Philips L’Or Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule Machine review 

To see how well the Philips L’Or Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule Machine performs on a daily basis, the team here at Exceptional got to work drinking coffee – and more coffee. 

We tested it in both the Exceptional test lab and also in a domestic setting and reviewed it on design, performance, ease of use, speed and versatility. We wanted to know if the L’Or Barista coffee capsules and this machine had the ability to produce full-bodied drinks to give us that much needed caffeine boost at elevenses.

We wanted to know if its espresso crema matched anything we’d tasted previously – or was indeed superior. 

We used a mix of single and double L’Or coffee pods to test the different coffee strength and size combinations you can make. We also tested the temperature of the coffee as soon as it was dispensed to see how hot a coffee it produces and monitored noise levels as it was being dispensed too.

When it comes to choosing small appliances, such as the best coffee pod machines, that are designed to be a permanent fixture on the worktop, style and functionality are key considerations. 

Fortunately, the Philips L’Or Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule Machine is a design that we think would work well in both modern and classic kitchen settings and has been designed for ease of use and navigation. Its sleek black finish with subtle gold accents may be made from plastic, but it has a fuss-free design that looks premium on the worktop. 

We also found that at 79.5cm (31 inches)  the cable is an adequate length to fit the nearest plug and at 19.4nm, the maximum force needed to close the lever where the coffee pods are housed was nicely low. The pods are, in fact, easy to insert in the top of the machine and they simply drop down to the pod bin when you go to make another coffee. This pod bin can easily be emptied by removing the drip tray in front of it.

Design wise, the water tank is nicely positioned at the back of the machine and comes on and off easily for refilling. We found that topping it up with a cup of water each time we needed to use it was the quickest way to keep it filled and meant it didn’t need removing. While at 0.8 litres its water tank capacity isn’t the largest we’ve come across, it does give you enough to make at least four espressos before needing a refill. 

One thing to know from the offset is that this coffee machine doesn’t come with a built-in milk frother, so if milky coffees are your preference you may want to opt for the similar, but more expensive, Philips L’Or Barista Original Latte Coffee Capsule Machine instead. 

If you like black coffee, however, or are happy to make your own milk for cappuccinos and alike, the Philips L’Or Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule will deliver the goods. 

It comes with two coffee dispensing spouts and can conjure up a double espresso using just one coffee capsule. This not only makes it a time-saving design as you can make more than one cup of coffee at a time, but it’s ideal if you like your coffee strong. 

Exceptional’s lab tester Phillip Sowels was pleasantly surprised with the design of this machine too: ‘There were two nice surprises for me here when I opened this coffee machine out of the box,’ he says. ‘One was the double spout, which is reminiscent of a professional espresso machine portafilter. The second is the double pod holder that allows you to use of L’Ors XXL pod, which contains a double dose of coffee (hence the double spout).’ 

At 3343.7g  (7lb 6oz ), this machine is lightweight enough to easily transfer from box to kitchen worktop. There aren’t a lot of parts to assemble and the water tank lifts off easily so you can fill it up at the sink ready for use. 

When we first plugged it in and waited for it to light up, we were a little surprised to see that there is no on/off or indicator button to let you know that the machine is ready to use. There are three buttons at the back of the machine, however, that allow you to choose your coffee size and these light up when you press them. 

We needed to refer to the manual, which has a ‘brewing guide’ that clearly explains which pod suits which setting. Once we’d got to grips with this, we were confident about inserting the pods into the top of the machine and selecting the right setting for our coffee. 

Overall, we found this machine easy to use to prepare short ristrettos to taller Americanos. We found the space between the dispenser and the drip tray a little tight, however, so if you want to use tall glasses for longer coffees you’ll need to remove the drip tray. The drip tray doesn’t raise and lower so you’ll simply need to remove it to allow for extra cup space. 

To make the most of the double dispenser, you’ll also need to invest in a couple of espresso cups. Cleaning the machine was easy as the capsule bin slid out smoothly for emptying and washing and the machine can simply be wiped down with a damp cloth to keep it looking shiny.

With a double spout and settings to adjust coffee sizes from 25ml to 270ml, you’re spoilt for coffee size and strength here. 

You can use the machine to brew two coffees at once in separate cups or one coffee in a single cup, which we found easy. With up to 19 bars of pressure, we found that it works efficiently to produce rich, short and tall black coffees that taste delicious. It takes a range of L’OR Espresso single shot capsules and the L’OR Barista double shot capsules and making 25ml Ristrettos, 40ml espressos and 110ml lungos is a breeze as is increasing the coffee strength by using double-strength coffee capsules. 

We did need to refer to the manual to ensure we had the right setting, however, but once we’d mastered it the process was straightforward and the results satisfactory. 

To start with we tried making a simple ristretto and were impressed with how thick the crema came out. All we needed to do was ensure we had placed a coffee cup under the spout and then inserted the pod in the top of the machine before pressing one of the three control buttons. We haven’t found many pod machines that offer the option of a Ristretto – which is shorter and more intense than an espresso – so this added to the novelty of this design. 

We also made a 220ml double shot of lungo coffee using a XXL double capsule pod and were equally pleased with the taste of the longer coffee.

The coffee also heats and dispenses very quickly and we were able to produce an espresso in just 13 seconds. If we’re being picky, the temperature of the espresso wasn’t the hottest we’ve found when testing pod machines, but at 83c it’s good enough for your daily coffee fix. 

The instructions state that you can also adjust your drink volume by pressing down the ristretto button for four seconds. To be honest, this is not something we found beneficial or attempted more than once – as there is such a variety of single and double volume sizes to choose from we didn’t feel the need. 

Overall, we really like the fact that you can make two espressos in one go using this machine. Placing two standard size coffee cups under the dispenser is a bit of a squeeze, however, so it’s worth investing in a pair of smaller coffee glasses or a couple of espresso cups to place underneath the dispenser. This seemed to work well for us. 

‘As with all Nespresso machines, most people over extract their pods and get bitter weak espressos as a result – this machine doesn’t change this – but where it gets interesting is in its ability to use the large pods and thereby achieve more traditional brew ratios of 2 or 3-1,’ says Philip. ‘This machine can also take Nespresso Original pods as well as L’Or ones, which gives you a fair amount of flexibility.’

In terms of looks and performance in relation to how much it costs, we think this coffee machine is excellent value for money. We’ve currently seen it on sale at Amazon, which further adds to its appeal. 

The L’Or coffee pods taste great and have the same premium quality as top coffee pod brands such as Nespresso and Lavazza. While it was trickier for us to find pods to buy at our local convenience stores, we’ve seen the L’Or pods stocked in all the major supermarkets online. At around £3.50 for a pack of 10 capsules at Sainsburys, for example, we think they are reasonably priced too. 

With easy-to-use controls and the ability to produce satisfyingly tasty coffee every time really impressed us here. While buying a machine that takes L’Or coffee pods may feel like a commitment, it’s good to know that you also have the flexibility to switch over to Nespresso Original coffee pods as desired too.  

If being able to make frothy milk for lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites is a must for you, try this model instead. It has all the benefits of the Philips L’Or Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule machine, but comes with a built-in milk frother. It is, however, almost double the price.

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L'OR by Philips Barista LM8014/60 Coffee Machine

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For a similarly attractive machine with great tasting coffee pods that produces a thick crema, try the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy.

Like the Philips L’Or Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule machine, black coffees are its forte, but it comes with the benefit of smart voice and app control so you can make a coffee remotely and even play music through its speakers.

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Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy

RRP: £299

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We found that the 19-bar pressure on this coffee machine really does help to produce espressos that taste just as good as you’d get in your local coffee shop. We really like how easy it is to use the double capsule pods for longer and stronger black coffees too. 

While the machine isn’t perfect – with a drip tray that could be more ergonomic and a water tank that could have a larger capacity– we found the overall performance and results here impressive. So if you love nothing more than the taste of good black coffee with a decent thick crema, this reasonably priced and stylish design is one to consider.