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By
Bryan Huynh
Key Takeaways
If you're trying to expand your coffee preferences, it can seem overwhelming with so many unique options from places all over the world. While you could do your own research and pick and choose coffee blends from different roasters, it's often easier to let someone else handle it. Fortunately, coffee clubs like Driftaway and Mistobox are here to help.
These days, there are more coffee subscriptions available than ever, and most of them offer similar features and benefits. So, let's compare Driftaway vs. Mistobox so you can figure out if one of these options works best for your preferences and budget.
Coffee is one of those things that's highly subjective, so rather than compare these clubs based on the flavor quality of their brews, we're looking at more objective data. For example, whether you can customize your shipments, how much each shipment costs, and what customers are saying about each service.
Overall, our goal is to be as impartial as possible, but we'll still highlight which box "wins" in each category, along with an explanation of why. Both Driftaway and MistoBox are pretty similar in how they work, so even if one is technically better than the other in a specific category, you may still choose the other based on other factors.
As with most food items, coffee is a product that changes hands multiple times before it reaches store shelves or coffee shops. Thankfully, in recent years, there's been a push to remove some of these steps so coffee drinkers can connect more directly with coffee growers and manufacturers.
Founded in 2014, Driftaway Coffee focuses on that mindset by sourcing its beans and roasts from small-batch farms around the world. Not only do you learn more about each grower, but you can buy from them directly, allowing you to do more to help them grow their business and thrive within the industry.
One thing that really sets Driftaway apart from other coffee subscriptions is that it offers an "Explorer Box" as your first shipment. This box comes with a variety of roasts, so you can sample different options and determine which ones you like best. You can either do a self-guided tasting with instructions and insights, or you can schedule an online session with a tasting expert.
If you're going to do the Explorer Box, we recommend doing the session with the expert, so you can ask questions and learn more about how to evaluate each cup. This way, you can get better at picking which roasts satisfy your tastebuds the best.
Another factor that sets Driftaway apart from other services is that you can buy in bulk. While most subscriptions offer one or two pounds of coffee max with each shipment, Driftaway allows you to buy five-pound bags of your favorite brews. This way, you can stock up and still sample other coffees from around the world.
MistoBox has a unique story of how it came to be. The idea started in 2012, and the founders, Samantha and Connor, launched a successful Kickstarter that same year. In 2013, they went on Shark Tank and got funding from Mark Cuban. However, at the time, MistoBox was only designed as a coffee subscription for offices. It wasn't until late 2014 that the company started offering personalized subscriptions, which continue to this day.
Overall, MistoBox follows the same formula as other clubs, giving you curated options with each shipment and allowing you to submit your preferences to ensure you get the coffee you'll actually want to drink. However, one unique feature is that you can choose either the standard "deluxe" option, or you can upgrade to the "exclusive" membership. With the upgraded service, you pay a little more to have higher-quality coffee.
Another element that sets MistoBox apart from services like Atlas is that you can pick and choose which coffee you get with each shipment. The "Brew Queue" gives you more control over your membership, so you can buy coffee to sample or stock up on your favorites.
If you sign up with Driftaway, you may want to start with the Explorer Box. If so, it costs $36 and comes with five samples. Once you receive the box, you schedule your online session (or do the self-guided tasting whenever you like). After that, you pay for each delivery, depending on how much coffee you want to receive each time.
For example, if you choose the eight-ounce option, you'll pay $16 per shipment. If you choose the two-pound option, you'll pay $38 per shipment. Here's a rundown of the various prices (as of January 2024).
You can also save money by pre-paying for multiple shipments at once. For example, if you buy six months' worth of coffee, you'll save five percent overall. So, with a 12-ounce shipment, the price is $18.05 per bag. If you buy 12 months of coffee, you'll save 10 percent overall. Also, keep in mind that you can pick which coffee you get with each shipment (or let them curate it for you). Also, you can buy individual bags outside of your subscription.
With MistoBox, your price point depends on which option you pick for your subscription—Deluxe or Exclusive. With the Deluxe version, you'll pay $14.95 per 12-ounce bag. There aren't multiple size options, unfortunately, so if you want more or less coffee, you'll have to buy bags individually.
If you pick the Exclusive membership, each bag costs $17.95. As with Driftaway, if you pre-pay for six or 12 months' worth of coffee, you can save 10 or 15 percent on each bag, respectively.
Winner: MistoBox is cheaper per bag, even if you go with the Exclusive subscription. However, since MistoBox only offers 12-ounce bags, you can't adjust the amount of coffee you receive each time. So, if you want more variety, Driftaway is better, but if we're talking about the price itself, MistoBox wins.
Part of the appeal of buying a coffee subscription is ensuring you get the best roasts and blends possible to fit your taste preferences. Both Driftaway and MistoBox give you multiple options, so you can help them curate each box with better accuracy. Additionally, both services enable you to pick individual coffees, so you have more control over what you get with each shipment.
With Driftaway, the company features a variety of coffees for each month, and you can pick the ones you like best. However, if you're only getting one shipment for that month, you'll have to buy additional bags to sample multiple varieties. Once the month is over, a new batch of coffees is featured, and you'll have to wait for an older roast to come back into rotation.
For that reason, Driftaway gives you multiple size options for your shipment, ranging from eight ounces per bag to five pounds per bag. This way, if you sample something you like, you can stock up before it rotates out.
With MistoBox, you get a Brew Queue with your account. This queue allows you to pick which coffee comes in your next shipment. You can also browse all the coffees that MistoBox sells, meaning you can buy packages outside of your subscription whenever you like. However, each bag is only 12 ounces, so if you want more than that, you have to buy multiple bags.
MistoBox also asks more pointed questions when curating your box. For example, you'll tell them how you like your coffee, such as with cream, sugar, both, or nothing. Additionally, you can tell them whether you prefer blends, single-origin coffees, or espresso. Driftaway only asks whether you want whole, ground, or cold brew coffee, the size of your order, and the frequency of your shipment.
Finally, MistoBox gives you the option to choose one, two, three, or four weeks between shipments. Driftaway only offers one, two, and four-week deliveries.
Winner: MistoBox offers a bit more customization with the types of coffee you can choose, and you have more control over your shipment with the Brew Queue. However, when it comes to bag sizes, there's only one choice, so Driftaway is better in that regard.
Each month, Driftaway Coffee features beans and roasts from only a select few providers. Typically, there are around 10 options, so if you want to adjust your subscription or buy individual bags, you have to choose from the ones available during that month. While some coffees may come back into rotation, you just have to wait.
By comparison, MistoBox has a much larger selection available at any time. While some coffee varieties may come and go, you can still pick and choose from dozens of blends and roasts from around the world. The prices vary from about $20 to $23 per 12-ounce bag. Again, if you want to buy more than 12 ounces, you need to get multiple bags.
Outside of individual bags of coffee, Driftaway also sells its Explorer Box (which you can buy at any time), a coffee and chocolate tasting box, a cold brew box, and subscriptions for the office. You can also buy coffee makers if you need a way to brew your favorite blend.
Winner: MistoBox has much more variety, especially because all of its coffee is available for purchase, not just when it's featured. However, you can only buy 12-ounce bags, so the company is somewhat lacking in size options.
Both subscription services allow you to change your preferences after setting up your account. However, you may run into some issues or have a question about something, so it's crucial to have an easy way to contact the company.
Driftaway offers multiple customer service options, including an email address, a phone number, and a help forum. The forum offers information about various topics like billing, account services, order tracking, and more. When you're on the support page, there is also a live chat function, so you can ask questions in real time.
MistoBox also has a live chat feature and a FAQ section to help you find out more information about your orders or the different coffees available. There isn't a phone number listed on the website, so your only options to get in touch with the company is to email or submit a live chat query.
Winner: Driftaway offers more ways to get in contact with the business, and its support page is generally more informative and easier to use.
Driftaway has been featured in many different magazines and websites, and it showcases virtually all of these reviews on its website. You can read these reviews on places like CNN, Huffington Post, Esquire, and dozens more. The site also features reviews from real customers, which are updated regularly from social media.
That said, because the customer reviews come from social sites, they're not ranked by star level or anything. Instead, you only see posts when someone mentions Driftaway. However, you can get more insight into what people are talking about and whether they like or dislike the service.
By comparison, MistoBox doesn't feature any reviews on its website. So, if you want to see what people like about the service, you have to do your own research.
Winner: Driftaway is upfront and transparent about its reviews and recommendations, while MistoBox forces you to go to other sites to get this information.
If you want a coffee subscription that's affordable and offers a ton of variety, MistoBox is the clear winner. The Brew Queue and the abundance of coffees from over 60 different roasters allow you to customize your order and buy coffee whenever you like. Plus, you save money when subscribing, so there's an added incentive to keep your subscription active.
That said, if you like the idea of supporting local farmers in different countries and contributing to a more sustainable coffee-drinking experience, Driftaway is the better option. Because this company works with farmers directly, you know your order is helping them. Plus, you can order coffee in bulk, which is helpful for when you sample something that you want to add to your morning routine as soon as possible.
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.
Edited by:
Bryan Huynh
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Product Tester & Writer
