Updated Aug. 31, 2024
Whether you crave a true espresso shot or elevated coffee that feels like it came directly from a French cafe, the L’OR Barista beats out the competition with its one-touch brews.
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Single-serve coffee makers are excellent time savers for fans of a traditional cup of joe. But for caffeine lovers who prefer the biting bitterness of a brewed espresso, the convenience alone just doesn’t cut it. After all, these machines can only prepare classic K-Cup coffee—or can they? Enter: the L’OR Barista.
The L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System is the next best thing to having a barista available on-call. This sleek, souped-up system slides right onto the countertop and delivers true, high-pressure espresso at the touch of a button. Compact enough to fit into nearly any coffee nook, the L’OR Barista is also capable of coffee and lattes in addition to espresso. Our expert Product Testers tried it alongside 13 other machines, including the very similar Nespresso Vertuo. Here’s how this pick performed.
The L’OR Barista looks similar to a Nespresso or Keurig. The black-and-white colors look cute and high-end. On the front is the brand’s logo, which actually lends itself well to the overall elevated look. It feels very expensive and French. On the top panel are four buttons corresponding to the machine’s power switch and three different brew sizes. Like a real espresso machine, the L’OR Barista uses true high pressure to brew espresso—not just concentrated coffee.
You probably already know what an espresso is, but for those who don’t, here’s a little rundown. Espresso is a coffee brewed with special espresso beans under high pressure, which creates a concentrated, smaller drink. Typically, good espresso is identifiable by the red-brown, foamy crema on top, which holds tons of flavor and adds a little creaminess to the otherwise biting taste. Mix espresso with a little foamed milk for a latte, add more foamed milk for a cappuccino, or a little hot water for a classic Americano.
The L’OR Barista absolutely excels with its classic espresso drinks. Akin to machines like the K-Mini Plus, it uses disposable pods to brew its drinks. However, unlike many other single-serve coffee machines, L’OR machines use their own proprietary pods rather than conventional K-Cups. The machine scans each pod and adjusts the brew temperature
TMB STUDIO
Like a barista at home, the L'or Barista Coffee & Espresso System capably crafts specialty drinks and real espresso—right at the touch of a button.
In our quest to find the best single-serve coffee maker, our Product Testing Team tried 14 machines in their Testing Lab. Picks include top-rated options from brands like Nespresso and Keurig. The team performed roughly 10 tests on each brewer and brewed over 50 coffee drinks, collecting more than 450 data points for this analysis. Machines ranged from the feature-rich Bruvi brewer to the splurge-worthy Keurig K-Elite. During our tests, we considered:
Our product testing team first began with a large lungo, a rich Italian coffee drink. Brewing is simple—just fill up the water tank, pop in the pod, and press the button corresponding to your desired size. There aren’t any complicated toggles or settings to navigate. Instead, the machine scans each pod and automatically adjusts the temperature and water amount. Choose your strength by shopping for the right pods.
This brew is strong—the package notes it as “Profondo, intensity 8.” The lungo offers a nice, rich crema on top and pulls nicely from both spouts in a strong, consistent stream. By design, a lungo is slightly bitter and watery, and using those metrics, the brew is perfect.
Next is an espresso, which the team brewed in a medium-sized setting. This one markets itself as “Papua New Guinea, intensity 7.” Again, the L’OR uses a nice, strong, consistent stream to pull the concentrate from the pods. There’s no splash-back, and the drink itself has a great crema on top. It’s the perfect espresso: not too bitter and very smooth.
Finally, the team tested a regular coffee brew in the medium size. This one is the “Coffee Chateau Blend, intensity 7.” Despite L’OR marketing itself as an espresso maker rather than a coffee machine, this was our favorite of all the tests. The coffee is very smooth, meaning it makes a good cup for those who like to switch between coffee and espresso. The machine itself is very easy to use, but figuring out the different types of pods and what to buy might be confusing to people. That said, the results are almost indistinguishable from cafe-style drinks. Impressive!
Each test is conducted in our product testing lab under controlled conditions. Our Product Testing Team spent an estimated 30 hours on our search for the best single-serve coffee maker, including researching, sourcing, intake and testing the products. Our Product Testing and Shopping Teams have a combined decade of experience testing and evaluating products. As purveyors of everything from the best coffee subscriptions to the best coffee products, we are passionate about our morning brew.
For this L’OR Barista review, we also consulted Sydney Manning, a former barista, Editorial Coordinator and Product Tester. Throughout the process, she guided us on what to look for in a single-serve coffee maker. We also spoke to culinary assistant Margaret Knoebel for additional insight.
First, press the on/off button to switch on the machine. Then, pour half a bottle of liquid descaler into the water tank and fill up the rest of the water tank with fresh tap water. Close the lever and place a bowl with a minimum capacity of 1.5 liters on the lower drip tray under the coffee dispensing spout to collect the descaling solution.
Next, press the “ristretto” and “lungo” button briefly at the same time. The ristretto button will flash quickly. Press the ristretto button again to activate the descaling cycle. The machine dispenses the entire descaling solution at regular intervals, which can take up to 30 minutes. When the lungo button starts to flash quickly again, the first phase of the descaling cycle has finished.
Remove and empty the bowl, then place it back onto the lower drip tray under the coffee dispensing spout. Rinse the water tank and then fill the tank with cold tap water and place it back onto the machine. Press the lungo button once more to start the flushing cycle. When the flushing cycle has finished, the ristretto and lungo buttons flash a few times to indicate the cycle is finished.
The L’OR Barista is available on the L’OR website and at most home goods stores, including Amazon, Walmart and Macy’s. Similarly, snag L’OR pods in various strengths and drink types from grocery stores or on Amazon. For those who love a good quality cup of coffee from their local cafe but barely have the time to waste during their morning commute, the L’OR Barista is the perfect all-in-one solution.
TMB STUDIO
Like a barista at home, the L'or Barista Coffee & Espresso System capably crafts specialty drinks and real espresso—right at the touch of a button.
Originally Published: July 16, 2024
