In July, our lives changed forever. We welcomed a beautiful baby boy into our family, but we lost our sleep and our clean, spotless floors. Luckily, SharkNinja’s newest products had us covered. Their sleek and functional Ninja Coffee Bar provided the energy we desperately needed while the Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean vacuum effortlessly restored order in the house.
The Ninja Coffee Bar quickly replaced our previous coffee maker, an electric percolator. With limited counter space in our kitchen, I was hesitant to even test out the new appliance, but after my first cup of coffee, I knew this was a keeper. What I love most about the Ninja Coffee Bar is how adaptable it is. I can just as easily brew an entire carafe of coffee as I can a single cup. Perhaps the most popular single serve coffee maker is the Keurig; however, the Ninja Coffee Bar blows the Keurig out of the water. Aside from not being limited to whatever coffee grinds come in pod form, you are also not producing so much waste from the excess plastic used to create the pods.
This multi-functional coffee bar can brew a variety of size servings including one cup, one extra-large cup, one travel mug, one multi-serve travel mug, half of a carafe, or a full carafe. One great detail that the Ninja designers included was a cheat sheet on the coffee scooper, which tells you how many scoops you need depending on the brew size. The Coffee Bar also features a heated carafe plate to ensure your coffee never gets too cold. The removable water reservoir is convenient and easy-to-use.
I was so excited to brew my first cup of coffee, but first I had to decide on my brew type: classic brew, rich brew, over ice brew, specialty brew, and café forte brew. After consulting the manual to learn the difference between each brew, I chose the classic brew for a “smooth, balanced flavor from your favorite coffee” and that is exactly what I received.
One of the most unique features, that also happens to impress guests, is the integrated frother. The frother is subtly attached to the rear corner of the coffee maker but hides around back and is easily accessible when needed by flipping it around to the side. The frother is very easy to use; you simply submerge the end of the frother into a cup of hot milk and froth until the desired frothiness is achieved! I had no trouble creating my first cup of delicious cappuccino.
Another notable feature of the Ninja Coffee Bar is the ability to brew iced coffee. You simply fill the provided plastic travel mug with ice and choose the “over ice brew” button. The iced coffee came out great. It did not taste watered down, bitter, or weak. For my next coffee challenge, I decided to get fancy with my iced coffee and make a “Mocha Ninjaccino” from the include recipe booklet. It’s a frozen coffee drink, not dissimilar to a Starbucks Frappuccino. What made me extra excited was that I was able to use my much-loved Ninja Intellisense Kitchen System blender to help me complete the process. The Mocha Ninjaccino was super easy to make and absolutely delicious!
The yummy Mocha Ninjaccinos
Overall, the Ninja Coffee Bar is an excellent coffee brewing system that is easy to use, easy to clean, looks great, and can make anyone feel like a Starbucks barista. SharkNinja really hit this one out of the park. I’m not sure how we’ll ever live without the Ninja Coffee Bar, which retails for around $199.99.
Once I had fully energized thanks to my Ninja Coffee Bar, I was able to tackle the floors. Enter, the Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean vacuum. We already owned the Dyson V6 Cordless Stick Vacuum so I was very eager to see how the Shark compared. The Shark is definitely an attractive looking vacuum with a sleek, modern design. However, I was more concerned if it would be convenient and easy enough for me to use a few times a day for light messes.
Everything included inside the retail box.
The ION battery in the charging cradle.
The Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean vacuum came with lots of useful attachments including 2 ION power pack batteries, 1 charger, 1 cradle, a duster crevice tool, an anti-allergen dusting brush, a pet multi-tool, and a multiFLEX under-appliance wand. Yes, this meant I could finally vacuum 4 years worth of dust from under the refrigerator and stove! SharkNinja tends to pay attention to the details and they did not fail with this vacuum. Each attachment is labeled with its name and what it’s used for so there is no need to refer back to the user manual.
In terms of functionality and power, the Shark IONFlex surpassed my Dyson Stick Vacuum handily. The Shark cleaned up more fine dirt particles, was more powerful, and lasted longer thanks to the 2 batteries. Another fantastic feature is how the vacuum is able to flex to easily clean under beds and couches. I’m used to crouching down and getting on the floor to clean those difficult to reach areas, but now, the Shark does all of the awkward contorting for me. And, in case you can’t see well under the furniture, no need to grab your flashlight! The Shark vacuum has its own headlights that make sure you can collect every last dust bunny. SharkNinja continues to impress with their intuitive, attractive design.
Your view of the controls while vacuuming.
Headlights!
Testing out its flexibility.
One feature that is missing, but that I think would benefit the Shark IONFlex, is if the vacuum came with a way to organize all of the attachments. The Dyson wall mount is able to store two attachments and I’ve found this organization to be extremely helpful. I would also like to see a way to mount the Shark vacuum to the wall, as I have very limited closet and floor space to store a vacuum.
Check out the gallery showing a bunch of the attachments:
The IONFlex in park.
Overall, I love my new SharkNinja products and I show them off to anyone who comes to the house. I can’t wait to see what future products they have in store for consumers.
You can purchase yours directly from the Shark and Ninja websites or visit one of many retailers nationwide.
Source: The Ninja Coffee Bar and Shark IONFlex 2X Duoclean vacuum were manufacturer supplied review samples
What I Like: Excellent design; Easy-to-use; Adaptable; Both appliances can take the place of multiple appliances
What Needs Improvement: Vacuum can use an organizational dock/mount
