Thieves Coffee

What's in the box: A bag of specialty coffee from that month's featured Australian roaster in your chosen size (250g, 500g or 1kg), with tasting notes and a write-up on the roaster.

Thieves Coffee is an Australian subscription that sends beans from a different featured local roaster each month. Past features include Padre, Proud Mary, Glee, Commonfolk and Infinity Coffee Roasters, so you get well known specialty names alongside smaller outfits. The site says it works with more than 100 roasters, and each box comes with stories and brewing notes about the roaster. Plans are sized by volume: The Solo (250g, from $24 a month), The Regular (500g, from $40) and The Household (1kg, from $68). Shipping is free Australia-wide, and each tier has a sign-up offer, such as 20% off the first two months on the Solo. There is also an Espresso Locker option that lets you lock in up to 12 months of coffee at a lower price and take deliveries when you want them. Gift subscriptions are available, and a matching tool helps you find a coffee you'll like. The main draw is discovery. If you already have a favourite roaster, a rotating box may frustrate you. If you enjoy trying new specialty coffee without doing the research yourself, this is a convenient way to do it. The site does not clearly say how fresh the roasts are, what grind options you get or how much say you have over each month's pick, so check those before you commit.