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10 coffee subscription services so you can enjoy a proper hot drink at home
Never miss a morning brew...
Having a coffee machine in your kitchen has many perks: it's much cheaper to make a delicious latte at home rather than nipping into a coffee shop (plus, they're not even open right now!), and a real espresso will always taste better than one made with instant granules.
Saying that, we've all experienced that disappointing moment when we go to make ourselves a morning brew only to find we've run out of capsules. To prevent this, we'd recommend investing in a coffee subscription.
Whether you're after fresh roasted whole beans for your top-of-the-range bean-to-cup machine, or ultra-convenient coffee pods, there are plenty of versatile plans to pick from; many offering rotating bags of top-grade coffee to try, so you don't get bored. Nowadays, pods are much more eco-friendly too, with plenty of options for recycling.
All of the options we've listed can be cancelled at any time, so you're not tied down if you feel like switching things up. Many brands offer free delivery, discounted beans or other incentives for signing up, too. So, here's our round up of our favourite at-home coffee subscription services – so you can enjoy a proper cappuccino, even through lockdown.
If you're serious about coffee, this would be our pick. There are heaps of options to choose from, the eco-credentials are great and the team will send you different flavours throughout the year depending on the season, to keep things exciting.
Number of plans available: Plans are completely customisable –there are countless combinations but, as a guide, there are three price options to choose from depending on the coffee's grade.
Types of coffee: Bags (of various grinds) and pods.
Compatibility: However you like your coffee, you'll be covered –these coffees work with espresso machines, cafetières and stove-top preparations and Nespresso pod machines (but not Lavazza).
Eco credentials: The aluminium pods are recyclable as normal and the farmers are paid at least 25% above the standard FairTrade rate.
Bar the Lavazza option, all of the pod subscriptions listed here are compatible with Nespresso machines, so you're not beholden to the official offering should you want to experiment. However, if you know and love these pods, then this is a good option: postage is free and you accrue an extra 10% credit to spend in the Nespresso shop with every monthly delivery.
Number of plans available: Five, increasing in price.
Types of coffee: Nespresso pods of various blends.
Compatibility: Nespresso pod machines.
Eco credentials: The aluminium pods are recyclable – drop them off at a CollectPlus location or request a doorstep pickup.
If you have a Lavazza pod machine, you should choose this one – virtually all of the independent subscriptions aren't compatible with this brand. Don't worry, though, you still have plenty of choice: you can mix-and-match 10 boxes from the large range for every order and you have more control over the number of deliveries than we've seen with other services too. Plus, if you don't already have one, there's also the option to get a machine for just £1 if you sign up — nice.
Number of plans available: Just one, but it's very flexible – you can choose your own time-frame for deliveries and which blends you'd prefer. There's a 25% discount available at the moment, as well.
Types of coffee: Lavazza pods of various blends.
Compatibility: Lavazza pod machines – but these select options are also Nespresso-compatible.
Eco credentials: The pods are fully compostable and the brand also has a recycling scheme.
Here's another good option for coffee aficionados. Union has a diverse range of speciality flavours to choose from – all roasted in small batches in London and delivered free.
Number of plans available: Two, fully customisable ranges – a standard speciality option or one with rarer blends.
Types of coffee: Bags of various grinds.
Compatibility: Espresso machines, cafetieres and stove-top preparations.
Eco credentials: Packaging is recyclable and this brand has won an award for sustainable development.
Tassimo coffee subscription
Tassimo fans will need these pods specifically – none of the indie brands make compatible capsules. You can sign up for a repeat order via Amazon and save 15% on your order as a result.
Number of plans available: Choose from six flavours.
Types of coffee: Tassimo pods.
Compatibility: Tassimo pod machines.
Eco-friendly? You can recycle Tassimo pods through this program.
Trendy London coffee chain Grind has made its blends available in pod form (as well as beans) so you can enjoy them at home too. As they're available on Amazon, you can set up a recurring order (that you can cancel any time you like) and get a 15% discount.
Number of plans available: Three, including a decaf option.
Types of coffee: Choose from pods or whole beans.
Compatibility: Nespresso pod machines and bean-to-cup espresso machines.
Eco-friendly? Yes – the pods are 100% compostable and the packaging is all plastic-free and recyclable.
Missing your daily Starbucks on lockdown? Don't panic – you can recreate your favourite latte at home instead. Sign up for a pod subscription from Amazon and get 15% discount for signing up for repeat orders.
Number of plans available: Just one.
Types of coffee: There are seven flavours or two mixed variety packs to choose from.
Compatibility: Nespresso pod machines.
Eco-friendly? The pods are recyclable via the Nespresso recycling scheme.
You can buy beans from the Roar Gill shop, but the subscriptions are all for its pods. Unlike any of the others on this list, you can order a huge amount at once – the brand has bulk options to deliver up to 120 capsules at once.
Number of plans available: 10
Types of coffee: They're all pods, but there are plenty of options, from decaf through to rare and exotic blends.
Compatibility: Nespresso pod machines.
Eco-friendly? The pods are 100% recyclable and carbon neutral to produce. The company also works with the One Tree Planted charity to help the world's reforestation efforts.
Here's another good option if you're concerned about sustainability and a brand's ethical credentials. All the packaging can be easily tossed in your standard green bin and the organic beans are Soil Association-approved.
Number of plans available: One, but you can choose from a variety of flavours.
Types of coffee: Pods.
Compatibility: Nespresso pod machines.
Eco-friendly? Yes – the coffee is organic, FairTrade and the pods are 100% recyclable with your household recycling.
Blue Coffee Box Blue Coffee subscription
This brand has beautiful packaging, so it makes a great gift subscription for a friend. The website is clear and easy-to-use, making choosing the right coffee really simple, despite having plenty of high-quality options to pick from.
Number of plans available: Two.
Types of coffee: Pick either a light, medium or dark blend (or some of each).
Compatibility: There's a range of grinds suitable for everything bar pod machines.
Eco-friendly? The packaging is recyclable as normal.
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