The Best Coffee Subscription Boxes We’ve Savored

Like the other subscriptions here, Mistobox has you fill out a short survey and suggests coffee suited to your tastes. There are three tiers available: basic, deluxe, and exclusive. As you move up the tiers, the price increases, and you’ll get higher-quality beans. Deluxe, for example, offers single-origin beans, espresso, and medium-roasted coffees. The top exclusive tier has “micro-lot” single-origin beans for $20 or more a bag.

With more than 500 coffees from 50+ roasters, Mistobox makes a good gift subscription, especially if you don’t know what kind of coffee to get someone. Somewhere in those 500 choices, your coffee fanatic should find something that will make them happy.

Delivery options: One, two, three, or four weeks

Great Coffee for Reducing Heartburn

Trücup

OK, you got me. Trücup doesn’t actually have a subscription service and shouldn’t really be on this list. But it’s also missing something else: acid. The low acid content of Trücup makes it a great option for coffee lovers with sensitive stomachs who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn. I am not a doctor, so if you’ve been diagnosed with GERD, make sure you talk to your physician before you try Trücup.

Trücup is still worth your time, even if you’re fortunate enough to have a stomach that can handle normal coffee. It’s a mellow coffee and my top pick for drinking in the afternoon and evenings, as it’s easier on the stomach. There is no way to subscribe, but you can order grounds or biodegradable single-serve pods to your door.

How to Get More From a Subscription

To test these subscriptions, we brewed each bag in different ways to see which beans were best suited to which brewing method. It’s worth doing the same if you have access to different ways to brew, especially if you opt for a subscription that offers a lot of variety. A roast that makes a great shot of espresso does not necessarily make the best pour-over coffee.

In the same vein, take notes on what you like and dislike. Several of these services have very nice websites where you can record your notes and mark particular coffees you liked. Take advantage of these features because you will probably forget. The coffee never stops coming with these subscriptions, which is both a blessing and a curse. If you’d like some more pointers, be sure to read our guide to brewing better coffee at home.

Destigmatizing Decaf

Coffee aficionados are a fickle bunch, and they tend to like dunking on people who drink decaf. But here’s the thing: Decaf can be good. Yes, the decaffeination process changes the flavor, and yes, you often miss out on delicate floral notes. It’s unfair to exclude people from enjoying coffee period, and talking smack about decaf coffee can also be ableist. Drinking caffeinated coffee all day can seriously impact your sleep, plus some people just can’t tolerate caffeine for medical reasons, or just don’t like the way it makes them feel or the way it interacts with certain medications. 

Coffee is for everyone! There is such a thing as good decaf, and two of our favorite services on this list offer a selection of decaffeinated coffee. Even if you’re a caffeine fiend, it can be nice to unwind with a cup of decaf in the evening—it’s especially well suited for mixed espresso drinks, where typically bold chocolatey and smokey notes can really bring a mocha to life. Even in a French press or pour-over context, decaf (or a blend of decaf and caffeinated beans) is a good pick for afternoon coffee service. No need to worry about afternoon jitters or insomnia. 

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