The Best Tea Clubs

Wednesday, October 4th

2023 Tea Club Reviews

Sips By

• Cost: $15 per month

Incorporating some of the best aspects of the several tea clubs reviewed, Sips By earns our highest rating. Founded as a female led start-up, Sips By offers affordable club options that are personalized, nuanced, and connected to over 150 tea brands world-wide. Additionally, Sips By continues to receiving glowing reviews and recommendations from both novice and devout tea-drinkers alike. We'll raise a mug to that!

Membership Overview:

• Selection: 4 premium teas matched from over 150 tea brands around the world
• Makes: 15+ cups (45+ cups resteeped)
• Duration: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: Free

Most impressive feature

Arguably Sips By's most impressive feature is their simple yet thorough online quiz that helps determine your tea interests and potential flavor profile. While the majority of tea club boxes on the market take the liberty of choosing teas that are then delivered to tea club members, Sips By prioritizes your tastes when choosing which teas are included in your subscription box.

Teas matched to your taste

This removes the stress of having to commit to a particular tea profile package, especially for anyone new to the tea world - and still creates an innovative way to guarantee customer satisfaction with the teas shipped. After enjoying a warm, delicious mug of tea (or two, or three!) the customer can even log back onto their profile with Sips By to rate the types delivered, in order help Sips By better curate future boxes sent.

Narrow down your preference

Ultimately, the profile quiz asks only 9 questions of prospective customers, but the questions are notably comprehensive. From preferred tastes (do you like chocolate notes, citrus, floral, savory, spicy, malty?), to preferences for caffeinated vs decaf, to loose-leaf or bagged packaging, to types of tea (green, black, oolong, chai, iced, blends, etc.), to brew style, and finally frequency of consumption ("does tea run through your veins?"); Sips By considers it all. You're also asked to also rate on a 1-5 styled scale how strong each preference is, assessing willingness to explore. If there are any dietary preferences, such as dairy-free, gluten-free, or certain allergies, those may also be indicated.

Free shipping

Sips By club boxes also arrive with steeping guides, biodegradable tea filters (as needed for loose leaf teas), and exclusive offers from other brands. And with free shipping guaranteed, you end up paying only $0.75-$1 per cup of tea. Keep in mind, due to the carefully curated and personalized nature of Sips By's tea clubs, they unfortunately do not offer refunds for orders at this time. While we do wish this option was made more convenient for consumers, the requisite tailored and hand-crafted care needed for this kind of service, makes this an understandable limitation.

First choice

Sips by offers a unique Tea club experience. They match their teas to your unique tastes, and draw on over 150 tea brands across the globe to deliver a top-shelf product. If you want to enjoy the fun and variety that a tea club has to offer, Sips by should be your first choice.

Art of Tea

• Cost: $65 for a 3 month subscription
• $110 for a 6 month subscription
• $215 for a 12 month subscription

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows more about tea than Art of Tea. As informed and engaging curators of tea, their passion for introducing a good brew to novices and experts alike, shines through their website and various tea club options. Located in Los Angeles, CA as a tea importer and wholesaler, founder Steve Schwartz used relationships he built in Asia, India, Africa, and the Middle East to supply consumers with the most elite teas available. And, not only does Art of Tea care about its customers, their employees, and even the tea itself, are treated with utmost respect.

Membership Overview:

• Selection: 5 club options of new tea each month, ranging from 2-4oz
• Makes: 30+ cups
• Duration: 3 month, 6 month, 12 month
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: Free

5 tea club options

In an effort to meet consumer preferences, while still managing to surprise and introduce new teas to customers, Art of Tea offers 5 different club options: Caffeine Free, advertised as herbal and botanical blends without stimulating effects; Classics, noted as the ideal plan for individuals wanting to explore the nuances of every tea type; Single Origin, of rare and exceptionally high-quality tea options; Explore, which will introduce a variety of blends imported from exotic locations; and Pyramid Sachets, which package the company's most popular teas in on-the-go sachets for busy schedules.

Wealth of tea information

Something we really enjoyed about Art of Tea was their website's absolute wealth of information on all things tea. From knowledge on the categories and strains of tea and tisanes, preparation recommendations, steeping recommendations, storage and water quality, caffeine content, benefits of tea, and even a "Tea Terms Glossary" -- Art of Tea clearly knows their tea, to a "T".

Free quiz

Additionally, the website provides a free Quiz that can help recommend various teas based on your individual preferences. While these results won't necessarily translate to your monthly club included teas (and we wish they did!), they do allow you the opportunity to purchase separate products sure to suit your needs.

Certified organic

Although Art of Tea is not the most affordable option on our list, their price point is comparable to many of our top-rated options. Additionally, Art of Tea donates a portion of all proceeds towards various charitable organizations. All teas provided by Art of Tea are certified kosher, fair trade certified, and certified organic.

High rating

With Art of Tea, you can enjoy a cultivated tea experience to the very last sip. They've earned a high ranking on our list.

Free Your Tea

• Cost: $25 for a month-to-month subscription
• $72 for a 3-month subscription
• $69 for a quarterly subscription (paid every 3 months)
• $180 for a quarterly subscription (paid every 12 months)
• $120 for a 6-month subscription
• $216 for a 12-month subscription

Free Your Tea has been part of the tea club marketplace for about six years. Founded by Knud Berthelson, this company was designed to give tea aficionados the opportunity to try high-quality varieties they might not find on their local supermarket shelves. Why should coffee lovers and craft beer fans have all of the flavorful fun, right?

Membership Overview:

• Selection: First delivery comes with 5-6 samples and 50-100 drawstring bags; subsequent shipments have two or six 2-oz. loose-leaf teas (depending on subscription). Choose from regular or caffeine-free. Iced Tea subscriptions are also available.
• Makes: 60+ cups
• Duration: 1 month, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months
• Frequency: Monthly or quarterly
• Shipping: Free

All loose-leaf teas

The name of this retailer should clue you in to how your teas will come: always loose, #NeverBagged. That's because whole leaves stay fresh longer. Better yet, if you're one of those people who makes a cup of tea - and then forgets about it entirely - you're less likely to get a bitter drink when you finally remember.

Personalized to your preferences

The set-up of your Free Your Tea subscription is interesting. Instead of receiving some random selection they curate each month, you'll enter your preferences during the sign-up process: maybe you want them all to be caffeine-free, or you're allergic to anise. No problem! The first shipment will come with 5-6 samples that fit your profile, and you'll rate those once you've had a chance to try them. Your subsequent deliveries will always be based on your ratings - so the longer you're a member of Free Your Tea, the more accurate their picks will be!

Try teas you've never heard of

Free Your Tea doesn't come right out and tell you what varieties you might see in your monthly box. But, we did some sleuthing and discovered that some of the teas seen in past shipments have included Yuzu Rooibos, Ginger Mint Lemon, Hibiscus Twist, and Chamomile Lavender - and that's just barely scratching the surface of the many types of tea curated here.

Many membership options

There are lots of ways you can set up your subscription with this tea club. Your first decision is if you'd prefer deliveries every month or quarterly. Monthly shipments come with two 2-oz. tea varieties - enough to brew at least 60 cups of tea - and quarterly deliveries have six 2-oz. teas. You can pay for quarterly plans every three months or annually. If you prefer month-to-month surprises, you can simply pay $25 each time, or set up recurring deliveries for 3, 6, or 12 months. Depending on which plan you select, your costs will average anywhere from $19 to $25 per month. Shipping within the US is always included, and you'll get 50-100 drawstring bags with each box.

There's even a club for iced tea

One novel aspect of the Free Your Tea options is that they include a plan specifically for iced tea! True, you could use any of the varieties they send either hot or cold, but some flavors really lend themselves to chilled deliciousness. Your initial sampler will come with six different teas, and then every month's shipment will come with three 2-oz. varieties: enough to make 4-5 gallons. The Iced Tea Subscriptions can be delivered for three months, six months, or a full year. You'll pay between $19-$23 per month, and the year-long membership comes with a free drink pitcher.

Terrific as a gift

How about gift-giving? You got it! Simply choose one of their four gift plans - six months, quarterly for a year, monthly for a year, or 3-in-1 (six 2-oz. teas in one shipment) - and decide on what date you'd like your recipient to get their email notification. They'll enter their shipping address and then set their preferences: you don't need to try and make a guess or even know where they live! Pricing ranges from $69 for the 3-in-1 up to $216 for a year of monthly teas, and shipping is still free.

Reach out if there's a problem

There's no return policy at Free Your Tea; most services offering food aren't allowed to accept returns, so that's not a big surprise. However, they want you to be absolutely thrilled with your subscription and want to make things better if you're unhappy for any reason. Reach out to them through their contact page, email, or via chat on their Facebook page.

You'll pay a little more

The only thing stopping Free Your Tea from earning our highest ranking is the price: they come in a little more expensive than our first-place tea club, but not by much. You get a lot more tea for your money here, compared with most of their rivals, but some people prefer to pay a little less and not receive quite so much with each shipment.

Lots of praise from happy customers

Still, that's definitely no reason not to choose this subscription for your tea, because customers love it! People say that it's a phenomenal way to learn about new varieties, the customer service is attentive and passionate about what they do, and the customization is on point. Almost every subscriber gives Free Your Tea a perfect five-star rating.

Definitely worth the money

It's easy to see the love and passion that go into this tea club. Any true tea-lover will be thrilled to try so many novel flavors in each shipment, and they'll enjoy seeing their picks get even more fine-tuned as the subscription continues. Free Your Tea is an excellent choice if you're looking for a tea club that won't disappoint.

Plum Deluxe

• Cost: $7.50 per month

Plum Deluxe wasn't named for selling plum infused teas as one might guess, but rather in reference to the old English definition of plum as something lucky and unexpected - and that's largely what awaits with a Plum Deluxe tea club subscription. Advertised as a niche and personal organic tea company, Plum Deluxe offers an intentional and decidedly thoughtful tea drinking experience - with a notable Portland, Oregon vibe (where the studio is located).

Membership Overview:

• Selection: One Tea/Month package (1oz tea), and Two Teas/Month package (2oz tea). You're also able to select caffeine or caffeine-free preferences
• Makes: 15-20 cups per ounce of tea
• Duration: Subscriptions billed in 3-month increments
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: Free

Passion for tea

One of the most attractive aspects of Plum Deluxe is their ability to match a high-quality product with an extremely tight-knit community. Their website feels as though they could connect you with your future best friends, and their passion for tea is simply the avenue for connection. With every club box, you'll receive not only the tea option you've paid for, but also a sample of either a 2nd or 3rd tea, depending on your subscription package. They'll also deliver brewing instructions, tea pairings, recipes, and members-only discounts and specials.

Competitive pricing

Additionally, Plum Deluxe offers extremely competitive pricing, as one of the lowest cost tea club options we've reviewed. Not a frequent tea drinker, but still looking to branch out? You can even sign up to receive just 1/2oz of tea each month, along with all the regular benefits, for $7.50 per month. And did we mention that all Plum Deluxe teas are vegan, dairy, and gluten free? Clearly this is a tea you can wax poetic over, while reading your favorite poem.

Some limitations

While Plum Deluxe provides multiple advantages for consumers, a small, family-owned and operated organization, can translate to some limitations. Aside from the choice of caffeine or decaf, individuals don't have a way to communicate their preferences, or what they are looking to gain from a tea drinking experience. While a taste-testing panel attempts to ensure quality for customers, ultimately with any package you end up paying for at least 3 months' worth of tea with no ability to predict whether or not you will actually like the product. And unfortunately, since the company is limited to only making enough of each batch of tea to fulfill current demand, they are unable to offer refunds or exchanges on the products you receive. Perhaps a natural constraint, but a constraint nonetheless.

Strong choice

Ultimately, Plum Deluxe offers competitive tea of the month clubs for tea-drinkers of every level. If you're looking for an inviting community aspect and affordable brews, you may not need to look further. However, if you have any uncertainties or concerns regarding the product delivered, we recommend checking out a tea club with a shorter commitment span.

Amazing Clubs

• Cost: From $21.95 per month

Amazing Clubs has an extensive history supplying monthly clubs for various products, and that reputation ensures quality for customers. Rated a #1 Tea Club seven years in a row according to the Wall Street Journal (and as advertised on their website), a purchase of one of their various club packages practically ensures delivery of a quality product to your door.

Exciting and unique flavors

In addition to supplying a premium product, Amazing Clubs Tea Club also provides quite exciting and unique flavors. Ranging from blacks, to greens, to oolongs, and custom blends; some recent examples listed on their website include Black Tea with Cinnamon & Apple Spice; Hibiscus Tea with Cherry; Rooibos Tea with Chocolate & Peppermint; and Green Tea with Pomegranate.

Membership Overview:

• Selection: Two types of tea, 20 teabags each type
• Makes: 40+ cups
• Duration: 3 month, Seasonal (every 3 months), 6 month, 12 month
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: Free

They'll Love It guarantee

While Amazing Club's professional panel of tea taste-testers decide which teas are delivered in each shipment to consumers, they are backed by a "They'll Love It!" Guarantee. Each month the recipient will be emailed an announcement of the teas being delivered, and if for any reason the recipient is uninterested in that month's teas, they are easily able to skip that month with the click of a button. In fact, only the recipient's first month will be delivered without an email, so as to minimize the risk of ruining anyone's surprise gift.

A couple drawbacks

We did find a couple of drawbacks with the Amazing Clubs tea club. First, their tea clubs do not offer any caffeine-free tea options at this time, limiting their ability to serve many potential customers. And, while their website claims Amazing Clubs will guarantee to offer the most affordable prices for tea clubs, we found several tea clubs that actually enter the market at a lower price point - and who do so, without committing customers to a minimum 3-month plan.

Great choice

Still, Amazing Clubs is recognized for their impeccable customer service, and if you're willing to spend a little more in order to get a little more, you are assured to receive an excellent product. If this suits your needs, then you can sit back, enjoy your cup, and feel free to peruse your complimentary Tea Lover's Newsletter with information on monthly selections, fun tea facts, and steeping recommendations.

Simple Loose Leaf

• Cost: $9 per month

Simple Loose Leaf offers good quality, and standard tea club packages for buyers to choose from. Harvesting leaves from areas all over the world, including China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, and others, they strive for innovative and exploratory products. However, the family-owned business prides itself most in sticking to the basics - their value system. True to its name, Simple Loose Leaf tea club boxes are intentionally kept simple, as the company partners with a charity in Arkansas that provides employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.

Membership Overview:

• Selection: 4 Packages: Sampler Box, Herbal Tea Box, Black Tea Box, Green Tea Box
• Makes: 12-16 cups
• Duration: Monthly, Bi-Monthly, Quarterly
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: U.S.-- $2.99; International-- $5.99

Variety of tea club boxes

We love the different package options available for individuals to learn and choose from. With the Sampler Box, you can explore a wide range of tea experiences, from single origin, to blended, to naturally flavored. In contrast, the Herbal Tea Box would be ideal for customers craving new and unique teas with dynamic seasonal flavors - without any stimulating effects. For anyone needing a little more "oomph" in their daily pick-me-up, the Black Tea Box and Green Tea Box, respectively, offer 4 loose leaf teas of that type, or 3 different teas of that type and a "surprise" gift included.

What you'll get

Each box includes 4 hand-selected loose-leaf teas, with 10 grams (0.35oz) of each tea type, 4 reusable linen tea filters, and information on each tea with tasting notes. However, we were less than thrilled with just how basic the teas are packaged, the limited amount of tea supplied in each package, and that they were the only tea club on our list that does not include free shipping. Simple Loose Leaf supports a fantastic cause - we'd just like a little more support for customers as well.

Brew that you'll enjoy

While you could find higher rated tea club subscriptions at comparable prices on our list (once you include the cost of shipping), we're glad to see the variety of tea club boxes and are satisfied that Simple Loose Leaf can provide a valuable brew that you'll enjoy.

The Whistling Kettle

• Cost: $22 per month

Since 2004, The Whistling Kettle founders have been following an entrepreneurial dream to provide quality tea for the modern era. The Whistling Kettle prides itself in its ability to appeal to every type of customer, and their home location in New York has even been voted the best tea shop of the Capital Region by Times Union two years in a row. They believe tea is not just a remembrance from the past, but a delicious drink that is more than relevant of the 21st century.

Membership Overview:

• Selection: 4 Packages: Adventure Box, "Keep Calm" Box, "Black Box", "The Purist"
• Makes: 60 cups (30-day supply, 2 cups per day)
• Duration: 3 month, 6 month, 12 month, on-going
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: Free with orders over $50.99

4 flavorful tea boxes

The Whistling Kettle's tea club packages are a little more unique in their offered subscriptions. Consumers can choose from the Adventure Box, which samples every kind of tea type (black, green, oolong, pu-erh, & flavored and non-flavored herbal); the Keep Calm Box, featuring decaf teas, fruit tisanes, naturally caffeine free rooibos, honeybush, and herbal blends; the Black Box, filled with breakfast blends, uniquely flavored tea, and single source options; and the Purist, containing only teas with no added flavors.

Only loose-leaf tea

While the variety of teas and number of cups made from each delivery are certainly impressive, the brand ultimately runs middle of the road and lacks luster. Only loose-leaf tea is shipped, and although there are provided loose tea bags to "help get you started", we find this could be a turn off for customers new to the tea drinking experience.

Higher-end price

You're also committed to at least 3 months of shipments, with a product you may be uncertain of at a higher-end price compared to other tea clubs reviewed on our list. Luckily with the higher price, you are almost certain to obtain free-shipping; but there are competitive companies that also offer this feature.

Room to improve

We believe with The Whistling Kettle, you will likely receive your money's worth of tea. Their multiple package options and free shipping make them a fit contender to consider. The real prize of the company however, appears to be their physical tea shop location; and their tea club subscriptions could include further benefits and perks, such as tea info pamphlets, membership discounts and special offers, and a more affordable cost to compare against competitors.