BEST NINJA COFFEE MAKERS: WHICH MODELS SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Best Ninja coffee makers aren’t easy to find since there is so many models. I managed to cut them down to six best ones to fill every need.

Are you bored with that basic coffee pot you’ve had for the last decade? Is your bank account stretched from too many coffee shop purchases? A Ninja Coffee Maker could be the answer!

The brand is known for out-of-the-ordinary brewers with tons of features and brewing modes, offering everything from basic drip to iced coffee to frothy milk drinks.

This review highlights the best Ninja coffee makers based on my experience and testing. I assessed each brewer’s strengths and weaknesses to help you find the perfect match for your preferences and style.

The 6 Best Ninja Coffee Makers of 2024

image	product	details
Best Overall Best Overall No products found.	Ninja CFP307 DualBrew Pro	4 brew styles 12 drink sizes 60-oz water tank	CHECK PRICE
Runner Up Runner Up No products found.	Ninja CP307 Hot And Cold Brewed System	5 brew styles 6 drink sizes 60-oz water tank	SEE ON AMAZON
Best Value Best Value No products found.	Ninja CM401 Specialty	4 brew styles 6 drink sizes 50-oz water tank	see on amazon
Best for Espresso Best for Espresso No products found.	Ninja CFN601 Espresso & Coffee Barista System	5 brew styles 8 drink sizes 60-oz water tank	see on amazon
Best Single-serve machine Best Single-serve machine No products found.	Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty	4 brew styles 7 drink sizes 56-oz water tank	see on amazon
Budget Pick Budget Pick No products found.	Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker	2 brew styles 2 drink sizes 60-oz water tank	see on amazon

Best Overall

1. Ninja CFP307 DualBrew Pro

• Brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Specialty

• Drink sizes: Cup, Large Cup, Travel Mug, XL Travel Mug, ¼ Carafe, Half Carafe, ¾ Carafe, Full Carafe, and 6, 8, 10, 12 oz with pods
• Water tank: 60 oz
• Carafe: Glass
• Frother: Yes

No products found.

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The Ninja DualBrew takes its name from its ability to brew with ground coffee or coffee pods, but that’s hardly its only selling point. Indeed, that probably the least important feature for me. I’m not a K-Cup fan, but this is still my favorite Ninja coffee maker.

The CFP307 packs a ton of features into a relatively small footprint – just 9.13″ deep x 11.39″ wide x 15.54″ tall – including four drink styles, 13 brew sizes, and a fold-away milk frother. Adding to the convenience, the removable water reservoir can be repositioned to the back or side depending on the arrangement in your kitchen.

I’ve used it to make tea, hot chocolate, soup, and oatmeal. This coffee maker would be a wonderful asset in a college dorm room or camper, where it could double as a complete breakfast station.

Runner Up

2. Ninja CP307 Hot And Cold Brewed System

• Brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Cold Brew, Specialty

• Drink sizes: Cup, Large Cup, Travel Mug, XL Travel Mug, Half Carafe, Full Carafe
• Water tank: 50 oz
• Carafe: Thermal
• Frother: Yes

No products found.

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The Hot and Cold Brewed System has long been a best-selling Ninja brewer, and it could just as easily have topped this list. It depends on your priorities. I think tea drinkers, in particular, will prefer this model.

The CP307 includes separate baskets for coffee and tea to keep flavors pure, and it recognizes each basket automatically. There are five tea settings with different brew times and water temperatures, and it chooses the best one based on the type of tea you’re brewing.

This system takes its name from the fact that it offers a Cold Brew setting as well as the Over Ice option. Personally, I wasn’t that impressed with the cold brew. It takes about 15 minutes to brew a sort of lukewarm, mildly flavored coffee that you still need to pour over ice to enjoy chilled.

The bigger selling point here for me is definitely the thermal carafe. It keeps coffee hot and tasting fresh much more effectively than a glass carafe on a hot plate.

Read this full Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System review to learn more.

Best Value For Money

3. Ninja CM401 Specialty

• Brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Specialty

• Drink sizes: Cup, Large Cup, Travel Mug, XL Travel Mug, Half Carafe, Full Carafe
• Water tank: 50 oz
• Carafe: Glass
• Frother: Yes

No products found.

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The Ninja CM401 Specialty is essentially the Hot and Cold Brew System minus the Cold Brew setting and with a few aesthetic changes. So it’s nearly as great a brewer at a lower price – provided you aren’t set on cold brew.

The Specialty coffee maker is available with a glass or thermal carafe (model CM407). As I said earlier, I generally prefer a thermal carafe, but if your budget is tight, the glass version is more affordable.

Many older reviews suggest that this brewer is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association. I don’t think this has ever been the case. I think confusion arose from the name “Specialty” and spread across the internet as misinformation does. So be wary. I thought the CM401 brewed delicious coffee, but it’s the same delicious coffee as every other Ninja machine.

Best for Espresso

4. Ninja CFN601 Espresso & Coffee Barista System

• Brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Espresso, Lungo

• Drink sizes: Cup, Large Cup, Travel Mug, XL Travel Mug, Half Carafe, Full Carafe, Espresso, Lungo
• Water tank: 60 oz
• Carafe: Glass
• Frother: Yes

No products found.

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The Ninja Espresso & Coffee Barista System is the first Ninja brewer to include a high-pressure 19-bar pump for brewing espresso, as opposed to just the strong coffee made by the Specialty setting on the other models.

As an espresso lover, I was excited about the release of this machine, but it was definitely disappointing to find that it only works with espresso capsules, not ground coffee. It’s essentially a Nespresso machine twinned with a Ninja coffee maker. That said, the espresso quality is still a notable step up from the Specialty brew, so if you like espresso and espresso-based milk drinks, this is the model for you.

Despite my disappointment about the pods, I am still happy to recommend this Ninja coffee bar, especially knowing how many Nespresso fans are out there. It has a very user-friendly design, which is crucial because dual brewers like this can easily become overcomplicated. It’s also surprisingly compact and affordable – certainly much smaller and cheaper than buying two separate brewers.

Most Ninja coffee makers can brew single servings, but if you never want to brew more than a single cup at a time, you can save a lot of money and space by picking up this single-serve coffee maker.

The PB051 works with K-Cups or ground coffee (no special adaptor needed), which makes it way more versatile than the average Keurig. For starters, its “single” serving size goes up to 24 ounces, which easily serves two in my home. 

It also includes the Specialty setting unique to Ninja brewers and a built-in frother. In testing, I found it did a much better job of hitting proper brew temperature versus every too-cold Keurig I’ve ever tried.

I don’t usually let aesthetics play a deciding role when I’m buying coffee gear, but it’s worth mentioning that this coffee brewer is noticeably sleek. It has a compact footprint, just 5 inches wide, and an eye-catching modern look available in black or white.

Ninja may be best known for their flashy all-in-one machines, but this drip coffee maker demonstrates that they still know how to do the basics right – and at the right price! If you enjoy a basic (or rich) cup of hot coffee, this programmable coffee maker is for you.

I’ve tested dozens of drip coffee machines over the years, and there are always a few features I look for to distinguish the best from the rest (1). This Ninja 12-cup brewer meets most of my criteria.

I measured the brew water temperature at an ideal 195 F. It only lacks a thermal carafe or temperature-adjustable hot plate, so I suggest drinking your coffee within the first 30 minutes or decanting it into a thermos for the best flavor. 

Along with those premium options, this Ninja coffee maker delivers the basic features you expect. You can set it to brew on a 24-hour timer, the hot plate has an auto-off, there are modes for brewing smaller volumes and automatic cleaning, and Brew Pause lets you grab a cup mid-brew cycle.

How To Choose The Best Ninja Coffee Machine

The variety of styles, features, and technology is a big selling point for Ninja coffee makers. Each brewer has a unique set of options targeted at certain user types. In this buyer’s guide, I’ll walk you through what to consider to find the perfect Ninja machine for you.

What are the different Ninja brew types?

Ninja machines distinguish themselves from others on the market with their various brewing styles. Some are more like mini cafes than basic coffee pots. The five possible brewing styles are:

• Classic – A smooth and balanced mild brew for daily sipping.
• Rich – Slows the brewing cycle to increase extraction for a stronger coffee flavor.
• Over Ice – Brews a concentrated hot coffee designed to be poured over ice without tasting watered down. 
• Specialty – A small shot of coffee concentrate that mimics espresso. It is intended for use in specialty coffee shop beverages like lattes or frozen blended drinks.
• Cold Brew – Brews slowly over 10 to 15 minutes using lower temperature water to produce a smooth and mild cool coffee.

Every Ninja coffee maker has the Classic and Rich settings, but lovers of refreshing cold coffees or specialty drinks will need to upgrade to the higher-end models. Only the new CFN601 makes espresso using pressure (2).

Is milk frothing a priority?

Some Ninja coffee makers include a fold-away milk frother, essentially a motorized whisk for frothing hot or cold milk. However, it doesn’t heat the milk for you. 

It works about as well as any handheld frother, so I wouldn’t necessarily make your buying decisions based on that alone. While it’s convenient to have it built into the machine, you can easily buy a separate one on Amazon for $10.

Do you want to brew with K-Cups?

One thing I like about Ninja brewers is that they all allow you to brew a single serving using ground coffee. I’m not a fan of K-Cups, which are bad for the environment and generally don’t produce very good coffee (3). However, I appreciate their occasional convenience, and there are growing numbers of recyclable or compostable options.

If you like to keep a stash of K-Cups on hand for a quick brew or flavored coffee, choose one of the Ninja DualBrew models. They offer K-Cup compatibility along with the option for ground coffee.

What is the difference between Ninja Dual Brew and Pro?

The Dual Brew Pro (CFP307) I recommended above has several significant advantages over the Dual Brew (CFP201), despite being nearly the same price.

The Pro model includes:

• A fold-away milk frother.
• A Specialty brew setting.
• The independent hot water system.
• A repositionable water reservoir.

Glass or thermal carafe?

Some Ninja coffee machines are only available with a glass carafe, but most offer an option for glass or stainless steel. Both have pros and cons, but I usually recommend the thermal carafe.

A thermal carafe is made from double-wall stainless steel with vacuum insulation. It’s unbreakable and keeps your coffee hot for hours without a hot plate. Hot plates continue to cook your coffee, eventually producing a burnt flavor. And they waste energy by forcing you to keep your coffee machine on. 

Glass carafes are larger and less expensive. They’re also dishwasher safe on the top rack, making clean-up a little simpler. And some people prefer their aesthetic. They’re a great option if you plan to drink your coffee right away.

The Verdict

Picking the best Ninja coffee maker is sort of like determining the best flavor of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. It just depends on your taste.

My top pick is the Ninja CFP307 DualBrew Pro because it offers the most versatility. You can prepare everything from a full carafe of black coffee to a frothy latte – using either ground coffee or pods. However, tea lovers will probably prefer the Hot And Cold Brewed System. Anyone looking for a basic and reliable cup of hot coffee at a bargain price should pick up the Ninja Programmable Coffee Maker.