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Reset Ninja Coffee Maker
How to troubleshoot and reset Ninja coffee machines.
Published March 25, 2022
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Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
If your Ninja coffee bar is not working as it should, then you might need to reset the coffeemaker to restore it back to good working condition. While it’s a good idea to get familiar with Ninja coffee maker troubleshooting so that you know how to deal with any issues that a quick reset won’t fix, a lot of the time, this will get your Ninja coffee bar working properly when you are dealing with things like the Ninja coffee maker not working or other Ninja coffee maker problems. Read on to find out more about how to reset a Ninja coffee bar so you can start enjoying your coffee again.
Check the Setup
Before deciding whether or not a reset is the best thing to do, spend some time checking the machine to ensure that it is properly set up. If you’re dealing with problems like the Ninja coffee maker won’t brew, for example, then running a cleaning cycle, rather than resetting, might be the best choice to fix this issue. Consider where something is going wrong with your coffee machine during brewing. Is it turning on? Is the water being preheated once switched on? Will it brew any coffee? Does the brewing start but not complete?
To figure out what is wrong, start simple and check your user manual. Check the basics such as making sure that your power outlet is working and that the machine is actually plugged in – sounds obvious, but it’s not uncommon for what seems like a bigger problem to actually be really simple! Check that the reservoir is filled correctly, and that you have chosen the right coffee size. Check the filter to make sure that it is the correct filter for your machine and that you’re using a medium coffee grind. Check the brewing basket to ensure it is placed correctly and check the lever for drip stop and ensure it is open.
Check the Indicators
Once you’ve checked your machine, looked at the Ninja coffee maker manual and gone through a quick Ninja coffee bar troubleshooting process, you might need to reset the Ninja coffee bar if something is still going wrong although everything appears to be set up correctly. However, before you do this, check the indicators as these can sometimes tell you what is wrong, if the problem is not obvious. The coffee machine will alert the user to issues such as a closed drip stop or if you need to clean it, so be sure to check these before you go ahead and reset it.
Clean the Machine
Even if the light has not come on to tell you to clean, you might want to try deep cleaning the machine before you reset it, to see if this fixes the issue. Some Ninja coffee maker problems common among coffee drinkers, like the Ninja coffee bar not brewing full carafe, might be due to clogs in the system. And these coffee machines have a reputation for only letting you know that a cleaning cycle is needed when it’s gotten quite bad, so don’t wait for the light to turn on. To clean your machine, pour descaling solution or white vinegar in the water tank before adding water to dilute. Choose the carafe size to brew and place your carafe or another large container to catch the cleaning solution before pressing the ‘clean’ button. This will then clean and descale the machine, which takes around thirty minutes. Once the cycle has run, rinse the basket, water tank, and carafe. Pour plain water into the reservoir until full and rinse everything out with a couple of normal brew cycles.
Unplug and Wait
While a full cleaning cycle can fix a multitude of problems, what can you do if the Ninja coffee bar clean cycle is not working? If your Ninja coffee bar won’t run a clean cycle, you could try a tried-and-tested method of simply unplugging it and plugging it back in again. It sounds simple, but unplugging your coffee machine from the mains, waiting for a few minutes, before re-plugging it in will reset the coffee machine fully back to the default state, which should fix the cleaning cycle problem. If this doesn’t work, the next best option is to get in touch with Ninja customer service who will be able to offer further advice and support.
Common Ninja Coffee Machine Issues That Might Require a Reset
While a reset might not always work, it can help with several Ninja coffee bar issues if nothing else seems to be working. Remember that most of the time, a good cleaning of the machine by running a clean cycle with descaling solution or white vinegar and water should rectify a lot of issues too, so always try this before you reset the machine. Ideally, you should run a cleaning cycle on the Ninja coffee bar around once per month or two months, or more frequently if you use it a lot. Even if the cleaning light has not come on, this will help to keep your machine in the best condition and avoid future problems.
Stops Brewing
Setting up to brew a coffee only for your coffee bar to stop mid-way through the brewing cycle can be very frustrating. If it stops brewing, then the first thing to do is double check that you have selected the right brew size. It may be something as simple as accidentally selecting travel mug when you actually wanted to brew a full carafe. However, if this happens again when you’re certain you’ve selected the right brew size, you can try unplugging the machine which will reset it. If your machine is still stopping before the brew cycle has completed after you do this, then you guessed it - try a cleaning cycle.
Not Brewing Enough
If you have noticed that your Ninja machine is having problems with brewing a full carafe of coffee, then the first thing to do is double check that you have selected the right brew size. If you have set the brew size correctly, then it might be down to the type of brew that you have selected. For example, if you’ve accidentally selected the ‘over ice’ option for your brew, this will make around half the amount of coffee compared to the classic or rich option since it is intended to be brewed over ice for a cold coffee. If you’re certain that you didn’t make a mistake when selecting the brew size or type of brew, then check that there is enough water in the reservoir. If everything is fine, then finally, try cleaning the Ninja to see if that fixes the problem.
Beeping Five Times
If you’ve tried to brew coffee by pressing the button and instead of brewing your coffee, your Ninja bar beeps five times at you, then you should check that everything is set up correctly as this means that there is something stopping the machine from brewing. Double check that the filter mechanism is pushed in all the way. Finally, open the drip stop if needed.
Leaking Water
There are several potential reasons why your coffee machine might be leaking water. A simple one might be that the water tank has been overfilled a little bit. Check the reservoir and pour some water out if needed. If the water is above the line indicated, then it’s likely to leak. Bear in mind that when you remove the reservoir, it’s fairly normal for some water to drip from it, so don’t worry about this. When the coffee is brewing and pouring, you might also notice a little dripping near the filter – again, this is totally normal.
Bad Tasting Coffee
Most people who invest in a coffee machine do this because they want great coffee, so it can understandably be frustrating if your coffee tastes nasty. There are lots of potential reasons why this might happen. If the coffee tastes too strong, use a coarser grind size or less coffee. On the other hand, if it’s weak and watery, try a medium grind size or use more grounds. The coffee might also taste bad if the machine needs cleaning, so try a cleaning cycle to see if that sorts the problem out.
Overflowing
As much as you might love coffee, the last thing that you want to deal with early in the morning is an overflowing cup of it. If you are having issues with your Ninja coffee machine filling up your cups too much, then start by checking the basics. Check the size setting and ensure that you have not accidentally set it to be larger than you want. You should also check the cup that you are using as it may not be big enough for the amount of coffee. Your Ninja machine instruction manual has more details on the mug sizes for each setting.
When you experience common issues with your coffee machine from Ninja, a quick reset or running a cleaning cycle will usually help fix the issue.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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