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Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401 with glass carafe, main view

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Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker

CM401

The Ninja CM401 is a 10-cup drip coffee maker for ground coffee.

CM4011550 W120 V, 60 Hz

24 original reviews to read 4 video summaries Good to know

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At a glance

The Ninja CM401 is a 10-cup drip coffee maker for ground coffee. It has four brew styles (including iced and a concentrated specialty brew), six sizes from one cup to a full glass carafe, and a fold-away frother for pod-free lattes. Owners praise its versatility, frother and coffee taste, and Consumer Reports' lab found strong brew performance. Recurring downsides are units that stop brewing after a year or two, leaks and reservoir errors, a glass carafe that is awkward to clean and cools quickly, a frother that doesn't heat milk, and a one-year warranty. It suits households that want flexible drip coffee plus occasional milk drinks without an espresso machine; no independent data confirms long-term durability. Several US retailers are phasing it out.

Strengths

  • One machine covers single cups, travel mugs and full carafes, with Classic, Rich, Over Ice and Specialty brews.
  • The built-in fold-away frother is the feature owners mention most favorably for lattes and iced drinks.
  • Good brew performance: in Consumer Reports' lab it made a full carafe in about 7 minutes at proper brewing temperature, and owners often praise the taste.
Show all (4)
  • Permanent filter, no pods, and most removable parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, with a guided clean cycle.

Things to consider

  • The most frequent complaint is a machine that stops brewing or heating after a year or two, and the warranty is only one year.
  • Some owners report leaks under the reservoir, grounds overflowing, or the reservoir not emptying and short pots.
  • The frother only whips milk and does not heat it.
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  • The narrow glass carafe is hard to clean by hand and loses heat if coffee sits long. The machine is fairly tall.
  • It is discontinued or out of stock at several US retailers, so availability and replacement parts may become limited.
Who is it for, and who is it not for?

Good for

  • Households that alternate between single cups and full pots and want iced coffee or simple milk drinks without pods.
  • Former pod-machine users who want a reusable filter and ground coffee.

May not suit

  • Buyers who want hot steamed milk or true espresso; the frother doesn't heat and the specialty brew is a drip concentrate.
  • Anyone who needs coffee held hot for hours in the carafe or wants a long warranty.

See alternatives

Before you buy

Good to know

What the features mean in everyday use.

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Cleaning

The carafe, lid, permanent filter, filter holder, reservoir, frother whisk and scoop are top-rack dishwasher safe. A CLEAN light prompts a descaling cycle of about 60 minutes.

Technical fact · See source

Underfilling / reservoir errors

Some reviewers report the reservoir not emptying fully, 'Add Wtr' errors or air locks, and short pots. The owner's guide says the 'Add Wtr' message appears when the reservoir is too low to finish the brew.

User experience · See source

Availability

As of November 2026, Home Depot marks the CM401 discontinued and Best Buy no longer sells it new. SharkNinja and Walmart show it out of stock, while Amazon.com has it in stock and sells it directly.

Technical fact · See source

Review sample bias

Many Home Depot and Best Buy reviews were collected in promotions or are incentivized syndicated reviews, which likely skews those pages positive. Walmart's lowest-rated pages show more durability complaints.

Inference from the sources · See source
Show more (17)

Cleaning

The carafe, lid, permanent filter, filter holder, reservoir, frother whisk and scoop are top-rack dishwasher safe. A CLEAN light prompts a descaling cycle of about 60 minutes.

Technical fact · See source

Underfilling / reservoir errors

Some reviewers report the reservoir not emptying fully, 'Add Wtr' errors or air locks, and short pots. The owner's guide says the 'Add Wtr' message appears when the reservoir is too low to finish the brew.

User experience · See source

Availability

As of November 2026, Home Depot marks the CM401 discontinued and Best Buy no longer sells it new. SharkNinja and Walmart show it out of stock, while Amazon.com has it in stock and sells it directly.

Technical fact · See source

Review sample bias

Many Home Depot and Best Buy reviews were collected in promotions or are incentivized syndicated reviews, which likely skews those pages positive. Walmart's lowest-rated pages show more durability complaints.

Inference from the sources · See source

User experience

What do reviews say?

See the common points first, then read the original reviews yourself.

Summarized from the 186 reviews we read. A review can mention several points, so the theme counts can add up to more than 186.

Store ratings

Amazon

18750 ratings

4.6 / 5

The Home Depot

605 ratings

90 reviews read

4.3 / 5

Walmart

660 ratings

87 reviews read

4.2 / 5

Best Buy

1737 ratings

9 reviews read

4.7 / 5

SharkNinja

1245 ratings

4.1 / 5

Each store’s rating and rating count are its own; ratings are not combined. “Read” is how many of that store’s reviews we read for the summary.

Go to the original reviews

Owners mostly like the CM401 as a flexible drip brewer. It makes one cup, a travel mug or a full carafe, does iced coffee and a concentrated 'specialty' brew, and the fold-away frother turns it into a simple latte maker without pods. The coffee is often called strong and consistently good. Complaints center on reliability: units that stop brewing or heating after a year or two, reservoirs that leak or don't empty, 'Add Wtr' errors and grounds overflowing. Some also report a plastic taste, a carafe that's hard to clean by hand, and frustrating warranty support. Several reviewers point out that the frother only whips milk and does not heat it. Some owners report years of trouble-free daily use, while low-rated reviews cluster around early failures.

What buyers like

  • The fold-away frother is easy to use and makes good foam for lattes and iced drinks71 reviews
  • Many brew sizes and styles, including iced and specialty, in one machine25 reviews
  • Coffee tastes good and strong20 reviews
  • Easy to set up and use12 reviews
  • Still working well after several years of daily use11 reviews

Common complaints

  • Stopped brewing, heating or turning on, often after one to two years24 reviews
  • Water leaks under the reservoir or floods the counter17 reviews
  • Customer service or warranty claims were difficult14 reviews
  • Short pots, water left in the reservoir, or 'Add Wtr' errors11 reviews
  • Bad or plastic taste or smell9 reviews
  • Frother does not heat milk6 reviews
  • Carafe or reservoir hard to clean, or carafe broke6 reviews
  • Grounds overflow into the cup or onto the counter4 reviews
  • CLEAN light comes on too often or won't clear4 reviews
  • Tall or bulky on the counter4 reviews
How was this summary made?

Summarized from 186 reviews; 5 reviews about delivery, packaging or the seller were left out. The summary is drawn from opinions that recur in the reviews read; each theme shows how many reviews mention it. These counts are not a rate and do not apply to every unit.

Sum of per-store unique reviews (author + date + text): Home Depot 90 (review pages 1-3), Walmart 87 (100 parsed from 7 newest and 3 lowest-rated pages), Best Buy 9 (product page). Hand tallies; no rating-only entries. Syndicated sharkninja.com reviews overlap across stores. ratings_total sums Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, Best Buy and SharkNinja counts, which overlap.

Show reviews (24 of 186)Read the texts as published by the store

24 original reviews can be listed on this page. The number of reviews analyzed may differ.

  1. A*** 4/5 October 29, 2026 The Home Depot

    It makes a good amount of coffee, and I like having the glass carafe for when I want to make more than one cup. It has different settings for regular, rich, specialty, and iced coffee, which is nice… It's easy to use and works well for my daily coffee routine.

  2. K*** 4/5 October 5, 2026 The Home Depot

    I really love the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker! I've had t a couple years now and it's been great, the only issue I have now is a couple of the serving size option lights have gone out recently… I absolutely love the milk frother attachment, and use it several times a week.

  3. M*** 5/5 September 1, 2026 The Home Depot

    I love this coffee pot for many reasons! It is well designed… This machine can make a single cup (4 sizes), a half pot, or a full pot… I have used mine multiple times a day for four years and have never had an issue or complaint.

  4. M*** 5/5 January 31, 2022 The Home Depot

    I am so glad my other coffee maker died. This is the best splurge I've ever done. I love espresso, latte and iced coffee… No more pods YEA! 1 filter that works for every type of coffee.

  5. R*** 1/5 November 20, 2023 The Home Depot

    Water reservoir floods every time we use it. Have to use a towel to clean up excess water after each use.

  6. A*** 3/5 November 28, 2023 The Home Depot

    I'm giving 3 stars. It was a good coffee pot until a year later it will no longer turn on… for the price shouldn't quit that soon in my opinion. I can't seem to get a hold of anyone either.

  7. s*** 1/5 April 29, 2022 The Home Depot

    This coffee maker has nothing but defects. If you want water or coffee all over your counter, then purchase this maker. I had mine replaced & still nothing but problems… This Ninja is not a good coffee maker, it's not worth the money & you will be stuck with no coffee in the morning more than once.

  8. A*** 4/5 November 17, 2021 The Home Depot

    …But there are two things I don't like. The carafe is very hard to clean because your hand can't fit into the inside… Also, the design of the water reservoir makes it hard to clean too with a sponge on hand… And that is why I gave it 4 stars.

  9. B*** 3/5 December 12, 2020 The Home Depot

    I love this coffee maker the only down side is the first time I tried to wash it, it broke. I was using a wash wand and it just shattered when the wand hit the glass.

  10. C*** l*** 2/5 March 28, 2020 The Home Depot

    I love the system however the water reservoir dome has algae/mold. It does not come clean when running clean cycle with water & vinegar. You cannot remove the dome either for cleaning. This is a known issue but what is the fix?

  11. L*** 5/5 November 5, 2026 Walmart

    The foam is what makes it very special. What I love about my ninja coffee machine is that they have all the features you would need to make your coffee amazing , how it's designed to not take up too much space, very little noise that wouldn't wake up baby…

  12. D*** C*** 4/5 April 14, 2026 Walmart

    Lots of good features, but limited lifespan. We have 2 of these, maybe 2-4 years old. The older one stopped heating and therefore brewing recently… It is easy to adjust brew strength and makes good iced coffee.

  13. P*** 2/5 December 31, 2023 Walmart

    Not happy. Doesn't brew intermittently. I've had other coffee pots that lasted longer than this one. Not even 2 years old and it has been temperamental… it's out of warranty.

  14. L*** 1/5 December 26, 2023 Walmart

    Horrible smell coming from plastic parts. I purchased this for Christmas and there is a very strong odor coming from all plastic parts of this coffeemaker… I washed it a few times with warm, soapy water and it still stinks.

  15. t*** 4/5 November 28, 2023 Walmart

    Great coffee maker does all the things… 1) The frother is kinda lame. I do wish it had a way to heat and froth… 2) every once in a while the water trough will leak water from under it…

  16. T*** 2/5 June 30, 2023 Walmart

    Good coffee bad machine. Have owned for over a year now… It makes great coffee… only after have hit the brew button 5 times. The water hopper air locks all the time and it has an add water error message…

  17. E*** 5/5 January 6, 2023 Walmart

    Favorite coffee maker of all time. Second purchase of this exact product! Still have original that works perfectly after 8 years.

  18. J*** 1/5 August 11, 2019 Walmart

    The WORST… EVERY SINGLE POT of coffee that I brew, the grounds overflow all over my counter, into the pot, they are everywhere… I can only use literally 2 teaspoons of coffee for a 10-cup pot.

  19. K*** 5/5 No date Best Buy Incentivized review; posted about 2 years ago

    …replacing an older Ninja model that my wife and I used daily for five years… Whether we're brewing a full pot for the morning or a single cup in the afternoon, it delivers consistently great coffee every time.

  20. S*** 5/5 No date Best Buy Incentivized review; relative date only

    Get this if you want very good coffee and you dont want to spend 500 dollars… The milk frother is quiet and quick, it turns 1/4 cup milk into a full cup of froth.

  21. A*** 5/5 No date Best Buy Incentivized review; relative date only

    …it has a mesh coffee filter so we dont have to buy any coffee filters. I do like how the water rank is removable…

  22. R*** 5/5 No date Best Buy Incentivized review; relative date only

    I have had my Keurig for years… I can appreciate knowing the fresh water is visible and none is stored inside the machine like the Keurig. The frother takes it to another level.

  23. C*** 3/5 No date Best Buy Originally posted on sharkninja.com; relative date only

    I bought this last October and about 2 months ago the water reservoir wont empty. It wont make a full pot of coffee

  24. D*** 5/5 No date Best Buy Incentivized review; relative date only

    I have owned a keurig, breville, and mr coffee in the past 5 years… The ninja does everything.

See it in use

Video reviews and key moments

Read the summaries; tap a moment to watch the video from that second.

4 videos · Timestamped summary

YouTube · Review

Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker Review: An Engineer's Perspective

The Ninja coffee maker offers an ergonomic, well-thought-out design featuring a powerful integrated milk frother, multiple brew sizes, and a multi-hole showerhead for even extraction. However, the control panel options can be slightly confusing to understand at first. Crucially, the reviewer noted that the brewed coffee had a persistent plasticky, chemical taste, possibly originating from the water reservoir.

YouTube · Review

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker (CM401) review: know what you're getting

The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401 is a versatile drip coffee maker offering multiple brew sizes, a programmable timer, and an iced coffee setting. However, its specialty brew function only concentrates coffee rather than producing true espresso, and the integrated frother does not heat milk and yields quickly collapsing foam. It is best suited for anyone seeking a convenient, multi-size brewer rather than a substitute for an espresso machine.

YouTube · Review

👉 NINJA 10-Cup Specialty Coffee Maker CM401 | Review 🔍

The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker CM401 is a versatile, pod-free coffee machine that produces excellent hot coffee, iced drinks, and specialty brews. It offers multiple brew sizes and styles alongside handy features like a built-in milk frother and an independently operable warming plate. While the frother does not heat milk and the carafe lid can be fiddly to secure, it represents a stylish and highly functional all-in-one coffee station.

YouTube · Review

Review - Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker 2026

The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is a versatile all-in-one machine capable of brewing standard drip coffee, iced drinks, and concentrated coffee for specialty milk beverages across multiple sizes. Although the carafe spout can dribble when poured too quickly and the frother does not heat milk, it delivers impressive taste and convenience without the clutter of separate appliances.

Video summaries and timestamps were taken from the videos with AI (Gemini); the video itself is the source.

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Alternatives named in the research that have no page here yet:

  • Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker with thermal carafe CM407: Same Specialty brew and frother concept with a thermal carafe, which addresses the glass carafe's heat loss.

What it has

Specifications

Technical information with its source.

Model number
CM401 Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Color
Black/Silver Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Wattage
1550 W Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Voltage
120 V, 60 Hz Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Amperage
13 A Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Carafe
50 oz (10-cup) glass carafe with brew-through lid Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Water reservoir
50 oz, removable, flip-top lid (Amazon listing says 40 oz) oz Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Brew styles
4: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Specialty Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Show all specifications (26)
Brew sizes
6: Cup (9.5 oz), XL Cup (11.5 oz), Travel Mug (14 oz), XL Multi-Serve (18 oz), Half Carafe, Full Carafe Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Specialty brew output
4 oz concentrated brew for milk-based drinks oz Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Milk frother
Built-in fold-away frother for hot or cold milk (does not heat milk) Manufacturer's claim · sharkninja.com
Warming plate
Intelligent warming plate, adjustable 0-4 hours (default 2 h), High/Low temperature Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Delay brew
Yes (programmable clock) Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Clean cycle
CLEAN indicator light; descaling cycle about 60 minutes Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Filter
Gold-tone permanent filter; #4 cone paper filter also compatible Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Other features
Drip Stop, single-serve cup platform, swinging brew basket, high-altitude calibration brew Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Certification
Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certified home brewer Manufacturer's claim · notice-facile.com
Dishwasher-safe parts
Glass carafe, brew-through lid, permanent filter, filter holder, water reservoir, flip-top lid, frother whisk and scoop (top rack) Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Automatic shutoff
After one hour of inactivity Manufacturer's claim · amazon.com
Product dimensions (L x W x H)
13.9 x 11.14 x 17.4 in Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Weight
11.13 lb Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Cord length
30 in Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Material
Stainless steel Technical fact · sharkninja.com
BPA free
Yes Manufacturer's claim · sharkninja.com
In the box
Coffee maker, 50 oz glass carafe, fold-away frother, gold-tone permanent filter, Ninja Smart Scoop, removable water reservoir, recipe guide, quick start guide, owner's guide Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Warranty
1-year limited years Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Show all specifications (26)
Amperage
13 A Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Carafe
50 oz (10-cup) glass carafe with brew-through lid Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Water reservoir
50 oz, removable, flip-top lid (Amazon listing says 40 oz) oz Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Brew styles
4: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, Specialty Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Brew sizes
6: Cup (9.5 oz), XL Cup (11.5 oz), Travel Mug (14 oz), XL Multi-Serve (18 oz), Half Carafe, Full Carafe Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Specialty brew output
4 oz concentrated brew for milk-based drinks oz Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Milk frother
Built-in fold-away frother for hot or cold milk (does not heat milk) Manufacturer's claim · sharkninja.com
Warming plate
Intelligent warming plate, adjustable 0-4 hours (default 2 h), High/Low temperature Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Delay brew
Yes (programmable clock) Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Clean cycle
CLEAN indicator light; descaling cycle about 60 minutes Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Filter
Gold-tone permanent filter; #4 cone paper filter also compatible Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Other features
Drip Stop, single-serve cup platform, swinging brew basket, high-altitude calibration brew Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Certification
Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certified home brewer Manufacturer's claim · notice-facile.com
Dishwasher-safe parts
Glass carafe, brew-through lid, permanent filter, filter holder, water reservoir, flip-top lid, frother whisk and scoop (top rack) Technical fact · notice-facile.com
Automatic shutoff
After one hour of inactivity Manufacturer's claim · amazon.com
Product dimensions (L x W x H)
13.9 x 11.14 x 17.4 in Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Weight
11.13 lb Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Cord length
30 in Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Material
Stainless steel Technical fact · sharkninja.com
BPA free
Yes Manufacturer's claim · sharkninja.com
In the box
Coffee maker, 50 oz glass carafe, fold-away frother, gold-tone permanent filter, Ninja Smart Scoop, removable water reservoir, recipe guide, quick start guide, owner's guide Technical fact · sharkninja.com
Warranty
1-year limited years Technical fact · sharkninja.com

Where to buy

Where to buy

Check the variant and seller together with the price.

Prices may have changed.

Sources and method

Where the information comes from, by type; each finding also links its own source.

Manufacturer (1)
Specification site (2)
Store (9)
Review (3)
Video (2)
How we evaluate, and the limits

This page is compiled from manufacturer, store, review and video sources; every piece of information links to the source it was read from. Technical values are as stated by the manufacturer or store; user experiences are summarized from the reviews read and do not apply to every unit. We do not test products ourselves.