L’OR Lungo Profond (Dolce Gusto Compatible)
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Verdict
The Dolce Gusto budget compatible. 25p per cup, holds up against Nescafé's own at 33p, marginal taste difference.
What machines does this work in?
Fits all Dolce Gusto machines (Genio S, Genio S Plus, Mini Me, Piccolo XS, Krups). Will not fit Nespresso or Tassimo.
Pros
- Cheapest DG-compatible on Amazon UK
- Flexible at both espresso and lungo settings
- Undercuts Nescafé own by 8p per cup
Cons
- Slight batch-to-batch variation in aroma
- Light body for milk drinks
The budget compatible that holds its own
L’OR’s Dolce Gusto-compatible range exists because Nescafé didn’t lock the system down with patents the way Nespresso did with Vertuo. The Lungo Profond is the line’s bestseller in the UK, sold on Amazon at £10 for 40 capsules, which works out to 25p per cup. Subscribe and Save brings it to about 23.75p.
The pod is plastic-shelled, the same construction as Nescafé’s own. It pulls through the 15-bar Dolce Gusto pressure system without issue, and the resulting cup is closer to a lungo than an espresso in body and length.
How it tastes
Lungo Profond pulls at the lungo setting (around 110ml) as a longer, milder shot than Nescafé’s own Espresso Intenso equivalent. The roast leans medium-dark with notes of dark chocolate and a slight earthiness. Cream layer is thin but stable. The flavour is honest, neither outstanding nor weak.
The cup is also drinkable at the espresso setting (about 40ml), where you get a more concentrated version of the same flavour. Most Dolce Gusto users will find Lungo Profond more flexible than Espresso Intenso because of this. It works at both volumes.
In milk drinks, Lungo Profond is not as strong as the dedicated milk-coffee pods. You’d need to brew it at the espresso setting (40ml) and froth your own milk separately to get a proper flat white, and at that point you’ve lost most of the convenience that pushed you toward pods in the first place.
Where it falls short
Two limitations matter. First, the batch-to-batch consistency isn’t quite at Nescafé’s level. We’ve drunk one box where the aroma was noticeably weaker than the others, out of roughly six bought over the past year. This is the same complaint that applies to L’OR’s OriginalLine Ristretto, and the same source: JDE Peet’s manufacturing variance.
Second, Lungo Profond doesn’t have a clear positioning in Nescafé’s range. It’s not the strongest pod, not the lightest, not the most authentic-tasting Italian style. It’s a competent generalist, and that’s both its main attraction and its main weakness.
Bottom line
If you have a Dolce Gusto machine and your goal is to keep the per-cup cost down without dropping to the cheapest unbranded options, Lungo Profond is the right answer. The 25p per cup beats Nescafé’s own range by 8p per cup, and the cup quality is broadly equivalent.
If you specifically want a strong intense espresso shot, Nescafé Espresso Intenso is the slightly better pull at 33.25p per cup. If you mostly drink Dolce Gusto for the convenience of cappuccinos, this isn’t the pod for you, head to the dedicated two-pod Cappuccino sleeve.
Subscribe and Save through Amazon brings the cost to about 23.75p per cup at the 15% tier.
