The thinnest double-shot capsule machine

A compact, more affordable L’OR Barista that keeps the Sublime’s double-shot brewing and both capsule sizes, engineered by re-nesting 80% of the existing components around a simplified brew chamber.

8 cm

machine width

80%

components reused

cups brewed at once

S + XXL

capsule sizes

12 cm

L’OR Barista Sublime

8.4 cm

Nespresso Essenza Mini

Problem statement

The machine was bigger than it needed to be

The L’OR Barista Sublime faces complaints about its large size and high cost compared to competing machines. Its lever-based brew chamber design contributes to its bulk and expense. JDE wanted a more compact, cost-effective version of the Samba appliance (branded as L’OR Barista) that keeps the existing internal components largely unchanged to minimise retooling costs.

Design challenge

Smaller and cheaper, with the same brewing unit

Develop a smaller, more affordable L’OR Barista machine that retains its ability to brew both standard and XXL coffee capsules, preserving the core internal mechanism to avoid significant manufacturing alterations.

Hard requirements

Appear more compact than the L’OR Barista Sublime

Cost less than the Sublime

Simplify the brew chamber

Accept both capsule sizes

Be intuitive and user-friendly in use

Prevent leakage and burns

Mostly reuse the Sublime’s architecture and components

Soft requirements

Allow different colour and material options

Appear more compact than competitors’ compact machines

Include sound-dampening to minimise noise

Fingerprint-resistant, easy-to-clean materials

Robust components for long-term reliability

Built-in milk frother

Adjustable temperature settings

Support a wider variety of capsule brands

Struck-through wishes were consciously dropped to protect size and cost.

Design process

From research to the final design

A four-stage process with JDE, Philips/Versuni and Craftworks, each stage ending in a decision.

Observation

Problem statement & design challenge

L’OR Barista Original vs Sublime

Customer reviews analysis

Optical illusions & smallest capsule machines

List of design requirements

Observation

Problem statement & design challenge

L’OR Barista Original vs Sublime

Customer reviews analysis

Optical illusions & smallest capsule machines

List of design requirements

Ideation

Individual and team ideation

Generative AI renders

Brew chamber focus

Concept selection

Ideation

Individual and team ideation

Generative AI renders

Brew chamber focus

Concept selection

Concept creation

3D concepts and IP check

Carrier model, coin pocket, capsule railways

Three concept directions

4th → 1st CAD models

Concept creation

3D concepts and IP check

Carrier model, coin pocket, capsule railways

Three concept directions

4th → 1st CAD models

Final delivery

Final model and 3D printing

Product prototyping

Photoshoot and 3D renders

Final presentation

Final delivery

Final model and 3D printing

Product prototyping

Photoshoot and 3D renders

Final presentation

Ideation

Sketches that narrowed down to three directions

Individual and team ideation explored where capsules travel, how the head opens and where waste goes. Then every idea was scored against the requirements.

1st

L’OR Barista Carrier

76%

Developed further with Craftworks

2nd

Selected direction

L’OR Coin Sliders

88%

Highest score, checked against Nespresso patents

3rd

L’OR Express + extra parts

68%

To be developed as a separate accessory

3D modelling

Modelled in CAD, then printed and assembled

The coin-slider direction was modelled in Fusion 360 and moved to SolidWorks for detailing. Variants 1A to 2B explored head openings and stripes before parts were sliced in Ultimaker Cura and printed for fit checks.

Fusion 360

SolidWorks

Ultimaker Cura

KeyShot

Variants 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B

Colour-coded component layout

Iterations side by side

3D printer

Assembly bench

Architecture

The same parts in a new layout

The Sublime’s priority is width, then height, then length, and its widest parts are the heater, the PCB board and the brew chamber. So we re-nested the existing parts into a tighter layout.

L’OR Barista Sublime

Sublime internal architecture, colour-coded components

L’OR Barista Petite

90°

Heater

rotated by 90°

45°

PCB board

rotated by 45°

Brew chamber

simplified, see next section

80%

Same components

carried over from the Sublime

Key points of the new layout

PCB is not placed close to the heater

PCB and buttons sit next to each other

Short coffee flow

A nesting frame for each component, with extra space between

Brew chamber

From a hinged pistol to two spring-loaded sliders

The old chamber moves the pistol on hinge joints along tracks for dynamic movement. The new one drops capsules into a pair of spring-loaded sliders on simple tracks for static movement: fewer moving parts, a narrower body.

Old brew chamber / Sublime

New brew chamber / Petite

Capsule sliders

Spring-loaded or flexible rubber

Work for standard and XXL capsules

Pivot by 45° to let the pistol reach the stud plate

Position the capsule at a leaning angle to reach the pistol

Capsule brew process

How a capsule is brewed

Every step was checked in section views of the assembly, so the mechanism works for both capsule sizes before anything was printed.

Open the lever on your L’OR Barista Petite

Switch the lid up to brew XXL capsules

Place the XXL capsule into the pocket hole

The sliders catch the dropped capsule

Close the lever to push the pistol and pivot the sliders

Open the lever to drop the brewed capsule into the waste bin

Dimensions

Smaller than ever

Priority: width over height over length. The Petite loses 97 mm of width against the Original while keeping the two-cup drip tray.

Petite

W 83 mm

Sublime

W 125 mm

Original

W 180 mm

Original

Sublime

Petite

Width

180

125

−65

−97

Height

280

258

−22

230

−50

Length

400

385

−15

381

−19

Final design

Premium feel, legacy consistency

The Petite keeps the L’OR Barista language (gold accents, the round head, two spouts) in a body built around reused parts.

Slim shape, 8 cm

For standard and XXL capsules

Drip tray for two cups

User-friendly three-step brewing

Simplified brew chamber

80%

Reused pieces

Capsule waste bin

Premium feel, legacy consistency

Let’s talk about the role

Beck is open to UX, Product, and Industrial design roles in the Netherlands.

Get in touch

View CV

LOCATION

The Hague, NL

STATUS

Available now

ELIGIBILITY

Work eligible in NL, EU, EAEU

QUICK RECRUITER SUMMARY

Selected work

Philips, JDE Peet’s, bol.com, Miro, BurgerKing

Focus

Digital tools, physical products, brand systems

Collaboration

Product, engineering, stakeholders

beck@prat.design

Connect with Beck

Let’s talk about the role

Beck is open to UX, Product, and Industrial design roles in the Netherlands.

Contact

View CV

LOCATION

The Hague, NL

STATUS

Available now

ELIGIBILITY

Work eligible in NL, EU, EAEU

QUICK RECRUITER SUMMARY

Selected work

Philips, JDE Peet’s, bol.com, Miro, BurgerKing

Focus

Digital tools, physical products, brand systems

Collaboration

Product, engineering, stakeholders

beck@prat.design

Connect with Beck

PRAT

Beck

Projects

Contact

The thinnest double-shot capsule machine

The thinnest double-shot capsule machine

The machine was bigger than it needed to be

The machine was bigger than it needed to be

Smaller and cheaper, with the same brewing unit

Smaller and cheaper, with the same brewing unit

From research to the final design

From research to the final design

Sketches that narrowed down to three directions

Sketches that narrowed down to three directions

Modelled in CAD, then printed and assembled

Modelled in CAD, then printed and assembled

The same parts in a new layout

The same parts in a new layout

From a hinged pistol to two spring-loaded sliders

From a hinged pistol to two spring-loaded sliders

Capsule sliders

Capsule sliders

How a capsule is brewed

How a capsule is brewed

Smaller than ever

Smaller than ever

Premium feel, legacy consistency

Premium feel, legacy consistency