Ninja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Curated from 90 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: February 17, 2025

Ninja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Brand: Ninja
Price: $79
Snoop Score:
5.2
Sentiment
3.1
Popularity
4.7
Technical
6.3

Snoop's Take

Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker is a compact machine designed to brew coffee using either pods or grounds, complete with a built-in milk frother to up your café game. In a nutshell, it offers multiple brew sizes and styles ranging from classic to iced, making it a versatile player on the countertop. Reviewers have been vocal: some rave about its performance, noting that “the espresso shots have been really good and consistent,” while others grumble about inconsistent temperature control and finicky water dispensing. The feedback swings from high praise for its iced coffee mode and onboard storage to sharp criticism for design quirks and brew customization limits. The community’s tone is decidedly sardonic yet appreciative when the machine lives up to expectations. Overall, despite its polarizing performance quirks and a few reliability hiccups, this Ninja coffee maker earns a cautious recommendation for those seeking versatility in home brewing, provided they can overlook some of its less refined aspects.

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I appreciate the on board storage for all of the pieces and it makes really good Espresso/Coffee drinks.

Positive Feedback

Is it true that the unit cannot easily dispense hot water?

Negative Feedback
Product
5.2
Ninja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker
Home Coffee Routine
3 / 10
Office & Workplace
2 / 10
Customizable Coffee Experience
8 / 10
Café-Style Beverage Creation
9 / 10
See how this compares to all Coffee Machines

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Excellent espresso performance with advanced features and onboard storage
I appreciate the on board storage for all of the pieces and it makes really good Espresso/Coffee drinks.
The espresso shots have been really good and consistent.
Effective built-in milk frother and metal mesh filter
I love the metal mesh so I don't need coffee filters. It also has a milk frother, which you can use with matcha too if you're a heathen bastard like me.
Easy cleaning process
Very easy to clean.
Iced coffee mode performs well
Love it, it really shines with iced coffee (dedicated mode for that) but it’s a solid drip cup no matter how you brew.
Makes great iced coffee! Easy to setup up and use and the frother works great!
Excellent macchiato quality
I love the macchiatos that I have made in it. The ones we make with the ninja are way better.
Flexible brew size settings
the great thing about these machines are that you can set your brew size anywhere between 2-10 cups.
Effective built-in milk frother
The frother is nice, but won't do anything a handheld frother could do.
Versatile brewing options (pods and grounds)
I like that I have the option of using pods or ground Coffee and the milk frother is just a luxury addition.
Rich brew setting delivers great flavor
to be honest in some ways, I don’t care because I really like the taste of the coffee and I’ve noticed I’m not drinking as much because it’s heavier.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Difficult hot water dispensing
Is it true that the unit cannot easily dispense hot water?
Confusing cleaning indicator and instructions
My family doesn't even know how to clean ours 🤣 The display always just says "CLN" for clean.
Limited brew customization options
There really isn't much you can do in terms of customization though.
Inconsistent performance reliability
When it works it’s fantastic. BIG emphasis on the when it works.
Brewing tea challenges: slow brewing and flavor crossover
Not because it doesn't do a good job (it does) but just because I find that just using an electric kettle is faster.
Some days I find with the Kuerig, I gotta do a flush before I can get just hot water for yes.
Water spitting/dispenser malfunction
The coffee maker is less than 6 weeks old and has seen less than 30 cups through it.
Inconsistent brew temperature control
I doubt it reliably gets the water to the right temperature.
I would definitely prefer a machine that's built well enough to maintain brew temperature the entire brew time.
I don't know whether I'm upset or not without the temp adjustment yet but today is the maiden voyage.
High pricing relative to value
The Ninja coffee bar is a bit expensive for what it is.
Potential plastic material concerns affecting performance and longevity
It was the only one of the four machines that had me scratching my head.
Inconvenient design of ground coffee holder
I do miss k-cup machines for their convenience but sort of got used to just dumping out the ground and rinsing the container then putting it back in place which takes more work.
Pod brew mode limitations impact taste
they use the same dose, no matter the size... stupid and doesn't taste good.
Inconsistent brew performance on Bold setting
maiden voyage was a bit of a failure - but it might have been because my husband was behind the wheel.
Coffee grounds leakage in brewed coffee
My Ninja kept getting grounds in my coffee, even though it was being cleaned.
Pod brew mode issues with filter and exploding pods
Some of them are just made like shit and blow out.
the grounds are awful when they surprise me.
I am super bummed! What a waste ☹️
the k pods (all coffee brands) have been exploding on me for the last two years.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

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Ninja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee MakerNinja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker$79
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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Filter and grind optimization tips
I can't seem to find an answer anywhere on the net...
I've never been able to brew with one of those gold filters in a way that resulted in anything truly tasty.
Component function discussion on Dual Brew XL model
I don't know for sure, but think this is what it might be for.
I think it’s a filter that goes in the single pod adaptor…I put it there and it works.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Product availability and promotional offer issues
Mijn vriendin en ik zijn fan, kunnen alleen echt totaal niet achterhalen waar deze te koop is.
It's weird cos the Ninja Canada site did show a 'Sign up and get a 10% discount' but when I signed up I never got the coupon.
Purchasing tips and promo code advice
You should get a promo code for 10% off on most purchases from their website or something like that.
Maintenance and troubleshooting advice for water issues
I would encourage running a vinegar solution through it a few times and see what happens.
Make sure the pod was punctured properly on both sides.
If the water pouring out is hot and leaks out of the corners of the plastic shell... then the internal hose from the water heating element to the grounds container has probably come loose/off.
Discussion of multiple coffee maker models and varied brewing setups
My favorite morning black coffee is two pods of OL Stockholm while sitting in a campground in the early morning in the silence. Heaven.
my newest machine and latest obsession.
😬 guilty

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Community discussion on subreddit tone
I personally think the Ninja looks decent.

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