9 Subscription Boxes To Beat The Lockdown

Daunt Books

This curated subscription service gets you a new book a month from London institution Daunt Books. Customers pick their first tome with the help of one of the shop’s experts; subsequent books are all carefully chosen according to individual customer taste. Or, for a genuine surprise, you can choose to leave your next read entirely up to them.
 
From £160 a year

Visit DauntBooks.co.uk
 

The Cheese Geek

Say yes to the Cheese Geek and you’ll receive a box a month containing five stonkingly good cheeses. The Geek’s chief cheese tasters scour the globe for the best around and – whether it’s an award-winning British number or from a family-run dairy in France – your cheese will be high quality, in season and delivered in climate-controlled packaging to ensure freshness.
 
From £30 a month

Visit TheCheeseGeek.com
 

The Cocktail Man

Whether it’s an old fashioned, a negroni or a martini, the Cocktail Man can get you everything you need to make your drink of choice at home. His instructions will help you make it better than ever before too. Every box comes with ingredients, garnish and a recipe card so you can mix like a pro. You just have to provide the glass.
 
From £36 for three months

Visit TheCocktailMan.co.uk​

Bookishly

At just £28 for a three-month subscription, Bookishly is a budget alternative to Daunt. Each month you’ll be sent a vintage edition of a classic crime novel from the likes of Agatha Christie or Dick Francis. It’ll arrive with a packet of Perkulatte coffee and a recommendation that you enjoy the two together.
 
From £28 for three months

Visit Bookishly.co.uk
 

Japan Centre Snack Box

This one’s filled with weird but pleasantly surprising snacks from the home of weird but pleasantly surprising snacks. Each box includes up to ten items unless you go premium, in which case you’ll get a few extra drinks and instant noodles. Share with friends and family. Or not.
 
From £25 a month

Available from JapanCentre.com
 

Mystery Box

Ready to take a risk? Mystery Box sends you a surprise monthly gift from its range of bestselling products. Choose from themes including ‘Gadgets’, ‘Foodie’, ‘Booze’, ‘Home’ and the mildly daunting ‘Unusual’. Also a decent gift idea for mates who are celebrating birthdays at home this year.
 
From £29.99 a box

Visit Firebox.com
 

The Retro

The Retro does exactly what it says on the box. Sign up for monthly consignments of comics, video games, vinyl or even cassettes. With the vinyl option, you pick your favourite genres and decades of music, then the Retro will hand-select three records from independent stores and send them your way.
 
From £29 a box

Visit TheRetro.co.uk​
 

Stack

A subscription with Stack gets you a shiny new indie magazine once a month. The title’s always a surprise and the only constant is the quality of Stack’s choices. Food and culture journal The Gourmand has ended up in previous boxes, as have intelligent and inspiring publications such as music-centred Shook and the deep-diving Weapons of Reason. 

From £7 a month

Visit StackMagazines.com
 

Sorakami

You might not be travelling yourself, but there are still new worlds to explore from your sofa. Sorakami’s subscription service is a fine introduction to the national drink of Japan. Each month, you’ll get a different bottle of the good stuff, accompanied by a magazine, tasting notes and assorted bonus gifts to enhance your sake experience.
 
From £37.50 a box

Visit UOpen.com