My ideal workday morning: I sidle up to “my” table at the local artisan roastery, toss a nod to my pals behind the counter, sit back, check Slack, and wait for my perfectly made pour-over to arrive. But that’s not my everyday reality, and it’s probably not anything like yours, either. If you want exceptional coffee but can’t get it—or if you simply hate shopping IRL—online coffee subscriptions can scratch that particular itch. You can find a huge variety out there, with some subscriptions offering beans from a specific roaster, others culling them from an array of nationwide micro-roasters, and still others focusing on specific regions or coffee styles.
Lots of us at Wirecutter use them, and here are a few of our favorite services. Though we haven’t tested these side by side (yet), all of these have been vetted and used (sometimes for years) by Wirecutter staff.
But first, how we’re brewing
The coffee lovers on our staff use a wide assortment of brew methods, from drip coffee makers to French presses to pour-over. If you’re trying to figure out which one will work for you, our guide to finding the best coffee maker should help. How you grind and brew your beans will make a difference when it comes to the texture and flavor of your cup.
Atlas Coffee Club
Who this is for: Someone eager to try coffees from around the world.
Frequency: Available every two weeks or every four weeks.
Why we like it: There are a lot of great coffee subscriptions out there, but most of them stick to the same few ultra-popular regions when it comes to sourcing: Ethiopia, Colombia, and maybe Sumatra. Atlas Coffee Club is different, since its whole ethos is about exploring the entire world of coffee.
Each month’s coffee comes from a different country, including destinations as diverse as India, Nicaragua, and Peru. Coffee is about terroir as much as wine is, so it’s fascinating to compare the beans that come from different regions, especially from places whose coffee you may not have tasted before.
Since Atlas works directly with farmers in each region, it’s also able to experiment and innovate in how its beans are produced—for example, a recent project involved using anaerobic fermentation with a rare Indian coffee to get unique fruity flavors. Each month’s package includes a postcard with fun facts about that country’s coffee industry, and you (or your gift recipient) can select roast and grind preferences.
In addition to offering its beans whole or ground for a variety of different brewing methods, Atlas will also send you the same coffee in Keurig or Nespresso pods (though we haven’t tried those options).
Trade Coffee
Who this is for: Someone who wants to try a variety of coffees from high-end roasters.
Frequency: Available every week, every two weeks, or every three weeks.
Why we like it: Trade is my go-to service for everyday coffee, and the reason is simple: It provides the best selection of high-end roasters with intelligently curated recommendations.
When you sign up, you take a quiz that asks about things like your coffee experience level, what you use to brew, and your flavor preferences. Armed with this info, it recommends specific single-origin coffees and blends—in my experience, these recommendations have been remarkably accurate.
You can also thumbs-up or thumbs-down the coffees you receive and leave notes on why you do or don’t like them, all of which factors into future recommendations. It’s easy to manage your queue, too, and you always have new roasters to try, which keeps my morning cup interesting.
You can order whole beans, or get them ground for any of 10 different brewing methods, ranging from pour-over to refillable Keurig pods.
Craft Coffee
Who this is for: Someone who wants an affordable upgrade from grocery-store beans.
Frequency: Available every two weeks, every four weeks, or on a custom delivery cycle.
Why we like it: The beans from Craft Coffee might not have the “wow” quality of some (more expensive) micro-roasters, but they cost about as much as a bag of okay grocery-store beans (basic options are $13 for a 12-ounce bag), and taste far better. You can choose from a range of blends and roasts, and order beans whole or ground for either French press or drip. It’s the kind of coffee that you can enjoy in the morning without thinking about it.
Yes Plz
Who this is for: Someone who wants to replicate the good-vibes coffee-shop experience at home.
Frequency: Available every week, every two weeks, every three weeks, or every four weeks.
Why we like it: Yes Plz is based in Los Angeles but operates mostly online. Every week, the company roasts and ships a unique coffee blend for its The Mix subscription––there’s no option to tailor your preferences here, but you’ll get something different every time. Every bag also comes with a little pamphlet that’s packed with details about the coffee, fun facts, and good playlists. The coffee comes in 8-ounce and 12-ounce bags, and the service offers shipments in one- to four-week intervals, but if you find that you need to adjust, pause, or cancel, the website is a breeze to use. It also offers a single origin subscription, a delicious decaf, and an espresso roast.
Note that you will need a coffee grinder if you choose this subscription. There’s no option to receive your beans pre-ground.
Verve
Who this is for: Someone who is into trying single-origin coffees.
Frequency: Available every week, every two weeks, or every four weeks.
Why we like it: Verve roaster’s choice single-origin subscription will send you a different single-origin coffee every week. You can also focus your subscription on a specific region, get only espresso roasts, try a variety of blends, or just get bags of the same house blend every time. Managing the subscription is a breeze, and Verve sends a courtesy reminder before each shipment in case you need to make a change.
