Compare Coffee Machine
Which scores higher on safety? R3 breaks it down.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
The 60-oz removable reservoir is confirmed BPA-free, which is reassuring. However, Ninja doesn't disclose the specific plastic type used, so we can't fully evaluate what your water is in contact with before brewing.
Zojirushi goes further than most — the reservoir is both BPA-free and PFAS-free on all food-contact surfaces. The specific plastic type isn't named, but the breadth of the safety claim is reassuring and exceeds what we see from most competitors.
Ninja explicitly declares the reservoir and carafe components BPA-free — a clear commitment to reducing chemical exposure in your daily brew.
Zojirushi explicitly declares all food-contact areas free of BPA, PFAS, PTFE, and PFOA — the most comprehensive chemical safety commitment we've seen in this price range.
This machine carries UL certification, meaning an independent lab has verified it meets rigorous electrical safety standards for fire, shock, and overheating protection.
This machine carries a cULus listing — meaning it's been independently tested for electrical safety in both the US and Canada. That's the gold standard for peace of mind with an appliance you use every day.
At 200°F, this brewer hits the sweet spot for coffee extraction — your grounds release full flavor without bitterness, producing a rich, well-balanced cup every time.
At 200°F, this compact brewer delivers extraction quality on par with full-size machines. Your coffee will have rich flavor and balanced body — exactly what the specialty coffee industry considers ideal.
The glass carafe sits on an adjustable warming plate, which keeps coffee hot but continuously degrades its flavor. The adjustable temperature helps a bit, but coffee left on the plate for over 30 minutes won't taste as fresh.
The glass carafe sits on a warming plate, which keeps coffee hot but gradually breaks down its flavor. With only 5 cups to drink through, this is less of an issue than with larger machines — but pour promptly for the best taste.
The glass carafe and reservoir are both dishwasher-safe, making daily cleanup genuinely effortless — no hand-scrubbing required.
Zojirushi doesn't confirm whether the glass carafe is dishwasher-safe, so hand-washing is the safer bet. The compact carafe size makes hand-washing quick and easy.
The 60-oz reservoir detaches completely so you can carry it to the sink for filling — no awkward pouring from a pitcher or positioning the machine near the faucet.
The reservoir lifts out completely for easy filling at the sink and thorough cleaning — a thoughtful design touch that makes daily use genuinely pleasant.
Set the 24-hour delay brew the night before and wake up to a fresh pot — it's the kind of feature that quickly becomes indispensable in a busy morning routine.
There's no programmable timer — you press the switch when you're ready for coffee. For a compact 5-cup machine designed for immediate drinking, this is a deliberate design choice rather than a missing feature.
The permanent screen filter means no paper filter runs — just rinse and reuse. You can also swap in paper filters if you prefer a cleaner cup.
You'll need to buy cone paper filters separately for each brew. The included charcoal water filter purifies the water but isn't a coffee filter replacement.
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Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You want the most convenient daily brewing experience with a removable tank you can fill at the sink
You value programmable delay brew to have fresh coffee waiting when you wake up
You're looking for a feature-packed 12-cup brewer under $90 that includes a permanent filter
You drink your coffee within 30 minutes of brewing and won't leave it sitting on the warming plate
You're a household of one or two who values material safety and wants the strongest chemical safety claims in this price range
You appreciate compact, well-engineered appliances that prioritize brew quality over feature count
You want a machine with confirmed electrical safety certification and BPA-free plus PFAS-free materials
You don't mind pressing a button when you want coffee and can skip the programmable timer
The main thing to know
The glass carafe on its warming plate continuously degrades your coffee's flavor — if you don't drink the full pot within 30 minutes, the taste noticeably declines compared to thermal carafe models.
This is a 5-cup machine without a programmable timer — it's designed for immediate, manual brewing for 1-2 people, not for families who want to wake up to a full pot of coffee.
Skip this if you...
You need full material transparency about what type of plastic contacts your hot water before brewing
You want your coffee to stay fresh for hours without flavor degradation — a thermal carafe model would serve you better
You want full material transparency about what type of plastic contacts your hot water before brewing
You need to brew for a family of four or more — five cups won't be enough for your household
You want to wake up to fresh coffee already brewed — there's no programmable timer or delay brew feature
You prefer not to buy paper filters and want a machine with a permanent reusable filter included
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Coffee Machine options at every price pointEvery Coffee Machine in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Ninja and Zojirushi across 3 independent criteria: Safety (72%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (4%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
Both scored close to 8.1/10, so the better choice depends on your priorities. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy (23%), and usability (4%). Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Coffee Machine across Safety (72%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (4%) using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the value scores and prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
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