Brews two espressos at once from one L'OR Barista double capsule, and also takes single L'OR and Nespresso Original-type capsules.
Updated
- None Milk system
- 0.8 L Water tank
- 27.6 cm Height
- 2 years Warranty
Pros
- Brews two single espressos at once, or a double into one cup
- Recognises single and double capsule sizes and sets the volume
- Also takes Nespresso Original-compatible capsules
- Each drink volume can be reprogrammed, separately for single and double capsules
- Drip tray, capsule drawer and spout are dishwasher-safe
Cons
- No milk frother and no app
- Descaling can take up to 40 minutes
- Only citric-acid descalers are allowed
- The water tank is not dishwasher-safe
- Best for
- Couples and households that often make two espressos at the same time and want a choice of capsule brands.
- Not for
- Milk-drink lovers who want frothing built in, or Vertuo pod users.
Our verdict
The L’OR Barista Sublime, made by Philips, has one trick of its own: put in a L’OR Barista double capsule and it brews two espressos side by side, or one larger drink into a single cup. It recognises the capsule size by itself, and it also takes single L’OR Espresso capsules and the Nespresso Original-type capsules that Philips lists as compatible, so you aren’t tied to one brand.
Three buttons cover ristretto, espresso and lungo, at 25, 40 and 110 ml per cup by default, doubled for a double capsule. Each volume can be reprogrammed, separately for single and double capsules. A Grand Café Filtre capsule makes a 220 ml filter-style cup once you peel off its seal and move the cup platform down to the lower tray. There is no frother and no app.
Cleaning and running costs
Once a week, clean the coffee circuit: with no capsule in, close the lever and press lungo, twice. Rinse and refill the tank every 24 hours. The drip tray, cup tray, capsule drawer, waste-water drawer and spout can go in the dishwasher; the tank can’t. Descaling is the long job. When the ristretto and lungo buttons flash quickly after brewing, mix half a bottle of L’OR Barista descaler (CA6530, so one bottle covers two descales) with water, put a 1.5-litre bowl under the spout and hold both buttons for three seconds. It takes up to 40 minutes plus a three-minute flush. Philips allows citric-acid descalers only, and warns that a descale done wrongly leaves scale behind that builds up faster and can damage the machine for good.
Owner reports
The only owner reviews we could read for this machine came from one source, L’OR’s own UK shop. We read 32 there: the 20 newest and the 12 lowest-rated, so complaints are over-represented. Many owners like the coffee and find the machine easy to use, and several like the choice of capsules it takes. Two reported pods that sometimes fail to pierce, one a lever that won’t always press down, and one a machine that kept stopping until cleaning cycles no longer helped. A couple found the espresso weak. That is a handful of reports from a skewed sample, not a failure rate.
Who should look elsewhere
If you want milk drinks, nothing for milk is built in here; the Sage Nespresso Creatista Plus runs on Nespresso Original capsules and adds an automatic steam wand. If you mostly make one espresso at a time and space is tight, the Nespresso Essenza Mini is about half the width.
Compare it with every pod machine we track, or see where it sits among the best pod coffee machines.
Philips L’OR Barista Sublime specs
- None Milk system
- 0.8 L Water tank
- 27.6 cm Height
- 2 years Warranty
Milk
| Milk system | None |
|---|
Drinks
| Cup sizes | 3 |
|---|
Size
| Water tank | 0.8 L |
|---|---|
| Width | 15.7 cm |
| Height | 27.6 cm |
| Depth | 40.2 cm |
| Weight | 3.35 kg |
Coffee
| Heat-up time | not listed |
|---|---|
| Pump pressure | 19 bar |
Ownership
| Warranty | 2 years |
|---|
Features
| Power | 1,450 W |
|---|---|
| App control | No |
Manufacturer figures, checked 2 Nov 2026. — means not listed.
Where to buy the Philips L’OR Barista Sublime
- Philips£114.99Go to Philips (opens in a new tab)
- John Lewis£114.99Go to John Lewis (opens in a new tab)
Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.
L’OR Barista Sublime questions
Can the L’OR Barista Sublime use Nespresso capsules?
Yes, Original-type ones. Philips lists L’OR Barista, L’OR Espresso and Nespresso Original-type capsules as compatible, so the machine isn’t tied to a single brand. It doesn’t take Nespresso Vertuo pods, which are made for Vertuo’s own barcode-reading machines. With L’OR Barista capsules, it recognises single and double sizes and sets the volume to match.
How do I make two coffees at once on the L’OR Barista?
Use a L’OR Barista double capsule. The machine recognises it and brews two cups at once, or one large drink if you put a single cup under the spout. A double capsule doubles the default volumes, which are 25 ml for ristretto, 40 ml for espresso and 110 ml for lungo per cup. Single L’OR Espresso capsules make one cup.
How do I descale a L’OR Barista machine?
Descale when the ristretto and lungo buttons flash quickly after brewing. Mix half a bottle of L’OR Barista descaler (CA6530) with water in the tank, put a 1.5-litre bowl under the spout and hold both buttons for three seconds. The cycle runs for up to 40 minutes, then a three-minute flush. Philips says only citric-acid descalers are suitable, and a wrong descale can damage the machine permanently.
Why are the lights flashing on my L’OR Barista?
It depends on how they flash. A button flashing slowly means a drink is being made; flashing fast means the water tank is empty. All three buttons flashing means the machine needs about two minutes to cool down. The ristretto and lungo buttons flashing quickly just after a brew is the descale alert, so plan a descale soon.
Can L’OR Barista parts go in the dishwasher?
Most of the removable parts can. Philips lists the drip tray, cup tray, capsule drawer, waste-water drawer and coffee spout as dishwasher-safe; the water tank is not, so rinse it by hand and refill it every 24 hours. Once a week, clean the coffee circuit by pressing lungo twice with no capsule in and the lever closed.