The ‘Best Coffee Maker I Have Ever Owned’ Is Less Than $200 And Worth Every Penny

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If you’re looking for a coffee maker to bring that coffee shop experience to your kitchen, we might have found the appliance you’ve been looking for. The Ninja Specialty coffee maker makes hot and iced drinks with any coffee grounds you have on hand. Plus, it has a built-in foldable milk frother, a reuseable filter and a convenient removable water reservoir. “IMO it is the best coffee maker that I have ever owned in my 55 years of life,” wrote one enthused reviewer.
But probably best of all, this machine is approved by many current and former baristas, one of whom called the Ninja’s cup platform a “genius invention” cup platform — a standout feature that gives this machine an incredibly unique style. You can raise and lower the cup platform to fit your chosen mug, cup, carafe or tumbler, preventing splashback while it’s brewing and giving the perfect bean water to start your morning. This no-mess brew is just one of the many features that make the Ninja so beloved.
According to reviews, there are too many ways to count why this coffee maker is the best, but let’s try. This Ninja has a knob for brewing six sizes to accommodate your drinking vessels: a single cup, XL single cup, a travel mug, an XL travel mug, a half carafe and a full carafe. Wondering how many ounces each size fits? No need. The 40-ounce water reservoir marks the notches matching each brew setting, so you fill to the appropriate icon, place your cup on the platform and wait for the cycle to finish.
The machine also has a “drop-stop” feature, which automatically prevents your brew basket from dripping coffee when you remove your cup from the platform. Its milk frother, embedded on its side, folds inward, and once expanded, you just shove the whisk spout into a cup, tap its top button and wait for your milk to aerate for a hot foamy latte. Three brew settings let you make hot coffee, bold coffee or coffee over ice, automatically adjusting brew strength to accommodate your tastes. It also comes with a brew scoop so you can correctly measure each cup.
Finally, to seal the deal, every component, from its water reservoir to its frothing whisk and reusable filter to its measuring spoon, is top-rack dishwasher safe. This means easy cleaning, worry-free brewing and barely a mess. A barista’s dream.
If you need more reasons to grab this coffee maker for yourself, read on for more promising reviews, from coffee enthusiasts to baristas alike.
“I love this coffee maker! It seems to be very good quality. It is not loud at all, and will beep when the cycle is done. I have been making my own cold brew at home for years with jars mason jars. It’s good but I wanted something easier. This maker will do 4 types of coffee and that works great to suit all coffee lovers. I have only used the cold brew cycle so far and it makes a great tasting cup of cold brew in about 10 min for lg travel mug. I am guessing the other brew styles would taste just as good. Now I don’t have to strain the cold brew I made in batches and can make a single cup when ever I want. I love that it has a reusable filter and that has worked great. I do not get any sediment so far. I love the measuring scoop they provide and there is no guessing about how much coffee to use. It is very stylish looking and great addition to any coffee bar . This does make some of the best coffee I have had. I am very happy with this purchase and I would highly recommend!!” — Mandy

“A few years back I worked as a Barista for the most popular coffee shop that is on every street corner. It was a fun scene to work in and I learned the ins and outs of making all of the signature drinks. I was excited to get the chance to review this product and I wanted to see if I could recreate those drinks with this home bar. Turns out I absolutely could! […]” — Outdoor32 (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)

“This coffee maker makes excellent coffee, whether you like it as a light, medium or heavy brew. We did find that the recommended spoonful amounts of coffee grounds makes a really, really strong brew. So we used less than listed in the manual. Have not used the frother as we prefer ours without milk. This machine is super easy to use and clean. It takes up very little space on the kitchen counter. The specialized 4 oz. draw is similar to a 2 shot espresso, yummy for having an Americano. Great buy!!” — Amazon Customer

“[…] The flavor is so good. I have always used pods and when I tasted my coffee for the first time using this coffee maker the flavor was so much better. Also, it smells so good while brewing and after. When first starting it up it will make an initial noise for like 2 seconds then it’s completely silent. It will play a short series of beeps when it’s done brewing. At this moment I cannot recommend this coffee maker enough. […]” — Shannon J. (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)

“My go to coffee maker. Found during a trip to Iowa in our AirBNB early in 2024, fell in love with it and it’s been our best purchase ever! Runs so smoothly and I love that it’s so quiet, it’s not loud at all even when turning on the buttons have a cute beep sound. Has a warming option too if you want to keep it on longer after brewing time ends. & Quality is great and has a cleaning option too! my favorite part is the brewing basket slides in and out it’s a small feature that makes me feel like i’m a barista!😂” — Gabriela

“I spent more on this than any previous coffee makers that I have owned. The performance of my Ninja pro blender purchased over 12 years ago gave me the confidence to buy this item. It was worth every penny. The ability to make a wide variety of coffees was also a key factor. The ability to do that is one thing but to do that task at such high level was unexpected to say the least. I use Folgers BlackSilk coffee. The beverages that I have made on my kitchen counter taste phenomenal and on par with that coffee chain out of Portland at a fraction of the price. I have never had the milk frother attachment before.i did not expect to use it but that hasn’t been the case. I have become to love my iced latte topped with the thick frothy creamy goodness. I am pleasantly surprised at how much my coffee pallet has expanded. I was a cup of plain black strong coffee most of the time kind of guy. Now I enjoy all kinds of flavored beverages that range from hot to cold and even iced. I cannot go on without touching on the ease of cleanup and maintenance on this unit. It is so easy clean, practically rinse off under running water and let dry. I would recommend this coffee maker to any and all who enjoys a great cup of Joe! The quality, durability, and value of this makes it fantastic purchase IMO it is the best coffee maker that I have ever owned in my 55 years of life.” — Moosetrax

“I bought this for my son in law’s birthday. He has experience as a barista and he just loves this machine! He can make either a pot or a cup… so versatile! He and his wife have several Ninja products and this is now the most used appliance in their household. So easy to clean too!” — Linda