Ninja - Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker

I have a Ninja Single-Serve machine that will do pods or grounds. So far I have only used it with grounds. Mine will do up to a 20oz cup. My mom has a larger version that will do a single cup with grounds or pods, but can also brew a whole pot with grounds. So far, I’m really liking mine, but I’ve only had it a few months, so I’m not sure on the longevity, though I’ve had good luck with other Ninja products in the past.

MM is a quality maker for sure, but if you don’t want to spend big bucks my suggestion would be an OXO grinder and a Ninja specialty coffee maker. The Ninja makes good coffee and you have several different batch sizes to choose from. That’s the setup I have and I’m very happy with the results I get and it comes in at less than $200. Not everyone can afford to pay $500+ for a grinder and coffee maker.

I like my Ninja coffee maker, they make a few different models but mine has a removable reservoir and lets me choose the drink size. I don't use it a ton, but if you're buying one anyway I'd also look at moccamaster. Not sure if they'll have what you want but it'd probably make better coffee.

I got suckered into two, second ninjas- I bought one and loved it and then got one for my mother. Both also suffered the led clock going out, one bar at a time after a couple years. Searched for one with the removable water tank and ended up with both of us ultimately getting a different, newer model ninja. I’ve had several brands, especially cheaper ones over the years - and while they do last longer, ninja for me makes the best tasting drip coffee. FWIW tho, I’m a recovering coffee addict, so I have and use pretty much every other method to make it (French press, espresso machine, cheesecloth for cold brew etc). Depending on how long these ninjas last- will determine whether they’re my last or not.

Tell that to my Ninja coffee maker. First the tank started to leak when you removed to fill with water. The clock timer failed next. Finally the whole thing started to leak. I just got a Moccamaster on 1/2 price sale, and I do think it makes a better cup of coffee faster than my Ninja.

My Ninja died on me. First it leaked so I could take the tank off to fill it, then the LED clock died so I couldn't use the timer function, then finally the whole thing started to leak. Moccamaster is the way!

Have one of these too…5 years and going strong.

Do you need a whole pot? Nespresso is like 100 bucks and the vertuo ones make espresso and coffee. Strong good cups too. Otherwise, a ninja drip coffee maker was good to me for awhile. I see the pour over and French press recommendations, both a pain in the ass for a minimally and maybe no different cup than a machine drip. If you like the process and the routine then absolutely go for pour over or French press. Otherwise all drip and pour over coffee is pretty similar assuming you have good grounds and don’t have the cheapest shittiest coffee maker. Diminishing returns are insane when it comes to coffee. Someone somewhere will tell you how his $30 espresso was magical when it’s still just coffee.

The fails I’ve had have been despite routine maintenance. The ninja I loved, but the buttons stopped responding unless I left it unplugged for a couple hours before using it again. We’re on our second Braun, the first replaced under warranty after it started leaking from somewhere internally. We got a cheap Mr coffee while we waited for the replacement, but more often than not it ended up with grounds in the coffee. Use less, too weak. Before we switched back to a pot, our Keurig chugged along for years, rarely requesting maintenance. 😂

My mother has a ninja. I've used it, it makes a decent cup of coffee. She drinks a cup or two a day, sometimes using locally roasted beans and sometimes whatever is on sale at the grocery store. Every time she comes to visit me she comments on what great coffee my moccamaster makes and how it's better than what her ninja makes. Would upgrading be worth it to her? No, not really. I love coffee and I've gotten deeper into it as a hobby over the last few years. I upgraded my grinder, I started roasting my own beans, etc. Drinking coffee is one of the highlights of my day. To me, dropping $$$ on a coffee machine was worth it. I've been really happy with my moccamaster - I've found it makes a consistent, delicious cup of coffee using a wide range of beans. At the end of the day, it's a silly expensive drip coffee machine. Whether or not it's worth it is a matter of perspective.

If you’re going to experiment with different beans/roasts from different roasters then get a conical burr grinder (Baratza encore) and a Moccamaster. Take good care of them and they will last you a long time. If you’re just going to buy ground coffee from a typical grocery store then I wouldn’t bother w it and just get a Ninja. I’m not a snob about it (i still drink Dunkin every day) but the Moccamaster is easy to use and clean and it really does brew in such a way that it brings out the different notes in different coffees. It made me look forward to trying out different roasters because I knew I would get a correct brew w the machine and I look forward yo trying new roasts. If you do get the Moccamaster get the thermal carafe if you plan on enjoying coffee over the course of a day. It keeps it warm a long time; I initially had the glass carafe and even though it had a heating plate it would shut off automatically and the coffee cooled down quickly. Just a note, my favorite roaster (George Howell) recently said he preferred the Ratio Six over the Moccamaster because it distributes the water more evenly. I gave it a shot and while I think it makes an excellent cup equal to the Moccamaster I find that it’s just not as well designed overall and has more parts to clean and the way the filter slots in between the spout and carafe is annoying to me. Best of luck whatever you do. There are so many great roasts out there waiting for you to try.