A Beginner's Guide to Coffee Subscriptions: What to Expect and How to Choose

A coffee subscription sounds simple — coffee turns up regularly, so you never run out. But if you've never tried one, it's worth knowing what actually happens behind the scenes, and what separates a good subscription from a mediocre one, before you sign up.

How a coffee subscription works

Once you subscribe, you choose how often you'd like your coffee delivered — typically weekly, fortnightly or monthly — and how you take it, whether that's whole beans or ground for a specific brew method. From there, it's automatic: your coffee is roasted, bagged and shipped on a schedule, and you can usually pause, skip or change your order any time from your account.

The main appeal is freshness. Because your coffee is roasted specifically for your next delivery rather than sitting in a warehouse, it arrives close to its peak, rather than the weeks-old bags you'll often find on a supermarket shelf.

What to look for in a good subscription

Not all coffee subscriptions are equal. A few things worth checking before you commit:

• Roast date transparency. A roaster that prints the roast date on the bag (not just a vague best-before date) is telling you something about how fresh your coffee really is.
• Flexibility. Look for the ability to easily change frequency, swap grind type, or pause deliveries when you're away, without having to phone anyone.
• Grind options. Whether you brew espresso, filter, AeroPress or cafetière, your subscription should let you choose a grind that actually suits your setup, rather than a generic one-size-fits-all grind.
• Seasonal variety. A subscription that rotates through different origins and blends as the seasons change keeps things interesting, rather than sending the exact same bag every single time.

Espresso or filter — which should you choose?

This comes down to how you actually brew at home. If your daily coffee comes from an espresso machine, a Moka pot, or you like a stronger, more concentrated cup, our Espresso Subscription delivers freshly roasted seasonal espresso blends on your choice of schedule. If you're brewing with a V60, Chemex, AeroPress or cafetière, our Filter Subscription is roasted and ground to suit those lighter, more delicate brewing methods instead.

Both are roasted and dispatched to order, on the same day where possible, so your coffee spends less time in transit before it reaches you and more time actually being fresh.

Getting started

If you're new to subscriptions, there's no harm in starting with whichever matches your everyday brew method and adjusting the frequency once you get a feel for how quickly you get through a bag. Most people find weekly or fortnightly suits a daily coffee habit, while monthly works well if coffee is more of an occasional treat.

Browse our Espresso Subscription and Filter Subscription, or explore our full range of speciality coffee if you'd rather order one bag at a time first.