The Best Fruit Clubs

Tuesday, March 21st

2023 Fruit Club Reviews

Frog Hollow Farm

• Cost: From $110 to $2,065 (club lengths range from weekly to yearly)

Frog Hollow Farm is our new favorite option among fruit clubs. In operation since 1989, the farm is located in Brentwood, California and maintains growing practices that are based on regenerative agriculture.

All organic fruit

All of their produce is organic and includes peaches, nectarines, blood oranges, pluots, cherries, and several other types of fruit. Completely committed to being good stewards of the environment, Frog Hollow Farm even offsets 100% of their carbon emissions from shipping, uses eco-friendly packaging, and the ice packs (as needed) that keep your fruit deliveries fresh are non-toxic and biodegradable. This is an eco-friendly business model we can get behind!

Great variety of fruit

All of these important details aside, one of our biggest reasons for giving this fruit club our highest ranking is because of the variety of options you can choose from. Most fruit subscriptions give you one or two fruits each month, and you don't get much say-so in what you're receiving. Or, maybe you have to commit to deliveries that are all apples, completely citrus, or plain pears. That's great if it's what you want, but many customers prefer a little more flexibility in their selection - and this farm definitely provides it.

12 fruit clubs to choose from

Take a look at the fruit clubs offered by Frog Hollow and you'll see what we mean:

• Cal Red Cravings: two shipments of the Cal Red variety of peaches. Available in 3, 5, and 10 lb. quantities, you'll pay anywhere from $110 to $260 depending on the size you select. These peaches have an August harvest window that can be as short as two weeks!
• Monthly Cornucopia of California: available in delivery schedules of 3, 6, or 12 months, this club delivers the seasonal best of fruit grown in California. You might get apricots, cherries, plums and peaches from May through September; Frog Hollow Farm apples, pomegranates and pears in the fall and winter; and other seasonal produce from FHF and other local organic farms. You'll pay anywhere from $165 to $1,550, depending on the subscription length and fruit quantity you choose.
• Battle of the Peaches: if you're a true peach lover, you'll enjoy deciding which is better - O'Henry or Cal Red? Your first shipment will be just O'Henry, the second will be a mixed "battle box" of O'Henry and Cal Red, and your final box will have only Cal Reds. Also available in 3, 5, and 10-lb. sizes, you'll pay $165 to $385. All deliveries will be in August (the harvest season of these two fruit varieties).
• Flavor King Fiesta: this fruit club consists solely of Flavor King-variety pluots. Take note that this fruit club ships weekly and not monthly, usually in July. You'll pay anywhere from $165 to $390, based on which quantity you choose (3, 5, or 10 lbs.).
• Weekly Farm Box: if you're up for some weekly surprises of mixed organic fruit from Frog Hollow Farm and their local small-farm partners, this is the club for you. Your produce may include citrus, avocados, apricots, peaches and more, depending on the season of your subscription. You can choose quantities of 3, 5, and 10 lbs., and delivery schedules of 4, 8 or 16 weeks. Prices range from $220 to $2,065.
• Pear Parade: consisting of four shipments of pears - several European varieties plus Asian pears - delivered biweekly. These were sold out at the time of our review, so pricing wasn't available. But, if you know you want this for the pear lover in your life, you can opt in to Frog Hollow Farm's availability notifications on this fruit club's product page.
• Gotta Have My Plums and Pluots: this fruit club ships weekly and includes several varieties of plums and pluots, like Dapple Dandy, Santa Rosa, Emerald Beaut and more. You'll pay anywhere from $220 to $515, for shipments of 3, 5, and 10 lbs.
• Need My Nectarines: typically shipping in June, this weekly fruit club lets you sample some of the most succulent varieties of nectarines - like Summerflare and Fantasia. As with most of Frog Hollow Farm's clubs, this one comes in weights ranging from 3-10 lbs. and is priced between $220 and $515.
• Peachy Picks (Petite): this is a four-shipment fruit club with, of course, just peaches. Similar to the previous two clubs, the quantities and pricing are the same and still depend on which combination you select. Deliveries happen weekly.
• Peachy Picks: if you love peaches so much that the Petite, four-shipment fruit club just isn't enough, this eight-delivery plan is the upgrade. Ever tried a Gold Dust, Suncrest, O'Henry or Cal Red? Here's your chance. Choose quantities of 3, 5, or 10 lbs. and pay from $440 to $1,035.
• Gotta Have My Pluots: you guessed it, this fruit club is just pluots (a cross between apricots and plums). Varieties may include the Flavor King, Crimson Royale and Honey Punch. Delivered weekly, you'll get four shipments and the prices are also between $220 and $515 in quantities from 3-10 lbs.
• Pick of the Crop: want to try what Frog Hollow Farm's own Farmer Al says is the best pick of the day? This is the perfect fruit club for variety-lovers. It consists of 10 shipments of mixed fruit: whatever is the absolute best fruit at the time of shipment. That could include peaches, plums, cherries, pears and more. The quantity range is the same (3-10 lbs.), and the club is priced from $545 to $1,290.

Positive customer reviews

There are plenty of customer reviews at the very bottom of each fruit club's main page. We encourage you to read through them for yourself and see what's been said about the flavor and variety you'll get with Frog Hollow Farm.

Shipping is included

If you need to set a particular delivery date, enter that in the "Order Notes" section of your shopping cart before you check out. Shipping is included in the price of each of these fruit clubs. That's pretty amazing, considering that your fruit goes from tree to table in 48 hours! You can also sign up for Frog Hollow Farm Rewards, earning you one point for every dollar you spend. Points are redeemable on future purchases, and you'll even get a surprise reward on your birthday. This rewards program is complimentary.

Fresh, quality fruit

We found more than 5,000 unfiltered customer reviews and comments on the FHF site itself and you'll soon see that this business is doing a stellar job of delivering extremely fresh, superior-quality fruit - and has been for quite a while. Even with the tricky nature of delivering fruit, Frog Hollow Farm typically gets everything to your doorstep in unblemished condition - and their 100% commitment to your satisfaction ensures that you'll get a replacement or a credit towards future deliveries if anything gets damaged in transit.

Highest rating

For fruit clubs in a staggering number of mouthwatering varieties, make Frog Hollow Farm your first stop. While their prices are on the higher side compared with other fruit subscription plans, it's true that you get what you pay for - and, in this case, you get organic fruit at the peak of ripeness, a terrific satisfaction guarantee, and the knowledge that you're supporting sustainable agriculture. Frog Hollow Farm is the clear winner among fruit clubs.

A Gift Inside

• Cost: From $53.20 (two months) to $499.95 (twelve months)

A Gift Inside started more than 50 years ago in the Sacramento Valley with pears and cherries, growing as a company to include Golden State Fruit in 2009, Farmstead Gourmet in Pennsylvania in 2013, and CY Chocolates shortly after that. These three branches work together to deliver delicious gifts through a one-stop shopping experience.

5 different fruit clubs

You've got quite a few possibilities to consider when using A Gift Inside for your fruit club:

• DeLite: with this fruit club, you'll get three pounds of fruit each month. You get to decide if you want one or two types of fruit in each box, so if there's an option you don't like you can always fill your box with the second choice. Pineapple, clementines, or both? Peaches, nectarines, or half-and-half? Choose your own adventure. Your cost will be $53.20 for the two-month plan; it goes up to $279.95 for 12 months.
• Premium: if you need more fruit than what comes in the DeLite, choose the Premium club. Every box has 4.5 pounds of fruit, with the same varieties and options as the smaller plan. The price range goes from $69.80 to $379.95.
• Premium Fruit/Cheese: every shipment includes approximately 3.5 pounds of fruit and two pieces of cheese - either two pieces of a single variety of cheese, or one piece of each. You might get Granny Smith apples and your choice of mild gouda or brie, Bosc pears with mild cheddar or chevre, and other curated selections. Membership costs start at $101.90 for two months, up to $499.95 for the 12-month club.
• Light Fruit/Cheese: a smaller version of the Premium club, this subscription has 2.5 pounds of fruit and your choice between two pieces of cheese. Past pairings included nectarines with either asiago or toma, peaches with bread cheese or traditional jack, and more. The club is priced from $79.90 to $399.95, with lengths from two months to a full year.
• Organic Fruit/Snacks: each month, you get to choose between "all fruit" and "fruit and a snack". For example, you can have just plums or plums plus dried fruit, nectarines alone or nectarines and trail mix, and so on. Each package contains up to five pounds of food, depending on the combination of fruit and snacks you select. This fruit club can be as short as two months ($76.60) or as long as a year ($399.95).
• Fruit Bowl Mix: the newest fruit club from this company, it includes a hyacinth/seagrass wire frame bowl with the first delivery - so that you can replenish your fruit bowl with each new monthly shipment. You'll get about 4.5 pounds of fruit in each box: an assortment of the "best of the season" produce like apples, pears, citrus and more. Pricing starts at $104.70 for three months and goes up to $379.95 for a full year's membership.

Shipping included

You won't pay extra for shipping with any of the fruit clubs at A Gift Inside. Their monthly plans are already priced competitively, and that perk gives you an even greater value for what you spend.

Super flexible

This company is one of the most flexible in almost every possible way. Maybe you only want your fruit club deliveries to happen during special months - you want to give your mom something special for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and her birthday. Or you want to hand-pick the shipments based on what's in each one, because you've got a picky eater who won't eat citrus but loves summer fruit. With A Gift Inside, that's no problem at all. Your fruit club can last two months, five months, ten months, whatever you prefer.

Gift giving perks

If you're giving a subscription as a gift, the first delivery will announce to your recipient the details of their surprise, like the months they can expect the packages and your personalized message in a gift card. Every delivery also comes with recipes and instructions for perfect ripening of that month's fruit. You can select the delivery date (always Tuesday through Saturday) for your first package's arrival, while subsequent months' boxes will always be delivered during the second week of the month.

100% guarantee

Every fruit club delivery is protected by a 100% guarantee. If your fruit doesn't arrive fresh, undamaged, and on time, A Gift Inside promises they'll fix it with a replacement or a refund. The company's feedback proves that they're doing a terrific job, with over 90% of their customers giving them a rating of 4 or 5 stars. Most frequently, shoppers say that they were delighted to give such impressive gifts for very reasonable prices, and that their gift recipients absolutely loved the fruit and other products.

So much to love

There's so much to love about the fruit clubs at A Gift Inside, and it's our preferred subscription plan if you want the most control over what gets sent and when. We particularly like the fruit-and-cheese pairings that take the gourmet experience to another level with combinations you might not think to try - or even have available at your local market. You're sure to love any of the monthly plans you choose at A Gift Inside.

The Fruit Company

• Cost: From $99 (three months) to $1,299 (twelve months)

Getting your fruit club from The Fruit Company is like subscribing to a slice of Americana. Started by the Webster family in 1942, this business was one of the first suppliers of mail order apples and pears in the United States, growing to include cherries and other fruits over the years.

Fresh as can be

The fruit from this company is picked at their orchards in Hood River, Oregon - on the same day your package ships. Though, to be honest, we don't think this applies to some of the fruit varieties they offer, like Champagne Mangos in April or Blood Oranges in January. We suspect that those aren't being grown in the Pacific Northwest.

4 fruit clubs

You'll find four plans to choose from when you subscribe to a fruit club at The Fruit Company:

• Americana: their most affordable subscription, with a starting price of $99 for three months, this fruit club gives you a nice variety of oranges, pears, grapefruit, blueberries, peaches and other monthly selections.
• Medley: if you want two different kinds of fruit each month, this is the club to consider first. Starting at $109 for three months, your deliveries could include two varieties of pears or mangos, peaches and nectarines, grapefruit and mandarins, etc.
• Exotica: for more adventurous fans of fruit, this club includes varieties you won't find in most traditional fruit subscriptions. With a starting cost of $119 for three months, you might get to try dragon fruit, Hawaiian papaya, or Imperial Asian pears.
• Organic: this certified organic monthly fruit club starts at $129 for a three-month plan. Fruit selections may include Pink Lady apples, Cornice pears, nectarines and peaches.

Choose your size

Each plan requires you to choose a size: Classic (approx. 4 pieces of fruit), Grand (approx. 8 pieces), Deluxe (approx. 15 pieces), or Executive (approx. 30 pieces). As you'd expect, the cost of your fruit club increases as you go up in size. For example, the Organic fruit club is $429 for a one-year subscription to the Classic plan; that price goes up to a whopping $1,299 for the Executive, but figure that you'll wind up with 360 pieces of fruit over those 12 months. Fortunately, shipping is included in all of The Fruit Company's monthly subscription prices.

Lots of positive reviews

We were really encouraged by all of the positive reviews that customers left on the various fruit clubs here. From the gorgeous presentation in the box to the flavor of the fruits themselves, the monthly deliveries from The Fruit Company impress just about everyone who is lucky enough to receive them. The business earns an "A+" rating from the BBB (under their original name, Roy Webster Orchards), which is a nice accolade for a company that's been in operation for nearly eight decades - and with only one registered complaint there over the last three years.

Guarantees

The Fruit Company offers a Delivery and Satisfaction guarantee. IF your items arrive damaged in any way, you can contact them and they will work with you to make it right. They have a history of treating their customers fairly.

Strong choice

This long standing reputation for quality, in combination with their pleasing variety of options to choose from, earns The Fruit Company another high ranking among providers of fruit clubs. We recommend giving their plans a chance to delight the fruit lovers in your life.

Amazing Clubs

• Cost: From $113.85 (three months) to $431.40 (twelve months)

Amazing Clubs is one of our usual favorites when it comes to any kind of subscription club. From cookies to neckties, the company offers a range of products and is well-known for their attention to quality and phenomenal reputation for customer service. Generally speaking. Amazing Clubs is one of our go-to sites for monthly memberships, especially for gift-giving.

2 types of fruit in each delivery

Unfortunately, this fruit club comes up a little short when compared with other options on the market. You won't get to choose from different fruits or select from several amounts: instead, you or your recipient will get two types of fruit with a total weight of approximately five pounds. Your selections may include exotic varieties of nectarines, tangelos, kiwis, apples, mangos, papayas, plums and more.

Fun, exotic fruits

Amazing Clubs partners with some of the finest growers around the world, who express-ship the fruit on the same day it's picked to ensure maximum flavor and freshness. Some selections included in previous fruit club deliveries include Westcot Apricots and Pinata Apples, Satsuma Mandarins and Concord Pears, and Zespri Sungold Kiwi with Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit.

4 fruit clubs to consider

While you won't have much say over the fruits you get in this club, you do have a lot of flexibility with the membership itself. Amazing Clubs has four main options:

• 3 Month Club: $37.95/month ($113.85 total)
• Seasonal Club: $37.95/month ($151.80 total), delivered every three months for a year
• 6 Month Club: $36.95/month ($221.70 total). This can be set up to be delivered every month or every other month.
• 12 Month Club: $35.95/month ($431.40 total). This club can also be delivered monthly or bi-monthly, making it a fun choice if you want to spread out the joy over a full two years.

Skip a delivery if you're out of town

Whether you opt to pay in full or as-you-go, the price is the same. You can also choose when you'd like your fruit club to start shipping, up to 11 months in advance. And, any shipments can be skipped - so if you're just not a fan of what you'll be getting in that month's delivery or you'll be out of town, you'll just have to click a button to skip it. That delivery will just be added on to the end of your membership term, no problem.

No shipping fees

You'll never pay shipping fees with any Amazing Clubs membership - which is a huge perk given how much some rivals charge for delivery. And, Amazing Clubs always makes their deliveries informative with a newsletter tailored to the products. The Fruit Club's publication is The Fresh Express and includes profiles of the growers, more details about each fruit selection, fruit facts and even recipes.

Gift giving options

Besides the newsletter, gift-giving options make this fruit club a contender. Whether you want to send an announcement by mail or email, or you want to print something for in-person gifting, you've got ways of letting your recipient know that they're getting something special.

They'll Love It guarantee

Amazing Clubs stands by all of their subscriptions with the "They'll Love It!" Guarantee. If your shipment doesn't arrive in perfect condition, or you're unhappy for any other reason, the company will do what it takes to make it right. You can also cancel your subscription at any time and get a full refund for any prepaid deliveries.

Over 2 million happy customers

This business has over two million happy customers, and with all of the benefits they offer it's easy to see why. In fact, the only reason Amazing Clubs doesn't rank higher among fruit clubs is because you don't have multiple options to choose from - a disadvantage, especially when looking at other services in our review. In every other aspect, this fruit club is affordable, flexible and an excellent choice for yourself or as a nice gift for someone else.

Fruit Gift of the Month

• Cost: From $75.90 (two months) to $405.40 (twelve months)

Clubs of America has been providing membership clubs for more than two decades, delivering monthly selections of pizza, beer, and many other products. They've been a popular choice, especially for gift-giving, because they include shipping costs at no extra charge and stand behind their deliveries with a 100% guarantee.

5 pounds of fruit

What will you get with Clubs of America's Fruit Gift of the Month Club? Each shipment comes with five pounds of assorted fruit - Royal Pineapple, Bing Cherries, Taylor's Gold Pears, and Tropical Kiwi are just a few of the selections people have received in the past. Every box also includes the Fruit Expeditions Newsletter, with fun facts about the month's produce and other details to make the experience more enjoyable.

Wide range of fruit club options

One way that this fruit club stands out is the wide range of options for delivery, payment, and frequency. You can choose plans of 2, 3, 4, 6 or 12 months - and any of those plans can be shipped monthly, every two months, or every three months. Yes, that means you could choose a 12-month club, have it shipped every 3 months, and get fruit delivered over the course of three years! You can also specify the month you'd like the fruit club to start, up to 11 months in advance. The cost of your fruit club will be anywhere from $75.90 (two deliveries) to $405.40 (twelve deliveries) - and, in keeping with Clubs of America's reputation for flexibility, you can either pay monthly or in full with no difference in cost.

Gift giving

For gift-giving options, you can either print out a gift letter or send an email. Strangely, both options aren't connected to their order process. Instead, you go to their gift announcement page and enter the message on your own, whenever you choose.

Takes care of their customers

We would have loved to see some reviews from customers describing their experience with Fruit Gift of the Month Club. Do they like the varieties of fruits they received? How reliable are the deliveries? We assume that, on the whole, this club gets the same rave reviews we've found about the company in general - a reputation that is backed by an "A+" from the BBB. And, Clubs of America promises to reship your delivery or refund any remaining months on your plan if you're unsatisfied for any reason, so we don't anticipate any major issues with this club.

Solid option

The fruit club offered by Clubs of America is a solid option: affordably-priced, plenty of choices for delivery frequency and overall duration, and a good reputation for quality. It doesn't have some of the bells and whistles you'll get with our higher-rated fruit memberships, but it's still a reliable choice among fruit clubs.

Hale Groves

• Cost: From $74.99 (three months) to $369.99 (twelve months)

Although most of the citrus you'll find in grocery stores comes from California, you can still get fresh oranges and grapefruits from the Sunshine State, Florida - especially when you buy a fruit club from a family owned-and-operated business like Hale Groves.

Juicy, flavorful fruit

All of their produce comes from the Indian River area, known for juicy, flavorful fruit. And, when you order from Hale Groves, your fruit isn't picked until right before your order is scheduled to ship: it never sits in a warehouse or in cold storage, but instead it comes right from the orchards to you.

7 fruit club choices

As you would guess, this is a good fruit subscription choice if you particularly like citrus. Here are the clubs offered by Hale Groves:

• All Seasons: starting at $99 for a 3-month plan, with options for 6, 9, and 12 month clubs, this package includes citrus fruits from November through May and peaches, cherries, mangos, pears and apples from June through October. Keep that in mind as you select your start month and your club length.
• Deluxe All Seasons: starting at $111.99 for a 3-month plan, this is the same as the first All Seasons package, but with an addition of specialty treats during one month of your choice. Hale Groves isn't very specific about what that includes or how much, but product photos show chocolates, cookies, jam and more.
• Citrus Lovers - All Oranges: starting at $74.99 for 5 lbs. (Sample Tray) and going up to $209.99 for 36 lbs. (4 Trays) each month, this club gives you three months of just oranges. Varieties include Navel, Honeybell, Temple, GoldenBelle, and Cara. You can also choose a 5-month plan starting at $121.99.
• Citrus Lovers - All Grapefruit: this Ruby Red Grapefruit package is structured and priced the same as the All Oranges plan. (We're not sure who eats 36 lbs. of grapefruit in a month, three months in a row, but it's available as an option!) This choice also has a 5-month option.
• Citrus Lovers - Mixed: with the same pricing and 3- and 5-month options as the first two Citrus Lovers clubs, this membership delivers a selection of both oranges and Ruby Red Grapefruit.
• Spring Citrus: priced at $89.99, this club delivers GoldenBelles in March, Cara Caras in April, and Navel oranges in May. Hale Groves doesn't specify how many pounds of fruit are in each shipment.
• Winter Wonder: priced at $79.99, this January through March membership consists of Mini Honeybells, Temple Oranges, and Sweet Red Navel Oranges. No total weight is given for this fruit club either.

When can you start

Naturally, the available starting month for each club depends on the season of the fruits you're sending. All Seasons can be scheduled to start up to a full year in advance, any time of year, while the citrus fruit clubs usually have starting options between November and April.

Shipping is extra

Hale Groves doesn't include free shipping in their fruit club pricing. For example, on the three-month Winter Wonder Club, you'll be spending an extra $24.99 on shipping and handling. Or, on the 12-month All Seasons Fruit Club, the total delivery cost is just under $70. That significantly increases the price compared with other fruit clubs that offer complimentary delivery.

Loyal customers

On the other hand, like most fruit clubs, Hale Groves promises that your produce will be a delight for you or your gift recipient - and if not, they'll make it right. We found plenty of praise from loyal, repeat customers of this business, as well as responsive customer service reps handling issues with delivery quickly and apologetically. Those are both good signs of a fruit club that delivers well.

Lackluster for gifts

There's not much that will blow you away when it comes to gift-giving options. You can enter a short gift message during checkout, and that's about all. We also spotted an add-on offer of chocolate chip cookies when we went to our shopping cart, which could be a nice surprise treat, but it looks like the main "wow" moment intended with these fruit clubs is in the fruits themselves.

Great for citrus lovers

Hale Groves has quite a few fruit clubs to choose from, and they're probably going to be high on the list for anyone who is a huge fan of citrus (or is shipping a gift subscription to someone that loves it). But, they're on the spendy side, especially when you factor in the cost of shipping and handling.

Harry and David

• Cost: From $79.99 (three months) to $369.99 (twelve months)

Harry & David is synonymous with gift-giving. Along with sister companies Cheryl's Cookies, The Popcorn Factory, Wolferman's and 1-800-Flowers, this site gives you access to an entire world of choices for any occasion - or for something to treat yourself.

No surprises

You'll find many different membership options featured on their Fruit of the Month Club page (though not all of them are actually related to fruit, FYI). We like that there are no surprises or "mystery assortments" with Harry & David: you can see exactly what to expect with any given month of your selected fruit club.

8 fruit clubs to choose from

With Harry & David, your fruir club choices include the following:

• Favorites: starting at $99.99 for three months and going up to $349.99 for 12 months, this subscription is an assortment of fruit, desserts, chocolate and other treats. In the months that include just fruit, you'll receive approximately four pounds.
• Organic: starting at $99.99 (three months) and with options for 6, 9, and 12-month plans, you'll get approximately 2-6 pounds of organic fruit each month. Cherries, peaches and plums are just a few of the fruits you can expect.
• Signature Classic: priced from $99.99 to $349.99, you'll get 2-6 pounds of seasonal fruit each month. This is one of the only fruit clubs we found that has strawberries as one of their monthly selections.
• Signature Lite: starting at $79.99, this fruit club has the same selections as the Classic, but in smaller quantities (1-4 lbs.).
• Presidential: starting at $129.99, this is the club to select if you're wanting a selection with more exotic fruits like Gold Kiwis and Fuyu Persimmons. Each shipment includes up to six pounds of fruit.
• Medley: starting at $119.99, this subscription is ideal for fruit-lovers who want to sample two kinds each month. That could be two varieties of cherries, peaches and nectarines, etc. Total weight ranges from two to seven pounds of fruit each month.
• The Favorite Pear: starting at $89.99, this pears-only club sources varieties from around the world, like the New Zealand Angelys and Chilean Comice. You'll get up to four pounds of pears in each box.
• Citrus: starting at $89.99, this plan is purely citrus, like clementines and California navel oranges. Each box has between four and eight pounds of fruit.

Shipping costs extra

Shipping fees aren't included in the price of your fruit club. Depending on which one you select, expect to pay $5.99 to $6.99 for each delivery. Those fees are less than some of the club providers we evaluated, but some of their rivals don't charge extra for shipping.

No specific growers

Harry & David is different from most of the fruit clubs we evaluated because they don't necessarily cultivate relationships with specific growers (and, of course, they don't own their own orchards and farms). That's not exactly an issue, but some customers prefer subscribing to fruit memberships that strongly feature the growers involved. That's up to you.

No customer feedback

There's also just a little less of the personal touch when using Harry & David as your fruit club company. Their different plans didn't have any customer feedback - at all. Given that there's a lot of potential for problems with freshness and delivery, especially when they're shipping fruit from overseas for some monthly selections, it would be reassuring to see customers raving about how well it's packaged or how consistently juicy the fruit is from month to month. Harry & David doesn't give you that kind of perspective, unlike many of the homegrown fruit companies we reviewed.

Satisfaction guarantee

We're glad that this company promises to make it right if you or your fruit club recipient aren't happy with any of their deliveries, and it's what we'd expect from a big name like Harry & David. Will you need to take advantage of that satisfaction guarantee? It's hard to say.

Middle of the pack

In general, Harry & David has a good range of possibilities when considering their fruit clubs, from all-citrus to medleys of assorted fruits and other treats. Their prices are about average, especially when you factor in the extra shipping fees. But, there's nothing about their fruit memberships that stands out among the rest. You might have a more satisfying experience with a fruit club that puts a little more into the details.

Pittman & Davis

• Cost: From $64.99 (three months) to $329.99 (twelve months)

Pittman & Davis has been in the fruit business for the better part of a century, specializing in the Ruby Red grapefruit that grows best in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Their fruit clubs include produce from partner orchards in Florida, as well as apple and pear orchards in the Northwest.

Attention to detail

Whether shipping from their own orchards or their grower friends in other locations, Pittman & Davis makes sure that each fruit is individually hand-wrapped and packaged within hours of being picked, to deliver the ultimate in flavor and freshness.

2 fruit clubs

Although it looks like this company has a lot of fruit clubs to choose from, they really only have two: Harvest-A-Month and Harvest-A-Month Lite. Each of these memberships comes in 3, 6, or 12-month lengths, all of which include free shipping. The difference between the two fruit clubs basically comes down to quantity: 12-16 pieces of fruit (not pounds) in the regular package and 6-8 pieces in the Lite box. You may see some exceptions, like the two personal watermelons that typically come in the July delivery.

Odd selection

We were a little surprised to see ten pounds of Vidalia onions as the "fruit" selection for June - with so many other fruits in season that month, it's a strange way to go. Plus, that was only the case for the larger of the two clubs; the "Lite" club offers Tommy Atkins mangos in June. That left us scratching our heads. You can't request substitutions with Pittman & Davis, but you can call their customer service department and ask to skip a particular month. (June might be one to consider skipping, unless you love onions!)

Both affordable and expensive

When you look at the price of the fruit memberships, they seem pretty affordable: from $64.99 to $274.99 for the Lite clubs and from $87.99 to $329.99 for the larger Harvest-A-Month subscription. However, when you look at the average monthly cost and then consider how little fruit you get, it starts to seem like an expensive choice. For example, if you're only getting 4-6 pieces of fruit for $21.66 (the 3-month Lite fruit club), that's probably going to feel spendy for most customers.

Thousands of positive reviews

On a more positive note, Pittman & Davis gets good reviews from people who have tried their fruit clubs and other products. Over more than 8,000 ratings, the company earned an average of more than 4 out of 5 stars. We would have liked to see customer comments specifically on each of the different fruit club options, rather than a blank page where we could be the first to review them. But, their good reputation elsewhere, combined with an "A+" from the Better Business Bureau, are reason enough to trust Pittman & Davis overall.

Replacement or refund

And, as with most providers of fruit clubs, this company promises that you'll love every shipment of fruit; if not, you'll get a free replacement or a refund of your purchase price. That's fairly common, and we're glad to see that Pittman & Davis holds to that standard too.

Lower value

So, while you'll get delicious fruit and great customer service with either of the two fruit clubs offered by Pittman & Davis, you're going to spend a lot more for it. For the same cost, you could either get much more fruit in each delivery or access more gourmet-level fruit varieties and/or certified organic produce. This isn't a bad choice for a fruit club membership, but it offers a lower value than the other subscription plans in our rankings.