Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401

Curated from 83 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: January 20, 2025

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401

Brand: Ninja
Price: $169
Snoop Score:
6.5
Sentiment
4.7
Popularity
4.8
Technical
7.7

Snoop's Take

The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is an all-in-one brewing system that caters to both hot and iced beverages with six different brew sizes, from a single cup to a full carafe. It offers versatile brewing modes including classic, rich, over ice, and specialty brew options, and features a built-in fold-away frother along with easy-to-clean, dishwasher-safe parts. Consumer sentiment is a mixed bag: while one user noted, 'I love the metal mesh so I don't need coffee filters,' many appreciate its ease of use and innovative storage design. However, there are also sharp criticisms regarding its inconsistent performance and durability, as echoed by comments like 'when it works it’s fantastic. BIG emphasis on the when it works.' Some users also pointed out limitations in brew customization and issues like water leakage. In conclusion, the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is recommended for those who crave diverse brewing options and café-style drinks at home, provided they can tolerate potential performance hiccups. It remains a compelling choice if versatility and ease of cleaning are prioritized over ironclad reliability.

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Very easy to clean.

Positive Feedback

When it works it’s fantastic. BIG emphasis on the when it works.

Negative Feedback
Product
6.5
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401
Home Coffee Routine
5 / 10
Office & Workplace
5 / 10
Customizable Coffee Experience
10 / 10
Café-Style Beverage Creation
10 / 10
See how this compares to all Coffee Machines

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Easy to clean
Very easy to clean.
Versatile brewing options and beverage versatility (coffee, tea, milk frother, cold foam)
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.
I never made matcha before, will the milk frother work for matcha?
The selling points for me were the ability to do a quad shot at once, perfect doses every time, and the ability to make cold foam.
Good on-board storage and design
I appreciate the on board storage for all of the pieces and it makes really good Espresso/Coffee drinks.
Good value for money
Wanting to get it for it's reasonable $100 price with good amt of features.
Ease of use and reliable for casual brewing
It is easy to use and you can do iced coffee, strong coffee, just a cup, a traveler size, half a carafe, etc.
Mainly got it for the frother to add some twist to it.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Inconsistent performance
When it works it’s fantastic. BIG emphasis on the when it works.
Limited brew customization options
There really isn't much you can do in terms of customization though.
Difficulty with hot water dispensing
Is it true that the unit cannot easily dispense hot water?
Water spitting and leakage issues
The coffee maker is less than 6 weeks old and has seen less than 30 cups through it.
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.
Poor durability and longevity
it died shockingly quickly and made coffee on par with any $35 mr coffee IMO.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
Amazon Basics Coffee Makers, 12-Cup Coffee Machines with Reusable Filter, Coffee Pots, Black & Stainless SteelAmazon Basics Coffee Makers, 12-Cup Coffee Machines with Reusable Filter, Coffee Pots, Black & Stainless Steel$20
7.0
DetailsBuy
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401$169
6.5
DetailsBuy
Ninja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee MakerNinja Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker$79
5.2
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Brew mode extraction timing explanation (brew time adjustments affect extraction)
the ceiling is much lower than manual methods, even for much better, more expensive machines.
Overall, I love the machine, and it produces consistently good coffee.
Requires a coarser grind for optimal use with the gold mesh cone filter
I believe those do best with a coarser grind, but I don't know if we're talking French press coarse or just slightly coarser than medium.
Discussion of diverse coffee machine 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.
1x Vertuo Lattissima, my newest machine and latest obsession.
😬 guilty

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Online ordering and promo code inconsistencies
You should get a promo code for 10% off on most purchases from their website or something like that.
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.
Maintenance tip: run a vinegar solution to remove hard water buildup
I would encourage running a vinegar solution through it a few times and see what happens.
Clarification on espresso beans versus coffee grounds
Basically, grinding your own coffee can be a never ending rabbit hole of more expensive gadgets which leads to even more expensive gadgets and coffee brew methods.

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Concerns about cross-flavor contamination when switching between coffee and tea brews
We were looking at this one! Weird question: Can you go from brewing coffee straight to brewing tea without getting any extra coffee flavor?
Dispenser valve mechanism requires proper setting to prevent spills
Make sure you have it set to the right mode for single cup dispensing.

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