So you want to try some different coffees, but you can’t find the ones you want in your region or you’re unsure what you want?
The best way to find out what you want and to try some pretty terrific (and horrific) coffees are to order online via a coffee subscription service.
Peets Coffee has one of the best programs I have heard of and tasted.
The key to Peets success is they roast the beans immediately before sending. It has quite a following of Peetniks!
The best benefit is you have an opportunity to really research the product before you pay your hard-earned dough for it.
You can look at the country, the growing conditions, sometimes you can even find pictures of the farms, the history of that particular area, the coffee roast, the coffee taste and sometimes there are testimonials and reviews.
It is a great way to become an educated coffee cupper.
Secondly, you usually get really fresh coffee beans.
If the coffee roaster can estimate how many pounds it may need for all of its coffee enthusiasts it will roast and then send within days, with nothing stale sitting on the shelves.
You can shop around and look for the mail-order coffee, which suits your budget. Plus, many coffee roasters are small mom and pop affairs, like Planet Bean.
Some would be more than happy for you to order ½ pounds of different types just to get a sampling.
Top Considerations Before Buying a Coffee Subscription Service
- Choose the coffee roast you are used to.
- Is there any advantage to joining a coffee subscription service. Is the cost lower and do you get free coffee mugs, coffee gifts or coffee samples? How about a T-shirt? How about the farm?
- Order only one pound first because you may not like the coffee or the service you receive.
- Find out when the beans are roasted and what country the beans came from.
- If the mail-order coffee is Fair Trade, Organic or both.
- How is the coffee packaged and what are the shipping costs?
- Never enter into a contract, if it can be helped. Any coffee roaster, who knows their stuff, knows you will crave their coffee and thus want more, so they do not need to make you enter into a contract.
- If you must enter into a contract make sure you read the terms and conditions.
- Ensure you can miss a month if you go on holidays.
- Ensure there is a good returns policy.
- Can you mix and match or do you have to keep to one type of coffee roast?
- Can you change your preference at any time?
- Do they automatically send you the coffee or do you get to choose?
- Can you pay per month or in one lump sum?
- What is the cancellation policy?
- Will they give your details to other businesses, so you get spammified?
- What day of the month do they send the coffee?
- Finally, if you are receiving 1 pound a month, can you double it (triple it, etc.) at a cheaper rate since the shipping cost should be lower?
Coffee coffee coffee! Nothing quite like a nice hot cup of joe in the morning 🙂 my name’s Nicole but on here I like to go by Java Jane. I am an avid coffee drinker and writer about all things Java related (and I’m not talking about programming for the millionth time!). Thanks for checking out my blog and always remember to stay grounded!