This £79 espresso machine is an ideal Valentine’s gift for the coffee lover in your life

The model delivers intense flavour as our former barista, Eve Rowlands, attests as she uses it in her home

While Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, nothing says ‘I love you’ more than small, romantic gestures that tug on the heartstrings in everyday life. One of those little things is, undoubtedly, a fresh coffee in the morning delivered in bed. And for those who prefer a barista-style latte over an instant cup of coffee, don’t have to spend hundreds of pounds on a top-quality machine.

With a range of pod espresso machines costing less than £100, especially on sale, it’s the perfect way to get that coffee-shop style brew without the added expense. One such gadget that has been a welcome addition to my own kitchen – as a bit of a coffee snob and former cafe barista – is the L’OR BARISTA Sublime.

Costing £79.99 down from £109.99 currently, the L’OR BARISTA Sublime comes in a range of colours, including white, red and black (I have the black) and is perfect for smaller kitchens due to its compact size – it measures at 157 x 402 x 276 mm.

Compatible with a range of coffee pods, including L’Or’s own as well as supermarket own brand, Nespresso and more, the machine is mess-free thanks to its lack of coffee grinding. Most bean-to-cup machines need, and is ideal for those who need something relatively speedy in the morning.

All it requires is a full water tank – which is detachable and located at the back of the slim coffee machine – and a pod to brew the perfect coffee. Now, one thing that did take me a few goes to get the hang of was that it has three different coffee settings (for an espresso, ristretto or lungo) based on the size of coffee capsule it uses.

As someone who’d only used bean-to-cup machines before, figuring out which setting suited my coffee needs best with the L’OR machine was a bit of trial and error. Although for those who enjoy a latte, it’s ideal as it delivers a single or double espresso (the latter is what all coffee shops use) over which frothed milk can be poured.

Now this machine doesn’t usually come with a milk frother, unless picked with the bundle offer – Machine + Milk Frother + 100 capsules – L’OR BARISTA Absolu Satin White, this costs £114.99 down from £233.88.

For those who don’t want a separate coffee frother, a bean-to-cup machine might be best, such as this simple Breville Prima Latte One-Touch Espresso Maker, £149.99 from £199.99 on Amazon. Its Auto-Frothing technology creates hands-free, velvety smooth microfoam, which is added to drinks before the espresso shots are poured in, delivering a streamlined coffee shop experience at home without any skills needed.

Although for shoppers who prefer the simplicity of a pod machine, the Vertuo Plus Coffee Machine costs £89, down from £179 and is similar in style and design to the L’OR machine. Although this Nespresso gadget is only compatible with Nespresso Vertuo capsules, it may be a drawback.

However, the L’OR BARISTA Sublime is a pretty nifty machine and its 19 bars of pressure offer drinks worthy of a barista in just a few seconds. I’m not the only one who has been thoroughly impressed by this little kitchen appliance, as it’s received a 4.8-star rating from shoppers, with one review reading: “Far better than my last machine. Great flavour to the coffee, and the milk frother is awesome.”

Another raved: “It’s an excellent little machine. It easily makes very good coffee very quickly with no fuss or preparation. The coffee looks inviting, smells attractive and tastes great.”

“Superb!” shared someone else, adding: “Love the design and the quality…easy to use and better than others I have had in the past from other brands of coffee…so A+++.”

The only downside some people noted was that the bin which the capsules fall into is something a little tricky to empty – one person noted: “Looks great – a bit fiddly to empty the bin part.” Although this hasn’t been a major theme in reviews, with most people sharing the view of this review: “Absolutely love mine, cant believe i waited so long to get one. It completely outshines other coffee machines ive had and looks so sophisticated.”