Becoming a coffee connoisseur should be an easy enough prospect. Every corner shop seems to have a specialty blend lately, with intricate roasts and beans flown from all over the world. So why do so many of us end up guzzling whatever happens to be cheapest?
Coffee should offer us a little sanctuary, a moment to sit back and inhale, a calm little oasis of rich flavor. Achieving that means picking the best bean. Even better if it can be hand delivered to your door.
While Peet’s Coffee can’t guarantee you a little slice of paradise, it can send you carefully curated bags of coffee to your home. Their subscription service is an opportunity to try new blends, or simply ensure the frequent delivery of your favorite flavor. But is it worth subscribing?
What is Peet’s Coffee?
You might recognize Peet’s Coffee from grocery store shelves. Peet’s Coffee has been providing quality beans since the 1960s, and it helped to revolutionize the way Americans thought about coffee.
The founder, Alfred Peet, wanted his passion for the drink to be shared by the American people. He vowed to use nothing but high quality coffee to ensure each cup was perfect.
Having been an established brand for so long, it’s no surprise that they’ve turned to the subscription box. What coffee lover doesn’t enjoy trying new roasts and flavors? Peet’s Coffee offers a few options, so you can pick a choice to fit your needs.
Subscription Options
The first thing you’ll notice about the Peet’s subscription service is that it’s relatively basic. Where other companies offer you a whole range of products in a box, Peet’s provides you with coffee. This isn’t a problem (does coffee need anything else?) but it’s something to be aware of.
Small Batch Series
Peet’s describes the Small Batch Series as being coffee that’s “curated for the curious”. Each month, you’ll receive a limited edition release of smallholder beans from the best coffee growing regions of the world.
This is coffee for the adventurous, for those who like to try something different all the time.
There are a few different options with the small batch series. The grind can be whole bean, drip, press pot/percolator, or espresso. Once a month, you can receive a delivery of either 1lb, 2lb, or 3 lb. The beans are freshly roasted before every order.
Single Origin Series
This is one for the connoisseur, the person who wants to experience coffee. With this subscription, you’re sent a bag of single origin coffee every month, from the best coffee growers around the world.
Single origin coffee allows you to explore the terroir of the bean, the unique conditions of its origin that’s imparted on the flavor. This is coffee to relax with, to close your eyes and focus on the flavors.
There are slightly limited grind options for the single origin series: whole bean, drip, and press pot/percolator. It’s available in batches of 1lb, 2lb, or 3lb. Delivery is once a month, and the beans are freshly roasted right before they’re sent to you.
Signature Blend Series
For the classic coffee drinker, the Signature Blend series may be your best choice. Peet’s has been serving coffee since 1966, so the signature blend is a lesson in perfection. If you like your coffee silky smooth, choose the Signature Blend Series.
As with the single origin, grind options are: whole bean, drip, and press pot/percolator. Choose from monthly deliveries of 1lb, 2lb, or 3lb.
Carbon Neutral Series
A cup of coffee tends to be an instant mood booster, but that’s even more true when every sip is doing something for the environment. The Carbon Neutral Series is a great way to give something back, while still getting great coffee.
What makes the Carbon Neutral Series different is that for every order, 3 mangrove trees are sponsored.
Peet’s even provides coordinates for the trees, so you can look them up and watch them grow. Every month you’ll be sent 2lbs of coffee (to correctly offset the trees), of a different delicious blend. The grind is either whole bean, drip, or press pot/percolator.
There’s also the Frequent Brewer option. This is for the person who knows what they want, and just wants to know that some is always on the way.
If you aren’t sure what to get, then Peet’s provides a handy coffee finder tool to help you decide. It asks a couple of coffee questions to give an answer tailored to your preferences (hello, small batch series).
The Good
The prices are good, and delivery is free to the US on all subscription boxes. It may be slightly more pricey than you’d normally spend in the grocery store, but it’s on a par with other coffee subscription services.
The coffee is fantastic. Peet’s has a pretty loyal fan base, and you can almost guarantee that each month you’ll be getting something good.
Peet’s offers a fair variety of options, and you can customize the grind and the amount sent. This service is perfect for someone who knows what coffee they like.
There’s been a move to ensure responsible and sustainable sourcing for all of Peet’s coffee, so you can feel reassured in the background of your cup.
The Bad
Unless you pick the frequent brewer option, the only option is for monthly delivery.
Some beans are only roasted on certain days, which affects the days they get delivered.
This is a fairly simplistic service. If you’re happy with just a bag of coffee, then Peet’s has everything you need. If you prefer a little extra with your subscriptions, you may not enjoy Peet’s service.
Final Thoughts
Peet’s was founded on the principle that good coffee requires careful selection, and you can see these beliefs in their subscription service. It’s simple, but the coffee is good, and it’s easy to tailor to your choices.
If you want to shake things up in your morning routine, then this might be the perfect subscription service.
