Want to try different coffees, but not sure what you like? Are you open to experimenting with coffee flavors?
A great coffee subscription service is an amazing option for folks who want to taste test coffee and get new coffees delivered right to their door!
Subscription box services are booming in the industry of customer supplies.
It almost seems like you can subscribe for anything nowadays, be it dog food, underwear, Legos, shaving kits or meal boxes.
The coffee industry doesn’t trail behind. You can sign up to have some of the best coffee beans delivered to you (in a cute box).
I love coffee box subscriptions, and subscriptions in general, so I've reviewed the best coffee subscriptiosns for coffee lovers to try (or gift to your bff) now!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
My Top Pick  | My Top Pick | Java Planet
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| View on Amazon |
 | Counter Culture | View on Amazon | ||
 | Blue Bottle | View on Amazon | ||
 | Philz Coffee | View on Amazon | ||
 | Driftaway Coffee | View on Amazon | ||
 | Bean Box
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Tayst Pods
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Intelligentsia | View on Amazon |
Best Coffee Subscriptions in 2020
A great coffee subscription often starts with a great roaster or a reputable coffee curator. Here are my favorite single roaster coffee subscriptions and multi-roaster subscriptions to try in 2020:
Best Single Roaster Coffee Subscriptions
Best Multi Roaster / Multi Source Coffee Subscriptions
Benefits of Monthly Coffee Subscriptions
If you want to expand your horizons beyond the isles of your local grocery store, coffee subscription services are a great idea.
Here are some benefits of monthly coffee subscriptions:
- A coffee subscription service gives you a chance to explore samples of different types of coffee from all over the world
- You will be able to expand your coffee palette by testing flavor and quality of a small batch coffee before you invest in larger quantities of any coffee
- Coffee included this service are typically high-quality, speciality coffees that are new or popular
- You won't find these in your local grocery store!
- You'll impress friends with your fancy coffee options
- You'll have fresh beans always (super important to the quality of your brewed coffee)
- You'll never be out of coffee (how nice it is to hae your coffee supply on autopilot and delivered right to your door!)
What To Look For In A Coffee Box Subscription
Coffee subscription services try and "get" you by offering you something stupid to make them seem "different" from other companies. But you should be thinking about what you like most in coffee and what you want to learn about coffee.
There are a couple other things you should consider before subscribing to a coffee box service:
1. Single Origin, Direct and Locally Roasted Coffee
The coffee samples or portions in your coffee subscription box should include some good, fresh coffee.
Look to see if the coffee varieties they use include single origin or direct beans and check on the roasters they partner with.
Are they popular roasters? How many are local to great coffee roastery regions?
Where do their coffee beans come from? Is coffee sustainability part of their schtick?
If yes to all of the above, then you're likely getting better coffee, that's good for the environment too.
2. Coffee Quantities You Need
Next, consider what quantities of coffee you need.
Would you rather get many small packages of different types of coffee from distant locations or a large package of one type of coffee in each shipment?
Tasters, you may want to start with a coffee box that has multiple coffee options each month or each quarter so that you can taste test a variety of coffees in a short period of time.
For long-time coffee drinkers who know what they like, try a subscription coffee box that gives you a healthy package of one or two coffees each month. These tend to be more customizable, and you can get your monthly or weekly coffee fresh and to your door.
The nice thing about this type of subscription box is that you can match your coffee taste to try different roasters or brands of the same variety.
It'll help keep things interesting each month, while exposing you to more roasters around your coffee preferences.
3. Customization Options for Your Coffee Box
Some suppliers of subscription coffee boxes send only coffee, while others provide some additional perks like filters, recipes, flavor guides and more. Do you need these?
I personally want majority if not all coffee in my box, but is great if you're looking to grow your coffee-related collection at home or give a gift.
A coffee subscription that includes tools, accessories and fun stuff for coffee lovers is an awesome present in the mail (for anyone that does a beauty or other type of fun box in the mail, you know what I'm talking about).
It’s always a good idea to check the reviews of people who already purchased the box and read what they think about it.
Unboxings can help give you a sneak peak into what other subscribers are getting that month or in previous months and their reviews.
Watch this example of a coffee subscription unboxing:
4. Coffee Delivery Frequency
One more thing to consider is the frequency of your coffee subscription boxes delivery.
Naturally, more frequent deliveries of larger batches of coffee are more cost-effective.
Most coffee subscsriptions do monthly deliveries, but some doweekly or bi-weekly deliveries for smaller batched coffees.
I'd weigh cost to freshness here: You want to try to get shipments you'll use completely before your next batch is delivered and have the coffe beans be the freshest possible for your pricepoint.
How Much Do Coffee Subscription Services Cost?
Top national coffee companies can offer more competitive prices compared to local coffee businesses who roast small batches of crafted products.
A quick Google search shows that prices for a coffee box start with $15 and can go far beyond $100 per box.
As a rule, when you subscribe for a coffee box delivery, you pay in average 5%-15% less compared to what you would pay getting every separate product in a store.
What’s more, many coffee blends you can subscribe to are not found in a grocery store or a local coffee shop.
If you subscribe to a bad coffee box subscriber, you will waste your time and money.
I’d hate this to happen to a true coffee lover.
Check out my picks for the best coffee subscriptions below:
Products Reviewed
Best Single Roaster Coffee Box Subscriptions
There are many roasters who offer subscriptions to their coffees direct. This is a great option if you know which coffee you like best, and want to have it delivered to your door regularly.
I especially love this type of coffee subscription service for coffee I've tried in a different state or is harder for me to pick up.
Your favorite roaster likely offers a subscription! Check their website! If you’re looking to discover some of the most well-known independent roasters, here are a few that I love oh-so-much:
Founded in 1995, Counter Culture has been one of the leaders in the specialty coffee movement, highly focused on sustainability and quality.
Counter Culture coffee is known for great coffee beans and taste, and their direct coffee subscription service lets you choose delivery timing.
You can get Counter Culture coffee delivered every week to every month.
Out of San Francisco, Philz Coffee may be one of my favorite coffee brands. 100% Arabica, they are pour over purists. This is where west coast coffee lovers go for a great morning cup.
And yes, they have a coffee subscription service. Hallelujah!
Philz will deliver any of their beans direct, in 12 oz bags, at the frequency of your choice.
Blue Bottle is an up-and-comer in the specialty coffee scene, and they have a ton of die-hard fans already.
Their coffee subscription service is awesome, as you get coffee beans delivered within 48 hours of roasting for ultimate freshness (mantra of Blue Bottle).
This subscription allows customers to choose their favorite type of coffee, in their preferred size, to be shipped when it’s most convenient for them., which is a differentiator compared to most coffee subscription services.
The fact that Intelligentsia out of Chicago has a direct to consumer coffee subscriptions service shouldn't be understated!
Intelligentsia coffee is one of those roasters you'll find served in some of the best hotels, resorts and of course local coffee shops, around the country.
Their tagline is "Great coffee is not the result of chance." I couldn't agree more!
Driftaway Coffee is run by a husband and wife team out of Brooklyn, where they roast their beans.
The first time you order, four different samples are sent to you. You pick the one you like the best, and after that, the coffees sent to you will be specific to your tastes.
This is a great subscription for someone who wants a single, great roaster they can count on, but isn't sure what coffee they want yet.
Driftaway Coffee ships to you within 48 hours of roasting, every two weeks. You're getting fresh, awesome coffee to your door, always.
Best Multi Roaster / Multi Source Coffee Subscriptions
Here are 3 coffee subscription boxes for coffee lovers who are looking for variety (multi-roaster / multi source):
In case you are looking for Keurig K-Cup compatible coffee pods, Tayst Medium Roast Coffee Pods could be the right product for you. In this box, you will get samples of medium-roast gourmet coffee grown in Rainforest Alliance farms. Their medium-roasted coffee comes in nature-friendly compostable and biodegradable pods. You can save 5% now and up to 15% on auto-deliveries of these coffee boxes.
Advantages:
- Freshly roasted
- Eco-friendly packaging
- Completely compatible with any Keurig machines
- Great package design makes this coffee box suitable for a gift.
- Reasonable price
- Friendly customer service
Drawbacks:
- Medium roast coffee tastes slightly watered down to dark roast fans
- Sometimes these pods leave coffee residue in a cup
- 4 gourmet coffees from the top small-batch roasters in Seattle
- Shipped right after roasting
- Best products from small local businesses
In this sampler pack, you will get four gourmet kinds of coffee from the best small-batch roasters in Seattle. There is about half a pound of fragrant freshly roasted coffee in a box. The box is beautifully designed, which makes it a cute present for a coffee lover. Having subscribed to this coffee provider, you will get new tastes in every shipment. This way, you will be able to experience single-origin brands, artfully crafted especially for you.
Advantages:
- Roaster before delivery to ensure bean freshness and perfect aroma
- Support of local small businesses.
- Different handpicked gourmet coffees every month
- Kind personalized note in every box
- Exclusive coffee that cannot be easily found elsewhere
Drawbacks:
- Quite pricey
- Every bag is enough for several cups of coffee only
- You will get new tastes every time, and you might not like some
If you are searching for an environmentally friendly coffee, grown with respect to the farmers and to the planet, Java Planet coffee beans could be the right product for you. This coffee roasted in small batches, so that you get the best possible taste and flavor in every cup. Java Planet sampler pack contains Grade A gourmet Arabica coffee beans selection. There are 6 packs of coffee in total. In this pack, you get Sumatra, Peru, Good Morning, Espresso, Guatemala and Columbia coffee.
Advantages:
- Whole bean variety organic coffee
- Grade A beans only
- Ultimate flavor, freshness and taste
- Roasted in small batches before delivery
- High quality burlap bag packaging great for gifts
- Never bitter or burnt
- Fair trade
- Grown in a bird-friendly manner
Drawbacks:
- Sampler packs are quite small, each one is enough for six to eight cups of coffee.
- Quite pricey
My Top Pick: Java Planet
My top pick is Java Planet - Coffee Beans box. What I love most about this particular product is that the supplier cares about the environment, as well as about the health of the customers.
It’s nice to know that every box contains only Grade A beans that are not processed with any harmful chemicals. Six tastes of Arabica from all over the world should be enough for every coffee snob to choose from.
Never bitter or burnt, these beans provide utmost joy and refreshment in every cup.