controls underneath let me select which size drink: Ristretto, Espresso or Lungo. Plus, there’s an Over Ice option if you want to make cold coffee direct.

It’s nice to see all of the options available, as many of Nespresso’s own machines don’t have the Ristretto option.

Underneath, there’s an adjustable cup holder. Once your cup or mug is in place, hit the Start brew button to deliver regular coffee.

Once done, flip open the pod holder and the used capsule drops into the bin below, which pulls out from the front for easy emptying.

If you want frothed milk, there’s a fold-out milk frother on the side. This is effectively a whisk and it does not heat milk. For hot milk, Ninja recommends using a microwave first, and then froth second. Just be careful using a microwave to heat milk in a mug: some mugs have metal in the ceramic, which means they get super-hot when heated, so use a microwave-friendly mug only.

Turn to the left-hand side and there’s the filter machine. There’s no grinder on this coffee machine, as you get with the Melitta AromaFresh II Thermo Pro, and the Ninja Prestige Dualbrew works with ground coffee only.

That’s a bit more of a faff, although I do get why there’s no grinder: adding one would increase the cost and size of the machine.

Instead, Ninja has a coffee scoop that clips into the side of the machine, with big and small scoops. Follow the manual to get an idea of how many scoops you want, and then adjust to suit based on your taste.

Coffee grounds drop into the top, which should be lined with a paper filter. I like paper filters, as they don’t tarnish with age, and each batch of filter coffee tastes fresh.

Using the volume select dial lets you choose the amount of coffee to brew. The lower options are for cups, ranging between 175ml and 560ml. For these options, the fold-down cup holder can be used. These are neat options if you just want to make a single coffee.

If you want more, then I could choose to brew between 475ml and 1.6-litres of coffee into the jug below. Just make sure that the water tank has enough water in it before you start, and you can follow the handy fill-levels to get the right amount.

As well as choosing volume, there’s a choice to make Classic, Rich or Over Ice coffee. These adjust the amount of water used to match the drink style. For example, Rich uses less water for a more intense coffee than the Classic setting.

Once selected, the Brew button starts the jug filling, with the hot plate below staying on for 40-minutes by default (although you can adjust this down). 

You can also set the machine to brew at a set time, which is handy if you want a pot of coffee ready for you in the morning.

Once brewed, you should slide the drip-protection slot to Closed to prevent any leftover coffee from dripping out. It’s a useful feature, but most filter machines have automatic drop protection.

Maintaining the Ninja Prestige Dualbrew is easy. The filter side needs emptying of used grounds, and the filter holder washing out. Plus, the jug should be cleaned after each use. These parts are all dishwasher safe.

On the espresso side, the bin should be emptied regularly, and the drip tray washed.  Again, these are dishwasher safe.

When it’s time to scale, a light turns on, and the manual shows how what to do. Note that both the filter and espresso parts have to be descaled separately.

Coffee Quality

• Excellent espresso
• Tasty filter coffee

I started by making some shots of espresso using Nespresso pods. The experience of using the Ninja Prestige Dualbrew was similar to using a Nespresso machine, with coffee poured at the touch of button, delivering a shot of coffee with a nice crema on top. At 60°C, the coffee was spot-on temperature wise.

Next, I made a pot of filter coffee using my home-roasted Mexican maragogype beans. The results are good, with a slightly higher temperature (73°C), and the cup delivering the smoother, more subtle taste of the beans.

Milk Frothing

• Basic frothing
• Fiddly to get hot milk

Milk frothing is a lot more involved on this machine. To test, I heated milk in the microwave, using the timings and volumes suggested by the Ninja Prestige Dualbrew’s manual. I then frothed as well as I could, before pouring the milk from the mug into a jug.

I then free-poured the milk into my prepared espresso coffee. The texture was quite nice, but the overall effect and microfoam were not as good as I can achieve when using a machine with a steamer wand.

To be honest, I don’t think I’d bother with this milk frothing option and, for foamed milk, I’d probably buy a Nespresso Aeroccino instead.

Should you buy it?

FAQs