L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System review: espresso shot or cup of coffee?

Oh là là, this lightweight French coffee maker provides a luxury experience

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System brewing a coffee on kitchen countertop
(Image: © Future / Terri Williams)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The lightweight coffee and espresso maker is easy to set up, easy to use, and easy to clean. It can also accept a variety of single-serve coffee and espresso capsules. The lightweight plastic also makes it easy to maneuver, but the lack of studier materials may affect longevity.

Pros

  • +

    Double spouts

  • +

    Delicious crema layer

  • +

    Easy to use

  • +

    Accepts a variety of capsules

Cons

  • -

    No milk frother

  • -

    Plastic components

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The L’OR Barista is a compact yet elegant coffee/espresso maker that uses capsules. L’OR is a French brand (and the word “L’OR” means gold in French). The global brand has been in the U.S. for two years, and Philips is a manufacturing partner for the L’OR Barista.

In addition to the L’OR Barista, L’OR and also makes various types of coffee and espresso capsules. The espresso machine has a luxurious look – it’s matte black, and the company’s name is emblazoned in gold on the front of the machine. Upon closer inspection, the machine is made almost entirely of plastic, which adds to the lightweight feeling of the machine. I’ve had it for well over a year, and it’s held up well, but I don’t know how the plastic components will perform long-term.

I love the two dispensing spouts which is designed for pouring one cup of coffee or espresso. The 19-bar pump is also impressive, and the capsules provide convenience.

But how does it compare to the best espresso machines and the best coffee makers? Keep reading to find out. 

Terri Williams freelance writer
Terri Williams

Terri is a freelance writer living in Birmingham, AL. She has tested hundreds of products, including kitchen appliances, vacuums, bedding, furniture, luggage, and tech gear. Terri has bylines at Architectural Digest, Forbes, Popular Science, CNN Underscored, NBC News, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and US News & World Report, as well as Tech Radar, Homes & Gardens, and Tom's Guide. Follow her adventures @Territoryone.

Terri drinks (decaf) coffee every day, and tested the L’OR Barista on and off for over a year, evaluating design, user-friendliness, flavor, and consistency. She was allowed to keep it for ongoing use.

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: Price & availability

The L’OR Barista is available on Amazon for $189. It’s the same price on the L’OR website, but at the time of publication, it’s currently on sale for $139. It’s not cheap, but it is a fair price for a pod coffee maker with a 19-bar pump that produces a rich crema layer.

There’s not an integrated milk frother, but you can order the milk frother for $89 from lorcoffee.com separately.

Score: 4 out of 5

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: First impressions

I’ve had the L’OR Barista since it launched in November, 2022, so I’ve used it off and on for over a year and a half. I no longer have the original, brown shipping box; however, I do have the L’OR box that was inside of it. The machine arrived packed securely to protect it from any breakage or scratches.

lor barista coffee maker in box

(Image credit: Future / Terri Williams)

Full disclosure: I actually have two L’OR Baristas. I have the matte black model and when the company released the satin blanc colorway (which is black and white), I received that one as well. With the first one, L’OR really rolled out the red carpet. In that shipment, I also received an elegant black box that contained two glass coffee mugs, two glass espresso cups, and several boxes of coffee and espresso capsules.

In the second shipment, I received one box of coffee capsules and one box of espresso capsules.

The L’OR Barista uses a variety of espresso and coffee capsules. Some of the espresso options include Ristretto Espresso, Colombia Espresso, Onyx Espresso, Profondu Lungo Espresso, Ristretto Decaffeinato Espresso, Estremo Lungo Espresso, and Bonjour Coffee Blend. The boxes contain 100 capsules, and range in price from $58 to $79.

The coffee options include Le Tigre Coffee, Chateau Coffee, Decaf Coffee, Provocateur Coffee, and Vanilla Coffee. They’re available in 30-capsule, 50-capsule, and 100-capsule boxes, and range in price from $27 to $79.

L’OR also sells Peet’s Coffee Capsules, which are compatible with the machine. In addition, the Nespresso Original machine capsules can also be used in the L’OR Barista.

The machine has an easy-to-follow instruction manual. The parts are easy to clean, and there’s a used capsule drawer. In addition, the descale alert notifies me when the machine needs to be descaled.

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: Design

The machine is compact and lightweight, which makes it a good choice if you don’t have a lot of space to dedicate to a coffee/espresso machine. It looks sleek and elegant on my countertop, like a higher-end coffee maker. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that most of the components are made of plastic.

The machine itself features a removable 40-ounce water tank, two-piece coffee dispensing spout, used capsule drawer, drip tray, and cup tray.

L’OR Barista with open capsule door

(Image credit: Future / Terri Williams)

After raising the top front lever of the machine, the capsule compartment is revealed. It accepts both coffee and espresso capsules. On the back top section are the controls. There are four buttons: power, and then three icons for small, medium, and large beverages. The small button can make small espresso (1.4 ounces) and small coffee (5 ounces). The medium button makes medium espresso (2.7 ounces) and medium coffee (8 ounces), and the large button makes large espresso (3.7 ounces) and large coffee (12 ounces).

L'OR Barista buttons for making different drinks

(Image credit: Future / Terri Williams)

In the year and a half that I’ve tested it on and off, I haven’t noticed any degradation of quality. None of the plastic has melted or fallen off – the machine feels as sturdy as it did the first day that I unboxed it.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: Key specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally
TypePod coffee/espresso machine
Programmable?Yes
Brew size options1.4 ounces to 12 ounces
Water tank capacity40 ounces
Noise level56.6 dB
Heating time25 seconds
Descaling alertYes
Dimensions16”D x 7”W x 11”H
Weight16.21 pounds

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: Performance

After unpacking the coffee/espresso maker, I washed all of the parts, filled the generous 40 ounce water tank, and ran a brew cycle without capsules to rinse out any dust or debris.

The quick start guide consists of brief written instructions combined with images. (For example, there’s roughly one sentence and anywhere from 3 to 9 images per page).

Since I love coffee, my first test was to use one of the L’OR Coffee Provocateur Medium Roast Coffee Capsules. I inserted the capsule, closed the lever, and pressed the desired size button. The coffee maker heats up in 25 seconds, so it brews quickly. The finished product for this particular coffee had an aroma that included apricot, and the full-bodied flavor also had a twinge of apricot.

The 19-bar high pressure created a delicious layer of crema, which added to the rich and satisfying taste of the cup of coffee.

L'OR Barista brewing a coffee

(Image credit: Future / Terri Williams)

For the second test, I used one of the L’OR Espresso Onyx capsules. Admittedly, Onyx is not my favorite, because it has a smoky, dark taste, and a roasted, dark aroma. However, it still tasted pretty good when I added milk.

Remember, I’d also tested L’OR previously (dating back to a year and a half earlier), and that shipment included a Bonjour Blend Light Roast, Chateau Blend Medium Roast, and Vanilla Flavored Coffee. Those capsules were much more in line with my taste buds. I would not hesitate to purchase additional capsules because I found them delightful.

In fact, one thing I really like about L’OR is the ability to choose from so many different types of capsules. Whether you like light, dark, or medium roasts – or fruity, toasty, or chocolatey flavor notes and aromas, it’s easy to find something that’s pleasing to your palette.

I also like the simplicity of the appliance. There’s not a lot of fumbling around, trying to figure out what I need to do. Simply insert a capsule and choose a size. The L’OR is smart enough to recognize whether I’ve inserted a coffee or an espresso capsule, and dispenses accordingly.

The noise level is around 56dB, so it’s not quite a quiet machine, but since the beverage brews so quickly, I don’t really consider that a negative aspect.  

Cleaning was a breeze. I opened and emptied the used capsule compartment. The water tank, cup tray, and drip tray can be rinsed in warm water. L’OR advises against placing these items in the dishwasher. However, the used capsule compartment, dispensing spout, and wastewater drawer are dishwasher safe. The machine’s exterior can be cleaned with a soft damp cloth.

L'OR Barista with full capsule tray

Capsule compartment (Image credit: Future / Terri Williams)

A descaling light comes on (both the small and large buttons flash simultaneously) when it’s time to descale the machine. L’OR recommends using Philips Liquid Descaler (on Amazon) along with tap water to descale.

Score: 5 out of 5

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: User reviews

If you're looking to buy the L'OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System direct from lorcoffee.com then you'll find that your decision to purchase is verified by 984 users. On the site it has been awarded 4.6-out-of-5 stars. Reviewers share that "The taste is outstanding" and "Absolutely delicious and no mess." Another adds "...super easy to use, clean and tastes great". 

It is noted, though, that some reviewers found that the capsule doesn't drop fully and it's noisy. And another reviewer found that the machine struggled to puncture the capsule.

These experiences are echoed across reseller sites such as Amazon. Customers like how easy it is to set up and use. They also like the appearance. And yet there are reported issues with the noise and leaking.

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: Should I buy?

Swipe to scroll horizontally
AttributesNotesScore
Price & availabilityNot cheap but worth the price4
DesignEasy to use, and accepts both coffee and espresso capsules4.5
PerformanceHas a 19-bar pump and delivers full-bodied coffee with crema layer5

Buy it if...

You prefer pod coffee

If you don’t like measuring coffee grounds and would prefer to just pop a capsule into the machine, you’ll enjoy the convenience of using the L’OR Barista. It doesn’t get easier than this, and you’ll never have to worry about using too much or too little coffee.

You like both espresso and coffee

Sometimes, you may prefer to have a cup of espresso, and other times, you may want a cup of coffee. The L’OR Barista lets you enjoy both. Simply choose the preferred capsule and pop it into the machine. 

You don’t have a lot of space

The L’OR Barista has a compact shape that won’t take up a lot of countertop space – although it certainly looks good wherever you place or store it.

Don't buy it if...

You like to make adjustments

This is a simple espresso/coffee machine, and your only options are choosing coffee or espresso, and then choosing a size. If you like to adjust the temperature, strength, and other settings, you’ll be disappointed in the lack of choices.

You don’t want to lock-into capsules

Coffee grounds can be purchased anytime and anywhere. And they’re less expensive than capsules. However, you have to use L’OR capsules, Pete capsules, or Nespresso Original capsules with this appliance.  

L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System: Also consider...

If you’re willing to spend more on an espresso machine, the De’Longhi La Specialista Maesto has all of the bells and whistles, including an integrated burr grinder and bean hopper. It also has a tamping station, five temperature controls, and can make cappuccino, latte, flat white, Americano, and other drinks. However, it costs $1,159.95.

If you just want coffee, and can forgo pods, the OXO Brew 12 Cup Coffee Maker is SCA gold cup certified and it can brew both carafe and single cups (without pods). At $299.20, it’s more expensive, but the Wi-Fi capabilities allow you to control it remotely. 

How I tested the L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System

I test the L’OR Barista off and on for well over a year, trying different sizes and various coffee and espresso capsules

I tested the L’OR Barista for well over a year, off and on. When testing, I evaluated build quality, ease of use, performance, ease of cleaning, and, of course, taste.

Read more about how we test

Terri Williams
Freelance Writer

Terri is a freelance writer living in Birmingham, AL. She has tested hundreds of products, including kitchen appliances, vacuums, bedding, furniture, luggage, and tech gear. Terri has bylines at Architectural Digest, Forbes, Popular Science, CNN Underscored, NBC News, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and US News & World Report, as well as TechRadar, Homes & Gardens, and Tom's Guide.