Coffee subscription box guide, updated for 2023

In this fresh roundup we highlight our favourite 5 coffee subs, pick out a bonus wildcard that you just have to try, and go on to list the best of the rest. Buckle up.

Do you consider yourself a coffee addict, or just enjoy a nice cup to start off your day? Either way, a coffee subscription box is the perfect way to make sure that you are always stocked up with delicious coffee from the finest coffee producers.

Love a dark, bold coffee? Perhaps you want to explore the world of boutique single origin coffee, or maybe you prefer softer blends – whatever your preference there is something here for you. Plus, these coffee subscription boxes make a great gift for a friend or loved one. It doesn’t get much better than the simple pleasure of having new and exciting coffee delivered direct to your door every month!

So, pour yourself a lovely cup of, erm, coffee (!) and read on.

These are our top 5 picks:

Our thoughts on Spirit Animal Coffee

Wow. This company is truly on a mission to re-define what the phrase sustainable coffee really means for coffee farmers and coffee drinkers alike.

If you’re into single origin, low-acidity, fruity, authentic, roasted-at-source coffee and don’t mind paying a slight premium (because the farmers are actually getting 3x what some other ‘fair trade’ programs pay), then we think that Spirit Animal is about as good as it gets.

Spirit Animal founder Kathya Irias was born and raised in Honduras, and it shows. To directly control quality the company partners closely with small-scale Honduran organic coffee growers. Working at altitudes of 5000 ft plus means that the coffee beans grow more slowly and retain a more delicate flavor profile. Spirit Animal hand selects the top 1% of these crops, and the beans are then roasted at source in Honduras before being packed and shipped to customers. This ensures maximum freshness and taste.

In fact the taste of this coffee is so good that Spirit Animal batches usually score above 90 points in rankings from the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association).

Who is this subscription best suited to?

If you’re looking for flavored blends, convenient pods or strong dark burnt notes then this probably isn’t the coffee company for you. However, Spirit Animal is a great choice if you like your coffee luxurious, delicate in flavor, and direct from farm to cup.

You can have coffee delivered as beans or grounds (go beans if you can of course), and deliveries can be every 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks.

We highly recommend Spirit Animal, and have awarded them number 1 spot in this roundup with a score of 9.5/10. Give them a try – you won’t regret it!

“Committed to beans that merge luxury and sustainability, for a new coffee experience that changes your palate and our planet” – Spirit Animal Coffee

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Our thoughts on Fabula Coffee

We really like the overall offering from Fabula Coffee. The coffee quality itself is right up there with some of the best – the coffee beans are organic, low-acidity, single origin, Fair Trade beans that are free of pesticides and mycotoxins.

Fabula don’t roast on-site at the growers, but beans are freshly roasted at Fabula HQ and shipped quickly to maintain freshness. The resulting aroma and flavor of this coffee is pretty hard to beat.

The website itself is also excellent and really easy to use. Setting up and managing your subscription is a breeze from start to finish and it’s easy to choose preferred strength, coffee type (beans, ground or pods) and delivery frequency (anything between 2-8 weeks). It’s worth noting that Fabula are one of the few top-end coffee subscriptions to offer both pods and decaffeinated options – so if that’s your thing then they are worth a try for sure.

The downside to Fabula is that they send coffee based on your strength preferences, rather than allowing customers to choose specific beans and blends. So, if you like to try a range of different strengths and flavors then Fabula might not be the one for you.

Who is this subscription best suited to?

If you want an authentic, single-origin experience and need to use pods or decaf then Fabula coffee is a great choice, particularly if you are sensitive to acidity. Fabula is also a good option for those who like a surprise with each subscription delivery but know which roast of coffee they prefer.

We think Fabula Coffee is right up there with the best of them, and with 50% off your first order they are definitely worth a try.

“There are no shortcuts, and this makes the coffee beans much more challenging to access and pick, but it’s so worth it” – Fabula Coffee

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