If you drink iced coffee every day, a coffee maker that treats “over ice” as an afterthought gets old fast. The Ninja Hot & Iced XL Coffee Maker (model CM371) builds iced brewing into the machine itself, alongside a rapid cold brew mode that skips the usual overnight wait. Here’s what it actually offers, and who it makes sense for.
The Short Answer
The Ninja CM371 is a large-format drip coffee maker built around one idea: brewing specifically for ice. It uses a concentrated brew process for its Over Ice setting so your coffee doesn’t taste watered-down once it hits a full glass of ice, and it adds a Rapid Cold Brew mode that produces a cold-brew-style drink in minutes instead of the usual 12 to 24 hours. On top of that it still handles everyday hot coffee in Classic and Rich strengths, in sizes from a single cup up to a full 12-cup carafe.
Quick Verdict
| Good fit if you… | Look elsewhere if you… |
|---|---|
| Drink iced coffee most days and are tired of watered-down results | Want traditional 12-24 hour immersion cold brew flavor specifically |
| Want both hot and iced coffee from one machine | Have very limited counter or cabinet space |
| Brew for a household (up to 12 cups) | Only ever brew a single cup and want the smallest footprint possible |
| Want a simple drip maker without espresso functions | Want espresso-based drinks (this isn’t an espresso machine) |
Who It’s Actually For
- Iced coffee drinkers who currently just pour hot coffee over ice and end up with a diluted glass
- Households that want one machine to cover both hot and cold coffee without buying separate equipment
- People who want a cold-brew-style drink without planning 12-24 hours ahead
- Anyone brewing for multiple people who needs a full carafe, not just single-serve pods
Who Should Skip It
- Espresso and latte drinkers – this is a drip machine, not an espresso maker (see our Breville Barista Express review if that’s what you actually want)
- Cold brew purists who want the specific mellow, low-acid flavor that only comes from a real 12-24 hour steep – see our best cold brew coffee makers guide instead
- Small kitchens or single-cup drinkers who don’t need a 12-cup carafe taking up counter space
Ninja CM371 at a Glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brew styles | Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Rapid Cold Brew |
| Max carafe size | 12 cups (hot) / up to 6 cups over ice |
| Water reservoir | Removable, with fill lines for both hot and iced brewing |
| Dimensions (approx.) | 15.08″H x 9.13″W x 12.31″D |
| Weight (approx.) | 9.04 lbs |
| Filter type | Reusable basket filter included; paper filters also compatible |
| Carafe material | Glass |
| Programmable | Yes, with a built-in clock/delay brew |
What’s in the Box
- Ninja CM371 coffee maker unit
- Glass carafe
- Reusable mesh/basket filter
- Quick start guide
What Does It Actually Make?
| Mode | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Standard drip brew strength | Everyday hot coffee |
| Rich | A stronger, more concentrated hot brew | Drinkers who want bolder hot coffee or plan to add milk |
| Over Ice | Brews a concentrated coffee designed to be poured directly over a full glass of ice | Iced coffee without dilution |
| Rapid Cold Brew | A fast-brew process aiming for a cold-brew-style flavor profile in minutes rather than hours | Cold brew flavor when you don’t have 12-24 hours to steep |
Brew Sizes and Everyday Convenience
| Brew mode | Available sizes |
|---|---|
| Classic / Rich (hot) | 1 to 12 cups |
| Over Ice | Sized for pouring over a full glass of ice, typically up to a handful of servings per brew |
| Rapid Cold Brew | Smaller batch sizes designed for immediate serving |
For a household that drinks a mix of hot and iced coffee across the day, being able to switch modes on one machine is the main practical advantage over owning a separate dedicated iced coffee maker and a standard drip machine.
Does Over Ice Actually Make Better Iced Coffee?
The core problem the Over Ice mode is designed to solve is real: pour a normal hot brew over a full glass of ice and you lose a meaningful amount of strength as the ice melts and dilutes it. Brewing a more concentrated coffee specifically meant to go over ice is the same logic used by pour-over iced coffee methods and by many cafe iced coffee recipes.
Whether it fully replaces flash-chilling your own concentrated pour-over, or how strong the concentration ends up tasting to your palate, will come down to your own ice-to-coffee ratio and taste preference. We haven’t run a side-by-side taste test of this specific unit yet, so treat this as how the feature is designed to work rather than a verified tasting result. We’ll update this section once we’ve tested it directly.
Is Ninja’s Rapid Cold Brew Actually Cold Brew?
Worth being direct about this one: traditional cold brew is made by steeping coarse coffee grounds in cold or room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours, which produces its characteristically smooth, low-acid flavor. A “rapid” mode that finishes in minutes is not using that same process, so it’s reasonable to expect a different flavor profile than a true overnight steep, even if Ninja is aiming for a similar style.
If what you actually want is the specific flavor of traditional immersion cold brew, a dedicated cold brew maker or overnight steeping method (see our best cold brew coffee makers guide) will get you closer to that than any rapid-brew feature can. If what you want is “cold coffee, fast, that’s good enough,” the Rapid Cold Brew mode is solving a genuinely different problem, and solving it well is plausible given the concept, even though we haven’t verified the taste ourselves yet.
Reservoir, Carafe, and Cleanup
The CM371 uses a removable water reservoir with fill lines marked for both hot and iced brewing, since the ratios differ (Over Ice mode needs less water per cup because it’s brewing concentrate). The included carafe is glass, which is standard for this class of drip maker and lets you see brew level at a glance.
For regular maintenance, the reusable filter needs rinsing after each brew, and like any drip machine, the CM371 will need periodic descaling depending on your water hardness. See our guide to descaling a coffee maker for a general schedule, and always check Ninja’s own manual for machine-specific descaling instructions before using any descaling product.
Ninja CM371 vs. Ninja DualBrew
| Ninja CM371 (Hot & Iced XL) | Ninja DualBrew | |
|---|---|---|
| Brew styles | Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Rapid Cold Brew | Single-serve pod brewing plus full carafe brewing |
| Best for | Households focused on both hot and iced drip coffee | Households that want pod convenience alongside carafe brewing |
| Cold brew approach | Rapid Cold Brew (minutes) | Depends on model configuration |
See our full Ninja DualBrew review for a deeper breakdown if pod compatibility matters to you.
Ninja CM371 vs. Ninja Luxe Cafe
| Ninja CM371 (Hot & Iced XL) | Ninja Luxe Cafe | |
|---|---|---|
| Machine type | Drip coffee maker | Espresso and coffee system with milk frothing |
| Best for | Drip and iced coffee drinkers | Espresso, latte, and cappuccino drinkers |
| Price tier | Budget-to-mid drip maker | Higher-end multi-function machine |
These two solve different problems. If you’re deciding between them, the real question is whether you want espresso-based drinks (Luxe Cafe) or straightforward hot and iced drip coffee (CM371). Our Ninja Luxe Cafe review covers the espresso side in detail.
Ninja CM371 vs. a Traditional Cold Brew Maker
- Speed: CM371’s Rapid Cold Brew takes minutes; traditional cold brew makers need 12-24 hours of steeping
- Flavor profile: Traditional immersion cold brew tends to be smoother and lower-acid due to the slow steep; rapid brewing is a different process aiming for a similar style
- Equipment needed: CM371 is one machine for both hot and cold; a dedicated cold brew maker is a separate, single-purpose device
- Batch size: Dedicated cold brew makers are often designed for larger batches meant to last several days in the fridge
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ninja CM371 the same as a cold brew maker?
No. Its Rapid Cold Brew mode is designed to produce a cold-brew-style drink quickly, but it uses a different brewing process than traditional 12-24 hour immersion cold brew, so the flavor won’t be identical to a dedicated cold brew maker.
Can the Ninja CM371 make espresso?
No. It’s a drip coffee maker, not an espresso machine. If you want espresso-based drinks, look at a machine like the Breville Barista Express or the Ninja Luxe Cafe instead.
How many cups does the CM371 make?
Up to 12 cups for hot Classic and Rich brewing. Over Ice and Rapid Cold Brew batch sizes are smaller, since those modes brew a more concentrated coffee.
Does it use paper filters or a reusable filter?
It comes with a reusable basket filter, and is also compatible with standard paper filters if you prefer disposable ones.
What’s the difference between Classic and Rich brew strength?
Rich is a stronger, more concentrated hot brew setting than Classic, intended for drinkers who want bolder coffee or plan to add milk.
Do I need special grounds for Over Ice or Rapid Cold Brew?
You can use your regular drip-ground coffee. As with any brew method, a fresh, properly stored bean will make a noticeable difference – see our guide to picking beans for cold brew style coffee for suggestions.
Is the CM371 a good gift for someone who drinks a lot of iced coffee?
If the person you’re buying for makes iced coffee at home often and doesn’t already own an espresso machine, this style of machine is aimed squarely at that use case.
Bottom Line
The Ninja Hot & Iced XL Coffee Maker (CM371) is built around a real problem: most drip coffee gets watered down over ice. Its Over Ice and Rapid Cold Brew modes are aimed directly at fixing that, alongside standard hot brewing in two strengths and sizes up to a full 12-cup carafe. It’s a strong fit if you want one machine that handles both hot and iced coffee without buying separate equipment – less of a fit if you specifically want espresso drinks or the exact flavor profile of a traditional overnight cold brew.
- 4 BREW STYLES: Select from Classic, Rich, Over Ice, and Cold Brew for coffee any way you like it.
- ICED COFFEE: Bold iced coffee flavor that's never watered down.
- COLD BREW: Smooth, fresh cold brew in as little as 10 minutes.
- 8 BREW SIZES: Small cup, regular cup, XL cup, travel size, or XL travel size. Plus, you can choose from a quarter, half, or full carafe.
- REMOVABLE RESERVOIR WITH AUTO-METERING: Easy-to-fill, removable water reservoir with auto-metering to sense water amount, so there’s no need to measure or constantly refill.
