Ninja Single-Serve Coffee Maker Review: Our Testing Team’s Favorite Single-Serve Brewer
Updated: Jul. 16, 2024
Love the convenience of a Keurig, but craving your favorite beans? The Ninja Single-Serve Coffee Maker uses K-Cups or grounds to brew hot and iced beverages in seconds—and boasts an onboard milk frother for fancy lattes, too!
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You can’t beat the convenience of a single-serve coffee maker. Just pop in a pod, press a button, and instantly enjoy a cup of coffee before heading out for the day. It’s the easiest (and quickest) solution for working folks who need their morning caffeine fix. However, for those of us who enjoy a particular brand of coffee, even the vast array of K-Cups on the market can’t stand in for our coveted beans. That’s where the Ninja single-serve coffee maker—a brewer that uses both pods and grounds—comes in handy.
“Having the option to use a K-Cup or pre-ground coffee saves money and lets people customize their cup more to their taste,” says Sydney Manning, former barista and Editorial Coordinator on the Product Testing Team. But that’s not all this fancy barista-style brewer comes capable of. That’s why our Product Testing Team voted the Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds our number one pick in our search for the best single-serve coffee maker. Here’s why we can’t get enough of this super convenient morning sidekick.
What is the Ninja Single-Serve Coffee Maker?
The Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds machine works in two ways. First, it operates similarly to a Keurig by using K-Cups to create a quick and efficient cup of joe in seconds flat. Additionally, it operates on a ‘bring-your-own-grounds’ basis, using a few scoops of your favorite pre-ground coffee to create a single, custom cup.
“Our team is a big fan of Ninja’s ingenuity in general, and this coffee maker is another on the long list of Ninja products we love,” says Annamarie Higley, head of the Product Testing Team. “It has a frother, cord management and iced functionality—all for a fair price.”
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We Tried It
Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds
How We Tested the Ninja Single-Serve Coffee Maker
In our quest to find the best single-serve coffee maker, our Product Testing Team tried 14 machines in their Testing Lab. They performed roughly 10 tests on each brewer and brewed over 50 coffee drinks, collecting more than 450 data points for this analysis. Machines ranged from the feature-rich Bruvi brewer to the splurge-worthy Nespresso Vertuo Plus. During our tests, we considered:
- Setup and Assembly: Testers read the user manual, noting its clarity and helpfulness. They then set up and filled coffee makers and noted the ease of the process.
- Specs, Construction and Appearance: For this category, we examine each appliance’s construction and overall look, measure the length of the cord and determine the height of the cup compartment. Additionally, testers note whether the machine brews pods or grounds, the size of the water tank, the buttons, toggles, screens and specialty capabilities.
- Performance: Testers brew at least three beverages in each single-cup coffee maker. They utilize as many settings as possible to get a feel for the breadth of the machine’s functionality. When available, they make a cappuccino, cold brew and regular cups of coffee in various sizes and with both grounds and pods. Testers make a strong and regular cup of coffee in various sizes for lower-level machines.
- Special Capabilities: For those machines that offer an iced coffee setting, we measure the temperature of the iced coffee directly after output. Testers try each beverage and gauge its quality/strength and the success of its execution if it’s a specialty drink. Testers then evaluate any accessories, such as a milk frother, on-unit storage or a water cycle.
- Cleaning: Testers clean each one-cup coffee maker. We rinse the water tank, clean out the grounds if applicable and wipe down any splash marks. Then, we assess the ease of the process, any required solutions and dishwasher compatibility.
- Value: Testers evaluate each single-serve coffee maker’s score and then look at the cost. We note whether or not each is worth the price, which indicates its value. Any warranty information also falls into this category. Lastly, we noted who each pick is best for (e.g., home baristas, morning rushers, those who enjoy variety, etc.).
To ensure the most apples-to-apples comparisons possible, all of these coffee drinks were made with Eight O’Clock Coffee medium roast grounds, medium roast K-Cups and medium roast whole bean coffee. All tea was made with Twinings of London English breakfast tea K-Cups.
Testing Lab Results
The Ninja single-serve coffee maker has an onboard milk frother for fancy drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Enjoy an array of different brew sizes, from a tiny six-ounce cup to a behemoth 24-ounce brew that dwarfs Starbucks’s Venti size. Additionally, an adjustable spout allows for around eight inches of clearance, making it a good pick for taller travel mugs.
The K-Cup setting in a 10-ounce cup offered a strong, consistent stream with little to no splash-back. The machine beeps when the brew is ready—a good reminder for those who are sidetracked in the morning rush. While it wasn’t watery, the K-Cup coffee didn’t taste very rich or bold. That’s pretty on par with what we expect from a pod. Overall, it offers a pretty smooth overall taste, which is exactly what we wanted.
We used pre-ground coffee with the reusable pod for the iced setting, again brewing a 10-ounce cup. This round, we noticed the status bar, which indicates how far along the machine is in the brewing process. The pull-time for this was longer, and the coffee looks darker and richer. This likely accounts for the fact that brewing over ice melts the ice and waters the cup down a bit. This also means the machine puts out less than 10 ounces of coffee, again to account for the higher concentration.
Lastly, we used the specialty drink setting, which brews a four-ounce cup. This is their version of espresso for specialty drinks. You can then froth your own milk with the frother for lattes and cappuccinos. We made this a cold drink so that we didn’t have to microwave the milk first. The frother did produce lots of air bubbles, but that could be due to technique. The coffee came out at 134°F before we added the ice—substantially cooler than the regular coffee setting. Overall, we loved this feature. It’s like enjoying a cafe-style cup at home!
“No need to run to the local coffee shop with this machine in the house! This one does it all: iced coffee, specialty coffee and frothed coffee from grounds or pods,” remarks Sheri Kaz, our Product Tester. And she’s right—it truly is an all-in-one solution for budding home baristas.
Pros:
- Multi-functional
- Slim design
- Frother included
- Large water tank
- Affordable price
Cons:
- Frother isn’t as luxe as a coffee shop wand
Why You Should Trust Us
Each test is conducted in our product testing lab under controlled conditions. Our Product Testing Team spent an estimated 30 hours on our search for the best single-serve coffee maker, including researching, sourcing, intake and testing the products. Our Product Testing and Shopping Teams have a combined decade of experience testing and evaluating products. As purveyors of everything from the best coffee subscriptions to the best coffee products, we are passionate about our morning brew. We also consulted Sydney Manning, a former barista, Editorial Coordinator and Product Tester.
FAQ
Can you use Keurig pods in a Ninja coffee maker?
Yes! The Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds brewer uses both K-Cups and grounds, making it a great choice for those who don’t want to choose between them but still want a single-serve machine.
Where to Buy the Ninja Single-Serve Coffee Maker
The Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds is available at many online retailers, including the Ninja website, Amazon, Walmart and Wayfair. At around $80, it’s one of the more budget-friendly single-serve brewers on the market. Whether you’re craving a latte, classic coffee or iced brew, the Ninja single-serve coffee maker can create almost any cafe-style coffee drink.
TMB STUDIO
We Tried It
Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds
Originally Published: July 16, 2024
