Coffee Club Comparison: Driftaway Vs. Bean Box

By

Bryan Huynh

on April 22, 2024

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Key Takeaways

  • Driftaway is known for its sustainability efforts and personalized coffee shipments, while Bean Box offers a wide variety of coffee choices and provides brewing tips.
  • The choice between the two depends on individual preferences, with Driftaway being more sustainable and transparent in pricing, while Bean Box offers a broader range of coffee options and faster delivery.

For many people, coffee is one of the top beverages that is consumed on a regular basis. While some people rely on coffee to energize them and help motivate them to get their day started, others consume this popular beverage because they enjoy the taste, or for social reasons. Meeting at a café is a popular social event, and many first dates occur over a cup of coffee.

Regardless of why coffee drinking is so popular, many people go to great lengths to find the absolute best. There are even coffee clubs available that many people join to ensure they receive a regular, uninterrupted supply of their favorite coffee. If you're considering joining a coffee club, you should be aware of two popular choices among the many that are available: Driftaway and Bean Box. Here are complete overviews of both Driftaway and Bean Box, which can help you decide which one of these great coffee clubs you'd like to join.

Driftaway Coffee Subscription

Established in 2013 by two passionate coffee lovers, Driftaway has become a leader in the coffee subscription industry. One reason why they're such a popular coffee subscription provider is because they go above and beyond to ensure their customers are satisfied. They provide high-quality coffee from around the world. They're proud of the fact that their specialty coffee is enjoyed by numerous coffee lovers worldwide.

Driftaway is not only concerned about ensuring customer satisfaction, but they're also focused on sustainability. As a result of their focus on sustainability, 100% of their packaging is compostable, as it's constructed from renewable plant material. Furthermore, Driftaway is concerned about the producers that grow their coffee, as they're aware of the extremely low wages that many coffee growers are paid. Driftaway wants to do their part to make certain that these coffee growers are paid fair wages.

How Does Driftaway's Subscription Service Work?

Driftaway has an easy subscription process, and to get started, you need to choose the subscription that best suits your needs. This is done by completing the first step. The first step is the tasting stage, which occurs after you receive your initial explorer kit. Your very first Driftaway kit enables you to sample five different types of coffee from different parts of the world, so you can determine which ones are your favorites. Once you've determined one or more favorites, you will set your subscription profile, which details the coffee that you prefer. In the future, each coffee-containing kit will contain several different coffees that are similar to the preferences you set. This enables subscribers to sample new types of coffee with each shipment.

When setting up your subscription, you will choose the size you prefer, whether you want whole-bean or ground, as well as the frequency at which you'd like to receive your shipments. You will also choose how you'd like to be billed, and then you're done. All you do next is sit back and wait for your first shipment to arrive.

Pros:

There are many pros to subscribing to Driftaway Coffee. Here are just some of them:

  • Perfect for gift-giving
  • Personalized shipments
  • Elegant and attractive packages
  • Useful sample kit

Cons:

There aren't many cons when it comes to Driftaway coffee subscriptions, which is why it's so popular. The one negative aspect of opting for a subscription through Driftaway is the inability to make individual coffee choices.

What's Unique About Driftaway Coffee Subscriptions?

Driftaway is unique, as they want to ensure you get the most from your subscription by ensuring that each and every cup of coffee is brewed to perfection. How do they ensure this? Their website contains step-by-step instructions for making a cup of coffee. Instructions are included for making coffee using the following methods:

  • Driftaway Cold Brew Bag Method
  • Percolator Method
  • Moca Pot
  • Aeropress Coffee
  • Espresso
  • Auto-Drip
  • Cold Brew French Press
  • Pour Over With a Kalita Wave

Everyone likes their coffee brewed differently, which is why Driftaway Coffee provides detailed instructions for these different methods.

Virtual Tastings

Another unique fact about Driftaway Coffee is that they offer various virtual tastings. What exactly are virtual tastings? These are special event in which you can join others online as you drink your Driftaway coffee together. It doesn't matter if you only have 5 or 10 minutes, or if you have an hour, fans can participate in one of the virtual tastings. The schedule is available online, and you can attend the virtual tastings that are convenient for you.

Bean Box Subscription

Bean Box is another top-notch choice when it comes to coffee subscriptions. Established in 2014, Bean Box owners have enjoyed shipping their coffee, which many agree is superior, to their many subscribers. The Bean Box owners believe that coffee is an experience rather than just a mere drink. Subscribers must first choose their grind: whole beans or ground. The whole coffee bean option is a top pick, but subscribers without a grinder can opt to receive their coffee beans ground, if desired.

Once the grind is chosen, subscribers will need to choose one of the following:

  • Curator's Choice
  • Light & Bright
  • Medium & Cozy
  • Dark & Toasty -
  • Espresso -
  • Decaf

Once you decide the type of coffee beans (or grounds) you prefer, you must then choose the amount of coffee you'd like to receive as well as the quantity. You can opt to receive your coffee every week, every two weeks, or every month.

Pros and Cons

Just like all coffee subscriptions, there are both pros and cons. Here is an overview of both.

Pros:

There's not much to dislike about Bean Box coffee. Here are just some of the pros of choosing Bean Box for your next coffee subscription:

  • Bean Box offers expedited shipping options, in case you need to receive your coffee sooner
  • The ability to customize your profile, so you'll only receive the type of coffee that you prefer
  • It's easy to pause or stop a membership, regardless of the reason
  • If purchasing coffee as a one-time gift, the subscription will not automatically renew
  • Bean Box provides a recipe as well as some tips on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee. 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to every 6 oz of water. So, if you like drinking a large, 30-ounce container of coffee, then you will need 10 tablespoons of coffee grounds. It's also recommended that you freshly grind your coffee just before brewing each cup, if possible. Bean Box also recommends that you boil your water until it reaches 205 degrees, and use filtered water. Also, you should use 3.5 cups of water for each sampler bag. If you follow all of these recommendations, you will end up with a perfectly-brewed cup of coffee every time

Cons:

Although you have the option to choose what type of coffee you want to receive, such as light, dark, medium, etc., Bean Box will take it upon themselves to choose the type of coffee to send you. For instance, if you put on your profile that you prefer dark roast, then all types of dark roast coffee from around the world will be sent for you to sample each month. You can't choose a specific dark roast.

Which is Better: Driftaway or Bean Box?

It is a matter of personal preference when it comes to determining whether Driftaway or Bean Box is better. While some coffee lovers rave about Driftaway, others prefer Bean Box. Several factors must be considered before making a final decision between the two. You will need to consider taste, the types of coffee available, the frequency in which coffee is sent out, cost, origin, and more.

If you prefer that your coffee is unflavored and simply tastes like the high-quality coffee beans that it's derived from, then you can safely choose either Bean Box or Driftaway. Driftaway doesn't offer any flavored coffees whatsoever. On the other hand, if you look forward to enjoying coffee that tastes like toffee, marshmallow, and more, then you should opt for Bean Box. Their coffee is 100% coffee with no added flavors, just like Driftaway's, but coffee lovers have carefully assessed each type to determine what specific flavors are derived from each choice. Bean Box's high-quality gourmet coffee is available in delectable flavors like:

  • Cream and Sugar #195 -
  • Nectar Blend # 1161
  • Milk Money # 684 -
  • Cloud City Blend #135 -
  • Dark Side of the Moon # 294 -

Special Considerations

  1. New subscribers can enjoy a 50% discount off their first coffee shipment with Bean Box. If this is important, then you might want to opt for Bean Box, although all future orders will be full price.
  2. If you don't always have access to hot water or a coffee pot when brewing your daily cup of coffee, then you should try cold brew coffee. Driftaway Coffee and Bean Box both offer cold brew options. So, whether you're an iced coffee drinker or you simply like brewing your coffee cold, Driftaway and Bean Box both provide the perfect solution. The cold brew from both companies is popular, and customers rave about the delicious flavor, so you can't go wrong either way.
  3. Driftaway has vowed transparency when it comes to how much they pay for their coffee. This is great as well as it is rare, as not many coffee clubs offer this guarantee.
  4. Both Driftaway Coffee and Bean Box make it easy for you to gift a coffee box to that special someone on their Christmas list (or for another special day.)

Reasons to Choose Driftaway

If you're as passionate about sustainability as Driftaway Coffee is, then you might feel more comfortable supporting them by subscribing to their coffee delivery service. Bean Box is just as passionate about their coffee and ensuring that it tastes great, but their packaging isn't 100% compostable or vegan like Driftaway's is.

Another reason that you might want to opt for Driftaway is if you're interested in their pledge to be transparent about pricing. If this is equally important to you, then it's a good reason to choose Driftaway.

If you don't live in the United States and you want to receive coffee via a subscription, then you should choose Driftaway, as Bean Box only ships within the United States.

Reasons to choose Bean Box

If you prefer higher-end and exotic coffee beans from around the world, and you're not concerned about more expensive costs, then Bean Box is for you. While Driftaway offers some great choices, Bean Box offers an impressive number of coffees, allowing you to sample over 400 varieties from around the world.

As you can see, choosing a coffee company to subscribe to can be difficult. In addition to taking many aspects of both subscription services into consideration, you must take your time and research all possibilities. If you have a strict budget, then comparing prices will be essential, as well. While Driftaway Coffee's subscription prices are somewhat cheaper than Bean Box's, Bean Box's shipments typically arrive sooner. This requires you to decide whether you want your coffee quicker or you want to pay less, and you don't mind waiting.

Since making your final decision regarding which coffee subscription is best, you may simply need to try out a one-time shipment with them both, and then make a decision after determining which one arrived first, which one tastes the best, which one provides more product for the money. Once you've tried both Driftaway and Bean Box's subscription services, it should be significantly easier to decide which one you want to receive in the mail on a regular basis.

About the Author

Product Tester & Writer

Bryan Huynh

Product Tester & Writer

Bryan Huynh is a determined Product Tester & Writer. Being a coffee addict, it is only right that he mainly tests and reviews different coffee from around the world and coffee subscription services.

Bryan Huynh is a determined Product Tester & Writer. Being a coffee addict, it is only right that he mainly tests and reviews different coffee from around the world and coffee subscription services.