Ninja PB051 Single Serve Coffee Maker Combo, K-Cup Pods and Grounds Review (2026)

Who the PB051 suits

This machine is built for people who do not want to commit fully to either pods or ground coffee, since it brews both from the same reservoir and switches between them with a removable pod adapter. It suits anyone who buys K-Cup pods for convenience some days and their own bag of ground coffee on others, since running loose grounds through the machine can lower cost per cup compared with pods alone. The built-in fold-away frother also makes it a reasonable single machine for people who want lattes or iced coffee drinks without buying a separate frothing tool. Someone who only ever uses pods and never grounds may not need the extra cleanup that the grounds side brings, and would be fine with a simpler pod-only brewer.

Brew sizes, reservoir and power

The PB051 pulls from a 56oz removable water reservoir and offers 6, 8, 10, or 12oz brews on the pod side, while the grounds side stretches further to 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, or 24oz, enough for a large mug or a tall travel cup up to 8 inches. It runs on a 1,550 watt, 120 volt connection and is rated at 12.5 amps. Ninja backs the machine with a one year limited warranty. Four brew styles are available, Classic, Rich, Over Ice, or Specialty, which adjust extraction to suit iced drinks or stronger concentrated coffee depending on what is loaded into the machine.

The built-in frother and included accessories

A fold-away frother is built into the unit and can turn hot or cold milk into froth for lattes or cold foam drinks, and it is removable for easier cleaning between uses. The box includes a permanent filter for grounds brewing, a Ninja pod adapter to switch to K-Cup mode, an adjustable cup tray to fit different mug heights, a Ninja scoop for measuring grounds, an adapter storage bin, and a separate brew basket. Having this many included parts means more pieces to track and wash compared with a simple pod-only machine, but it also means the PB051 arrives ready to brew both formats without buying extra accessories.

Size and everyday cleanup

At about 15.1 inches long, 7.4 inches wide, and 16.1 inches tall, and weighing roughly 7.8 pounds, the PB051 takes up a similar amount of counter space to other combo brewers rather than a compact single-purpose pod machine. Using the grounds side means emptying and rinsing the permanent filter and brew basket after each brew, an extra step pod-only users skip entirely, and the several small parts, from the pod adapter to the frother, all need occasional washing to keep flavor consistent. This is the tradeoff for having grounds flexibility and a built-in frother in one countertop unit rather than juggling separate devices.

Verdict

The Ninja PB051 is a strong pick for anyone who wants one machine that handles K-Cup pods, loose grounds, and milk frothing without buying separate devices, and its wide brew size range from 6 to 24oz covers everything from an espresso-style shot to a full travel mug. The tradeoff is more parts to store and clean than a simple pod-only brewer, along with a larger overall countertop footprint. For coffee drinkers who value flexibility and lower cost per cup from grounds over sheer simplicity, it is a well-equipped, feature-packed combo machine worth the extra cleanup.

Frequently asked questions