The Amazfit Bip 3 Pro is an affordable fitness tracker and one of the best cheap running watches, with all the basics you could ask for. It has an optical heart rate reader. It has full-on GPS, unlike the non-Pro edition of the Bip 3. Want phone-free run tracking? You got it.
And where Fitbit offers a small lozenge of a display for this sort of money, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro looks a lot like a smartwatch.
The bad bits? It comes across cheaper in person than it does in photos. The display is compromised on multiple fronts. And while the location tracking is really quite excellent based on our testing, heart rate accuracy is mediocre.
What does this add up to? A solid affordable fitness tracker, although the Honor Band 7 pulls off budget gloss better.
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro: Specifications
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro: Price and Availability
$69.99 in the US
£69.99 in the UK
AU$119 in Australia.
Amazfit launched the Bip 3 Pro in June 2022 as one of its cheaper fitness watches. It costs $69.99 / £69 / AU$119.
This is just $10/£20 more than the standard Amazfit Bip 3, which is a largely similar watch, but one that lacks full GPS. It uses Connected GPS instead.
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro: Design and Display
(Image credit: Andrew Williams)
Low weight equals high level of comfort
Screen is basic
Feels cheap in places
The Amazfit Bip 3 Pro is a watch made to look a little like an Apple Watch, without going all the way and becoming a potentially embarrassing low-rent clone. It has the classic rounded square-ish display of Apple’s smartwatch, but the dimensions are different and the side button is in a completely different place.
Its display glass looks great in photos, particularly when papped with a wide aperture lens, but don’t come to the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro expecting it to drip in that luxurious smartwatch sense of quality. The casing is plastic, and the side button’s click feels cheap. This isn’t a rotary controller either. While the crown turns, doing so does nothing.
However, the simple construction does lead to super-low weight. At just 35g, including strap, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro is a watch you can forget you are wearing. In a positive sense.
It’s a 5ATM watch too, so you’re rarely need to take it off — including when you go swimming.
Amid all this breezy low-maintenance stuff, the screen stands out as a potential irritant. It does not have an ambient light sensor, meaning you need to manually alter the brightness level when you go out for a workout.
You will need it maxed, too, as the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro can barely get bright enough for solid visibility on a sunny day. This is less of an issue with the OLED Honor Band 7.
As with most more smartwatch-like designs we’ve tested at this level, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro has an LCD screen. It’s a 1.69-inch panel of 240 x 280px pixel resolution.
This is not a high pixel count for the screen’s size, leading to a slightly craggy appearance to menu text. However, it’s only the lack of auto brightness that grates. You’re pretty much forced to ramp up brightness when you go out for a run. And when you get back it, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro will then look too bright indoors.
The screen doesn’t look all that smooth when you scroll through menus either. It’s hard to tell whether this is down to the refresh rate of the screen of the frame rate of the interface, but you don’t get the smoothness of a top-tier watch. Typical of an LCD watch, there’s no “always on” mode either. This is only really suitable for OLEDs, because with an LCD like this the entire screen is lit whenever a tiny part of it is.
It is good in other areas, though. Some of these budget watch LCD screens have fairly poor contrast, and a too-high black floor, making the black areas of the screen appear to glow. Not so here. It takes a pretty dim room to highlight this definitely isn’t an OLED.
Design score: 4/5
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro: Features
(Image credit: Andrew Williams)
Very basic smartwatch-style features
Solid use of the display for data visualisation
Full GPS
We reviewed the Amazfit GTR 4 recently. It tries to further blur the lines between simple fitness watches and true smartwatches. The Amazfit Bip 3 Pro isn’t one of these. It’s a classic health and fitness watch with some smart basics, like message notifications, alarms and weather reports. It can also control music played on your phone, but not play music directly.
Simple as it sounds, the diversity of the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro’s watch faces is one of its top features. There are loads available through the Zepp phone app. And while some are paid downloads, we counted 74 freebies. It gives you much greater control over the personality of your watch. In one face the time is displayed on a zombie’s rotting teeth, for example. Charming.
Amazfit squeezes the usual array of metrics out of the relatively simple combo of motion sensors, and an optical heart rate reader. It records heart rate 24/7, can take blood oxygen readings on command, will track your sleep and stress, and count daily steps.
There are also some features that don’t really on daily data. You can set up to-do lists in the Zepp app, and tick them off on the watch. There are simple guided breathing exercises and the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro can also track menstrual cycles. But it appears to be based on following your established pattern, rather than the smart body temperature method used in an Apple Watch Series 8.
You can use the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro to set off an alarm on your phone too, should you misplace it.
Notifications is probably the feature we’ve appreciated most, though. The 1.69-inch screen offers a decent amount of space to see the top line info of emails and messages. You can’t reply to anything, and once dismissed notification cards are gone. But that’s the fundamentals covered at least.
The Amazfit Bip 3 Pro does not have an altimeter, to count flights of stairs. There are no ECG readings on offer. However, the large screen does let Amazfit dress up the fitness watch essentials to look smart. For example, when you tap on the heart rate screen you will see a graph detailing the entire day’s readings as a data-packed graph.
Useful? That’s up for debate, but this wouldn’t be feasible on a truly tiny-screened wearable. The Bip 3 Pro also has lots of exercise tracking modes, 61 one of them, but most are identical in practice, just showing your heart rate and a calorie estimate.
Features score: 3/5
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro: Performance
(Image credit: Andrew Williams)
Good location tracking
Frequently patchy heart rate readings
Long battery life
Amazfit says the Bip 3 Pro can last up to 14 days of light use, a week of heavier use. We found it lasts around 10 days with our kind of lighter use, six and a bit days with an hour of GPS tracked exercise on most days.
45 minutes of GPS tracking took 4% off the battery, suggesting you may be able to get 16 hours of tracking out of a full charge.
Looking a little deeper at the recorded exercise results, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro has two sides. Its GPS location tracking is surprisingly great. It is not too slow to triangulate for a budget watch (perhaps 10-20 seconds), and its distance results were eerily similar to those of a Garmin Forerunner 965 — a watch that costs eight times the price.
Over the course of an 11km run, the two watches ended up within 20m of each other. Ridiculously close results. The watch does not have any particularly special GPS skills, with support for four satellite arrays — GPS, Galileo, QZSS and GLONASS. However, the quality of this feature justifies the $20/£20 bump over the standard Bip 3, which lacks full GPS.
The heart rate reader’s performance is much more mixed. We found its all-day readings to often be way off the mark, featuring far too high spikes of 110bpm and up after just heading to the kitchen to grab a glass of water or make a coffee.
Results during exercise were also quite messy. The first few minutes of recording are typically poor, which is quite normal for lower-end wrist-worn hardware. Readings throughout an hour-long run were also peppered with a few odd spikes there the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro was 15-20bpm off the mark.
This led to the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro recording inaccurate maximum heart rate readings during more easygoing mid-week workouts. But it’s not a total bust.
The Amazfit Bip 3 Pro did not flat-out miss any exertion spikes in a mixed intensity workout, and aside from a dubious first five minutes, its general readings were not too wide of the mark. After an hour-long session its average reading was only 2bpm higher than that of a Garmin Forerunner 965.
Warner Bros. Discovery has now completed its transition of HBO Max and Discovery+ into one unified streaming service called Max. The rebranded service is now live in the US and comes with additional content for the most expensive Max Ultimate pricing tier ($19.99/month) with a total of 1,000 new movies and TV shows in 4K quality.
The press release has the full list of 4K content and mentions that most Max users will have their apps automatically updated while others will be prompted to download the updated app on their devices. HBO Max customers will have their profiles, avatars and...
Warner Bros. Discovery has now completed its transition of HBO Max and Discovery+ into one unified streaming service called Max. The rebranded service is now live in the US and comes with additional content for the most expensive Max Ultimate pricing tier ($19.99/month) with a total of 1,000 new movies and TV shows in 4K quality.
The press release has the full list of 4K content and mentions that most Max users will have their apps automatically updated while others will be prompted to download the updated app on their devices. HBO Max customers will have their profiles, avatars and...
You can find vacuum cleaners in all sorts of form factors and at various price points. However, robot vacuums that can also mop remain a niche offering, delivering hands-free deep cleaning, which generally comes in at a higher price. The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop is one such vacuum.
The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base does come with the same kind of limitations as with other models, including the best robot vacuums. You’ll still have to do your own deep cleaning from time-to-time. In addition, you’ll need to remove whatever miscellaneous items you or your loved ones have left stranded on the floor for it to deliver a proper clean. But, outside of those parameters, this robot vacuum will do a fantastic job of keeping your place clean.
Particularly suited for use on hard floors, especially with that mopping functionality, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base can keep up with the best vacuums in keeping your space clean. And, its hands-free operation is made even better by a super intuitive and easy-to-use app that delivers all the flexibility you need, including the ability to turn on the vacuum when you’re not even home.
No vacuum is perfect, though – not even a unit from such a reputable brand as Shark. As such, there are a couple of areas in which the Shark falls slightly short. The first is its high price, although there are models that command an even higher price. The second is a battery life that is just okay, but made worse by the fact that the vacuum takes a long time to charge back up. However, unless you need to vacuum constantly, this is unlikely to be a big point of contention; you’ll be able to get a good amount of cleaning done every day, if you so choose. Just note that the vacuum will require a good half-day to get back up to 100% if you’re pushing it to its limits.
That said, I’ve found this robot vacuum to be an excellent option for most people, in no small part because of the quality app by which it’s supported.
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base: Price and availability
List price: $699 / about £559 / about AU$1,054
Only available in the US
There’s no denying that dual-functioning cleaners that can both vacuum and mop command a higher price, and the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 is no exception. The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base bundle reviewed here, which includes a self-emptying charging base, will set you back $699 / about £559 / about AU$1,054. Forgo that charging base, and you can save some money, with the model setting you back $449 / £360 / AU$681.
The vacuum can be bought direct from the Shark website or via resellers such as Best Buy. At the time of writing, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base was on offer, with $200 off using the promo code ROBOT200 through Shark, or $150 off at Best Buy.
Although not necessarily considered a “cheap” robot vacuum, you can certainly spend much more. The iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus is a fantastic vacuum and mop model that also comes with a self-emptying base, but it will set you back an eye-watering $1,099 / £999 / AU$2,199. Then there’s the Eufy RoboVac G30 Hybrid for $369 / £369 / about AU$561, but it doesn’t save mapping for future reference, nor does it come with a self-emptying base.
Only available in the US at the time of review, Shark products – including its robot vacuums – are available in other territories, so hopefully this product will make its way to your part of the world soon.
Value: 4/5
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base review: Specs
The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base comes with a robot vacuum and base station. At the time of writing we could only retrieve the specs for the robot vacuum.
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base review: Design
Arrives with bagless self-emptying charging base
Mopping functionality dependant on which dustbin you use
Cleaning solution included in bundle doesn’t last that long
The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop is a sleek-looking robot vacuum that’s available to buy either on its own or as a bundle with the bagless self-emptying charging base. It comes with two different dustbins, one that just collects debris and another with an attached washable mop pad. The 2-in-1 functionality comes courtesy of that second bin, since it holds the water and cleaning solution mixture used for mopping.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Like most robot vacuums that can map, the unit has a raised center for mapping and navigating. And, it has a few onboard controls for starting or docking the unit. There’s one side brush (with an extra included as backup) to push in debris into the unit’s path, and a robust brush roll. The brush roll is notable for its different design, using alternating brushes with rubber liners to pick up debris. Both the side brush and brush roll are easily removable.
On-board controls (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
As far as the base goes, this HEPA bagless self-emptying base seems to mostly remove small particles such as dust from the dustbin (so you won’t need to empty it very often). However, you’ll still need to expel the contents of the dustbin itself regularly.
The bundle comes with a few different extras. There’s an extra side brush as mentioned, but also an extra mop pad as well as a bottle of starter solution. Just be aware that having run the vacuum a few times a week for a month, I’ve almost already exhausted that container of solution.
Design: 4.5 / 5
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base review: Performance
Solid cleaning with mopping functionality, with floors drying quickly
Edge cleaning is decent
Does a good job avoiding small obstacles
As good as robot vacuums have become, they’re still not at the point of replacing the need for a deep clean every now and then. And, that remains so with the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, which we’ll get into later.
That said, this Shark vacuum works wonders within its limitations, clearing dust and debris extremely well. It can be set to vacuum in a matrix pattern – which Shark calls “Matrix Clean” – where it will vacuum in straight lines both along the width as well as the length of a room to ensure all spots have been cleaned.
For a more specific example of its cleaning prowess, I dumped a bunch of breadcrumbs on the kitchen floor, which ranged in size from fine particles to sizable pieces. After just a 10-minute clean, the floor was shiny and spotless.
Mopping breadcrumbs (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The robot vacuum also has “CleanEdge” technology for removing dirt closer to walls. However, in my experience, it didn’t seem to perform that much better than, say, the Bissell Spinwave R5, still missing about an inch or so from the wall, at least when mopping.
Cleaning the edges of the floor (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Nevertheless, in part it’s the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot’s mopping ability that makes its cleaning ability so stellar. The floor after a clean feels glorious to walk on barefoot. And its judicious use of water and cleaning solution meant that my floor was dry in a matter of minutes.
Like all other robot vacuums, this cleaner isn’t going to clean large pieces of debris. For example, I found a 2-inch long piece of tape stuck in the brush roll after one cleaning session. So, as well as picking these up before you set the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot off on a clean, you’ll also need to pick up any obstacles that are sitting on the floor – although, unlike many other robot vacuums, it does a good job of avoiding most obstacles on the floor. However, it will give those obstacles a wide enough berth that you’ll end up with dirty spots on the floor.
Note that you’ll want to pick up any thicker rugs, too. The Shark vacuum will happily clean over thinner floor coverings, but it became stuck on my bath rug, whose half-inch long strands twisted the side brush’s bristles.
In terms of noise, you can easily have the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop running in the background while tending to other tasks. With the vacuum-only bin, the Shark measured in at 50dB, while the vacuum-and-mop combination raised the volume to 57dB, which is about the same as a running refrigerator.
As far as cleaning the vacuum itself, I’ve emptied the dustbin only following several uses, and haven’t yet needed to empty the base, even though I’ve had the vacuum running for about a month. Of course, the mop pad is due for a spin in the wash; but, again, I’ve been using it for a month and yet it still delivers clean results.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base review: App
Incredibly easy to use
Can set carpet zones and even do spot cleaning from app
Can engage vacuum even when you’re not home
One of the features I most appreciate about this robot vacuum is the accompanying app. Not only is it simple to set up – you just allow the vacuum to glide around your space to create a map – but it creates a clear mapped layout that’s super simple to manipulate.
I’m able to section off different areas so that, if I want, I can just have the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop clean the kitchen or living room. I can also set the strength of cleaning (there are three settings to choose from, depending on how dirty or how much energy you want to conserve) as well as direct it to spot clean, all from the app.
Additionally, you can create carpet zones so that it won’t use the mopping function when cleaning or moving over those areas. Having tested that setting with just some floor rugs (as well as an imaginary one to see if the robot vacuum would still mop), I noticed that it’s a bit tedious setting the zone accurately; but the robot vacuum will indeed steer clear of the designated area.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Some other key features of the app worth mentioning is that it offers voice assistant support, but only for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It keeps a history of prior cleanings, while also enabling you to set scheduled cleans, although you can only schedule one per day. Also impressive was the fact that I didn’t have to be on the same Wi-Fi network to set the robot vacuum on a clean. I could do this while I was on my way home.
Rating: 5 / 5
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base review: Battery life
Battery life is OK, but not great
Takes a long time to charge back up
Not ideal for those who need to run a robot vacuum multiple times a day
If there's any feature of the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop with XL HEPA self-empty base that I could consider subpar, it’s battery life. While robot vacuums – and vacuums, in general – consume power quickly, 40 minutes of vacuuming and mopping with the Shark depleted battery life by 50%. This means that the cleaner will deliver a not terrible – but not great, either – 80 minutes of use when also using the mopping functionality. While the robot vacuums that offer better battery life often only give you 30-40 minutes more, it’s the charging that proved most bothersome.
After one cleaning session, I had the Shark robot vacuum docked with a battery life of 5%. Three hours later, it had charged to just 50%. No wonder the app only lets you schedule one cleaning session a day. There’s a good chance that both the overall battery life and charging speed are good enough for you, but, if you’re hoping to rely on a robot vacuum for continuous cleaning of a messy household, you may want a model that offers more juice.
Battery: 3.5 /5
Charging back at base (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Should you buy the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base review: Also consider
If a robot vacuum isn't for you, why not consider a cordless vacuum? There's no automation, but you retain freedom from cables.
How I tested the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base
I've been using it in my home for one month
It's been tested on low-pile and deep-pile rugs, and two different types of hard flooring
I controlled it using the app and/or Amazon Alexa
To test the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, I used it for a month to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors in my apartment. I also tested all the features listed in the app, from mapping to different levels of cleaning.
I took note of how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well around obstacles, not to mention running it over different surfaces including two different types of hard flooring, and two different thicknesses of rugs.
Each time Disney reaches back into its vast animation archive and says “let’s live action… this one!” to add to its roster of Disney Plus movies, there’s often a collection of groans online. Why? What’s the point? And just because you can, does it mean you should? The results are extremely varied – for every Jungle Book (2016), there’s a Pinocchio (2022) – and would seem to point in the direction that perhaps some charming animated adventures are better off just staying in that format.
So hats off to director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), for undertaking perhaps one of the trickiest Disney films to translate into “real-life”: the underwater musical about singing mythical sea creatures. He told TechRadar that, on a scale of 1 to 10 of how daunting the project was at the beginning, it was an “11”, but through four years worth of CGI, puppetry, live-action acting, stunts and other movie magic, he’s made the underwater world come alive, just as the original 1989 The Little Mermaid imagined.
There’s always the fear that, like Tom Hooper’s 2019 film of Cats, these anthropomorphized creatures, in the flesh, will be incredibly creepy. But these mer-people are truly a staggering sight to behold, flipping, swimming and diving around in apparent zero-gravity underwater, while the story around them unfolds.
Halle Bailey shines as the titular lead, Ariel, who is essentially a classic rebellious teen who wants to go and hang out with boys, except she lives 20,000 leagues under the sea and is a different species; plus her dad – the mighty Javier Bardem, adding his heavyweight acting chops to proceedings – is King Triton, who doesn’t want her having anything to do with those nasty humans, particular since we think they may have killed Ariel’s mother.
Halle Bailey belts out the hits perfectly as Ariel. (Image credit: Disney)
When Ariel sings her siren song, or any of the original tracks by Alan Menken, it’s instantly obvious why Bailey (one half of the Chloe X Halle musical duo) landed the role: her incredible vocal skills. It’s a joy to hear her soar on 'Part Of Your World', and Menken’s collaboration with Hamilton and Moana hotshot Lin-Manuel Miranda has helped update the other classics, as well as freshening things up for the new-gen with three new songs. Here, Scuttle the seagull (played with gusto by Awkwafina) gets her own snappy song, while the heartthrob Prince Eric (played by Jonah Hauer-King) is given a chance to flesh out his character as an intrepid explorer with 'Wild Uncharted Waters'.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Disney without the arrival of a malevolent family member hell-bent on the downfall of others. Step up Ursula the sea witch, brought into full grotesque glory by Melissa McCarthy. She leans fully into the camp villain role, slithering around her sunken sea lair, tentacles creepily curling around, as she makes her famous devil’s pact with Ariel.
McCarthy lends the air of darkness that’s needed to counterbalance the sweet, cutesy nature of the bubbling love story, which culminates in quite a frightening and ferocious battle between good and evil. As the somewhat heavy handed moral of the story seems to suggest, ultimately we should be more accepting of people who are different to us, even if that means making good with mythical creatures under the sea.
Where the film excels is the recreation of some of the classic songs-as-spectaculars. The 'Under The Sea' (sung by Sebastian the crab; the highly entertaining Daveed Diggs) sequence is the stand-out, as well as being a great rendition of probably the most famous song of the film (and possible the whole Disney canon).
While Digg’s version is spot-on, it’s the matching visuals of the song that will truly blow viewers away: colorful blooms of sea creatures dancing around; shoals of tropical fish exploding across the screen like deep-sea fireworks.
Bardem as King Triton adds just the right level of gravitas. (Image credit: Disney)
The out-of-water scenes are a little less enthralling, and the spell slightly gets broken towards the end when the merpeople rise above sea level. Out in the harsh daylight, the costumes and accessories appear slightly cheapened, as opposed to the shimmering majestic appearance underwater.
And with the film clocking in at two hours – almost 40 minutes more than the original animation – it might have a few people, especially kids, itching for it to end a little sooner. That space hasn't been filled with more jokes or extra-fun touches, despite the additional songs – much like The Lion King (2019), it just seems to have ballooned.
But for fans of the original and for a new generation of viewers, the movie works as a fantastical new journey into one of Disney’s most loved stories.
The Little Mermaid is in movie theaters in the UK and US on May 26, 2023.
It is expected to arrive on Disney Plus later in 2023
The Birch Natural mattress is a latex innerspring hybrid mattress made with organic, non-toxic materials. It has an organic cotton cover followed by organic fire retardant wool. Organic birch wool comprises the comfort layer, natural Talalay latex is used in the pressure relief layer, and up to 1,000 individually wrapped coils make up the support layer. Lastly, a second layer of fire retardant wool is used in the base layer.
The Birch Natural is very breathable and cool to the touch, which is why we specifically recommend it for hot sleepers. (When shopping for a new mattress, don’t forget to consult the TechRadar best mattress buying guide for must-know insights.)
This organic mattress clocks in at around 6 to 7 on a scale of 10 for firmness, making it medium-firm to firm. These firmness levels are best suited for back and stomach sleepers to promote spinal alignment. Side sleepers will prefer a softer mattress to prevent pressure buildup, though the Birch Natural might prove to be an adequate enough fit for average to heavier weight sleepers.
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
The Birch Natural mattress is bouncy, which can be an attractive feature for combination sleepers in particular, as it enables them to switch positions throughout the night with ease. (Absorbent memory foam, for instance, can make moving around a bit more challenging.) However, this quality has the potential to be disruptive for co-sleepers—namely if one or both co-sleepers wake easily and/or are fidgety. Lastly, although it isn’t cheap, the Birch Natural offers a good value for what you pay.
Keep reading to find out more details on this highly rated organic mattress and if it could be a good fit for your needs. We tested it in all major areas of performance—rating how it stacked up in terms of pressure relief, motion isolation, edge support, cooling, and ease of set up.
Birch Natural mattress review: price
Offers chance to save hundreds of dollars
Free ground shipping across the US
Two free pillows with each purchase
The Birch Natural is the brand’s most popular mattress—though the only other one currently offered (aside from the kids’ version) is the Birch Luxe Natural.
Since it’s organic, you can expect to pay more than you would for a conventional mattress with similar features otherwise. At full MSRP, it comes within the premium price range. Fortunately, the mattress is often sold at a promotional price—typically 20% off—which brings the cost down to the upper-mid range in the wider market. (When I tested the Birch Natural for this review, savings of $250 to $438 were on the table, based on your chosen mattress size.) Don’t forget to consult TechRadar’s mattress sales guide, which is updated regularly to help you score the best deal on your new mattress of choice.
Promotional pricing aside, the value of your purchase is boosted by free ground shipping in all 50 states. Birch also entices potential buyers with two free Eco-Rest pillows. These offers combined can wind up saving you hundreds of dollars.
Here’s what you can expect to pay for the Birch Natural, whether for full MSRP or at the usual sale price:
Twin size: MSRP $1,248.80 (regular sale price $999)
Twin XL size: MSRP $1,311.30 (regular sale price $1,049)
Full size: MSRP $1,561.30 (regular sale price $1,249)
Queen size: MSRP $1,811.30 (regular sale price $1,499)
King size: MSRP $2,186.30 (regular sale price $1,749)
Cal King size: MSRP $2,186.30 (regular sale price $1,749)
Birch Natural mattress review: specs
Birch Natural mattress review: materials and design
Latex innerspring hybrid mattress
Organic, eco-friendly, non-toxic materials
Multiple breathable layers assist with cooling
Birch takes pride in using safe and organic materials that are good for sleepers and the environment alike. Many of the materials used also boast third-party certifications to back up their quality and eco-friendliness.
The soft organic cotton cover is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Certified. Organic wool in the following layer provides protection against fires. The comfort layer uses organic birch wool to maintain the shape of the mattress as well as help with temperature regulation. The pressure relief layer uses natural Talalay latex, which is eco-INSTITUT certified and provides extra give to help alleviate pressure points in standard areas like the shoulders, back, and hips.
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
The support layer limits motion transfer and bolsters the body via individually wrapped coils (which, as we’ll cover later, are thicker lengthwise along the sides to amplify edge support). Finally, the base consists of another layer of fire retardant wool to help the mattress hold up with nightly use over the years.
Ahead, I’ll get into how these materials and design elements can help make or break a good night’s rest.
Design score: 5 of 5
Birch Natural mattress review: comfort
Average firmness of 6.5 out of 10
Extra bounce makes it great for combination sleepers
Side sleepers may not experience adequate pressure relief
According to the brand, the Birch Natural clocks in at 6 to 7 out of 10 for firmness. After testing it for the full period (and in light of other mattresses I’ve reviewed within similar ranges), I think an average 6.5 out of 10 fits best. However, some customers believe it leans much further into firm territory, even suggesting it’s an 8 out of 10.
You won’t find a hugging or cradling feeling laying atop the Birch Mattress, as you would with a memory foam mattress. Instead, it’s taut and offers the sensation of being lifted, rather than sinking in, via innersprings. However, it doesn’t feel hard or uncomfortable, and rather provides slight conforming to your body’s curves and a mild amount of give.
To measure pressure relief, I put a 55-pound kettlebell in the middle of the bed, which mimics sinkage from a sleeper’s weight. The amount of sinkage was about 2.5 inches, which also helped inform my 6.5 out of 10 firmness rating.
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
I’m a combination sleeper (under 130 pounds) who mainly gravitates toward side sleeping, followed by back sleeping. However, I tried out all sleeping positions to see how comfortable the Birch Natural mattress was in each. I felt best while back sleeping, followed by stomach sleeping. I felt mild contouring and the Birch Natural helped to keep my spine aligned in these positions. That said, I found it most impressive when switching from one position to another throughout the night. The springy nature of the mattress allowed for minimal effort and a great deal of ease to move around.
I found it less ideal (but not downright uncomfortable) for side sleeping. This makes sense since softer mattresses offer extra cradling to minimize pressure buildup along the side body in this position. However, I found it to be more comfortable than other firm mattresses I’ve reviewed for side sleeping, which I don’t want to discount.
I asked a tall, average weight sleeper to share her insights on comfort in all sleeping positions. She found it more comfortable for side sleeping than I did, but agreed with my findings in the other positions.
All things considered, the Birch Natural is likely to be most comfortable for back and stomach sleepers, and especially combination sleepers who switch off between these two positions. Average weight and heavier sleepers will like the support this mattress provides—though as a lighter weight sleeper myself, I found it to be comfortable in most regards as well.
Comfort score: 4.5 out of 5
Birch Natural mattress review: temperature regulation
Worthy pick for hot sleepers
Materials and design elements boost breathability
Cool to the touch
TechRadar already deems the Birch Natural mattress to be the best organic mattress for keeping sleepers cool, and I was pleased to discover that it didn’t disappoint when I tested it for myself. I sometimes run hot at night, so I was looking forward to this feature most.
The Birch Natural lives up to the expectation thanks to its materials and design throughout several layers. The organic cotton cover is breathable, the organic wool is naturally moisture-wicking, the Talalay latex enhances ventilation, and the innerspring coils permit a high degree of airflow.
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
While testing the mattress—which is cool to the touch—I never woke up from overheating or found myself sweating due to trapping heat. I enjoyed cool, more restful nights thanks to its prime temperature regulating abilities, and recommend it for hot sleepers seeking the same relief.
(Note: I tested the Birch Natural mattress at the start of spring in Los Angeles. Nightly temperatures averaged in the low 50s Fahrenheit. I slept on bamboo sheets, a down alternative comforter, and a bamboo duvet.)
Temperature regulation score: 5 out of 5
Birch Natural mattress review: motion isolation
Doesn’t absorb motion as well as alternatives with similar firmness
Not ideal for certain co-sleepers
Motion isolation in a mattress is very important for co-sleepers especially. If one or both co-sleepers move around during the night and/or wake easily, sleep quality can be an issue.
To objectively find out how well the Birch Natural performs with motion transfer, I put a wine glass in the center of the bed. From there, I dropped a 10-pound kettlebell at 4, 10, and 25 inches away to notice how much it moved and see if the glass would tip over. This test helps gauge the likelihood and extent of a sleeper feeling another’s movement while in bed.
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
When I dropped the weight 4 inches away, the wine glass fell over most times. It recovered its position when I dropped the weight 10 inches away, but looked as though it was about to fall. When I dropped the kettlebell 25 inches away, the wine glass moved slightly.
Although the glass only fell from 4 inches away, there’s a chance that one or more co-sleepers could experience waking throughout the night if someone moves or fidgets a lot. I hadn’t yet seen a wine glass fall from this experiment with other medium-firm to firm mattresses, which also informed my final rating.
Motion isolation score: 3.5 out of 5
Birch Natural mattress review: edge support
Impressive lengthwise edge support
Whole surface area of mattress is sturdy and usable and sturdy
Edge support is an important consideration in a mattress since it increases the overall usability of the sleeping area. Strong edge support can also help you sit sturdy and upright on the perimeter of the bed and prevent the sides from early wear and tear (namely sagging).
The Birch Natural is impressive in terms of edge support. The support layer has thicker coils along the sides of the mattress, and its medium-firm to firm construction also contributes to its sturdy surface.
I didn’t experience any issues getting into or out of bed, and was able to rest comfortably along the sides of the bed without thinking I’d roll off. To measure edge support more objectively, I placed the 55-pound kettlebell on the sides to measure sinkage. At just shy of 2.5 inches, it was very close to the sinkage I measured at the middle of the mattress, which confirmed how sturdy the side edges truly are. However, you’ll need to upgrade to the Birch Luxe Natural for stronger edge support along the top and bottom of the bed.
Edge support score: 4.5 out of 5
Birch Natural mattress review: setup
Mattress vacuum-packed and rolled in a box
Free ground shipping
Wheezes upon unboxing but off-gassing isn’t an issue
Those who purchase the Birch Natural will appreciate the free ground shipping to all 50 states. Although you won’t be able to select your delivery date and time window, you can track your shipment with tracking information provided via email. White glove delivery isn’t currently available.
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
The product page reads that it takes 3 to 10 business days to ship the Birch Natural. I was surprised to find that I received my shipment in less than 3 days. Moreover, I was pleased to see that it arrived at my apartment doorstep rather than in my lobby, which made maneuvering it into my home much easier.
The Birch Natural arrives vacuum-sealed and rolled in a box with three plastic layers. There was a mild hissing sound that lasted for about 2.5 minutes upon unwrapping the first layer. However, since it uses organic materials, you don’t have to worry about off-gassing hazardous chemicals. I also didn’t observe bad smells throughout the process, though others have reported this (and that it dissipated within 24 hours).
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
I found it easy enough to place the mattress on my bed frame on my own when it was still folded. From there, I cut through the remaining layers of plastic. Upon scanning the QR code on the info card, I read that the mattress takes 1 to 2 hours to unwind and expand entirely—yet it appeared as though it expanded significantly within the first few minutes.
Setup score: 4.5 out of 5
Birch Natural mattress review: customer reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars (average) from 1,800 reviews on website
Callouts for comfort and pain relief from back and stomach sleepers
Disparities on actual firmness level and some complaints about motion isolation
While writing this review (mid-April 2023), the Birch Natural has an average of 4.7 stars out of 5 across 1,800 reviews on BirchLiving.com. You can buy the mattress at CB2.com, but it currently doesn’t have any reviews published.
A few common trends stood out across the many reviews I filtered through and scanned. Happy customers felt pressure relief and fewer aches and pains while sleeping on the back and stomach. Other reviewers praised the Birch Natural’s cooling properties and strong edge support. Many reviewers were happy with their purchase, writing the organic mattress offered a good value for the investment.
On the other hand, other customers were dismayed, stating the mattress was too firm (and sometimes even too soft) for their needs. (Of course, perceived firmness can vary based on your weight and sleeping position. It can also take time to adjust to a new mattress, particularly if it differs significantly from your former one.) Some co-sleepers thought it fell short for motion isolation, and others simply found that there was nothing too impressive with the mattress.
Should you buy the Birch Natural mattress?
(Image credit: Michele Ross)
I believe that the Birch Natural is worth buying if you run hot at night and are a combination sleeper (flipping between back and stomach sleeping) in particular. If you’re set on buying an organic mattress but need to narrow down your choices, these are two important callouts that may bump it to the top of your list. That said, back and stomach sleepers of most weights can also appreciate the Birch Natural. The value-adds—including regular promotional pricing, free ground shipping, and two free pillows—are also attractive and can end up amounting to hundreds of dollars in savings.
The organic, non-toxic materials are also compelling for those who are concerned about chemical exposure and prefer to support businesses with eco-friendly initiatives.
While I don’t fully advise against co-sleepers buying this mattress, it’s important to note that motion isolation can potentially be an issue. Moreover, side sleepers tend to prefer softer mattresses to mitigate pressure buildup, so they too may want to consider other options.
Birch Natural mattress review: Also consider
Awara Natural Hybrid mattress
Set on going organic but want to save a bit of cash? You may wish to check out the Awara Natural Hybrid. It has a 6.5 out of 10 firmness level, which may suit most sleepers (including side sleepers). Similar to the Birch Natural, it also has excellent edge support—yet motion isolation is weaker with the Awara, so co-sleepers may want to steer clear.
Avocado Green mattress
The Avocado Green mattress is TechRadar’s pick for the best organic mattress for back sleepers, with a 7 out of 10 firmness rating. You’ll pay a bit more (as well as a $99 shipping fee), and side sleepers and lightweight sleepers aren’t the ideal customers for it. That said, back sleepers and heavier sleepers are most likely to reap its rewards. Read our Avocado Green mattress review
Birch Luxe Natural mattress
If you want a luxury organic mattress and budget isn’t a major concern, check out the Birch Luxe Natural mattress. Upgrades include the inclusion of organic cashmere and targeted lumbar support, the latter of which can help those who experience back pressure and want to benefit from enhanced spinal alignment.
How I tested the Birch Natural mattress
I slept on the Birch Natural mattress for three weeks in early spring in Los Angeles, where average nightly temperatures were in the low-50s Fahrenheit. I used bamboo sheets and a bamboo duvet to cover an alternative down comforter.
I asked a taller, slightly heavier sleeper with similar sleep preferences as mine to provide her opinion on comfort and pressure relief in order to bolster this review with an additional perspective.
Since several markers of mattress reviews can be subjective, I performed standardized tests with weights to objectively assess softness, edge support, and motion isolation.
The Ninja DualBrew does a whole lot more than just brew your typical carafe of coffee. You can set the machine to make smaller amounts of coffee for individual servings, or it’ll make a specialty espresso-like brew. That’s not all it’s capable of, as you also get a K-cup pod adapter to use K-cups with the coffee maker rather than coffee grounds and a filter. To top it off is a hot water feature and a milk frother to make foam for drinks.
This isn’t Ninja’s first foray into the coffee maker game. The brand that’s synonymous with making quality and affordable smaller kitchen appliances has ventured into the territory before. The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, for example, offers most of the DualBrew’s features but doesn’t work with K-cup pods, and it’ll set you back $169.00. There’s also a relatively similar model to the DualBrew, the Ninja Espresso and Coffee Barista System, for espresso capsules rather than K-cup pods. It costs slightly more than the DualBrew at $249/£200.
After testing the DualBrew, I can confirm it makes a great cup of joe relatively easily, whether you're using the traditional grind and filter method or slotting in the K-cup pod adapter to brew that way. The control panel is more complicated than some, but most should get the hang of it after a few brews. There’s plenty of size variety when brewing, and you also get to choose from different brew styles: classic, rich, over-ice, and specialty. I didn’t notice much of a taste difference between the classic and rich brews. The over-ice option did succeed in making a less watery iced coffee. However, the specialty brew, which makes a 4oz espresso-like coffee, didn’t come close to espresso quality, though the brew was stronger than typical coffee.
Some special features on the Ninja Dual Brew are worth noting. First, it can dispense hot water, and there’s no coffee taste whatsoever as a completely separate water line is used. A milk frother, though it doesn’t heat the milk, does a solid job of making lasting foam to put on lattes and cappuccinos. Its water tank can also be easily moved from the side to the back of the machine, giving you a better fit depending on your space.
If you’re someone who loves options when brewing coffee, the Ninja DualBrew is for you. It may be expensive, but the different sizes and brew styles keep up with some of the best coffee makers around. The K-cup adapter also makes it easier for individuals that want to be less involved in the coffee-making process from time to time and have an easier clean up. No matter how you use the machine, you’re almost guaranteed to have a good cup of coffee.
Ninja DualBrew Pro review: price and availability
List price: $229.99 / £200
Only available in the US
You can purchase the coffee maker direct from Ninja or various third-party retailers, including Amazon and Target for a list price of $229.99 / £200. There are a few variants, like an option that includes a permanent filter on Amazon for $239.99 / £192 or another from Best Buy for $249.99 / £200 with a thermal carafe rather than the traditional glass, keeping your coffee warmer longer.
You may think paying over $200 / £160 for a coffee maker is a bit excessive, but it’s a whole lot more than just a coffee maker. It keeps up with Keurig machines, delivering single-serving pod coffee. Of course, there’s a variety of other brew sizes using traditional grinds and even an espresso-like option for specialty drinks. Something like the Cuisinart Coffee Center 2-in-1 offers similar functionality for $199.95, but you’ll lose features like the separate water line for hot water and a milk frother.
The Ninja DualBrew Pro is only available in the US.
Value score: 4.5/5
Ninja DualBrew Pro review: specifications
Ninja DualBrew Pro review: design and features
Adjustable water tank
Extensive, easy-to-use control panel
Variety of brew size options
Foldaway milk frother
The Ninja DualBrew is slightly larger than your average coffee maker, measuring 15.5 x 9.08 x 11.18in / 39.37 x 23 x 29.9cm (h x w x l), with the 60oz / 1.7 litres water tank installed on the side. Its 15.5-inch height could prove to be a problem for those with lower cabinets, as when lifting the lid of the K-Cup adapter to add a K-Cup for brewing, it would hit the top of my cabinets. This wasn’t an issue with coffee grinds, as the lid actually slides back into the coffee maker.
This machine is built mostly of sturdy black plastic with stainless steel accents. Your typical appliance look, but the stainless steel managed to be full of my fingerprints within the first few minutes of being out of the box. The setup is simple though, as the Ninja DualBrew came fully assembled sans the milk frother tip, which just locked into place in 2 seconds.
If you’d rather add more bulk to the back of the machine, the water tank can be easily installed in the rear with no tools, making it a slimmer 15.5 x14.26 x 7.08in / 39.37 x 36.2 x 17.9cm (h x w x l). It just requires removing a small plastic tab and swinging the base around. Be sure to remove the water tank before doing this.
(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)
To make life easier, the water tank tells you how high to fill it for each size brew, showing you the same symbols on the control panel. It also slides off the base to fill up at the sink. Don’t be afraid to fill the water tank up all the way, even if you’re just brewing a cup, as the machine does the water measurement when brewing for you.
You want to be sure there’s space on the side of the Ninja DualBrew to make use of the milk frother and the coffee grind measuring scoop. The milk frother hinges out when in use and folds back into the machine when you’re finished. Its tip is also removable for cleaning. The Ninja Smart Scoop is easy to take off and on, and it even tells you how many spoonfuls of grinds are needed to make different brew sizes. The smaller end of the scoop measures out to be about about one tablespoon, while the larger end is just under three tablespoons.
Fold down platform for coffee cups and smaller vessels (Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)
However, the real star of the show is the control panel. The Ninja DualBrew has many more settings than your average coffee maker, so it may take a couple of extra minutes to get used to. After three weeks of use, I’m a pro.
An LCD display is located on a large dial, telling you the ounces of your brew - or time when not in use. The brew sizes range from 4oz to 55oz, depending on settings. Just above the dial are symbols, including a coffee cup, XL travel mug, and carafe, along with indicator lights to give you a general idea of the brew size.
(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)
Above the dial is a delay button, which lets you set a specific time to have your coffee brew, and on the opposite side is a brew button to select from brew styles that include: classic, rich, over ice, and specialty - a 4 oz size for an espresso-like brew to use in lattes or cappuccinos. Your selection will be lit up, making life easier. Under the dial is a simple feature, but it might be my favorite part of the whole machine, a notch that you slide to open or close the brew basket, preventing drips after your coffee is finished brewing.
For a regular cup of joe with traditional coffee grinds, you’ll use the brew basket and #4 paper cone filter. The Ninja DualBrew Pro does come with five filters to get you started. After the brew is complete, you can slide the lid open and easily remove the brew basket and filter for cleaning. A coffee grinder would’ve been a nice addition, but you’ll have to use a separate mechanism or purchase pre-ground coffee.
With larger coffee brews that use the carafe, a warming plate automatically turns on, staying warm from 15 minutes up to four hours. Its factory keeps the plate on for two hours, but it’s not difficult to adjust that time setting. If you’re making a smaller brew, it’s not required to use the carafe. A regular coffee mug will do, and there’s a single-serve platform that hinges down to rest the mug on, preventing any spills or splashes.
The carafe is built of solid glass with a plastic rim and twist-on lid with a long straw-like appendage to deliver the coffee to the bottom of the vessel. I’m not going to lie, I often struggled to get the lid on correctly, but it does help keep the coffee warmer longer and prevent spills.
When you want to brew a cup of coffee using a K-Cup pod, there’s an adapter that has to be put in place right on top of where regular grinds brew. Be sure to leave the brew basket installed, but you don’t need a filter. The DualBrew automatically recognizes when the adapter is installed. It’ll automatically limit your settings, preventing you from making a coffee larger than 12 oz. The adapter is also different than a regular Keurig, as it has three wider “needles” that puncture the top of the pod compared to the typical one, helping better saturate the coffee.
The machine is full of labels informing you of how to insert and remove the K-cup adapter, among other things. Those labels are easy to remove after you figure everything out. When it comes to the K-cup adapter, after removing and inserting it a few times, it became second nature. However, there’s nowhere to store the bulky adapter other than keeping it inserted in the machine in place of using regular grinds.
You aren’t limited to brewing coffee. The DualBrew also dispenses hot water when you move the knob on the side of the machine from the coffee bean to the water droplet. The control panel will change instantly, giving you similar size options as the coffee mode, only this time, there’s a boil or hot water temperature selection button. You can also dispense slightly more water than coffee, a full 60oz, making it simple to make everything from instant oatmeal and mac and cheese to tea and hot cocoa. The water also dispenses from a separate water line, so there’s no coffee cross-contamination.
Knob to switch from coffee to hot water with Ninja Smart Scoop and milk frother (Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)
Design score: 4.5/5
Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System review: performance
Flavorful, rich coffee
Warming plate keeps coffee hot for up to 4 hours
Specialty brew style lacks most espresso attributes
If you’ve brewed coffee in a traditional coffee maker before, you should have no problem using the Ninja DualBrew. In fact, even though it has more functionality, it might be easier than some because everything is so well labelled. Your first cup should be brewed in a matter of minutes. In the three weeks I’ve been using this coffee maker, I’ve tested almost everything it has to offer.
To begin, I brewed a traditional 8oz cup of coffee with regular coffee grinds. It was simple enough to put the filter in place, and I used the Ninja Smart Scoop on the side to measure the ideal amount of coffee and slid the lid close. Next came the water tank, which easily comes off the base to fill at the sink. I turned the dial on the control panel to the 8oz setting and ensured the classic brew style was selected. I popped the single-serve platform down, added my mug, and pushed the dial-in to begin the brew. After just over 3 minutes, there was a fresh cup of coffee at slightly too hot 140°F / 60°C to immediately drink.
As the coffee was brewing, the same indicator lights that let you know the size selection before starting the brew would light, letting you know how far along you were in the brewing process. This function is especially handy for bigger brews, as they take longer. As the coffee was brewing, it was quiet, averaging about 55 dB which is an equivalent noise level to a normal conversation between two people. After it finished, there’d be a relatively loud beep and a good deal of dripping. Luckily, the notch just below the dial closes the brew basket to keep messes at bay. The coffee itself was rich with no burned taste.
I tested the other two brew styles: rich and over-ice using the exact same settings and grind measurements as my classic brew. When using the rich brew style, it actually makes slightly less coffee, so my 8oz brew became 7oz. It took slightly under 3 minutes to brew and was 145°F / 62°C. After tasting the coffee, there wasn’t a noticeable difference from the classic brew. I ended up testing on larger size settings with similar results.
For the over-ice brew, Ninja says that it’ll produce a more concentrated brew and suggests that you fill whatever vessel the coffee is dispensing into full of ice. I followed the instructions and made the same 8oz brew, which took just under 3.5 minutes. Some of the ice melted, while the drink’s temperature immediately after brewing was 42°F / 5°C. As an avid iced coffee drinker, I really wanted this feature to work great, and to my surprise, it did. Unlike when you throw ice cubes in hot coffee, it wasn’t watered down, plus it was cool and refreshing as soon as it finished brewing.
The Ninja DualBrew has a warming plate, but it only turns on after brewing ¼ carafe sizes or larger. I brewed a full carafe to see how warm it would stay across several hours. It took 8 minutes to brew a full 55oz carafe, and immediately after finishing, the coffee was 170°F / 76°C. Two hours later, it was still 160°F / 71°C, not a significant drop in temperature, and the coffee had no burned taste. The warming plate was supposed to turn off after two hours, as I did not adjust any of the settings, but it stayed on for another hour. At hour three, the coffee was 140°F / 60°C, still hot enough to enjoy with no burned taste.
Brewing a half carafe of coffee (Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)
Adjusting the amount of time the warming plate stays on is simple. You just hold down the keep warm button with the dial illuminating the amount of time set. It can stay on for up to four hours and is adjustable by 15-minute increments. You can also opt to turn on the warming plate without brewing a carafe. I did this for hour four of my full carafe brew, and the coffee was still 135°F / 57°C. However, the plate will stay warm for over 30 minutes after you turn it off, and a light on the base of the brewer will illuminate to indicate it’s hot.
Given the DualBrew name, this coffee maker also works like a Keurig machine, brewing K-cup pods. You do need to insert an adapter into the space just above the brew basket. It’s a bit confusing at first, but after doing it a few times, I got the hang of it. The control panel automatically recognizes the adapter has been inserted and will limit your brew size from 4 to 12 oz.
I did the same testing as the 8oz brew with traditional grinds, and it yielded similar results when using the classic, rich, and over-ice brew with the K-cup pods. However, since you’re using pods over grinds, starting the brew and cleaning up after is a bit easier, as you don’t need to deal with filters or measurements. You just simply pop open the top of the adapter and take out or put in the pod.
One of the most intriguing features of the Ninja DualBrew is the specialty brew style, which is meant to mimic an espresso for specialty coffee drinks. Using the Ninja Smart Scoop, I measured out two large scoops, as instructed, and placed them in the brew basket with a filter, like when brewing normal coffee. I adjusted the brew style to specialty, and the brew size was automatically changed to 4oz.
After 3 minutes, it finished brewing and had a temperature of 110°F / 43°C. That was slightly colder than I expected, but that could’ve been due to the vessel I put it in. You can also use K-cups with the specialty brew setting, and it yields similar results. As someone who owns a Breville espresso machine and uses it regularly, this espresso-type brew doesn’t compare. There was no golden crema on top - not that I expected there to be. It also didn’t have the same robust, bold flavor I expect from espresso. Instead, it just tasted slightly stronger than normal coffee.
This specialty brew is definitely not something you want to sip on like a traditional espresso, so I made an oat milk latte with it. Its flavor wasn’t as strong as I like, but still enjoyable to drink - and make - thanks to the milk frother.
The milk frother on the Ninja DualBrew hinges right out from the machine and works great, though it doesn’t heat the milk. If you want your milk warm, you’ll have to put it in the microwave before frothing. Using the frother is as simple as placing it in the milk and pressing the button on top, and the results were better than I expected. After 30 seconds of frothing oat milk, you get a ton of thick, velvety foam to throw on top of a cappuccino or latte. Using 2% milk, I had similar results. And the foam held its shape for a good 10 minutes after initially frothing it.
If you want to make something other than coffee, the Ninja DualBrew also offers hot water by turning a knob on the side. The hot water comes from a separate water line than the coffee, and I can attest that there’s no coffee taste whatsoever. There are two heat settings, boil and hot. When using the boiling setting, hot water came out after just a few seconds. However, the water wasn’t actually boiling, as it measured at 180°F / 82°C, but still worked for steeping my tea. The hot setting dispensed water at 160°F / 71°C, which could work for making hot cocoa or a hot water bottle.
When it comes to cleaning after brewing a coffee, it’s fairly simple. The entire brew basket easily lifts out of the machine, so you can toss out the filter and grinds without getting dirty. You just rinse the brew basket in the sink, and you should be good to go for the next round of coffee. As I mentioned earlier, the clean-up after using the K-cup adapter is even easier, you’ll just occasionally want to wash the pod adapter and needles for the best performance. If you used the milk frother, you can remove the tip and clean that in the sink as well.
Removable brew basket with coffee grinds and filter (Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)
You’ll want to deep clean and descale the machine once in a while when performance isn’t up to par or you notice calcium build up. A light will automatically illuminate orange, letting you know if the machine feels like it’s time for a cleaning. After three weeks of heavy use, the indicator light still hasn’t come on, so I haven’t tested the cleaning mode.
There are clean cycles for each mode: grounds, pods, and hot water. For grounds, make sure the coffee maker is in that mode and the brew basket is installed. You’ll fill the water tank with a descaling solution or white vinegar, and the carafe should be placed below to hold the dirty water. You just press the clean and start brew buttons and let the machine do its thing. It should take about 75 minutes. You’ll want to run a classic brew with just water to rinse out the machine after, and you’ll be good to go. The same steps are taken with the pod mode, only the K-cup adapter will be installed. For the hot water mode, ensure you’ve got the knob on the side switched to the water droplet. That’s it for maintenance, making for super manageable upkeep.
Performance score: 4/5
Should I buy the Ninja DualBrew Pro?
Buy it if...
Don’t buy it if...
Also consider...
If you’re not sure about a pour over coffee maker, here are a couple of other options to consider...
How I tested the Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System
Tested over three weeks
Made at least one drink from the machine per day
Replaced my Breville espresso machine
I tested the Ninja DualBrew over three weeks, brewing at least one cup of coffee from the machine per day, and testing out different settings, sizes, and brew styles. It was easy to adjust to using the Ninja DualBrew, as I’ve used plenty of coffee makers before. The control panel is a bit more high-tech than some, though it’s simple to understand and enjoyable to use.
The Ninja DualBrew didn’t require me to make many changes to my home. I just put it where my Breville espresso machine was. It had around the same footprint as the Breville when the water tank was installed on the side, but putting the water tank on the back did free up more counter space which was handy.
Motorola will unveil a couple of flip-style, vertically folding smartphones on June 1, 2023, believed to be the Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra. Rumors claimed the Razr 40 Ultra would also be called Razr+, and those are now corroborated by reliable leakster Evan Blass, who said the smartphone will be launched as Razr+ in the US and Razr 40 Ultra in the rest of the markets.
Motorola Razr+ in the US will be called Motorola Razr 40 Ultra globally
Blass also leaked the official marketing materials for the Razr 40 Ultra, which corroborate previous design leaks.
Additionally, the...
Motorola will unveil a couple of flip-style, vertically folding smartphones on June 1, 2023, believed to be the Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra. Rumors claimed the Razr 40 Ultra would also be called Razr+, and those are now corroborated by reliable leakster Evan Blass, who said the smartphone will be launched as Razr+ in the US and Razr 40 Ultra in the rest of the markets.
Motorola Razr+ in the US will be called Motorola Razr 40 Ultra globally
Blass also leaked the official marketing materials for the Razr 40 Ultra, which corroborate previous design leaks.
Additionally, the...
Unlike the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i that was released earlier this year, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is a much more affordable gaming laptop that offers excellent performance for its price point. It comes in two separate types: the Legion Pro 5i outfitted with an Intel CPU and the Legion Pro 5 which comes with an AMD CPU.
Both versions use an Nvidia 4000-series GPU, as AMD The cheapest configuration you can nab without having to customize one yourself is about $1,259.99 / £1,410 (including VAT) / AU$2,499, which is far more affordable than most of the best gaming laptops on the market while still commanding respectable specs.
Just as many of the other desktop replacements we’ve seen in 2023, this one comes in the standard black color with nothing particularly interesting about its shape and design. The chassis feels decently sturdy, with a nice metal finish on the top of the laptop. Opening it, the keyboard keys are more uniquely shaped, with a roundness to them you normally don’t see. It makes typing a bit weird at first until you adjust to it. The trackpad is pretty solid in terms of sensitivity, and I’m always a fan of mechanical feedback versus haptic feedback.
It has an excellent, well-balanced 16-inch WQXGA (2560x1600) display, with a choice to upgrade to HDR and from 165Hz to 240Hz refresh rate. For most gamers, the difference doesn’t matter, and if you’re purchasing this laptop in particular to save money, then you can do without the pricier upgrade. I also enjoy the fact that there’s a manual switch to turn the webcam off and on, which is lacking in the vast majority of laptops, though I wish it linked up to a physical shutter instead.
There are two downsides to the Legion Pro 5i, however. The first is the audio, specifically how low it is. Of course, you could mitigate this by simply using a headset, but the fact that the speakers are so quiet compared to every other laptop I’ve reviewed in 2023 so far is a huge inconvenience. The second issue is the placement of the keyboard and trackpad. Both feel like they’re too far to the left, requiring you to adjust to the orientation. Until you do, typos and mis-presses are commonplace. This isn’t much of an issue if you use a controller or mouse, but for those who use a keyboard for gaming or productivity work, this could be an issue.
I received two personal review units — the first came with the Intel Core i7-13700HX and the second with an AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX. Both come with an Nvidia GPU, as AMD hasn’t yet released gaming laptops with mobile processors. The Intel and AMD CPUs are mostly comparable in theory but in practice, the Ryzen 7 7745HX completely blows the i7-13700HX out of the water in every benchmark.
Despite these differences, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i’s gaming performance is excellent, handling any of the best PC games easily, including Cyberpunk 2077 at max settings and ray tracing on while maintaining 60fps on average. Other titles like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered also look and run great, with very little slowdown at max settings. The former is able to lock in at 60fps when the option is chosen, while the latter consistently stays above that with the proper frame rate settings.
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: Price & availability
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Starting at $1,259.99 / £1,410 (including VAT) / AU$2,499
Available now
Available in the US and UK, and Australia
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i sits firmly in the affordable market of gaming laptops — never quite dipping down to budget levels but still a well-rounded choice for those wanting great gaming performance for a solid price. The price is especially impressive for a gaming laptop with a 4000-series GPU and a 13th Gen CPU.
It’s available in the US, UK, and Australia, with a nice range of configurations for each region. The US has the most choices, with several models available for purchase as well as an option to customize your laptop, while the UK and Australia only have the preset models.
It’s difficult to compare to other gaming laptops in the 2023 market, as many of them are meant to either be super expensive desktop replacements or ultra-cheap laptops. The Legion Pro 5i is meant as an affordable option that sits in mid-range pricing. The closest are the Alienware m18 and the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, which are nearly double the price but feature the best specs in return.
Price score: 5 / 5
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: Specs
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The specs for the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i review unit sent to me are as follows: Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GDDR6 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB SSD of storage, and a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display with 100% sRGB, 300 nits, and 165Hz.
I was also sent a Lenovo Legion Pro 5 for comparison, which features the following specs: AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB SSD of storage, and a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display with 100% sRGB, 300 nits, and 165Hz.
Like the Pro 7, the Legion Pro 5 comes in two main types: the Legion Pro 5i outfitted with an Intel CPU, and the Legion Pro 5 with an AMD CPU. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i comes in several configurations depending on the region. The main difference in configurations will have you choose between Intel Core i5-13500HX and i9-13900HX CPUs, between the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 and RTX 4070 GPUs, RAM, storage, and displays.
Only those in the US can configure their laptop based on several specs. Those in the UK and Australia can only choose from the available models, with no customization options.
Specs score: 4.5 / 5
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Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: Design
Plain looks
Great port selection
Great display, average keyboard and touchpad
The sound is very low
Like many affordably priced gaming laptops, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is rather plain looking from the outside. Its chassis has a nice metal finish, and its weight is hefty but not unmanageable. The size of the display makes it a little tricky to carry around in bags, but a large enough one won’t struggle with the five-pound weight as well.
It has an excellent port selection with a wide selection of slots including four USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C (both with DisplayPort 1.4), one HDMI port, one ethernet port, one headphone/microphone combo jack, and one power connector.
Many of the ports are located in the back but are thankfully labeled, making it a breeze to know which port is what without having to turn around the laptop. Unfortunately, there’s no SD card reader, which is a shame as that’s one of the most useful ports for a laptop to have.
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The display is a thin-bezel beauty 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) with its brightness between 300 to 500 nits, 100% sRGB coverage for creatives and editors (which pairs perfectly with the gaming-level GPU and CPU), and a choice of either 165Hz or 240Hz refresh rate, as well as a screen that supports HDR.
It would be nice if the HDR support was included and we had a choice for an OLED screen instead, which many other gaming laptops have been offering. Rounding that out is a handy manual switch on the side for the largely average webcam, which is always preferable to a key press, but a physical shutter for the camera would have made things even sweeter.
Though I always appreciate the RGB backlighting of the keyboard and the unique shape of the keys that afford more space to type on, the keyboard and touchpad are positioned in an odd way. They’re a little more to the left than normal, which requires a period of adjustment that can cause mistyping and missed presses on the touchpad in the meantime. This could be an issue for those who heavily rely on both for work and gaming. Otherwise, feedback from the keys and pad is perfectly serviceable and shouldn’t hamper gamers who use a controller and gaming mouse instead.
Ventilation is probably the biggest issue with this laptop, which is strange considering it has more than enough vents. The largest ones are located at the bottom – a standard gaming laptop design, but for some reason, they aren’t quite up to snuff when it comes to encouraging airflow properly. I found myself having to prop up the laptop using the cable itself, giving it just enough wiggle room to cool down. You may have to invest in a cooling pad or prop if you have these issues too.
Design score: 4 / 5
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Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: Performance
Gaming performance is excellent
CPU performance is fine
But underperforms in benchmarks
Alienware m18: Benchmarks
Here's how the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
At this point, it’s difficult to directly compare the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i to other gaming laptops in 2023, as most of them are running on high-end GPUs like the RTX 4070, 4080, and 4090. However, comparing benchmark scores between those and last-gen laptops give us a better range of how well the Legion Pro 5i performs. I’ve found that the RTX 4060 scores quite high on its own merits, far surpassing the 3000-series and merely 30K points behind the two most powerful GPUs.
This, in turn, is well reflected in its general gaming performance and frame rate stability. When maxing out Cyberpunk 2077’s settings and turning on both tray-racing and DLSS 3, the laptop was able to maintain a stable 60fps. On Final Fantasy VII Remake, I chose to lock in gameplay at 60fps while maxing out the graphic setting, and it ran beautifully with no slowdown to speak off. And Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered also runs incredibly well, staying above 60fps at all times, even during the more intensive web-swinging sections.
Testing out the Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU, however, and the results aren’t nearly as impressive. Benchmark scores across the board for the 13th Gen Core i7 are far lower than any of the laptops with a 13th Gen Core i9. Even worse, many of the scores are comparable to the 12th Gen CPUs. I also tested out the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX CPU in my other review unit, and in benchmarks like Geekbench, Cinebench, and PCMark10 the results were definitively superior to the i7-13700HX.
When testing out how this translated to creative and productivity performance, however, I found no slowdown or sluggishness in either model, with responsiveness that never waivered no matter how many tasks were going off at once. But if you’re looking for which is the better-performing processor, the AMD version is the way to go. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test which version has the better-performing Nvidia 4000-series GPU, since the Legion Pro 5 uses a 4070 instead of the 4060 in the Legion Pro 5i.
Performance score: 4 / 5
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: Battery
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Terrible battery life
Charges fast
I regret to inform you that, as with most other desktop replacement gaming laptops, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i’s battery life is horrible. At most, it lasts about three and a half hours for productivity and creative work, less than half a standard workday and about the same amount of time if you’re streaming videos or movies instead.
Keeping this baby plugged in at all times is the way to go, especially for intensive gaming sessions that will drain the power even faster. Its saving grace is the fast charge time, which will give you a full battery in about an hour.
Battery score: 2.5 / 5
Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i?
Buy it if...
You need great gaming performance For its pricing, the gaming performance is quite great, maintaining a solid framerate even on the highest settings.
Don't buy it if...
You need a high-volume audio system For some reason, the audio is extremely low and you'll most likely have to purchase a headset or headphones to get anything adequate.
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: Also consider
If the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
How I tested the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
I tested two models of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 for several weeks
I tested it using both benchmark tests and video game benchmarks
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test
First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i by carrying it around in a laptop bag for a day. After I set it up, I ran several CPU and GPU benchmarks to thoroughly test out the graphics card's performance and how much it affected processing performance. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions, as well as gaming benchmarks to test the RTX 4060 GPU.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is an average desktop replacement for gaming, meaning it's meant to be used for hardcore gaming sessions. I made sure to thoroughly test out this laptop in that regard, to make sure it reached certain levels of performance. I also tested out the CPU to see how it fared against the current competition.
I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they perform as a work machine.
