10 best coffee subscription services for getting your caffeine fix

When joining the Rave coffee club, you can choose either the traditional (£7.95 per month) or discovery (£8.95 per month) subscription. Both include a monthly batch of a different single-origin coffee selected by the brand’s roasters. The difference between the two is that the discovery box features more unusual coffees. We tried a batch of the discovery box for cafetiere, which was the medium-roasted Honduras cafesmo (no. 167), with notes of strawberry, sweet sherry and cocao nib, and its flavours did not disappoint.

We loved the presentation of this box, too. The packaging – both the box itself and the coffee – is fun and immediately makes this feel like a treat, making it a great gift for another coffee-lover, too. The little welcome card included takes you through Rave’s production process and other facts about the brand, including its 1 per cent scheme – meaning it donates 1 per cent of all sales to environmental causes. There’s also a little brew guide included, taking you through the different methods and giving instructions for each.

There’s a description card added to the batch of coffee, highlighting the different tasting notes as well as how and where the beans are grown, and a little info about the producers too. We appreciated this extra piece of background information, which was more extensive than some others on this list, and think these facts can seriously impress dinner guests too. On the back of the card, you can scribble down your own verdict, so that, after a while, you know the exact types of coffee you prefer.

Rave is also committed to a planet- and people-friendly production process, and all coffees are delivered in compostable bags that reseal incredibly well (making it easy to store), which is worthy of some bonus points, in our book.

If you’ve ever been to one of its locations in Covent Garden, Borough Market or Bermondsey, you’ll know Monmouth coffee means business.

To get your subscription started, select your go-to method for preparing your cup of joe, your coffee profile (choosing from Monmouth espresso, decaf, light/medium roast or medium/dark roast), bag size and frequency of delivery. You can either pay per delivery or pay up front with the prepaid subscription, which is great for gifting too. For the light/medium roast option and medium/dark roast option, you will then receive a different bag of coffee each delivery, so you can discover plenty of flavours. If you prefer a more consistent option, the espresso and decaf options are the same every time.

We tried the Thiriku Kenya medium roast and its fruity notes of redcurrant and plum jam went down a treat, and the excitement was there the minute we opened the bag and got a good whiff of its contents. The coffee was of outstanding quality and was probably our favourite out of all we tasted, so we think this subscription will not disappoint. We also like the fact this is a coffee with a mission, created by Thiriku Coffee Growers Coop Society (a group of 1,770 small-holding farmers) to disrupt Kenya’s current system that favours big-name sellers over other farmers and buyers – though you do need to do some digging on Monmouth’s website to find out more about the producers of your batch, as the card included in your box only provides a little info.

The coffee comes in biodegradable/compostable bags and, when opting for the 250g bag subscription, your coffee even fits through the letterbox, so there’s no need to stay home, waiting for your delivery.

A staple across London, you might already be familiar with Caravan’s delicious coffees, but did you know you can also have them delivered to your home and incorporate them into your morning routine every day?

Caravan is the only brand on this list that doesn’t have a discount for subscriptions, so a one-off purchase will cost you the same. While this might be disappointing for some, the coffees are reasonably priced and this does mean you can easily try some of the brand’s different roasts before committing, without the hassle of having to pause, change or cancel a subscription.

Subscription options are available for whole bean, ground coffee and Nespresso-compatible pods. All of Caravan’s coffees are available on subscription, but if you’re not sure which roast you’d prefer, we recommend opting for the ‘roaster’s choice’ subscription, available for filter (£9.50 per delivery, Caravancoffeeroasters.co.uk) and espresso (£8.50 per delivery, Caravancoffeeroasters.co.uk), and let the brand’s experienced roasters select an in-season coffee for you.

We tried multiple options and were especially fond of the no boundaries brew. Besides resulting in a delicious cup of joe with vanilla, nougat and forest fruits flavours, it’s also part of Caravan’s female producer programme (the brand’s commitment to source one-third of their coffee from female coffee producers).

At the moment, the brand also offers a gift box to new subscribers with their first order of the pod discovery pack (£14.25, Caravancoffeeroasters.co.uk). The gift box has a seasonal theme and includes products from Caravan’s favourite brands. The one we received had a Valentine’s theme and included everything needed for a sexy breakfast date, and the next will feature products from female-founded businesses for International Women’s Day, which is a nice addition to the yummy coffee you’ll be having.

Whether you plan on gifting a subscription to a caffeine monster or keeping it all for yourself, Tambia has you covered. For gifting, you can choose from a three or six months subscription, starting from £9.86 per month. If the subscription is just for you, there’s an option for delivery every two or four weeks, with prices varying depending on the type of coffee you opt for.

There’s no mixed or discovery box available that lets you try out different things, so this subscription service is best for those who know what coffee they love and simply can’t get enough of it. Tambia does, however, offer 50g samples (enough for two cups) for two of its coffees: the pink bourbon (£3, Tambiacoffee.com) and house castillo (£2.50, Tambiacoffee.com), so, if you’re still getting acquainted with the brand, it might be worth trying these before committing to a subscription. Once you do, Tambia’s coffee pouches are carbon neutral and the mailing packages are made from 65 per cent recycled paper.

We really rated the pink bourbon natural light roast, which has a complex profile with notes of tropical fruits, peach and caramel. The smell of it in the morning was enough to wake us up instantly, and it tastes just fine any other moment of the day too.

Hasbean’s ‘get in my cup’ subscription is one of the most versatile on this list, sending you a different single-origin coffee every week of the year, using beans from all around the world, so you get to try a huge variety of different roasts. Each comes accompanied by an information page and tasting video, which give plenty of information on your batch, including the country of origin, tasting notes, producer and production methods. Again, something to impress your coffee-sipping guests. You can also rewatch those videos and descriptions on Hasbean’s website, in case you need a cheat sheet (we won’t tell).

We tried the in my mug edition 741, a honey-processed catuai from Bella Vista, Honduras. It was quite fruity, thanks to the bruised plum and raisin and had a sweetness of almond and cake.

You can opt for delivery ever one, two, three or four weeks and choose between a smaller 200g bag or 1kg. This certified B-corp uses compostable pouches to house the coffee, and setting up your subscription online is incredibly easy.

Not exactly coffee but, if you’re looking for a worthy alternative, this might be the one for you. We tried these mushroom and CBD-based coffees for 12 days and quickly grew fond of them. We’re quite sensitive to caffeine and, while we need our morning brew, we usually pass on coffee post-noon.

These Nootropics coffees, however, have mushrooms or CBD as their main ingredients, which deliver the same benefits we’d usually expect from our cuppa, without the crash afterwards – perfect if we want a little afternoon boost without the risk of losing sleep.

The brand’s three blends are ‘flow’, ‘zen’ and ‘mojo’ and for £12 per month you can get a box of 12 sachets delivered through your letterbox. You can opt for the mixed box, mushroom box or a box of one of the individual blends. The best part is that you don’t need a machine for these instant coffee sachets, making them accessible and very low-effort. We preferred these with some soy milk and a nice layer of froth.

London-based coffee brand Balance refers to its product as ‘healthy coffee’, as it’s tested for mould, mycotoxins and pesticides. Additionally, the packaging is recyclable, and Balance plants trees for every order received.

The brand also knows how to make you feel special – its discovery subscribers receive rare, limited edition coffees that are not available to regular customers, and it rotates the coffee, to make sure you can enjoy a bunch of different flavours. You can opt for delivery every seven, 14 or 30 days.

Balance also offers a lion’s mane coffee – the mushroom can improve mental clarity, boost energy without the jitters or crash you could experience from regular coffee, and has lots of antioxidants. Similar to Nootropics’ lion’s mane coffee, the flavour is surprisingly similar to regular coffee and this has quickly become our go-to brew post-mid-day (due to being a little sensitive to caffeine).

This one did lose points on packaging, as it was really difficult to peel open the bags without damaging the resealable strip, and we ended up cutting them open and storing the coffee in a pot instead. But, luckily, its contents did not disappoint – the Rwenzori single-origin coffee from Uganda had notes of caramel, lime and orange. Delish.

With a location within walking distance from our flat, we already knew Grind takes its coffee seriously and we’ve had some delicious cappuccinos and flat whites at its café.

We tried the brand’s Nespresso-compatible compostable pods containing its house blend, but you can also opt for a subscription on whole beans or ground coffee. Grind conveniently does the maths for you, to find out how much coffee you’ll need in your deliveries, all you have to do is tell them how many cups you have per day. You can then opt for the mixed box, pick your preferred blend or mix and match, and your coffee will be delivered every one to four weeks for pods, and every one to eight weeks for beans and ground coffee.

While taste is, of course, more important – and, trust us, the Grind’s signature Shoreditch house blend does deliver on that front too – we also loved this brand for its style. The pastel and neutral-coloured pods would look good in a glass pot on your countertop, but Grind also includes its signature pink tin, as well as a welcome booklet, with your first trial delivery, which costs less than a tenner. From then on, you will just receive a refill for your tin in the letterbox for £13.50 per delivery.

Many people are familiar with Oddbox, a brand that rescues wonky fruit and veg no one wants and compiles them into boxes for weekly delivery. Well, Odd Coffee’s concept is similar, as the brand rescues rejected coffee pods, freshly roasted beans and ground coffee from select premium roasters. For pods, this includes dented coffee pods a roaster can no longer sell – even though the product inside is still delicious. So far, the brand has saved 30 tonnes of coffee – or about 2.6 million flat whites – and all of its packaging is also either recyclable or compostable.

If you select beans or ground coffee, you can choose medium or dark roasted coffees for delivery every one to eight weeks. For pods, the options are either the ‘lucky dip’, including light, medium and dark roasted pods, or the ‘intense dip’ with stronger Odd Pods, delivered every one to four weeks.

We tried both the lucky dip and intense dip in our Nespresso machine, and most of the cups are only ever-so-slightly dented – barely visible to the naked eye. The lucky dip was our favourite, as we found some of the intense ones a little too bitter for our taste. The box containing the pods comes in handy and, thanks to its fun design, isn’t an eyesore on your countertop. It also means you don’t have to purchase a separate container for storage.

The only downside, in our opinion, is that it was quite difficult to tell which coffees were which. On Odd Coffee’s menu, you can conveniently select the batch you’ve received (as printed on the box) and see what coffees are included inside. However, some colours are very similar to each other, making it hard to identify which is the one you’re about to sip.

If you have a Nespresso machine, you don’t have to miss out on Rave’s amazing coffees, as they also produce compostable coffee pods that are available on a subscription basis. The Italian job blend was our personal favourite, but if you’re still getting to know the different blends, we’d recommend opting for the best selling bundle (£9.45 per delivery, Ravecoffee.co.uk).

You can also purchase Rave’s coffee pods as a one-off but, trust us, once you’ve tried them, you’re going to want more. To personalise your subscription, you can opt for different-sized boxes from 10 to 100 pods and deliveries every one to 12 weeks.