The best subscription boxes for the ultimate recurring gifts

The dopamine hit you get from a good online shopping sesh is great and all, but often isn’t long-lasting enough. Wouldn’t it be great if you could treat yourself without having to hunt online every time you want to make a purchase? And then if it’s out of stock - nightmare.

Enter subscription boxes. These are a great alternative because they’ll not only give you the same high as clicking that checkout button and having your purchases turn up at your door, but it’ll happen on a regular basis. Whether it’s getting something delivered weekly, monthly or quarterly, they’re almost like a surprise from your past self each time the courier bangs on the door.

Subscription boxes can also work perfectly as a unique gift for friends, family or loved ones. Since they’re so diverse, they can cater to just about any interest, taste or preference. From the culinary connoisseur to the bookworm or the eco-warrior to the beauty enthusiast, there’s a subscription box out there for everyone.

So, whether you’re gifting as the gift that keeps on giving, or treating yourself because, you know, you’re worth it, then here are some of the best subscription boxes you can buy right now, in no particular order.

• Our complete rundown of the best beer subscription boxes and best meal delivery boxes.

Best subscription boxes

at wanderlustwine.co.ukIf scanning the booze aisle for the perfect bottle of red to complement your Nigella spag bol is your idea of hell, have a gander at Wanderlust Wine Club. This wine subscription delivers a set number of bottles of vino to you every two months, be it four, eight or ten vessels - all curated to your tastes and straight from the suppliers. And as a Wanderlust Wine Club member, you will receive up to 12.5% discount on all orders of extra wines you might want from the online shop. Wine not?

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at p3rform.co.uk

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at The Fragrance ShopThe hardest thing about buying yourself (or a loved one) a new fragrance is the stress of committing to a full bottle of something you’re not sure you truly love. No one can fully appreciate a quick squirt of scent when shopping in a department store surrounded by hundreds of other smells, including the 25 different testers you’ve sprayed on different parts of your body in pursuit of the right one.All too aware of the above, The Fragrance Shop runs a subscription service called Scentaddict. It lets you enjoy a fragrance of your choice without commitment via a monthly delivery of an 8ML-sized tester. What’s more, each month you'll also get a £12 voucher for the full-size version.

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at hundredhousecoffee.comWoke up to find you’re out of coffee? Our sympathies - we’ve been there and it’s not a pretty sight. Ensure you’re never exposed to such horrors again with a coffee subscription. There are plenty out there but one of our favourites has to be Hundred House Coffee. This award-winning sustainable coffee producer offers some pretty top-notch roasts, be it the whole bean or ground variety. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, it also collaborates with artists through not-for-profit schemes so the packaging designs are pretty snazzy, too.

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at SkyWondering which streaming service deserves your hard-earned dosh? Stop thinking and consider Sky Glass. Here you can get all your favourite streaming platforms and respective shows in one place - along with the top Sky TV channels like Sky One and the like - and with a super swish 4K screen to enjoy them on, all for a set price per month. And best of all, there’s no satellite dish required - just an internet connection. Easily one of the best entertainment subscriptions you can buy right now, especially if you are in need of a new TV.

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at honestlytasty.co.ukMost people who have turned to a plant-based diet state cheese is the food they miss the most. So if that’s you, or someone you know, have a gander at this animal-free cheese subscription, which delivers tasty yet super convincing cheese alternatives to your door every month for a set price.

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at gb.readly.comCatch up on the news and reviews from all your favourite paper editions from the Shortlist sister titles of Future PLC, such as T3 magazine, Wallpaper*, PC Pro or The Week. With desktop or mobile platforms available, you can swipe through the virtual mags from wherever you are and even save editions for offline viewing for when you’re flying or out in the sticks.Signing up to a lengthier subscription will save you dosh in the long run. And there are also some good gift options available. At the time of writing, you can save 5% on a three-month, 10% on a six-month, or 15% on a 12-month subscription.

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at Get NourishedThe world of vitamins and knowing which ones you should take for your health can be a bit of a minefield. Luckily, there’s a company out there looking to take that stress away, Nourished.Backed by a team of nutritionists, Nourished claims to be the world’s first 3D-printed vitamin gummy brand, offering supplements personalised to you and delivered on a monthly subscription basis. All you have to do is take a quiz based on your individual lifestyle and health needs and the firm’s algorithm will create a customised formula of nutrients proven to support those goals. Customers can then choose their favourite flavour and subscribe to a monthly delivery of their “bespoke vitamin gummy stack”, delivered every four weeks.

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at Moonpig UKWith this two-month subscription, you or your lucky recipient can look forward to a tech surprise every month. Expect anything from smart home devices to wearable tech and personal audio. An ideal way to stay up to date with the modern gadgets everyone’s talking about, with minimal effort.

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at artfund.orgYou can’t put a price on culture, or can you? Well, you can with the National Art Pass, which is available as a 12-month subscription as a gift to yourself or someone else.Giving you free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK - as well as 50% off major exhibitions and special offers at museum shops and cafes - this is an ideal gift for someone who prefers experiences over items. Every subscription purchase also includes a guidebook on where you can use the pass up and down the country as well as a subscription to Art Fund’s quarterly magazine.

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at Bunches.co.ukA bunch of flowers, while simple in nature, has the power to turn just about any frown upside down. So what better to gift that special person in your life (yourself included) than a subscription to a beautiful floral delivery service?Bunches is one of the best out there. This family-owned online florist was one of the first to offer delivery after partnering with the Post Office in 1990. These days, it offers a subscription service on four different tiers on either a three, six or 12-month delivery service. There’s a letterbox version, too, which is a great choice for those who are never home, or are more eco-conscious.

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at birdandblendtea.comNot a coffee drinker? Check out the Tea Tasting Club subscription options on offer from Bird & Blend Tea, which produces over 100 flavours of tea. Subscribers can expect monthly boxes through the post and you can choose from three different types. These are: Flavour Explorer Club, for those wanting more adventurous flavours, Caffeine Free Club, for those looking for caffeine-free adventurous flavours, and Gourmet Tea Club, for those who love a more traditional cuppa.

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at myoceans.co.ukNot everything you order on a subscription needs to be a gift for yourself or someone else, it can be practical too. And nothing quite says practical like bog roll.Oceans is a subscription-based toilet roll brand that’s sustainable in that it’s completely plastic-free, delivered in recyclable packaging and supports the Marine Conservation Society (hence the name). Oh, and they do kitchen roll, too - so you can kit out your kitchen and bathroom in one go. Need we say more? Let’s hope not.

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