Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker | Includes 10-Cup Carafe, Fold-Away Frother, Permanent Filter & Removable, Dishwasher Safe Reservoir…
Best for
Best for ditching pods
Amazon rating
Amazon aggregate, one input among many in the Verdict Score
Current price
$134.99
Updated Jun 27, 2026 · 1 min read
Sources behind this verdict
10 reviewers weighted by source trust
The consensus
What reviewers found
Synthesized across the trust-weighted source mix below.
Across the reviewers we read, the Ninja Specialty CM401 is the go-to recommendation for people who want single-serve convenience without buying pods. It uses a permanent filter and ground coffee, and reviewers on r/thehostingmindset and r/Costco repeatedly single this out as the main draw, "You don't need pods (huge plus for me)," alongside strong, flavorful results and a built-in frother for lattes and iced drinks. Retailer listings at walmart.com and newegg.com emphasize its six brew sizes from a single cup up to a 10-cup carafe and over-ice brewing.
What reviewers liked
- Pod-free brewing with permanent filter cuts waste and per-cup cost
- Six brew sizes plus over-ice and built-in frother for specialty drinks
- Strong 4.6 rating across ~19,600 reviews with positive community sentiment
Where it falls short
- r/Coffee users call it slow to brew compared with a standard drip maker
- Larger carafe-style footprint than true single-serve compacts
- More steps and cleanup than a drop-in pod machine
Embed our score
Sell this product? Show off the rank.
Free badge for the brand, retailer, or anyone covering this product. Copy the snippet and paste it anywhere HTML works. Updates automatically when the ranking changes.
Includes a credit link back to this page. No tracking; no JavaScript.
Across the reviewers we read, the Ninja Specialty CM401 is the go-to recommendation for people who want single-serve convenience without buying pods. It uses a permanent filter and ground coffee, and reviewers on r/thehostingmindset and r/Costco repeatedly single this out as the main draw, "You don't need pods (huge plus for me)," alongside strong, flavorful results and a built-in frother for lattes and iced drinks. Retailer listings at walmart.com and newegg.com emphasize its six brew sizes from a single cup up to a 10-cup carafe and over-ice brewing.
The consensus on versatility is strong: r/coffeestations and r/Kaffee owners praise the iced-coffee and specialty modes and the fold-away frother. The honest caveats come from r/Coffee, where the machine is described as "super slow brewing as a regular coffee maker," and from the broader thread noting it's more involved than a drop-in pod. It's also technically a hybrid carafe machine rather than a pure single-serve, so shoppers wanting the smallest possible footprint should look elsewhere.
- 4 Brew Styles
- Select from one of the four, versatile brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, or Specialty Brew.
- Specialty Brews
- Brew a super-rich coffee concentrate that you can use to create delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and other coffeehouse-style drinks.
- Make Iced Coffee
- Brew fresh over ice for flavorful iced coffee that's never watered down.
- 6 Brew Sizes
- Brew anything from a single cup or travel size to a half or full carafe in your coffee maker. 6 sizes include Cup, XL Cup, Travel Mug, Multi-Serve Travel Mug, Half Carafe & Full Carafe.
- No Pods Required
- Use your favorite grounds to create a single-serve coffee—no reusable pod required.
- Built-In, Fold-Away Frother
- Turns hot or cold milk/milk alternative into silky-smooth froth. Removable for easy cleaning.
- Removable Water Reservoir
- Conveniently carry the 40-oz. removable water reservoir to your sink for easy filling.
- Easy To Clean
- The glass carafe, brew-through lid, permanent filter, removable filter holder, water reservoir, flip-top lid, frother whisk, and scoop are all top-rack dishwasher safe.
It brews strong, flavorful coffee and has a lot of versatility without being overly complicated. You don't need pods (huge plus for me), and it can make ...
8 out of 10 times it has blown up the pod. It is super slow brewing as a regular coffee maker. I would recommend this machine to anyone.
Trust tier reflects our editorial assessment of the source, not the individual quote. Hover for the rationale. See how we tier sources →
“Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker Review” · YouTube
If the consensus convinced you
Check current price on Amazon
Pricing and availability change frequently. Tap through to confirm before buying.