When it comes to getting your morning coffee, there’s a hierarchy of convenience. Arguably the most inconvenient method is going out into the world to fetch a cup for takeout (though that can have its rewards, for sure). Making your own coffee is convenient, but less so when you have to pick up all the essentials at the grocery store. The peak of convenience is a coffee subscription, where beans are mailed straight to your home. Here are some of the best ones—plus what you get for the price.
The fan favorite: Trade Coffee
Trade Coffee offers over 450 craft coffees and allows you to input your preferences, then picks something that is just right for you. (If you’re not into it, your next bag is free.) It’s shipped to you within 48 hours of being roasted and you either pay $15.75 per bag of classic flavors of $19.95 per bag from a pool of fancier options that vary in flavor, country of origin, and processing method.
For no hassle: Counter Culture
Counter Culture is popular on Reddit, where users point to its free shipping and best-selling $35 deal, which gets you two bags per month. It’s not super customizable, as you just get whatever they’re distributing at a given time (which rotates every two weeks), but if you don’t want to spend time filling out feedback forms and sampling the most unique or obscure brews, this one’s for you. If you find one you really like, you can just subscribe to have that one delivered on its own for about $16 for a 12-ounce bag. You’ll pick how often it ships, from one week to eight.
For penny pinching: Craft Coffee
Craft Coffee is an inexpensive subscription service that delivers one bag every two weeks for $12.99 or two bags every four weeks for $25.98. You can also pay for multiple deliveries at once to save more. Paying upfront for six saves $4.68 and for 12 saves $9.35. You get a Craft Coffee-branded bag with each delivery that is tailored to your preferences after you indicate what kind of coffee you normally drink, but you can change it at any time.
For the worldly: Atlas Coffee Club
Atlas Coffee Club is recommended by aficionados because you get a new, exotic coffee every month—plus a postcard and coffee history, so you can learn all about what went into the specific batch you’re drinking. Like Trade, if you really don’t like one month’s coffee, you get the next month’s free. You also get to select if you get ground, whole beans, or pods compatible with a Keurig or Nespresso machine. For beans and grounds, a half-bag subscription is $10, a single 12-ounce bag is $16, and two bags is $32. You can select delivery every two or four weeks.
For the noncommittal: Fellow Drops
What’s cool about Fellow Drops is that it’s not quite a subscription in the traditional sense: Every Tuesday, you’ll get a text with details about whatever coffee they’re sending out. If you want it, reply in the affirmative. If you don’t, no worries. The coffees—chosen by a tasting panel—change week to week, but you’ll usually spend about $20 per 12-ounce bag of whole beans.
For the curious: MistoBox
MistoBox is a subscription service with solid prices and a simple user interface. Depending on what tier you select and how many bags you get per order, you can pay as low as $12.71 per bag or as high as $17.95. You get one of over 500 options, curated based on your preferences, but the site includes space for you to take notes, so your preferences can evolve and become more defined over time. It’s a good option if you don’t know exactly what you’re into—or just want to branch out.
For the true novice: Bean Box
Bean Box doesn’t expect you to know what you like right off the bat. They don’t even expect you to know how to make coffee that well. On your first order, you get a tasting flight with various 1.8-ounce blends, so you can tailor your second order better. The service provides you with tips on all things coffee-related, like storage and milk frothing, and you get 50% off your first order. You can purchase annual plans or pay per month, but you’re looking at about $18 to $24 per bag, on average.
For variety: Driftaway
Maybe you’re not in it for convenience and consistency. Maybe you want to explore. In that case, try Driftaway, which offers a Coffee Explorer Box that costs $40 every month (or $38 or $36, if you pay upfront for six or 12 months) and features five different coffees in 4-ounce bags. They host virtual tastings and have a whole section of their website dedicated to education, so you can learn everything from the basics of brewing to the history of coffee to regional recipes.
