Core specification
19-bar pump, 1450 W heater and a 0.8-litre removable water tank.
PhilipsPod coffee machines · LM9012/60
LM9012/60
The Philips L'OR Barista Sublime is a slim, button-operated pod machine for black coffee.
0.8 L19 bar
29 original reviews to read 4 video summaries Good to know
Start your decision here
The Philips L'OR Barista Sublime is a slim, button-operated pod machine for black coffee. It takes L'OR's larger double-shot capsules as well as standard Nespresso-compatible pods, and can brew two cups at once or a double in one cup. Owners like its simplicity, compact size, good hot espresso and the freedom to use cheap supermarket pods, and many see it as a good-value Nespresso replacement. The weak points are the capsule mechanism and durability: some owners report crushed or unpierced pods, a sticking holder, or failure within the first year. There is no milk frother, and the instructions are thin. It suits people who want quick espresso or lungo without fuss, not those who want milk drinks or proven long-term durability, which independent sources have not established.
Before you buy
What the features mean in everyday use.
19-bar pump, 1450 W heater and a 0.8-litre removable water tank.
Philips says the machine brews two single espressos at once or a double espresso in one cup using L'OR Barista double-shot capsules, and that Dual Capsule Recognition sets the recipe by capsule size.
Philips lists the machine as taking L'OR Barista, L'OR Espresso and Nespresso Original-compatible capsules.
Slim footprint: 157 mm wide, 276 mm high, 402 mm deep, weighing 3.35 kg.
Black coffee only: three preset sizes (ristretto, espresso, lungo); no milk frother and no cup warmer.
UK buyers most often praise how simple it is to set up, use and clean.
Many owners describe the coffee as tasty, hot and with good crema. T3's reviewer found it extracted all makes of Nespresso capsules well, with excellent crema.
Value for money is a frequent theme; several buyers mention buying it on discount or replacing a pricier Nespresso machine.
Buyers value that it takes both L'OR's larger double-shot pods and widely available Nespresso-compatible supermarket pods.
A minority of reviews report failure within months to about a year: pump not drawing water, pods no longer pierced, or the machine stopping. Others worry the plastic capsule lever may wear.
Some owners report crushed, burst or unpierced pods and a capsule holder that sticks or is hard to close.
A few reviewers find coffee watery with standard pods, not hot enough, slow to pour or poor-tasting.
Some John Lewis reviewers say the machine comes with very little instruction, and that descaling in particular is not intuitive.
Most owners who mention noise call it quiet, and T3 found it not too noisy; a couple of reviewers found it louder than expected.
T3's reviewer found the base under the used-pod drawer to be thin, brittle plastic that could snap if pulled out carelessly.
Philips UK and John Lewis list a 2-year guarantee.
The list price is £114.99, but the machine is frequently discounted, and colour variants are often cheaper than the black LM9012/60.
Applies to the model family
Which? has lab-tested this model (first reviewed September 2023, last checked February 2026), but the score and verdict are for members only. T3 lists its pros as unique concept, two pod sizes, excellent espressos and lungos, ease of use and value.
Automatic shut-off, 0.2 W off-mode consumption and a manufacturer-stated energy class A.
Philips lists the machine as taking L'OR Barista, L'OR Espresso and Nespresso Original-compatible capsules.
Slim footprint: 157 mm wide, 276 mm high, 402 mm deep, weighing 3.35 kg.
Black coffee only: three preset sizes (ristretto, espresso, lungo); no milk frother and no cup warmer.
UK buyers most often praise how simple it is to set up, use and clean.
Many owners describe the coffee as tasty, hot and with good crema. T3's reviewer found it extracted all makes of Nespresso capsules well, with excellent crema.
Value for money is a frequent theme; several buyers mention buying it on discount or replacing a pricier Nespresso machine.
Buyers value that it takes both L'OR's larger double-shot pods and widely available Nespresso-compatible supermarket pods.
A minority of reviews report failure within months to about a year: pump not drawing water, pods no longer pierced, or the machine stopping. Others worry the plastic capsule lever may wear.
Some owners report crushed, burst or unpierced pods and a capsule holder that sticks or is hard to close.
A few reviewers find coffee watery with standard pods, not hot enough, slow to pour or poor-tasting.
Some John Lewis reviewers say the machine comes with very little instruction, and that descaling in particular is not intuitive.
Most owners who mention noise call it quiet, and T3 found it not too noisy; a couple of reviewers found it louder than expected.
T3's reviewer found the base under the used-pod drawer to be thin, brittle plastic that could snap if pulled out carelessly.
Philips UK and John Lewis list a 2-year guarantee.
The list price is £114.99, but the machine is frequently discounted, and colour variants are often cheaper than the black LM9012/60.
Applies to the model family
Which? has lab-tested this model (first reviewed September 2023, last checked February 2026), but the score and verdict are for members only. T3 lists its pros as unique concept, two pod sizes, excellent espressos and lungos, ease of use and value.
Automatic shut-off, 0.2 W off-mode consumption and a manufacturer-stated energy class A.
User experience
See the common points first, then read the original reviews yourself.
Summarised from the 142 reviews we read. A review can mention several points, so the theme counts can add up to more than 142.
Owners mostly like the Sublime as a simple, compact pod machine that makes good, hot espresso and lungo with little effort. They value using cheap Nespresso-compatible supermarket pods as well as L'OR's larger double-shot pods, and making two cups at once. Many bought it to replace a Nespresso machine and call it good value. Recurring complaints concern reliability and the capsule mechanism: crushed, burst or unpierced pods, a sticking holder, or the machine failing after a few months to around a year. A few find coffee from standard pods watery or not hot enough, and some say the instructions, especially for descaling, are too sparse. It makes black coffee only.
Summarised from 142 reviews. The summary is drawn from opinions that recur in the reviews read; each theme shows how many reviews mention it. These counts are not a rate and do not apply to every unit.
Unique text reviews counted: 79 from Currys Feefo page 1 (21 entries without text excluded), 55 UK/unspecified from John Lewis pages 1-3 (5 Australian syndicated excluded), 8 UK top reviews on Amazon.co.uk. Themes coded from visible text. Amazon's AI summary was more positive than this sample. ratings_total sums Amazon, Currys and John Lewis counts.
29 original reviews can be listed on this page. The number of reviews analysed may differ.
J*** 1/5 9 August 2026 John Lewis John Lewis native review
Shocking build quality. Stopped functioning within 1 year . . . pods not piercing. Others have commented on flimsiness and I agree. It replaced a Nespresso machine that had lasted…
B*** 3/5 11 July 2026 John Lewis
It only works for xxl pods well, so you are tied up to their brand only. Regular pods come out quite watery and not creamy.…
S*** 4/5 8 May 2026 John Lewis Syndicated review
Working 3 months good so far. I used the same machine in the office before and it was broken in 3 months. The reason is - poor design of the loading capsule mechanism.…
H*** H*** 4/5 10 April 2026 John Lewis Syndicated review, Bristol UK
The lack of a user leaflet is a negative feature. It need not be lengthy as the operation is mainly;y intuitive but descaling is not.…
A*** 1/5 22 March 2026 John Lewis
Wont pump water just makes a loud noise but you get what you pay for lets see when i return this as ill probly go back to s nesprso machine.
C*** 5/5 28 March 2026 John Lewis
Purchased recently to replace a popular latte machine. This is easy to use - set up is straightforward and size and look is great. Use it with a frother to make super latte's.…
J*** f*** B*** 5/5 21 November 2025 John Lewis
Purchased this to replace a well known expensive machine no longer in production which I had for 11 years. The Lor has decent pressure which produces good crema on my espresso.…
G*** 3/5 11 April 2025 John Lewis
Standard product, found the coffee pod section of the machine keeps getting stuck and occasionally it's difficult to press down the pod.
M*** L*** 5/5 16 August 2025 John Lewis
This coffee machine is nicer to use than other ones I have had and I have had several. It can make 2 cups at one time, one cup, or even two half cups.…
W*** 1/5 22 November 2024 John Lewis Syndicated review, North Lincolnshire
Works great unfortunately don't last, second one just packed up. Each lasted a bit over a year.…
M*** 2/5 2 February 2024 John Lewis Syndicated review
Very nice, lasted 3 months though. It stopped taking water from the tank. And it's impossible to return or fix because it's from a third party seller.
U*** 5/5 15 November 2024 John Lewis Syndicated review, Manchester
We are more than happy with this machine - it makes really good coffee quickly and remarkably quietly. The ability to make two individual cups at once…
H*** 3/5 4 January 2025 John Lewis
Wouldn't recommend I'm afraid. Coffee comes out slowly
M*** 4/5 18 November 2025 Currys LM9012/60 Black
The machine stopped working after a few days because it didn't seem to like the pods supplied with it. One burst…
L*** 1/5 6 May 2024 Currys LM9012/60 Black
Coffee tastes poor and has bits in it
Customer 4/5 17 September 2024 Currys LM9012/00 White
Got it over a month now and so far so good. I would say the coffee might not be that hot but it does the job for now…
M*** 5/5 1 February 2025 Currys LM9012/00 White
Great coffee pod machine. Lor coffee tastes great and price was very good. It is little louder than expected but not a problem.…
P*** 4/5 13 April 2025 Currys LM9012/50 Red
Best value on the market for nespresso pods. Only thing I would improve is machine telling you when the pod capture box is full…
H*** 5/5 13 July 2026 Currys LM9012/60 Black
Great coffee machine. Bought to replace a Nespresso machine. Does exactly the same for more than half the price of a new Nespresso…
A*** 5/5 7 August 2026 Currys LM9012/60 Black
Superb product, looks great, pours a great cup of coffee and takes a variety of types of pods. Love the fact you can make 2 coffee…
C*** 4/5 10 February 2025 Currys LM9012/50 Red
A basic coffee maker that utilises the L'or and Nespresso pods.…
M*** 5/5 15 February 2025 Currys LM9012/60 Black
Great product at great price would recomend . Has three settings and takes two different size pods and detects size autimaticly
D*** 5/5 4 July 2024 Currys LM9012/00 White
This is the third espresso machine. This is the best.…
j*** 1/5 11 January 2026 Amazon Red variant
very disappointing: what you need to know: you will lose unpierced but crushed pods. 3 out of my first ten were wasted. One was just squashed- with water pouring out into the cup. The temperature of the coffee immediately out of the machine in the cup was about 50c…
S*** 5/5 17 August 2025 Amazon
I have my concerns that the plastic release handle/flap/locking lever to insert new pods does feel like it won't put up with masses of wear and could become slack or even brittle at some point but only time will tell on this.…
A*** 5/5 8 September 2026 Amazon
Great looking machine works well a little bit noisy but they all are and the thing I like about it best is it dispenses the empty pod into little tray underneath inside which is good.…
J*** C*** 5/5 5 June 2026 Amazon Red variant
Well built, sturdy and where you insert the capsules has been well engineered to last, so much better than the Nespresso…
A*** 4/5 27 July 2024 Amazon
Cleaning and maintenance are hassle-free. The drip tray and capsule container are easy to remove and clean, and the machine has a descaling alert…
H*** D*** 5/5 21 September 2026 Amazon
very good machine, love the quality, easy to use and it's a big game changer to my coffee in the morning since it's very quick to use. very easy to clean aswelll. love this different options for coffee.
No reviews match this choice.
See it in use
Read the summaries; tap a moment to watch the video from that second.
4 videos · Timestamped summary
YouTube · Review
The Philips L'OR Barista Sublime is an affordable and consistent coffee machine that accepts standard Nespresso capsules as well as double-sized pods for two drinks at once. However, its 40cm depth and tall lever clearance can pose placement issues under low cupboards, and there is no temperature adjustment to keep drinks hotter for longer.
YouTube · Review
The Philips L'OR Barista Sublime is an affordable, compact capsule coffee machine that offers great value for money. It is compatible with both standard Nespresso Original pods and XXL double-shot capsules, featuring dual spouts to pour two drinks at once. Potential downsides include a somewhat flimsy capsule lever and the fact that it automatically brews immediately after heating without waiting.
YouTube · Review
The Philips L'Or Barista Sublime is a versatile pod machine capable of brewing two coffees simultaneously using XXL capsules, and it is also compatible with standard Nespresso pods. It heats up quickly, produces great-tasting coffee with customisable volumes, and is straightforward to clean. However, it is quite bulky, and both the capsules and official descaling solution are relatively expensive.
YouTube · Review
The Philips L'OR Barista Sublime is a fast-heating capsule machine offering three customizable drink lengths with support for single and double cups via XXL pods. It provides great versatility by accepting standard Nespresso and compatible third-party pods, though official capsules can be rather pricey. While its elongated footprint takes up more countertop space, it delivers quick and convenient coffee preparation at a competitive price.
Video summaries and timestamps were taken from the videos with AI (Gemini); the video itself is the source.
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Technical information with its source.
Where the information comes from, by type; each finding also links its own source.
This page is compiled from manufacturer, store, review and video sources; every piece of information links to the source it was read from. Technical values are as stated by the manufacturer or store; user experiences are summarised from the reviews read and do not apply to every unit. We do not test products ourselves.