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Most pod coffee machines hover around 15 bars of pressure. The Philips L’OR Barista Sublime pushes to 19 — and that single number explains most of why this machine has earned 4.4 stars from over 2,300 Amazon reviewers with 1,000+ units selling per month.
But there’s more to the L’OR Barista Sublime than raw pressure. This is a philips coffee machine designed around a genuinely clever idea: a double-shot capsule system that brews two cups of espresso simultaneously from a single pod. If you’ve ever queued for your partner’s coffee while yours goes cold, you’ll understand the appeal immediately.
## What Is the Philips L’OR Barista Sublime?
The LM9012/60 is a capsule espresso machine, a collaboration between Philips and L’OR (the coffee brand owned by Jacobs Douwe Egberts). It operates on a closed pod system — but with one important twist: it accepts both the proprietary L’OR Barista double-shot capsules and standard Nespresso OriginalLine capsules. That’s a significant advantage over Nespresso’s own machines, which exclusively accept Nespresso pods.
The result is access to one of the widest capsule ranges of any pod machine, spanning both the L’OR range (which includes intensities from 5 to 13 across 30+ blends) and the entire Nespresso OriginalLine catalogue of 30+ coffees. You’re not locked into a single brand’s pods.
## Design and Build Quality
The Sublime lives up to its name aesthetically. The matte black finish is minimal and clean, the footprint is reasonably compact at 40.2 cm wide and 15.7 cm deep, and the dual spout sits prominently on the front — a visual reminder of the machine’s party piece. Build quality is solid: the drip tray pulls out cleanly, the water tank sits at the back and holds 800 ml (enough for several coffees before a refill), and the controls are a simple button interface with LED indicators.
At around 27.6 cm tall, it fits comfortably under most kitchen cabinets. The overall aesthetic is closer to a premium appliance than most budget pod machines, which typically look and feel like children’s toys by comparison.
## The 19-Bar Advantage
The headline spec matters. Espresso extraction at 15 bars is standard — most pod machines and many semi-automatic machines operate here. At 19 bars, the Sublime extracts more oils, more body, and more crema from the same capsule. Blind taste tests by coffee enthusiasts consistently show a richer, more complex cup from the L’OR Barista system compared with standard 15-bar pod machines.
This isn’t marketing spin. The physics are real: higher pressure drives more flavour compounds out of the coffee bed, particularly from the middle and late stages of extraction. The result is an espresso that’s denser and more syrupy than a Nespresso machine of equivalent price.
## The Dual-Shot System
The L’OR Barista double-shot capsule is the machine’s most distinctive feature. It’s a larger capsule containing two separate espresso portions. The machine recognises the capsule automatically and routes coffee through the dual spout — producing two 40ml espresso shots simultaneously into two cups.
The practical upside is obvious: two perfect espressos in the same time it takes to make one. For couples with different preferences (one wants a ristretto, one wants a lungo), the programmable volume control lets you pull different lengths from the same capsule into different cup sizes.
Single-shot L’OR Espresso capsules and Nespresso OriginalLine capsules work via the central spout as normal — the machine detects which type of capsule is loaded and configures accordingly. The capsule recognition is reliable: in hundreds of user reports, false detections are rare.
## App Connectivity
The Sublime connects to the L’OR Barista app via Bluetooth (iOS and Android). From the app you can adjust brew strength, set coffee volume, schedule morning brews, and track capsule usage. The app also surfaces cleaning reminders and troubleshooting guides.
In practice, most users use the physical buttons daily and the app occasionally for profile tweaking. The feature works reliably — this isn’t one of those connected appliances where the app is an afterthought. For the price, it’s a genuine bonus.
## Running Costs: The Full Picture
This is where any honest pod machine review has to be upfront. L’OR Barista capsules retail at around 35–55p each (L’OR Espresso single-shot). Double-shot capsules run 60–80p for the pair they produce. Nespresso OriginalLine pods typically cost 40–55p each.
That’s not cheap. Over two cups per day for a year, expect to spend £250–£400 on capsules alone — significantly more than ground coffee in a semi-automatic machine (where per-shot costs drop to 10–20p). The L’OR Barista Sublime is the right machine if the convenience and quality trade-off makes sense for your lifestyle; it’s the wrong machine if you want to minimise running costs.
One upside: L’OR frequently offers bundle deals including £20 capsule vouchers with machine purchases (this was available at the time of writing), which effectively subsidises the first few months of use.
## Milk Drinks
The base LM9012/60 (Black Machine) has no built-in milk system. If you want lattes or cappuccinos, you’ll need a separate milk frother or the ‘Machine with Milk Frother’ bundle variant. The milk frother bundle costs around £90 more and includes a dedicated automatic frother that heats and foams milk at the touch of a button.
For espresso-forward drinkers — those who want a strong black coffee or an Americano — the base machine is perfect. For milk drink enthusiasts, budget for the bundle or a standalone frother (Nespresso’s Aeroccino works well with this machine).
## Philips L’OR Barista Sublime vs. Nespresso Essenza Mini
The most natural comparison. The Essenza Mini retails around £89 and uses only Nespresso capsules. The L’OR Barista Sublime, currently available around £55, accepts both L’OR and Nespresso pods, brews at 19 vs 19 bars (Essenza Mini is also 19 bar), and adds the dual-cup capability. On almost every practical measure, the Sublime is the stronger machine at a lower current price.
## Philips L’OR Barista Sublime vs. De’Longhi Dedica EC685M
A different type of comparison. The Dedica is a traditional pump espresso machine using ground coffee; the Sublime is a capsule machine. The Dedica produces slightly superior espresso — ground coffee from a quality burr grinder, extracted through a portafilter, has more nuance than any capsule. But the Dedica requires a grinder, technique, and daily maintenance. The Sublime requires inserting a capsule and pressing a button. For anyone who values convenience over absolute quality, the Sublime wins clearly.
## Who Should Buy the Philips L’OR Barista Sublime?
This is the right machine for: households wanting genuinely good espresso without the learning curve of a semi-automatic machine, couples who want two cups brewed simultaneously, and anyone already buying Nespresso capsules who wants more from their pod machine.
It’s the wrong machine for: coffee enthusiasts who want the best possible espresso quality (step up to a semi-automatic with a burr grinder), or anyone with high daily coffee volume where capsule running costs become significant.
## Our Verdict
The Philips L’OR Barista Sublime LM9012/60 is the smartest pod espresso machine in its price bracket. The 19-bar extraction, dual capsule recognition, simultaneous two-cup brewing, and app connectivity combine into a package that comfortably beats every Nespresso machine near its current sale price. The capsule running costs are the one real drawback — but that’s true of every pod machine, and the L’OR system’s flexibility (accepting Nespresso pods) softens the blow.
**Rating: 4.4/5** — Best-in-class pod espresso machine; capsule costs are the only meaningful caveat.
