Best subscription boxes: food, household, flowers, fashion and more

When you’re spending more time within your own four walls, whether that’s due to caring for young children, working from home or Covid restrictions, it may feel tricky to get hold of the things you need or want. And there’s nothing worse than running out of washing tablets, coffee beans or toilet roll.

Thankfully, subscription boxes can provide solutions to all your home shopping woes. A regular doorstep delivery of your chosen product or products means you’ll never run out of your favourites or those all-important essentials. The premise is simple - sign up for a sub, decide how often you want it to arrive and then sit back and enjoy your regular deliveries.

 Subscription boxes have been gaining in popularity for several years now, with the pandemic boosting their profile further. Beauty subscription boxes and recipe boxes  are already big hits with Mumsnetters. But these days, you can sign up to a subscription for almost anything - both essential and indulgent - including snack boxes, baking kits, craft sets, house plants, personalised fashion edits, gin and crates of wine.

Subscription boxes could help you budget by saving money on everyday items like cleaning sprays and sanitiser. Alternatively, they could provide a special treat for yourself or someone else (monthly cocktail deliveries, anyone?). An indulgent subscription box is the gift that literally keeps on giving.

Most subscription boxes can be cancelled or paused at any time, meaning that you’re not stuck paying for stuff you don’t want.

Trust us, your doorstep has never seen so much excitement. Here are the UK’s best subscription boxes for 2021.

1. Best overall subscription box: Smol

Price: From £4.50 (the price of a pack of laundry tablets) | Subscribe now to Smol

“I get Smol, which are laundry capsules. [They come] in a cardboard child-proof box which delights my puzzle-solving side every month. I only started because there was a free trial and a reduced price for the next six. It was handy having laundry capsules delivered over lockdown.” Leflic

Cleaning products. Not the most glamorous of topics, granted, but you could do a lot worse than subscribing to the award-winning, ethical, eco-friendly, cruelty-free cleaning brand, Smol.

Start your subscription with a free trial of laundry and dishwasher tablets, fabric softener, sanitiser or surface sprays or a starter pack featuring all products. Packaging is 100% plastic-free, recyclable, returnable and refillable so you know you’re doing your bit to save the planet along with tackling your laundry pile.

Need to know

• Available plans: Tailor-made subscriptions depending on your needs

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

2. Best budget subscription box: Graze

Price: From £4.49 per box (you’ll get your first box half price) | Subscribe now to Graze

“Veg box, Graze box and Lookfantastic box for DD.” highmarkingsnowbile

Snacking should be a treat and a subscription box that puts thought into your snacks is surely a winner. Delivered to your door too? Even better!

When you sign up, you set your preferences - vegan, light, protein or variety - and Graze selects the snacks for your first box. They will then make adjustments to your next depending on your feedback. With boxes starting at just £4.49, this is an affordable yet enjoyable subscription choice. If you select a fortnightly plan, you’ll still spend less than a tenner a month as postage is included in the price.

Need to know

• Available plans: Twice-weekly, weekly or fortnightly

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - cancel or snooze at any time

3. Best baking subscription box: BakedIn The Baking Club and The Junior Baking Club

Price: From £8.25 per month including free UK delivery | Subscribe now to BakedIn

“Definitely a BakedIn subscription - my 10-year-old has had it for a year and it's brilliant. She can do just about all of it on her own, but it's not too simple - and they give you the ingredient quantities so you can make it again, as well as providing the weighed out ingredients for the first time you bake it.” Questions Questions Questions

A treat for GBBO wannabes, this subscription box works for kids or adults who have little or no experience of baking. Choose from a Baking Club, Junior Baking Club or Bread Baking Club subscription depending on the age of your recipient. Each box contains a baking kit with a recipe, dry ingredients and helpful extras such as baking paper.

You do have to add the fresh ingredients and kitchen equipment so the cost will add up. But reviewers love these exciting boxes for being a great way to carve out quality time - either just for yourself or with your little bakers.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly, quarterly or every six months

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

4. Best subscription for household items: Amazon Subscribe and Save

Price: Depends on order | Subscribe now to Amazon Subscribe & Save

“I use Amazon Subscribe and Save - you get 5% off but if you have more than five subs in a month you get 15% off and that's when it starts to make sense. I don't get all of these every month but mine (the things I definitely need and save money on this way) are: loo roll, kitchen roll, coffee pods, big bags of Lavazza beans, boxes of tissues, vitamins, cleaning sprays, hand wash, and so on. It's super easy to skip or cancel and they warn you before they take payment or send out a delivery that month.” GravityFalls

If you need your essentials delivered to your door on a repeat basis, Amazon Subscribe & Save is a real time and money-saver and is available on thousands of household items.

Select ‘subscribe and save’ on your favourite products - whether that’s laundry detergent, toothpaste or tins of dog food - and schedule a delivery day that’s most convenient for you. If you schedule repeat deliveries of five or more products in one delivery to one address, you can save up to 15%, and the subscription is super flexible as it can be paused or cancelled at any time.

Need to know

• Available plans: Flexible to suit your requirements

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

5. Best subscription box for kids: ToucanBox

Price: From £7.95 | Subscribe now to ToucanBox

“I have a nine-year-old and five-year-old. We have ToucanBox.” NotGenerationAlpha

If you have creative kids aged three and up, a monthly delivery from ToucanBox could hit the spot. Each cardboard box contains two crafts plus stickers and a magazine. You can choose from a different range of crafts each month depending on the preference of your little artist.

As activity boxes go, ToucanBox isn’t cheap and critics say that the materials produce a fair bit of waste but, regardless, ToucanBox is sure to delight most crafty types.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly rolling, three months, six months and 12 months

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - you can cancel or pause at any time

6. Best cocktail subscription box: The Cocktail Man

Price: From £85.95 for 3-month subscription | Subscribe now to The Cocktail Man

“I have really enjoyed my subscription box cocktails [from] The Cocktail Man!” Xiaoxiong

Ideal as a gift or as a treat for yourself, The Cocktail Man, aka mixologist James Vyse, sends you a kit for making cocktails for two (but no one’s judging if you don’t want to share).

The posh box contains spirits, mixers, garnish and instructions. All you have to do is put the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and you’re well away. It really is that simple - ideal if you’re gagging for a drink after a long day of parenting.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly rolling, three months, six months, nine months and 12 months

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - you can cancel or pause at any time

7. Best gin subscription box: Craft Gin Club

Price: From £25 per month | Subscribe now to Craft Gin Club

“Another vote for Craft Gin Club. We get it four times a year and it's good value but still feels like a treat.” LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

When it comes to gin, no one loves it more than Mumsnetters; check out the many gin threads on our forums for proof. If you fancy spreading your wings and trying out new and exciting gin flavours, the Craft Gin Club should take your fancy.

First seen on Dragon’s Den, the Craft Gin Club sends out one special bottle of gin each month - including exclusive editions not available elsewhere. If you sign up for monthly boxes, you can look forward to discovering six UK gins and six gins from elsewhere in the world along with tasty nibbles and mixers.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly, every two months and every three months

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - you can cancel or pause at any time

8. Best wine subscription box: Naked Wines

Price: From £25 per month | Subscribe now to Naked Wines

“I use it and genuinely love it. We put in £30 a month and are about to stock up for Christmas. Never had a wine I don’t like.” guitarstringseadgbe

An alternative to cheap supermarket plonk, Naked Wines offers quality wine at affordable prices. You sign up to become a Naked Angel (yes, really), which means saving a minimum of £25 to your Naked Wines account which you can leave to accumulate or spend monthly.

The company then invests into independent winemakers’ businesses and sells their wine on the Naked Wines site. All Angels are granted a 33% discount on wines and, if you order a bottle you don’t like, Naked Wines will refund you.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly payment into your Angel account - spend it any time you like

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - you can cancel or pause at any time

9. Best vegan subscription box: The VeganKind

Price: From £8 - use the code VEGAN for a £5 discount off your first box | Subscribe now to TheVeganKind

“I get a treat box from TheVeganKind supermarket every month with loads of food and snacks and usually one non-food treat included.” Welshmaenad

Although vegan choices are now pretty widely available, it’s still a treat to have a box of goodies to suit your lifestyle and ethics delivered straight to your door. The VeganKind offers an option of either a Beauty Box (featured in our best beauty subscription boxes article) or a Lifestyle Box.

The Lifestyle Box contains yummy edible vegan treats such as crisps, nuts, chocolate, drinks and sweets along with a different lifestyle product each month - bamboo toothbrush, anyone? You’ll also receive recipe cards and a free recipe folder in your sixth box.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly rolling subscription or a three-, six- or 12-month gift subscription

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

10. Best flower subscription box: Bloom & Wild

Price: From £22 per delivery | Subscribe now to Bloom & Wild

“I got my mum a Bloom & Wild sub last Christmas and she loved it.” LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

Is there anything guaranteed to boost your mood more than flowers delivered right to your doorstep? We think not. A Bloom & Wild three-month subscription makes a fabulous gift for both loved ones or yourself.

Bloom & Wild is consistently praised by Mumsnetters and independent reviewers for style (opt for classic or seasonal arrangements) and substance (letterbox bouquets can last up to a fortnight). You even get packets of flower food to keep your blooms going for as long as possible.

Need to know

• Available plans: Three-month subscription (choose between weekly, fortnightly or monthly deliveries)

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - cancel or pause anytime

11. Best dog subscription box: WufWuf

Price: £18.90 per month | Subscribe now to WufWuf

“I get a WufWuf box for my dog every month. He loves it!” RonSwansonIsBuff

It’s all very well treating yourself or your human loved ones, but how about your best furry pal? Described as a ‘joy box for your dog,’ you’ll receive five or more items including treats, toys and surprise items - valued at over £40 in total.

After signing up and filling in some details such as your dog’s name, size and preferences,  you’ll be sent a fun, themed box of goodies to suit them. And the good news is that if you don’t have to worry about your cat being jealous because there is a MyMeow box, produced by the same company, aimed at felines.

Need to know

• Available plans: Monthly

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

12. Best coffee subscription box: Pact Coffee

Price: From £7.95 a month - use code FREEV60KIT to receive a complimentary plastic V60 brewing kit | Subscribe now to Pact Coffee

“We have a Pact subscription and it's great! I don't drink coffee but it smells amazing and my husband says it makes much better coffee than any coffee shop. We have an espresso machine and grinder so get whole beans but they can also send you the beans ground to suit any coffee making method. The beans are only roasted on the day they are sent so super fresh which apparently makes all the difference!” Mskatonic

If you’re fuelled by caffeine - as so many of us parents (and non-parents) tend to be -  then you can never have enough coffee, can you? Never worry about running out of your regular cup of joe again by signing up for a coffee subscription box.

Choose the brew to suit you - regular or decaf, whole bean or ground coffee along with a brewing routine (including AeroPress, stovetop and cafetière) - then schedule your deliveries to suit your needs and get guzzling once your box arrives.

Need to know

• Available plans: From every 3 days to every 50 days depending on your needs

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

13. Best plant subscription box: Bloombox Club

Price: From £39 a month | Subscribe now to Bloombox Club

“I had a 12-month Bloombox houseplant subscription which I loved." Oneborneverydecade

Providing you care for them properly, house plants last way longer than cut flowers. For this reason, you could consider a houseplant subscription a fairly prudent investment.

Each month you’ll receive a stunning indoor plant picked by expert growers at Bloombox Club. You’ll also get a perfectly sized ceramic pot and care instructions. Every other month, a surprise gift will be added to your box too.

Need to know

• Available plans: One-off boxes or a monthly rolling contract payable monthly, quarterly, biannually or annually.

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

14. Best fashion subscription box: Stitch Fix

Price: From £20 | Subscribe now to Stitch Fix

“Love my Stitch Fix box. It gets better over time and I love that I've discovered brands I'd never previously heard of and also that there are definitely items I'd never have picked myself. My absolute favourite jumper of all time is one they sent me and, I can assure you, I wouldn't have dreamed of trying it on if I'd seen it in a shop.” BlingLoving

A way to experiment with new fashion looks, Stitch Fix offers professional style expertise, with items hand-picked for you and sent straight to your door. After you’ve signed up and completed an online style quiz, a stylist picks pieces to suit you for a £10 styling charge, deductible from the cost of any pieces you buy.

Once your fashion picks arrive, you can return any that don’t hit the spot - delivery and returns are free. Downsides? Women’s plus sizes over size 18 aren’t catered for.

Need to know

• Available plans: One-off, every two to three weeks, every month, two months or three months.

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes - cancel or pause anytime

15. Best toilet paper subscription: Who Gives a Crap

Price: £36 for each 48-roll box | Subscribe now to Who Gives a Crap

“I use Who Gives A Crap for loo rolls. Always had an excellent, reliable service and wouldn't go back to buying them in the supermarket.” bloodywhitecat

It sure ain’t glamorous but, hey, loo roll is something we all use! If you’re looking for an ethical, eco-friendly alternative to supermarket toilet paper, listen up. Each eco-friendly Who Gives a Crap roll is made from sustainable recycled paper and wrapped in funky, plastic-free paper packaging.

Who Gives a Crap donates half its profits to charity, including Sanergy, which builds toilets in the developing world. Depending on your household size, opt to receive your 48-roll box every eight, 12 or 16 weeks.

Need to know

• Available plans: One-off order, every eight weeks, every 12 weeks or every 16 weeks

• Option to cancel anytime: Yes

Are subscription boxes worth it?

If you want to try a new product, fancy a monthly treat or want to surprise a loved one with a fun, exciting regular delivery then a subscription box could be what you’re looking for. If you enjoy it and can afford to include it in your regular outgoings then a subscription box is well worth the investment.

Subscription boxes don’t have to just be about indulgence though - subscriptions for household items you already buy, such as toilet roll or cleaning products, could provide convenience and value-for-money in one handy package.

How much are monthly subscription boxes?

Monthly subscription boxes vary hugely in price. Graze comes in at under £10 per month for fortnightly snack boxes. At the other end of the scale, Bloombox Club costs £39 for monthly potted house plants delivered to your door.

What is the best subscription box in the UK?

The best overall subscription box in the UK for price, usefulness and ethical credentials is Smol which offers subscription boxes of eco-friendly cleaning products which are great value for money and kind to the planet too.

How we chose our recommendations

We understand that there’s nothing like a real recommendation from other people who have signed up to subscription boxes. So we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which subscription boxes were rated by discerning Mumsnet users.

We compiled a list of the subscription boxes they loved, looking at price, value for money, contents, flexibility of plans and company ethos. We then did some research across the wider web, looking at which subscription boxes were rated highly by independent reviewers and bloggers - and what customer reviews said about them too. Having collated all that information, we picked the subscription boxes that we thought would make the best buys.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.

Main image credit: Craft Gin Club