A cartridge dispenser having: - a receptacle delimiting a cavity for storing cartridges, optionally the receptacle comprising a lid and/or at least one transparent or translucent wall (10") for visual inspection of the cavity from outside such dispenser, e.g. to check a level of cartridges in the cavity; - a cartridge outlet for dispensing a single cartridge at a time from said cartridges, the single cartridge being dispensed in a predetermined cartridge dispensing orientation; and - a cartridge transfer device (12,13,14) for transferring cartridges from the cavity to the cartridge outlet, the cavity being so dimensioned that cartridges can be stored in bulk therein at random capsule orientations, the transfer device (12,13,14) comprising a delivery conveyor that is configured to displace cartridges from the bulk of cartridges towards the outlet and to deliver said cartridges to the outlet via an orientation-discrimination passage which ensures that the cartridges are delivered one at the time to the outlet and that each cartridge (2,2a) that is delivered to the outlet is in the predetermined cartridge orientation at the outlet, such as a passage which for each cartridge to be delivered: - maintains the cartridge orientation of the cartridge to be delivered to the outlet, when the cartridge when close to or reaching said passage is in itself in a proper position and orientation for being delivered to the outlet in the predetermined cartridge orientation; or - adjusts the cartridge orientation and/or position of the cartridge or rejects the cartridge to the bulk of cartridges in the cavity, when the cartridge when close to or reaching said passage is not in itself in a proper position or orientation for being delivered to the outlet in the predetermined cartridge orientation, optionally the transfer device (12,13,14) comprising at least one electric motor for driving the delivery conveyor, such as a motor connected to a control unit and a user-interface, optionally such dispenser comprising one or more cartridge sensors (110,111) such as at least one of: - an outlet sensor, e.g. an optical sensor such as IR sensor, for sensing at least one of a presence, an absence or a removal of a cartridge from the outlet, e.g. an outlet sensor located at the outlet; and - a cartridge availability sensor for sensing the presence of a cartridge that can be driven to the outlet, e.g. an availability sensor located at the cavity, the transfer device (12,13,14) or the outlet, characterised in that the orientation-discrimination passage is associated with or comprises or is delimited by a return conveyor that is configured to move within the cavity away from the passage cartridges that are close to or reaching the passage and that are improperly oriented or positioned to pass through the passage. - a receptacle delimiting a cavity for storing cartridges, optionally the receptacle comprising a lid and/or at least one transparent or translucent wall (10") for visual inspection of the cavity from outside such dispenser, e.g. to check a level of cartridges in the cavity; - a cartridge outlet for dispensing a single cartridge at a time from said cartridges, the single cartridge being dispensed in a predetermined cartridge dispensing orientation; and - a cartridge transfer device (12,13,14) for transferring cartridges from the cavity to the cartridge outlet, - maintains the cartridge orientation of the cartridge to be delivered to the outlet, when the cartridge when close to or reaching said passage is in itself in a proper position and orientation for being delivered to the outlet in the predetermined cartridge orientation; or - adjusts the cartridge orientation and/or position of the cartridge or rejects the cartridge to the bulk of cartridges in the cavity, when the cartridge when close to or reaching said passage is not in itself in a proper position - an outlet sensor, e.g. an optical sensor such as IR sensor, for sensing at least one of a presence, an absence or a removal of a cartridge from the outlet, e.g. an outlet sensor located at the outlet; and - a cartridge availability sensor for sensing the presence of a cartridge that can be driven to the outlet, e.g. an availability sensor located at the cavity, the transfer device (12,13,14) or the outlet,