Pod coffee machines are becoming very popular, as it is a very easy way to make coffee. It is not messy, and very safe too. One of the more popular machines is the L’or Barista. However, how good is it?
L’or Barista Coffee maker is great for home use. It is small, compact, and easy to operate. It is also compatible with popular pods such as Nespresso and Starbucks pods. L’or also has double spouts, meaning it can simultaneously make two small cups of coffee.
In this review, we look at the L’or Barista coffee maker. We also look at its pros and cons and we decide who should use it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Small and lightweight | No milk steamer |
| Modern design | May not survive heavier use |
| Double spout: makes two cups of coffee at the same time | Noisy operation. |
| Very simple operation | |
| Auto capsule detection | |
| Podback recycling scheme | |
| Compatible with many pod types, including refillable pods. |
What Is The L’or Barista Coffee Machine?
The L’or Barista coffee machine is a pod-based coffee machine from Philips. It is made by L’or, a French coffee company. It is a versatile and stylish machine with one-touch operation. It is also compatible with Nespresso coffee pods.
If you are looking for an easy, clean way to make coffee, check out pod machines such as the L’or Barista. The machine is made by L’or, a French coffee company known for its coffee products. These include roasts, coffee wares, and also their coffee machines.
The L’or Barista coffee machine is capable of helping you make beautiful espresso and other coffee drinks right in your kitchen.
The best thing is you can achieve a cafe-like coffee taste at home without fancy skills or expensive ingredients.
L’or is also a sleek and stylish machine with a small footprint. The operation is also simple, requiring only a simple 3-step operation. Simply feed the pod in, place a cup underneath the spout, and press the button to begin brewing.
How Do You Use The L’or Barista Coffee Machine?
The make coffee with the L’or Barista coffee machine:
- Fill up the water tank with water
- Turn on the pod machine and wait for it to warm up
- Pop open the top lid
- Put in the coffee pod of your choice, with the foiled surface facing up.
- Close the lid.
- Place your coffee cup under the spout
- Select the brew you want, and allow the machine time to brew it
- Enjoy!
One great thing about the L’or Barista coffee machine is that it is very easy to operate. You do not need fancy skills, nor do you need to brew the coffee in many complicated steps.
Here is how you operate the L’or Barista coffee machine:
- Prep The Water Tank: Start by filling the water tank behind the machine. When filling, ensure not to overfill the tank. When reconnecting the water tank to the coffee machine, ensure they attach securely to prevent leaks.
- Warm Up The Machine: Turn on the machine, and allow it to warm up. As it warms, the power button will blink. When it is ready, the buttons’ lights will light up.
- Put In The Pod: Now, pop open the top lid of the coffee machine. You will notice a round-shaped holder at the center of the lid opening. Take your coffee pod, and put it into the holder. Keep the wider, foiled side facing you.
The pod should fit into the container but not too tight. If the fitting does not feel right, ensure the pod is compatible with L’or Barista. - Close The Lid: When done, close the lid. As you close the lid, you may notice a bit of resistance towards the end. This is the machine puncturing the coffee pod, and it is normal.
- Place The Cup: Place a cup of your choice under the spout. Depending on the type of drink you are making, you may need cups of different sizes. You also may need a drip tray.
You can also place two small cups on each side of the spout to brew two small cups of coffee simultaneously. - Brew Away: Select the coffee type you plan to make, and let the machine work its magic. Choose from Ristretto, Espresso, and Lungo. Ristretto makes you a very small but intense cup of coffee, while Lungo brews a less intense but larger cup.
- Enjoy: Now that the coffee is ready, you can start sipping and enjoy it. You can also pop open the lid again and remove the used coffee pod.
What Is Great About The L’or Barista?
L’or Barista is small and lightweight and is designed for the modern kitchen. It also comes with a double spout, which few coffee makers have. It also has a simple operation and a system to detect pod sizes automatically.
Small And Lightweight
The L’or Barista coffee machine is small and compact. The machine measures 16 inches in depth x 7 inches in width and 11 inches in height (40.64 x 17.78 x 27.94 cm). Place it beside other pod machines, and you will notice the size difference.
The machine is also quite lightweight, at 11 pounds (about 5kg). This is achieved by using mostly plastic parts instead of steel. However, the plastics used are of high quality. The plastic gives off a light sheen that makes it look premium.
The plastic is also smooth to the touch, meaning it does not give you that cheap plastic feeling you may get from low-quality products.
Modern design
The L’or Barista machine has a modern design that makes it appealing to the eye. This makes the machine suitable for a modern kitchen or office pantry.
The design features black and gold, giving off that feeling of luxury and prestige. Most of the body is black, with the spout and the L’or logo on the front of the machine in gold.
There are almost no sharp angles in the design, with a focus on round shapes. This gives the machine a rather ‘friendly’ vibe and may make you want to use it.
Double Spouts
One very unique feature of the L’or coffee machine is the double spout. Most pod-based coffee makers come with a single spout, meaning the coffee will only come from one outlet.
With double spouts, there is more flexibility when brewing your coffee. For example, if you wish to brew two cups of coffee in one go, simply put two cups on the drip tray. Each cup will capture coffee from one of the spouts.
Most commercial espresso machines also have double spouts to pull two shots simultaneously. This may not look too important, but they can come in handy when needed.
Very Simple Operation
Another reason that made L’or Barista coffee machine great is its very simple operation. This is one of the features of pod-based coffee makers, but we think L’or brought it up to another level.
The machine does not come with LCD screens or fancy settings. As a result, you do not have many buttons to press.
Instead, you have only four buttons. The power button and buttons to brew a Ristretto (small cup), Espresso (medium cup), and Lungo (large cup).
To operate, simply fill up the water tank before warming the machine up. Then place the pod into the coffee maker, and place a cup underneath the spout. Finally, press the brewing style you desire, and watch the machine do its magic.
Auto Capsule Detection
The L’or Barista machine also helps to simplify the operation by having an automatic capsule detection system.
Coffee capsules of pods may come in several sizes to help brew larger volumes of coffee per brew. With some machines, you need to indicate the size of the coffee pod you use to ensure the machine pumps in enough water to make the right amount of coffee.
With L’or, however, you do not need to do that. It has an automatic detection system that can detect the size of the coffee pod you are using. As a result, it will also automatically adjust the amount of water needed to brew the coffee.
You spare yourself the hassle of pressing additional buttons. This should further simplify your coffee brewing process.
Compatible With Many Pod Types
Another thing that makes L’or Barista coffee machine great is its compatibility with many pod types. This also includes refillable pods.
The machine is generally built to take Nespresso pods. However, since many coffee companies produce coffee pods or capsules compatible with Nespresso pods, you can use them with your L’or Barista.
For example, the Starbucks pod. They are Nespresso-compatible, meaning you can use them on your L’or Barista.
However, L’or does not work with K-cups, which means you may need to get another machine if you are a fan of K-cups.
What Is Not Good About The L’or Barista?
The L’or Barista does have some flaws. First, it does not have a milk steamer, making coffee-with-milk drinks difficult. It also can be noisy in operation since it may not be sound insulated well. Finally, the machine may not last long if used heavily, such as in commercial settings.
No Milk Steamer
One of the biggest drawbacks of the L’or Barista is the lack of a milk steamer wand. This means you cannot steam milk with the machine.
As a result, if you are the kind that enjoys coffee-with-milk style drinks, the L’or Barista may not be a good idea. You cannot make your Cappuccino, Latte, or Cortado with this machine.
One way to work around this limitation is to get coffee pods that make your milk coffee directly. This may work for many, although some still prefer the ritual of steaming and pouring their own milk. Some also think fresh milk tastes better.
Noisy Operation
One of the finer issues we notice with the L’or Barista is the loud operational noise. The machine is not exceptionally loud, but the noise is at a level where it may distract conversations around it.
This may be because the L’or Barista does not have sound insulation built into the machine. Quiet coffee machines usually have insulations around the motor to help mute their noise.
It would make sense for L’or not to include insulation in this price range. Adding those would increase the production cost, requiring them to increase the prices of the coffee maker.
May Not Last Heavy Usage
When you look at the L’or Barista coffee maker, it does have great design and does its job exceptionally well. However, when it comes to the durability department, you may feel a little unsure.
This is because the L’or Barista is meant for home use, which means you do not want to use it non-stop, such as for commercial purposes. The most we suggest this machine do is as the coffee maker at the office pantry, where people make 20-30 cups of coffee per day.
Who Should Use The L’or Barista Coffee Maker?
The L’or Barista Coffee Maker is best for those who want cafe-style coffee from the comfort of their home. It is also meant for those who enjoy the convenience of making coffee from pods and is comfortable with Nespresso coffee.
After looking at the L’or Barista, we think this machine suits three types of people.
First, those who want cafe-style coffee but at home. Making cafe-style coffee takes skills, something you may not have time to hone. Use L’or Barista instead to make your barista-style coffee, and enjoy it.
Secondly, those who want the convenience of making coffee from pods. The convenience of pod or capsule coffee is unmatched by other brewing styles. If you appreciate the convenience and great coffee, the L’or Barista is a good idea.
Finally, if you enjoy drinking Nespresso capsule/pod coffee, the L’or Barista is also great. This is because this machine is compatible with Nespresso pods of various sizes.
Alex is a self confessed coffee addict – but he takes his love of caffeine seriously in a completely responsible way. He loves trying new coffees and testing the latest machines and is not usually fan of one button pod machines. Alex is happiest when he is tinkering with settings and milk temperatures to create the perfect cup. When not obsessing over coffee, Alex is a keen musician and plays weddings and other social events (usually fuelled by… yes, you guessed it… coffee).
