The best subscription gifts for everyone on your list – Popular Science

You don’t need to know everything about a person to get them a great gift. As long as you know one of their hobbies or interests, a subscription can deliver a stream of products to match their passion. Physical subscription boxes are curated to include several items around a general theme (be it holiday related or otherwise) that you may not have known existed. A digital subscription will allow someone to access a useful service without having to shell out money every month and will make a last-minute gift if you unexpectedly get a present from a distant friend or coworker and want to reciprocate. Another benefit to giving this type of gift is that the recipient could continue to get stuff throughout the year depending on the duration of the subscription. They’ll think of you each time a box shows up at their door or they access something new on the digital service they’re using. You won’t have trouble finding a gift subscription that suits anybody’s tastes, but we’ve curated some of the best subscription gifts to help you get started.

Best for avid readers: Kindle Unlimited

An Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription will put millions of books from every genre into the hands of whoever’s lucky enough to receive it. The service allows subscribers to download and read as many books as they’d like from a massive library on any device that has a Kindle app. If they move from one device to another, Amazon’s servers automatically keep track of their place. That’s better than a bookmark. This gift subscription—for 6 ($48), 12 ($80), or 24 months ($144)—may encourage lapsed book readers to finally catch up on contemporary titles, while voracious ones will find their literary cravings satisfied. It also avoids long waits to borrow books that come with otherwise excellent library apps.

Best for book lovers: Once Upon A Book

We understand that digital books (while convenient) can’t fully replace a paperback or hardcover for some people, so you can help your favorite bookwork build their dream library with a Once Upon A Book subscription. Each month, a package will arrive at their door containing a new book and up to five pieces of ephemera that have to do with the story. Once Upon A Book also includes a set of discussion questions, which is helpful if you get a subscription for yourself. The extras may entice younger readers to read the book cover-to-cover to discover their meaning.

Best for bakers: Wildgrain

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of dough in your hands. Unfortunately, enthusiast bakers don’t always have time to wait for fresh bread to rise, or to whip up homemade croissants. Enter Wildgrain. This service ships frozen ready-to-bake breads and pastries to your door with instructions on how to cook them properly. Your favorite baker will be able to have fresh grains on their table that are made with climate-friendly and seasonal ingredients without running out to the local bakery. Nothing beats fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven bread, anyway. Maybe consider a selection of hand-crafted butters to go with their crusty creations.

Best for cheese lovers: igourmet International Cheese Subscription

If you know someone who regularly hosts a wine and cheese night, or wants to try something new, igourmet’s International Cheese Subscription makes a tremendous gift. Each box contains three half-pound cuts of cheese from around the world. Some cheese may be variations on old favorites—the world of cheddar cheese alone contains multitudes—or something completely new. While many of igourmet’s cheeses come from abroad, the company also features items from domestic cheesemakers.

Best for the host: Decorated

Everybody knows that one person who always decks their halls each time a new holiday rolls around. Each box from Decorated includes a curated assorted of holiday-themed items, from pillows to accent pieces like signs and wreaths. This gift subscription could also work for people who just moved into a new place and want to celebrate their first holiday with some festive cheer.

Best for Hot Ones enthusiasts: Fuegobox Three Bottle Subscription

Fuegobox has a wide assortment of hot sauces at all spice levels in their shop, and this subscription will ship three bottles to the person of your choice. Because the spice levels can vary wildly, we recommend gifting this subscription to someone who has a high tolerance for heat. If you’re shopping for somebody who loves condiments but doesn’t see each meal as an opportunity to test their might, you can pick up a few milder bottles a-la-carte.

Best for charcuterie wizard: Platterful

Preparing a charcuterie board is an exercise in balance—sweet, spicy, savory, bitter, and even sour notes should all work together to create a pleasant dining experience. Platterful can take some of the stress out of the equation by boxing bundling cheese, meat, spreads, crackers, and additional accompaniments in one package. There’s no worrying about pairing the right items together, which can make a host’s life a lot easier. There’re even step-by-step arrangement instructions, so they can build their board like a pro. It’s much classier than a bag of baby carrots and a big, plastic tub of onion dip.

Best for the enthusiastic home cook: Seasons of Spice

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, the top chef in your life will call upon items in the Seasons of Spice box for inspiration or encouragement when they feel like they’re in a rut. Each season’s box contains packages of spices specifically chosen by chefs to complement meals that are typically prepared during that time of the year. Each spice includes a short description and suggestions on how to use it, which is helpful if it’s unfamiliar to the person who receives this box.

Best for calm people: Broken Top Candles Novice

Each month, the Broken Top Candles box delivers a four-ounce soybean wax candle and a pack of matches. Broken Top has a wide assortment of candles that can be purchased a la carte, but there’s something special about the element of surprise that comes with a subscription. If the person you’re shopping for loves candles, Broken Top offers subscriptions with a larger candle, or two larger candles.

Best for the person who’s always in the holiday spirit: ReadyFestive

ReadyFestive’s subscription service does a great job of taking the stress out of holiday shopping. You’re presented with a selection of boxes based on items appropriate for a season or holiday. Simply select which boxes you’d like to send, and you’re done. If you’d like to skip spring and only get winter and summer subscription boxes, you can do that. Want a box to show up this spring and the 4th of July, you’re only a couple of clicks away. You also have the option to send a mini, standard, or deluxe box, which changes both its size and contents.

Best for the perpetual student: MasterClass

MasterClass subscribers get unlimited access to thorough video courses taught by masters in their chosen field(s). Courses are taught video prerecorded video instructions and include cooking taught by Gordon Ramsey, drumming taught by Ringo Starr, and writing taught by Roxane Gay. MasterClass continues to offer new classes on a regular basis, so this subscription will only get more valuable over time.

Best for the cord-cutter: Sling

Cord-cutters sometimes regret their decision to cancel cable service. Internet video streaming is incredible, but sometimes you want to watch the latest episode of your favorite show or sports match as it airs. A subscription to Sling TV allows you to stream live TV from several premium channels including CNN, ESPN, TLC, TNT, and TBS. Sling can be accessed on any device, so they’ll be able to stream any of their shows from anywhere.

Best for the discerning foodie: Corto

A good olive oil can change the composition of a dish, and if you know someone who understands that get them a subscription to Corto immediately. Every six months the recipient of this gift will receive a couple of 500ml bottles and one 3L FlavorLock Box of 100% virgin olive oil. Subscribing now will also net them a 2022 Harvest Olive Oil, and discounts on an expert-led tasting and chef-led cooking class. The olives from this oil are harvested from a family-run farm in California and are guaranteed to be of the highest quality.

Best for snack fiends: Bokksu

Japanese snacks are known the world over for their flavor, packaging, and (unfortunately for us here in the United States) inaccessibility in much of the West. Thankfully, Bokksu will send a crate full of 22 Japanese snacks to your friend or family member’s door each month. These snacks come directly from Japan and come with a booklet explaining each item. Bokksu includes a mix of sweet and savory snacks in each box, so there’s something for everyone.

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