Unsurprisingly, our readers had strong opinions about subscription boxes, not all of them positive. But the 10 below were the most recommended in the comments, running the gamut from food, to coffee, to dog treats, to video games, just for starters.
Humble Monthly
I’m gonna be That Guy and submit a metaphorical box for consideration:
The Humble Monthly Bundle. It’s $12, get 6 to 8 games, and very rarely are there duds. And if there’s something you don’t want or already have, they give you a code so you can pass it off to someone that would want it. - Legless Legolas’ LEGO Lass
Not only that, but you get access to the trove of older games that you can play for free (it varies). You also get a discount on purchases from the store, which stacks in addition to any sales that may be happening. It’s a tremendous value if you play a lot of PC games. - TheLucidLynx
Stitch Fix
I’ve been doing StitchFix for a while now, and have had a positive experience. In the past I would just go to Kohls and seemingly end up with the same clothes every time and they wouldn’t last; these ones I pay a bit more for (not as much as you’d think though), they’re better quality, but most importantly it makes me go outside of my comfort zone just enough that I feel like I’m actually dressing nice. - TheBobmanNH
My wife uses stitchfix. I thought it was so stupid at first, but like you said, it got her out of her comfort zone. She started wearing clothes she normally wouldn’t even consider at the store. I’m gonna sound like a total dad by saying this, but she’s styling now! - Troooths
Blue Apron
Blue Apron and the like are worth it if you’re looking to experiment with new ingredients you might not otherwise have used or know how to use. The buy in is high for an individual meal, but it makes more economical sense when you compare it to buying a bunch of spices or other ingredients you don’t keep on hand just to use them in one recipe, then realize you don’t like them, and now you have stuff you either have to give away or toss in the trash. - Natr
Definitely Blue Apron for at least 2-3 months until you figure out what you enjoy cooking and learn some of the tricks they guide you through. Tricks like “olive oil on fucking everything” and “salt and pepper on fucking everything, to taste.” After a while you’ll come to realize that you could just buy this shit at a grocery store and save tons of money but at least now you know what to buy and how to cook it. - DaveKap
FabFitFun
I love my FabFitFun boxes. There are always plenty of different products and you are able to select between multiple products available. For example I believe in my last box I had the choice of wireless ear buds or a tote, a French press or a teapot. There are also great Facebook groups where you can make trades or sell unwanted items. I’ve sold a few things and made up for the cost of what I paid for the entire box. - Jenebow
I vote for FABFITFUN, I receive a Seasonal box (four times a year) there are two options when you sign up, Annual, you can pay for the year in advance (you save $20 a yr) or Seasonal which is every four months $49.99 (1st mth is $39.99 w/$10 off coupon) ea box you get over $200 worth of full size, high quality products that are to the season..the customer service is great..I have been a member for almost a year now, and I see myself a subscriber until FFF is around. - PolitiG
HelloFresh
HelloFresh is a great food box. They have options for customization, the quality of the food is much higher than Blue Aprons, and the recipes are tasty and take about 30 min. I’ve always enjoyed my meals from them, and though I don’t always order (due to cost, etc), any time someone is looking for a meal subscription it’s the first name I suggest. - cubsfan530
BarkBox
If i were to recommend one, it would be BarkBox
So with a new puppy, we got a 6-month subscription that we extended once so it was a full year total. And it was absolutely worth it, as it allowed us to have a variety of treats/toys delivered and kept a fresh supply around for when he inevitably chewed through them. It allowed us to figure out what he liked/needed (tough rubber, mostly balls, anything crinkly or with a squeeker was quickly disintegrated), and the treats were varied enough to keep his attention during the initial training phase to when he became dog enough.
After the year, we let it lapse, but we still buy some toys on occasion from the BarkShop, as his destructive tendencies have lessened. - Thatoneotherguy
I will second (third? forth?) that recommendation. Our dog does not really gut toys so the ones that come in the box last a long time. They have good high quality squeakers in them and they’re just all round good quality toys. The treats are high quality too. The box is a bit spendy, but if I bought all that’s in a box from a store it would total way more. (I probably wouldn’t buy two toys and a bunch of fancy snacks every month.) The quality of the toys is sort of the shortcoming of the whole enterprise though, as someone else said. For me it’s a great short term subscription. My plan is to get a couple more, put some toys aside and then cancel. - Navrilis
Bespoke Post
I joined Bespoke Post, mainly just because I wanted the canvas bag that they offer for the first delivery. I figured I would just cancel after that but I have hung around for 2 months since then because I liked what they were offering. The stuff you get is probably worth about what you are paying for it (maybe a small discount) but they have some pretty cool offerings (and some that aren’t that great). I don’t know that it’s for everyone but I like it. - ShotgunJohnny
I’ll second this, I’m a big fan. I don’t always get a box, but when I do it’s usually something good. Their travel bags are very nice, and everything else has been pretty cool. Sometimes it’s stuff I wouldn’t normally use, but it gets me into something new. I have some sort of French boccie ball set that my family and I have used the hell out of, something I never would have purchased if it wasn’t for Bespoke Post.
It’s fairly easy to discern when the box is worth it too. They have links to the manufacturer generally, and most have prices on the website. Generally the box is anywhere from 10 to 20 dollars less than buying it separately. - AG74683
Dollar Shave Club
Dollar shave club!
I’m a lady who using their man-branded razors and couldn’t be happier. High quality and you can easily pause or alter your subscription if you feel like you’re not going through blades as fast as they are being delivered. Price is also so much better than any drug store brand. - goateesarenotcool
Cairn
I got Cairn Box, a subscription service for outdoor gear, in June for my birthday and I’m enjoying it so far.
It’s usually one high-end item, a low-end item and an energy bar. The best thing I’ve gotten is a hammock, and this month was a headlamp plus a travel bottle. They supposedly customize based on your interests, but it has been camping product-heavy (my least favorite was an all-in-one knife/fork/spoon/can opener, though that’s still useful enough). - Normcore Rockwell
The Roasters Pack
The Roasters Pack for coffee.
If you like artisan roasted coffee beans and want to try out different brands/varietal before buying more, you get 3 bags of fresh coffee beans, roasted in independent Canadian roasters. You get to choose the size of bags depending on how much you drink. They ship quickly, and often include some brewing tips, or stories behind the coffees. This is based in Canada, and highlights Canadian companies (but they do ship to the US also) which is great since those of us in Canada often get screwed on the shipping costs for US based subscription boxes. - RTinCanada