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By
Bryan Huynh
Key Takeaways
As a coffee lover, you know what it's like to buy your favorite beans to brew at home. However, while you can sometimes find high-quality coffee at the grocery store or at your local coffee shop, what if you want to expand your horizons?
Fortunately, coffee clubs are more popular than ever, and you set up a subscription in just a few minutes. These clubs curate fair trade coffee from different farms worldwide, and they can help you discover new blends and roasts that you'd never see or taste otherwise.
Buying fair-trade coffee is crucial because it ensures that farmers get more money for their work. Most coffee drinkers support fair trade initiatives, and signing up for these clubs can help bring equity and financial stability to the industry. We've curated the top five subscription services so you can compare them and sign up for the one you like best.
If you haven't considered signing up for a coffee club, you may wonder if it's worthwhile. Here are some compelling reasons to start a subscription today.
Many of these clubs have similar features and subscription options, so it can be hard to differentiate between them. However, when you look a little closer, you'll discover various factors that can help you make an informed decision, such as:
While coffee quality is subjective, you can make sure that a subscription service only sources high-quality beans and roasts from its farms or manufacturers. You can also read customer reviews to see whether most drinkers love the coffee they receive or not. If there are quite a few negative reviews, you may want to keep looking.
Some coffee clubs deliver 12-ounce bags, while others give you more choices about the size of your bags and the type of coffee you receive. For some, the idea of curated coffee can make the process easier because you don't have to do any research yourself. However, the best coffee clubs allow you to stock up on specific shipments if you really like them.
Pricing is another consideration because of how often you'll receive your coffee. As a rule, these clubs offer discounts if you pre-pay for future orders (i.e., buying six months' worth at a time). However, if you don't want to commit to a club that quickly, you'll wind up paying a little more per shipment.
Depending on the size of the bag you buy, you may need to get a new delivery every week, every other week, or every month. Most coffee clubs give you these options, but some of them allow you to buy in bulk, so you only need new coffee every six weeks or so.
You should also be able to pause your next shipment if necessary. This way, you don't wind up with coffee that you may not enjoy or finish.
Some coffee clubs only offer curated shipments. This means you only get to choose your preferences (i.e., light or dark roasts) and they handle the rest. However, clubs like Driftaway or Peace Coffee enable you to build a customized shipment. This way, you can choose the beans you like best and avoid the ones that don't sound appealing. Plus, if you received a shipment and loved it, you can buy individual bags on demand, so you don't run out of them.
Although we've curated the top five coffee clubs, there are many other options out there. This guide will help you understand how to compare each service so you can make the best choice for your drinking habits. Here's what we think about each club.
If you've seen anything about coffee subscriptions online, you've likely heard of Atlas Coffee Club. This service is one of the most popular and well-known, thanks to its high-quality beans and easy-to-use platform. Atlas is also the most affordable option, with most bags costing around $9 each.
One unique feature of Atlas is that you can choose coffee pods instead of beans or ground coffee. This way, if you use a coffee pod brewing system, you can still sample varieties from different countries and expand your palate. Atlas also asks you how you would like to brew your coffee, such as cold brewing or using an AeroPress.
Atlas only offers curated coffee, so you don't know what you'll get until your shipment is ready to head your way. So, if you like a particular bag, you'll have to wait until it comes back into rotation to try it again.
Pros
Cons
If the term "fair trade coffee" is the most appealing part of signing up for a coffee club, you'll love Driftaway. This service focuses heavily on empowering small farms around the world and connecting them to the people who enjoy their coffees the most. Each month, Driftaway curates a selection of multiple beans from different farms, and you can learn more about each blend and the people who cultivate it.
One unique selling point of Driftaway Coffee is that you can start your subscription with the Explorer Box. This box gives you a sampling of different coffees, and you can schedule a tasting session with a coffee expert via Zoom. This way, you can ask questions and get a better sense of the types of coffee you like to drink. From there, you can build a better subscription.
Another highlight of this coffee service is that you can buy each shipment in bulk. Most of the coffees are available in up to five-pound bags, so once you find something you like, you can get enough to last for months.
Pros
Cons
Bean Box is a lot like Atlas in that each shipment is curated according to your tastes, and you get beans and blends from around the world. However, Bean Box takes greater care in understanding how you like your coffee, so each shipment is better tailored to your preferences. There are more options for types of roasts, and you can pick from many different brewing styles.
That said, Bean Box is a bit more expensive than Atlas, although some customers would argue that the coffee is a lot better for it. Also, you can opt for a weekly subscription if you're a heavy coffee drinker, which is something Atlas doesn't offer.
One unique feature of Bean Box is that they offer cash-back incentives for buying more coffee. You can earn either five or ten percent cash back when you pre-pay for multiple shipments. So, if you like Bean Box coffee and want a longer-term relationship, you can get more bang for your buck.
Pros
Cons
Monthly subscription clubs are hot right now, and Amazing Clubs can connect you with all kinds of different shipment options. However, when it comes to the "Coffee of the Month Club," this site lacks a lot of the features of other ones. Basically, if you just want to get coffee delivered to your door and you're not picky about what it is, this club can work well for you.
The only customization option is whether you prefer whole beans or ground coffee. Otherwise, you get two 12-ounce bags each month, but you don't know what kind of coffee you're getting until it arrives. Many customers rave about the coffee selection, so Amazing Clubs seems to source their beans well.
Overall, the pricing and lack of transparency make this club less appealing, but it can work if you just want to expand your tastes.
Pros
Cons
Peace Coffee is a coffee roaster, and it sells a decent variety of different beans and blends. In this case, your subscription is only available for the coffee that Peace sells, so you won't get bags shipped from every corner of the globe.
That said, what makes this coffee club appealing is that you can build your own subscription. You can choose as much coffee as you like, and you can pick the frequency that works best for your budget and drinking habits. Plus, Peace offers seasonal flavors, so you can get a curated box if you want to discover new options.
Pros
Cons
Buying fair-trade coffee doesn't have to involve heavy research and comparison. Instead, you can sign up for one of these coffee clubs and get the best coffee delivered to your door. Whether you want more control over your shipments or want the experts to handle curation, these clubs can help you refine your tastes and discover how delicious a good cup of coffee can be.
Bryan Huynh
Product Tester & Writer
Bryan Huynh is a determined Product Tester & Writer. Being a coffee addict, it is only right that he mainly tests and reviews different coffee from around the world and coffee subscription services.
Bryan Huynh is a determined Product Tester & Writer. Being a coffee addict, it is only right that he mainly tests and reviews different coffee from around the world and coffee subscription services.
Edited by:
Bryan Huynh
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Product Tester & Writer
