If you’re anything like me and can’t start your day without a much-needed caffeine boost, then a good-quality coffee machine is a must-have. The Philips L’or Sublime Barista has been my daily companion since I switched from my previous pod machine, a Nespresso Vertuo Plus. While both look good and make great coffee, the pods for the Philips are much cheaper – making it a winner in my book.
Argos is currently offering a 30% discount on my Philips machine, which has been reduced from £70 to £49 by using the code RED30 at checkout. At this price, it’s cheaper than you’ll find at Curry’s where its £59.99, or direct from Philips itself, where its £109.99.
Don’t get me wrong, the Nespresso Vertuo Plus is a brilliant bit of kit, but it is only compatible with Nespresso’s own pods. These cost on average 65p per pod, which meant for just 10 coffees I was paying £6.50.
In contrast, as well as being compatible with L’or and Nespresso-branded pods, the Philips machine works with generic supermarket pods from Aldi and Lidl. I can get a pack of 10 coffee pods to fit the L’or for just £1.85 in Aldi, a saving of £4.65.
I’ve found that Philips allows more variety because you can buy pods from different brands. I also like the Philips‘ dual-spout design. This means you can either brew two cups of espresso or one double espresso. You can also buy L’or branded XXL pods, which means you can get one large mug of coffee without having to keep pressing the button or using two pods.
The L’OR Sublime Barista is also a compact coffee machine, so it would fit neatly on even limited countertop space. It’s ideal if you have a small kitchen like mine. It’s really simple to use: you just need to fill the water tank to the rear, lift the lever at the front and pop your pod in and then select what size of coffee you want — small, medium or large. The drip tray is adjustable so any mug will fit.
This coffee machine doesn’t do any fancy drinks, in fact, it just makes espresso, but don’t let that put you off if you like a latte or cappuccino as you can still use this coffee maker for the base of your milky coffee drink. Just use a milk frother like the Nespresso Aeroccino3 to heat your milk.
The Philips does lack one bit of tech: the Vertuo scans the pods to determine the length and strength of the coffee, which I did find worked particularly well for precision when it came to lattes and iced coffees. Cynics would say the barcode system just stops third-party pods from being used, however.
The L’or Sublime Barista has received positive reviews from coffee lovers online. Its average rating on the Argos website is 4.6 out of five.
One user said: “Amazing price and a really good coffee maker, I’m enjoying my coffee every morning, I definitely recommend.”
While another user said: “Got a great deal on this coffee machine, to replace an expensive rival manufacturer’s machine. Coffee tastes just as good because it’s all about how you like your coffee.”
However, one reviewer did have an issue with the pod tray, which is a little on the small side and said: “I bought this coffee machine two weeks ago. The coffee was great and the crema excellent. However, too much water collects in the tray under the used capsule compartment. For six capsules, the tray is more than half full.”
