Tea Runners

What's in the box: A box holds a selection of loose leaf teas, either curated by Tea Runners or picked by you from that month's lineup of 25+ teas.

Tea Runners is a US loose leaf tea subscription. It sources teas from North American tea companies and from small-batch farms in Asia. Its main appeal is choice. Each month the site lists 25 or more featured teas, and subscribers can either take the curated selection or customize every box themselves. New teas rotate in each month, and the company says you can pause, skip or cancel a subscription at any time. The range leans toward flavored blends such as Salty Caramel Pumpkin Black, Bourbon Barrel Chai and Creme Brulee Black. There are also more traditional choices like Laoshan Black, Earl Grey styles and a reserve line that includes organic herbal teas. Product listings show caffeine level and tags like organic or caffeine-free, which makes choosing easier. You don't have to subscribe. You can buy a single box, build a sample pack of up to 12 teas, or shop teas and teaware individually, so it's easy to try the service before committing. The site promotes an award from Food Network naming it the best tea subscription. The main caveat is that dessert-style flavored teas get most of the attention. Drinkers who mainly want single-origin or unflavored teas may find less depth here than at a specialist seller. Loose leaf tea also needs an infuser or teapot.