birthdays, between birthdays, And the holidays, it’s easy to run out of gift ideas. Don’t throw your hands in the air just yet — consider a subscription box. There are boxes for almost every interest, and your gift-giver can try many things that would be too expensive for you to compile yourself. You can buy them for a month, but I think three months makes a great gift because they’ll get that warm feeling over and over again. I’m a firm believer that you need to give yourself a gift every now and then. These boxes work whether you’re buying for yourself or someone else. The Wired Gear writers tested each of these recommendations by hand.
None of the options below require contracts, so you can cancel at any time. (Check the fine print of the plan you’re choosing and see how many days in advance of billing you must notify to cancel.) If you purchase a multi-month subscription, you can opt out of automatic renewal. can cancel, but you will not. Refunds for boxes not yet shipped. We’ve noted that sometimes boxes have separate gift options, which usually cost a little more, but you won’t have to worry about canceling. Keep in mind that subscription boxes are shipped at a specific time each month, so if you’re rushing for a last-minute gift they won’t ship immediately upon ordering.
Be sure to check out our many other gift guides, like Gifts for Teens and 25 Gifts Under $25 , and some of our favorite gifts, like this small TV .
Updated November 2024: We’ve removed four old picks and added a hot sauce box, a meat box, a beauty box, and a giftable meal kit. We also updated the prices.