There are subscription boxes for practically everything you want these days.  It can be fun to get a bunch of new stuff every month, but considering the nature of these boxes you may not be happy with your results.  Of course, that’s mitigated with the fact that most boxes are themed… so if you don’t like Legos for example, investing in a Lego subscription box isn’t going to be the best of ideas.

The Doki Doki Crate is a monthly box with a simple, but vague concept–cute things, shipped straight from Japan.  But what exactly does the cuteness entail, and is it worth it?

Before we get into the contents of the box I’ve received, let’s do a quick overview of how the process works.  Doki Doki is $30 a month (less if you buy multiple boxes at once), and you’ll get shipped five to seven items straight from Japan to your door, including one ‘wearable’ item each month.

This is important to remember, as since the box is actually shipped from Japan there’s some things to keep in mind with all of JapanCrate’s boxes.  First, it’ll take a while to get to you:  After I got the shipping email, the box took a little over a month to get to me, as it was stopped and opened by customs.  Second, you will not have a shipping number or any way to track the package due to the international shipping.  If something goes wrong with your box, you’ll have to contact JapanCrate after six weeks to see what’s up.

Poor box, ravaged and heartlessly re-taped by US Customs

Are these marks against the Doki Doki box?  No, not really, considering there’s nothing the company can really do to help the process without it costing an arm and leg in shipping.  I did eventually become worried for my package as I needed to review the box, but to a normal subscriber the wait shouldn’t be an issue.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff.  The theme for May’s Doki Doki box is Kawaii Kritters, and here’s what’s inside:

Antler Beret

This beret is the Doki Doki wearable this month, and it’s… interesting.  It’s definitely not my style, but then again I probably wouldn’t wear a normal beret out in public, let alone a bright pink one with little antlers on it.  Since I got the box a little later I was able to see others with the hat on and it seemed more fitting for them, but alas it’s all up to personal taste.  For me, this is a dud, but for plenty of others it’s a super cute accessory to wear.

Aggressive Retsuko Sticker Sheet

These little stickers, on the other hand, I adore.  Apparently Aggressive Retsuko is the newest Sanrio (aka Hello Kitty creator) character–a driven female office worker that has a bunch of annoying co-workers to deal with.  It’s so cute!  And accurate!  Since I keep a daily planner/journal the stickers come in handy as decorations, but so some people the stickers might be a bit too small to adorn some larger items.

Doraemon Shampoo/Soap Bottle

First, let’s get this out of the way… this bottle is huge.  So huge that I couldn’t get it in my shower caddy or sit on any of the lips of my bathtub properly.  This can of course be a good thing if you like having big, cute bottles of shampoo or soap around, but it makes it unusable in my case.  Otherwise, I like it–it’s a giant cat (I… think…) after all!  It’ll make a good gift to someone with a bit more shower space, for sure.

Cat Change Purse

I think that this change purse looks super cute… but ultimately I’m not sure how useful it is for most people that are going to get this box.  Change purses make a lot more sense in Japan than here in America, as larger currency dominations are coins in Japan rather than the mostly paper currency of the U.S.A.. Also, since the change purse is mostly white, it’ll show dirt and the like really easily, making it a bit hard to justify as an accessory or to put on your keychain.  It is definitely a ‘kawaii kritter’, but this poor kitty isn’t going to see the time of day.

Eclair Petit Lapin Plush

Anyone that knows me knows that I love plushies, and this little éclair bunny is way too cute!  Then again, I also proudly have a bean dog on my desk in my office, so I just might be weird and like the combination of animals and food.  It’s a bit smaller than the average plushie (the size of an actual small éclair), but it’s still quite adorable and easy to place nearly anywhere.

Children’s Day Hoppe-chan

Hoppe-chan is a recurring item that started recently with the Doki Doki box and is supposed to be featured for any other boxes in the near future.  Hoppe-chan is a very popular character amongst little girls (and older folks as well!) in Japan, but it’s hard to import the little slime-looking drop, so having them featured in the Doki Doki box is a great way for foreigners that like the character to get the collectibles.  This month’s Hoppe-chan is one created for Children’s Day, a Japanese holiday that celebrates… well, children.  It’s meant to be a cell phone charm, but considering most popular Western phones don’t have a place to loop the strap, it’s a bit more of a decorative piece.  It looks good next to my suspiciously similar looking Dragon Quest slime keychain.

While I did find the majority of the Doki Doki box items cute, I find myself having trouble fully recommending this as a subscription box.  There’s a wide variety of items that came in the box, but because of that I got a few ‘dud’ items that I’m not sure what to do with.  Also I’m unable to really tell the true value of the items and if the box is worth the asking price… considering the shipping method and how difficult it would be to import the items separately, it’s understandable, but I’m left with a feeling that I didn’t quite get my money’s worth out of this box.

But, if you like what you see, and you enjoy getting random, neat, cute things from Japan, this box is worth a shot!  Otherwise, you might want to look into Japan Crate’s other offerings instead.

Doki Doki Box Review

If you’re a 90’s kid, you’ve surely watched a ton of Nickelodeon back in the day.  Plenty of shows and cartoons from Nick are pretty big staples to those that grew up in that era–cartoons like Rugrats, The Angry Beavers, and The Wild Thornberries are sure to bring up fond memories for the TV addicted child.  So imagine my surprise to find The Nick Box, a quarterly subscription box meant to aim straight at that 90’s Nick nostaglia.  Can this box possibly stand up to the lofty standards of the rose tinted glasses?

This quarter’s box is the ‘Nick Toons Rewind’ box, and is mainly centered around the older Nick Toons of the 90’s.  Surprisingly, the slight majority of the items came from Rocko’s Modern Life… one of my favorite cartoons from that era, so this box was definitely off to a good start with me!  The box was supposed to come with nine items, but my box seemed to be missing the Nick Toons stickers, though that’s not much to be upset over.  Let’s look at each item with a bit more detail:

Filb Vinyl Figure

Now this super neat… a nice sized vinyl figure of a Rocko’s Modern Life character!  The craftsmanship on this isn’t perfect–there’s a small error on the paint job on mine–but it’s still overall sturdy, nice-looking, and surprisingly large for something they could have skimped out on.

Tommy’s Ball

This, on the other hand, was a bit smaller than I thought it would be.  It’s essentially a small ball modelled after the Rugrats toy.  It’s not really bouncy or anything, though.  I’ll likely give this to my cats as a nice toy they can play with that’s big enough to not get caught under furniture.

Ren & Stimpy Pins

Three nice little Ren and Stimpy pins.  I really like how they look and the material they’re made out of, since most pins are cheap button pins.  They have a nice weight to them, too.  These are definitely going up in my office with the rest of my pins!

Rocko Cosplay Set

Now, this is fun, if… weird.  Dress up just like Rocko from Rocko’s Modern Life with his iconic shirt (in the size you’ve chosen for the box) and some one size fits all socks.  You might be wondering about pants, but Rocko didn’t wear any pants!  It, of course, fits properly, but I can never see myself pulling this out and wearing it… ever.  Maybe for Halloween, but the reference is just obscure enough that I don’t know if anyone would know who I was dressed as.

Powdered Toastman Sandwich Container

It’s awesome looking and works as intended, there’s not much else to say.  My boyfriend immediately took it for himself after my pictures.

Heffer Blanket

I’m always a sucker for fleece throws, so a throw with a character from my favorite Nick show is a huge hit with me!  It’s also very soft, too, and the same size as an average throw.  This will definitely be in my couch rotation!

Arnold Locket Plush

It’s a cute little plushie to show your undying love for Arnold to anyone that bothers to come into your house.  As much as I like Hey Arnold, I know some people that would appreciate this more, so I’m going to make this a nice little gift.

Vinyl Decal

A nice sized Ahh! Real Monsters decal.  I really like the idea of putting it on the toilet seat like the package says, but there are any number of places to stick this, and it looks nice to boot, provided you don’t mind having such blatant fanservice up on your walls.

It’s hard to truly measure the worth of the Nick Box, as each item is crafted uniquely for said box.  That said, for $50 plus shipping, the box is a huge blast from the past and just a treat to go through.  You can’t really put a price on nostalgia, after all!  I’d recommend this to any 90’s Nickelodeon fan–you’re bound to get a few really neat items, and some more to give away to friends and family to share the love!

90s Nostalgia: The Nick Box Review

They say that “beauty is pain”, and while that may be true in some ways (I will never pluck my eyebrows, thanks), it doesn’t have to be true in finding your beauty products in the first place.  With the explosion of subscription box options over the years, there are plenty of boxes out there for pretty much anything… and that includes boxes for makeup and other beauty products.

But, the choices can be a little overwhelming… worry not, here’s a list of six beauty subscription boxes that may be right up your alley:

Ipsy

In all of my subscription box research, by far Ipsy is one of the most popular beauty boxes available.  While it is on the cheaper side of the spectrum, Ipsy manages to be well worth the $10 a month by offering five beauty items (some full sized, some samples) and a nice new makeup bag.  That’s every month.  If you want to dip your toe into subscription boxes but are worried about price, Ipsy is one of the best options available.

Julep Maven

Julep Maven’s beauty boxes focus more on their high end nail polish.  Julep’s box is a little on the higher end of the scale at $25 a month, but you are able to pick each item in your box, from old polish colors to new, or even other types of make up and beauty products.  Additionally, if you don’t want your box that month for whatever reason, it’s easy to skip a month of the subscription. Julep makes sure that you get exactly what you want in each box.

Target Beauty Box

Target’s Beauty boxes are just a little different from the others on the list–Target doesn’t actually offer a subscription, and the release times for these boxes aren’t always consistent.  However, these particular boxes come relatively cheap, and are packed with makeup and beauty goodies.  The Target box mostly contains samples, but all the better to learn what items you like and want to get more of (probably at a Target, like a clever advertisement scheme!).

Vegan Cuts Beauty Box

The Vegan Cuts Beauty Box, as the name suggests, is a beauty box consisting of all vegan beauty products, that were not tested on animals nor have any animal products in them.  There’s a surprising amount of beauty products that can contain items derived from animal parts, so Vegan Cuts makes it great for vegans to easily find beauty products that match their lifestyle.  Most items in the Vegan Cuts box are samples, but it goes a long way in raising awareness for animal free beauty products.

Boxycharm

Boxycharm is like a higher-end Ipsy box.  Like Ipsy, Boxycharm sends you five items a month, minus the makeup bag.  However, all of these products are full-sized, and the value of the items easily values around $100.  Boxycharm is one of the best values on the market right now, and a great way to build up your beauty product collection.

eSalon Hair Coloring

eSalon differs from the beauty boxes by providing high quality hair color.  eSalon has an extensive quiz you take to help determine your hair type and how you want to color it, and specialists create a perfect formula just for you and mail it to your door.  Any person that dyes their hair somewhat regularly know that with over the counter dyes can be difficult to match to the color on the box, but eSalon takes the guesswork out of it.  Better yet, the subscription model helps to keep you stocked up on your color, so it will never fade out.

There it is, a beginner’s guide to the first beauty boxes you’ll want to try out… or maybe one or two you missed along the way.  Are there any beauty boxes that you recommend?  Let us know in the comments!

6 Beauty Subscription Boxes Worth Your While

I’m not sure who was more excited to find the little blue box from Brick Loot on the doorstep last week: me or my 4 year old son. We were only more excited when we opened it up to find that the theme for this month was superheroes!

Brick Loot is a subscription box program, along the same lines as Loot Crate or BarkBox, that sends you a box full of LEGO-brand and LEGO-compatible building sets and accessories once a month ($25/month+ shipping with a 3 month subscription); every month there’s a new theme that ties everything in the box together.

The cool thing about Brick Loot is that everything you get is totally unique–nothing you’d be able to pick up at Target, Toys R Us or even Amazon. Most of the items that come in the box are custom builds that were designed specifically for Brick Loot, rather than existing LEGO products. Here’s a rundown of what was in our superhero-themed box:

1. The Dark Knight Custom Kit

It’s Batman, therefore it’s awesome. Kind of cool that it’s a Brick Loot exclusive (designed by an independent “LEGO Artist”), but it actually comes with authentic LEGO brand bricks. It’s not a great piece to play with once built, but it’s a great collectible to show off on a shelf.

2. Demon Star Vehicle and Minifigure

Another Brick Loot exclusive set, but this one includes LEGO-compatible (off-brand) bricks. A pretty easy build for kids and a fun new villain to add to your existing superhero sets.

3. Comic Book Tile Pack

Cute little collectible tiles, though I’m not totally sure what you’re supposed to do with them.

4. Brick Popper

A tool made to help you pop LEGO bricks apart. Worked pretty well at breaking apart some pieces we definitely thought were permanently stuck together.

5. Red Archer Custom Minifigure

Another example of an authentic LEGO brand product that they’ve turned into something new and unique–this little guy comes from United Bricks, a company that uses UV printing to make custom LEGO items.

As far as skill level required to enjoy this box, I would say Brick Loot is definitely aimed more at kids/beginners than adults. My four year old was able to build most of the sets himself with some assistance. An adult with any LEGO experience could easily put everything together in just a few minutes.

Overall, I thought our Brick Loot box was a lot of fun! One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of what you are paying for here is the novelty and surprise factor. Pricing out everything we got in our box individually, it would probably add up to about the same price (or a little bit less) than what the monthly subscription costs. So you’re not really getting a “deal” on LEGO products; you’re paying for the opportunity to check out some unique items that you’d probably never come across on your own.

For anyone interested in trying Brick Loot for yourself, they’ve sent us a 10% off code: bens10, good on either the 1-month or 3-month subscription plans. Next month’s theme is Race at the Brickyard, and boxes ship April 11th.

Check out Brick Loot Here

Brick Loot Subscription Box Review

It’s no surprise that Loot Crate is one of the most popular monthly subscription boxes for gear related to superheroes, super-villains, popular movies, geeky television shows and the most iconic video games. Of course, a subscription box is a fantastic gift for someone, as they will receive a variety of cool items for multiple months; long after a holiday has come and gone.

After the subscription box craze caught on, websites similar to Loot Crate started popping up everywhere. Besides services like Loot Crate that offer a wide range of items, many sites started to focus in on a specific aspect of nerd or geek culture. For instance, there are subscription boxes geared specifically to Marvel or Star Wars fans, boxes that are for people who love video game culture, boxes for people who love comic books, etc…

Aren't familiar with Loot Crate? Click Here.

Loot Crate sends out a box each month for about $20 (including shipping / handling). Each box is specific to a theme. For instance, a recent box was themed around villains. That box included great themes around the Joker (from Batman), Venom (from Spider-Man) and Los Pollos Hermanos (from Breaking Bad). The subscription price drops if you opt into multiple months and it can increase if you opt into the Level Up service that adds more geeky apparel to the mix. Full details are below:

Loot Crate

Loot Crate

Founded in 2012, Loot Crate sends 6 to 9 themed collectibles aimed at geeks and gamers every month. Recent crate themes have been Heroes, Villains, sci-fi and horror.

• Monthly Rates:  $13.37 (1 mo.), $12.37 (3 mos.), $11.67 (6 mos.)
• Shipping: $6
• Coupon: Get $3 off your first order with SAVE3
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

We’ve broken down our favorite subscription boxes like Loot Crate into a few categories. Check out the full list!

Subscription Box Companies like Loot Crate

These other companies like Loot Crate will offer a general smattering of items each month, pulling from all aspects of pop culture to fill the box. This is probably a great gift for someone that you know who’s into cool, geeky stuff, but you don’t really have more information beyond that.

1up Box

1up

1up offers a single box that has a focus on “5 to 7 epic items” that would appeal to geeks and gamers. Some of the past boxes have included gear themed around characters from Nintendo, the Cartoon Network and Star Wars. Each box will feature a specific collection of items as well as an exclusive t-shirt that you can’t buy anywhere else.

Value of each box tends to be over $40.

• Monthly Rates:  $12.92 (1 mo.), $12.42 (3 mos.), $11.92 (6 mos.)
• Shipping:  $7
• Coupon: Save $3 on your first month with the code AWESOME
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Fanmail Box

FanMail

Finally offering up a solid option for all those cool, geeky ladies out there, FanMail is basically Loot Crate for women. All of the items are specifically chosen “by women, for women” around a specific theme each month. For instance, the August theme was “Super Sheroes” and included gear like a Black Canary #1 comic book, a Wonder Woman wristband, a Melinda May Pop Vinyl and a Batman vs. Superman necklace.

Value of each box will be at least $50.

• Monthly Rates:  $22 (1 mo.), $21 (3 mos.), $20 (6 mos.), $19 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  Depends on location
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Geek Fuel

Geek Fuel

Geek Fuel will send your lovable geeky friend a monthly mystery box filled with 6 to 9 toys, games and collectibles from the worlds of Marvel, Star Wars, Japanese anime and so on. Recent boxes have included goodies like a Doctor Who ice cube tray, downloadable video games and comic book variant covers.

Value of each box tends to be over $50.

• Monthly Rates:  $18 (1 mo.), $17 (3 mos.), $16 (6 mos. +1 mystery item), $14 (12 mos. +3 mystery items)
• Shipping:  $6
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Geek Me Box

Geek Me Box

Geek Me Box offers between 5 to 8 geek & gamer products each month with no specific focus on a theme each month. Past boxes have included gear from Marvel, South Park, Thundercats and DC Comics. There is a $2 add-on charge for t-shirts XXL and up.

Values of the boxes tend to be over $50.

• Monthly Rates:  $22 (1 mo.), $20 (3 mos., 6 mos. or 12 mos.)
• Shipping:  $8
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Nerd Block

Nerd Block 

Nerd Block has a choice of six themed mystery box toy subscriptions: Nerd Block Classic which will send you 4 to 6 collectibles and toys including one custom T-shirt every month; Arcade Block for gamer collectibles;  Horror Block for pop horror collectibles; Comic Block is for comic collectibles, Nerd Block Jr. for Boys (ages 6 to 11); and Nerd Block Jr. for Girls (ages 6 to 11).

Values of the Classic, Arcade and Horror boxes tend to be over $60. Values of the Comic, Jr. Boys and Jr. Girls boxes tend to be over $40.

• Monthly Rates (Classic, Arcade or Horror):  $20 (1 mo.), $18 (3 mos.), $17 (6 mos.), $16 (12 mos.)
• Monthly Rates (Comic, Jr. Boys or Jr. Girls):  $14 (1 mo.), $13 (3 mos.), $12 (6 mos.), $11 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  $10
• Coupon: Save 15% off your first month with SAVE15
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Power Box Box

Power Up Box

Power Up Box offers a choice between two boxes of geeky gear. The Premium level offers 6 to 9 hand-picked items while the Deluxe box offers 4 to 6 items. Past boxes have included gear from Marvel, Star Wars, DC Comics and Pokemon.

Value of the Premium box tends to be $70 while the value of the Deluxe box is closer to $50.

• Monthly Rates: (Premium Box) $30 (1 mo.), $28.50 (3 mos.), $27 (6 mos.), $25.50 (12 mos.)
• Monthly Rates: (Deluxe Box) $20 (1 mo.), $19 (3 mos.), $18 (6 mos.), $17 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  $10 for Premium / $7 for Deluxe
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Superhero Subscription Boxes

Targeted specifically at fans of superheroes, these loot boxes aren’t going to include items outside of that genre. This is a great gift for a fan of the recent rash of superhero movies to hit the theaters as well as fans of Star Wars.

HeroCrate Box

HeroCrate (closed as of late Jan 2016)

Including 4 to 6 hero-related items as well as a unique T-shirt, HeroCrate features items from Marvel, DC Comics, Star Wars, TMNT and pretty much anything else that can be considered hero-related. The team running HeroCrate also offers a secondary VillainCrate service that ships every two months.

Value of each crate of heroic loot is at least $40.

• Monthly Rates: $30 (1 mo.), $27 (3 mos.), $26 (6 mos.), $25 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  Included
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Marvel Collector’s Corps

Marvel Collector Corps

Started up earlier this year, the Marvel Collectors Corps box was launched in partnership with Funko. Boxes typically include Marvel Funko characters, comic books, T-shirts and collector patches. FYI, DC will also be launching a similar box starting during early 2016.

Value of each box is at least $50.

• Monthly Rates: (Collector Program) $25 every 2 months.
• Monthly Rates: (Hero Program) $150 per year. 6 boxes over 12 months + 1 exclusive collectible.
• Shipping:  $7
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Smuggler’s Bounty Box

Star Wars Smuggler’s Bounty

While not specifically a superhero genre, there’s little argument that the Jedi are the superheroes of the Star Wars universe. Similar to the Marvel box above, the Smuggler’s Bounty box was created in partnership with Funko for Star Wars fans. It’s also going to be distributed on a similar timetable, every other month. The first box goes out in November.

Value of each box is at least $50.

• Monthly Rates: (Pirate Membership) $25 every 2 months.
• Monthly Rates: (Boss Membership) $150 per year. 6 boxes over 12 months + 1 exclusive collectible.
• Shipping:  $7
• YouTube Reviews: Not Available Yet

Hero Box 2.0

SuperHeroStuff Hero Box 2.0

Relaunched during July 2015, the Hero Box 2.0 can be an awesome subscription box for someone who’s a fan of a specific superhero. For example, you could get a box with only Superman items inside. Items like t-shirts, socks, comics, bumper stickers, keychains, plush toys, etc. However, this level of customization is more expensive.

Boxes are valued at a minimum of $70

• Monthly Rates: $49 (1 mo.)
• Shipping:  $5.50 minimum
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Comic Book Subscription Boxes

Ideal for anyone who spends Wednesday afternoon in the comic book store picking up the latest issues, these subscription services will bring some serious comic book loot to your doorstep.

Comic Bento

Comic Bento

Shipping out a collection of comics and graphic novels each month, Comic Bento uses a panel of comic experts to pick issues around a theme each month. For instance, when the theme was Cinematic Adventures, subscribers received graphic novels related to The Avengers, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Predator and Green Hornet.

Value of each box is at least $60.

• Monthly Rates: $20 (1 mo.), $18.34 (3 mos.), $17.50 (6 mos.)
• Shipping:  $5 in the U.S. / $12 to Canada
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Comic-Con Box

Comic-Con Box

Ideal for anyone who frequently attends Comic-Con in San Diego, the Comic-Con Box (launched early 2015) is filled with collectibles and exclusives related to comics, movies and television shows. It may also include discounts for anyone who’s attending Comic-Con. Typical items included are T-shirts, graphic novels, prints and figurines.

• Monthly Rates: $30 per month. Bonus items included at 3-month, 6-month subs.
• Shipping:  $7
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

ComicBoxer Box

ComicBoxer

Providing a mystery selection of 5 to 7 comic books to subscribers each month, ComicBoxer selections include new releases, variant covers, #1 issues, etc. Selected by a team of experts, some of the comics can be geared toward a mature audience, so avoid giving this as a gift for kids. The ComicBoxer team is working on a plan for younger readers.

• Monthly Rates: $20 (1 mo.), $19 (3 mos.), $18 (6 mos.)
• Shipping:  $8
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Gaming Subscription Boxes

If you love playing all types of games, these boxes will provide tons of entertainment as well as help you show off your love of video games.

Awesome Pack

Awesome Pack

Offering up a package for families as well as one for “Big Kids,” the Awesome Pack includes items like board games, handheld games, plush toys and activities. The company includes items from Disney, Hasbro, Marvel and DC Comics. With perks such as custom cards for birthdays, this subscription is ideal for any family with young kids.

• Monthly Rates: $45 per month
• Shipping:  Included
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Gamer Girl Monthly

Gamer Girl Monthly

Offering up 3 to 5 pieces of gaming-themed jewelry each month, Gamer Girl Monthly started during mid-2015 and includes items that were specifically “selected by girls, for girls.” It’s definitely unique in the subscription box scene and could be a cool way for young women to show off their love of video games.

• Monthly Rates: $13 (1 mo.), $12.50 (3 mos.), $12 (6 mos.), $11.50 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  $4 to U.S. / $7 to Canada
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

IndieBox

IndieBox

Featuring one collector’s edition PC game shipped to your home each month, the IndieBox package includes a retro-style game box, USB game cartridge, color manual, and original soundtrack. Other items that may come with the game include pins, posters, game controllers or keychains. Games are specifically chosen based off positive reviews.

• Monthly Rates: $25 (1 mo.), $23 (3 mos.), $20 (6 mos.)
• Shipping:  $4 to U.S.
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Geeky T-Shirt Subscription Boxes

Awesome shirts for wearing to your next convention or maybe just to your cubicle at work, these cool crates and boxes contain T-shirts that will show off your geek cred.

Once Upon A Tee

Once Upon a Tee

Targeting fans of Doctor Who, The Legend of Zelda as well as other random pop culture themes, Once Upon a Tee offers up monthly subscriptions of an item that’s been printed exclusively for that month’s box. In addition, all subscribers are entered into a monthly drawing for a gift card that can be spent in their main online store.

• Monthly Rates: $10 per month for Doctor Who, Zelda. $7 per month for random item
• Shipping:  $4
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Teeblox

TeeBlox

Including $30 of gear for a low monthly subscription price, TeeBlox offers up an officially licensed T-shirt each month as well as two of the following items: a comic book, a poster, a sticker or a decal. During the subscription process you can also choose a theme such as games, movies & TV, beers or hot items.

• Monthly Rates: $10 per month
• Shipping:  $2.50
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Misc. Subscription Boxes of Eternal Awesomeness

Last, but certainly not least, these two subscription boxes provide some entertainment into the mix as well as killer gift crates for people of all ages.

Wil Wheaton Quarterly

Wil Wheaton Quarterly Co.

The Quarterly subscription service is curated by celebrities like Wil Wheaton as well as style experts, authors and bloggers. Of course, Wil’s wonderful picks often lean into geekdom. For instance, the July box included a Dungeons & Dragon starter set, custom Wesley Crusher socks and a vintage NES Game with the Retrobit Duo NES console. The quantity and types of items in each box will vary for each curator and season.

• Quarterly Rates:  $100 (for Wil’s box)
• Shipping:  Free (for subscribers); $8 (for one-off purchases)
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

Brick Loot Box

Brick Loot

Offering up anything related to brick building (like LEGOs), Brick Loot includes 4 to 8 brick-related toys related to a specific theme each month. Competing services include Brickbox as well as Brickswag.

• Monthly Rates: $27 (1 mo.), $25 (3 mos.), $23(6 mos.)
• Shipping:  $6 to U.S. / $13 to Canada
• YouTube Reviews: Click Here

20 Awesome Subscription Boxes like Loot Crate

Subscription boxes make great gifts because they’re not something you’d normally buy for yourself and you can order them from the comfort of your home. They’re good for the people who are hard to shop for or who like to think outside the box (yep, went there).

Although the subscription e-commerce model (i.e. products delivered to your home weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.) has been around for years, it’s still new enough to most people that there’s a novelty factor. Plus, there’s a convenience to receiving goods on a regular basis, saving the time and energy of buying something individually and repeatedly.

First world problem? Sure. But who doesn’t love to receive goodies in the mail?

There are a plethora of subscription services aimed at different demographics, with a particular emphasis on women’s and men’s products. The first shipment usually arrives the following month, especially if you order after the 15th, although it can arrive the same month. Check the specific service for shipping details.

We’ve broken down our favorite subscription boxes into five categories. Almost all of the subscription boxes below have a gift subscription option and most allow you to cancel after the first box.

For Techies, Geeks and Nerds

Loot Crate

Loot Crate

One of the most popular subscription boxes around, Loot Crate was founded in 2012 and sends 6 to 9 themed collectibles aimed at geeks and gamers every month. Recent crate themes have been Heroes, Villains, sci-fi and horror.

Look out for deals: they’re currently offering $3 off their January crate with coupon code SAVE3, and we recently saw one month for just $10 and another deal for as low as $5.

• Monthly Rates:  $13.37 (1 mo.), $12.37 (3 mos.), $11.67 (6 mos.)
• Shipping: $6

Nerd Block

Nerd Block 

Nerd Block has a choice of 5 themed mystery box toy subscriptions: Nerd Block Classic which will send you 4 to 6 collectibles and toys including one custom T-shirt every month; Arcade Block for gamer collectibles;  Horror Block for pop horror collectibles; Nerd Block Jr. for Boys (ages 6 to 11); and Nerd Block Jr. for Girls (ages 6 to 11).

Value of the boxes tend to be over $40.

• Monthly Rates (Classic, Arcade Block or Horror Block):  $20 (1 mo.), $18 (3 mos.), $17 (6 mos.), $16 (12 mos.)
• Monthly Rates (Jr. Boys or Jr. Girls):  $14 (1 mo.), $13 (3 mos.), $12 (6 mos.), $11 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  $10

Quarterly Co.

Quarterly Co.

This premium subscription service is curated by celebrities (Wil Wheaton, Pharell Williams, Chef Ludo, etc.), style experts, authors, bloggers and others. As the name suggests, you receive a box quarterly rather than monthly, and the price is usually at a $50 or $100 price point.

The quantity and types of items in each box will vary for each curator and season.

• Quarterly Rates:  $25 to $100
• Shipping:  Free (for subscribers); $8 (for one-off purchases)

Geek Fuel

Geek Fuel

Geek Fuel will send your geeky recipient a monthly mystery box filled with 6 to 9 toys, games and collectibles from the worlds of Star Wars, Japanese anime, video games and so on. Recent boxes have included goodies like Star Wars Pez dispensers and Princess Bride playing cards.

• Monthly Rates:  $18 (1 mo.), $17 (3 mos.), $16 (6 mos.), $14 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  $6

Phone Case of the Month

Phone Case of the Month

No clever/catchy/cute name here. If you know someone who really abuses their cases or tires of them quickly, there’s now a subscription box for them. Phone Case of the Month ships one original hard shell case design made of polycarbonate and ABS with a soft-touch silicone coating.

iPhone 6/6+ cases will be available in January 2015.

• Monthly Rate:  $10
• Shipping:  Free

For the Kids and Pets (not to be confused)

Green Kid Crafts

Green Kid Crafts

Each month receive 3 to 4 earth-friendly creativity and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) science kits for children ages 3 to 10. Rave reviews from users, educators and Wired Magazine.

If you’re trying to encourage the kids to go outside, this is the box for them.

• Monthly Rates:  $20 (1 mo.), $19 (3 mos.), $18 (6 mos.)
• Shipping:  Free

BarkBox

BarkBox and MeowBox

Your dog (four weight categories) receives 4 to 6 all-natural treats, toys and occasional hygiene products. BarkBox gets great reviews (check out the YouTube reviews) and is considered the best or among the very best of pet subscription boxes. There’s even an app for it.

• Monthly Rates: $29 (1 mo.), $24 (3 mos.), $21 (6 mos.), $19 (12 mos.)
• Shipping: $5 / box

Hey, don’t forget about the starz of the internets! BarkBox for the feline set, MeowBox sends 5 or more personalized goodies to your cat, including such things as salmon jerky treats, organic cat nip toys and cat grass. (Queue requisite YouTube reviews.)

• Monthly Rates:  $33 (1 mo.), $28 (3 mos.), $23 (12 mos.)
• Shipping: Free

Citrus Lane

Citrus Lane

Citrus Lane is like BarkBox, except for human babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Just kidding (kind of).

Seriously, though, 4 to 5 curated products are tailored to your child’s age and include toys, books, household products and the like. Launched in 2011, Citrus Lane has gotten great reviews from parents over the years and is one of the success stories in the subscription box space.

• Monthly Rates:  $29 (1 mo.), $27 (3 mos.), $24 (6 mos.), $22 (12 mos.)
• Shipping: Free

Pley

Pley

Pley is a monthly rental subscription for LEGO toys. You have unlimited exchanges of one set at a time in the plan of your choice, which is based on age level and average complexity of the sets. The newest themes are represented, like The LEGO Movie and LEGO Friends.

• Monthly Rates:  $15 /mo. (age 2 to 5 yrs), $25/mo. (age 4 to 9 yrs), $39/mo. (age 6+ years)
• Shipping:  Free both ways
• Free Trial:  Yes

For the Trendsetters and Stylistas

BirchBox

BirchBox

One of the original subscription box services, BirchBox (launched in 2010) offers beauty products for women and grooming products for men. Subscriptions for women include 5 beauty samples per month from high-end brands while subscriptions for men include 3 to 4 grooming samples plus an accessory or gadget.

Men’s boxes can be tailored to personal style and appearance.

• Rates (Women’s):  $10/mo. or $110/yr.
• Rates (Men’s):  $20/mo. or $195/yr.
• Shipping:  Free

Dollar Shave Club

Dollar Shave Club

Launched in 2011, Dollar Shave Club is another stalwart of subscription services that we reviewed (9/10) here on The CheckOut earlier this year. As seen in its viral video with over 17 million views on YouTube, subscribers receive new disposable blades every month (4 to 5 cartridges with compatible handle).

With rates starting at $1 per month (plus $2 shipping), the savings over store-bought disposables can be huge.

• Monthly Rates:  $1 (twin-blade cartridges); $6 (four-blade cartridges); $9 (six-blade cartridges)
• Shipping:  $2 for the $1 plan; Free for the other plans

Bombfell

Bombfell

Hate shopping but want to wear good clothes? Bombfell will tailor the monthly clothing selections to your style (casual, hipster, preppy, classic) and taste (major brands like Penguin, Ben Sherman and French Connection are represented). It’s gotten a lot of press from the likes of Time, TechCrunch, CBS and ABC.

This subscription box is a little different than others since you pay for the items you like and return what you don’t like.

• Average Price Per Item:  $69
• Shipping: Free (including returns)

Bespoke Post

Bespoke Post

Bespoke Post is a service geared towards men’s goods. Its unique setup has members of the club (membership is free) receiving a preview of their box (3 to 6 products) on the 1st of each month. You have until the 5th of the month to accept or decline the selection or choose another box if there are other boxes that month.

If you don’t want to deal with this membership system, you can just buy a one-off box for $10 more. However, as a member, you can decline selections as often as you like, return anything you don’t want for free or cancel the membership altogether at any time.

• Rate:  $45/box ($55 for one-off purchases)
• Shipping:  $5

Fancy Box

Fancy Box

At Fancy, you can select boxes curated by the Fancy community, tastemakers and celebrities (like Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kelly Rowland and even the Rockettes) with boxes valued at over $80. Items range from men’s and women’s clothes to gadgets and home products.

Caveat emptor: Although you can select your product category and box curator, Fancy Boxes tend to be a lot more random than the other services on this list.

• Monthly Rate: $39
• Shipping: $8 (U.S.)

For the Health Nuts and Foodies

Conscious Box

Conscious Box

Conscious Box is a health food subscription box with 5 to 8 (“Taster” size) or 8 to 12 (“Plus” size) all-natural and GMO-free food, bath, beauty and home products per box. There are gluten-free and vegan options, as well. As its name implies, you’ll find fair trade, certified organic and medicinal grade products represented in each Conscious Box.

Conscious Box has received a lot of positive press from major outlets like Yahoo!, L.A. Times and Wired.

• Monthly Rates (“Taster” size):  $10 (1 mo.), $9 (3 mos.), $8 (6 mos.), $7 (12 mos.)
• Monthly Rates (“Plus” size):  $20 (1 mo.), $19 (3 mos.), $18 (6 mos.), $17 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  Free

Graze

Graze

Graze is another health food subscription service that we’ve occasionally featured on Ben’s Bargains. Graze focuses on snacks from pure fruit to popcorn to dips & dippers (90 snacks with millions of combinations). Food is GMO-free with no artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup or trans fat.

Graze boxes arrive weekly or bi-weekly depending on your location and can be canceled any time.

• Weekly (or Bi-Weekly) Rate: $7
• Shipping:  Free

NatureBox

NatureBox

Each month, NatureBox sends you 5 different nutritionist-approved snacks with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or sweeteners or trans fat. You can choose the snacks or they can be chosen for you from a large collection of sweet and savory foods.

• Monthly Rates: $20 (1 mo.), $18 (3 mos.), $17 (6 mos.)
• Shipping: Free
• Free Trial: Yes (plus $2 shipping)

Treatsie

Treatsie

No, not more health food. It’s dessert for discerning tastes. Treatsie has been reviewed by Mashable, BuzzFeed and Forbes, among others.

Every month, you get sweets from 3 of the best small-batch sweets vendors in the country with a total value of $20 to $25.

• Monthly Rates: $15 (1 mo.), $14 (3 mos.), $12 (12 mos.)
• Shipping: $5

Mantry

Mantry

Mantry, aka The Modern Man’s Pantry, is promoting itself as the “#1 Food Gift for Men this Holiday Season.” Mantry is a food of the month club focused on manly artisan food and drink—things like Bacon Peanut Brittle, Smoky Borsellino, Mocha Coffee Syrup, Bloody Marys, smoked sausage and barbecue sauce.

It’s pricey at $75, but you get 6 full size premium items in a wooden crate.

• Monthly Rate: $75
• Shipping: Free (with free membership); $10 for non-members

For the Rest

Papirmass

Papirmass

Papirmass has a unique concept. Instead of food, household goods or clothes, they will send you one art print of varying size every month. On the back of each print, you will get writing from new writers. The format changes monthly so items can also include paper sculptures, small books and large posters.

At $5.75 per month (with annual subscription), it’s on the cheaper side of most subscription services.

• Annual Rate:  $69
• Shipping:  Free

Doteable

Doteable

It’s the college care package updated for the 21st century. College students can subscribe to the classic Dorm Duffel or a mini version (for men or women) that includes essentials like socks, underwear, T-shirts and shaving razors.

• Monthly Rates:  $15 for the mini; $45 for the classic
• Shipping: Free

Amazon Subscribe & Save

Amazon Subscribe & Save and Prime Pantry

This solution is for the DIYers and has been around the longest, as well. Since 2007, Amazon has offered its Subscribe & Save service which allows you to pick select items (like cereal or pet food) for monthly delivery (or other intervals such as every 3 months).

You get 5% off the product’s current Amazon price and free shipping with no minimum. Even better, if you do 5 or more subscriptions on your monthly delivery day, you get 15% off. Cancellation is easy and can be done at any time.

Amazon is also currently offering 50% off the first Subscribe & Save order for Prime subscribers who haven’t had an active subscription since April.

• Rates:   Varies; 5% off for first 4 subscriptions and 15% off for 5+ subscriptions
• Shipping: Free

This year, Amazon launched Prime Pantry, which is more like a regular subscription box than Subscribe & Save, but you still get to pick what goes in the box. Aimed at the grocery shopping segment, Prime Pantry allows Amazon Prime subscribers to fill a box up to 4 cubic feet (or 45 pounds) with select items earmarked for Prime Pantry.

• Rates:  Varies (requires $99 / year Amazon Prime subscription)
• Shipping: $5.99

Mystery Tackle Box

Mystery Tackle Box

Every month you will receive at least $20 worth of products (4 to 5 items). Lures are tailored to bass fishing, inshore saltwater fishing or ice fishing and you can change the box type each month (before the 1st of the month).

User reviews for past boxes have been really good.

• Monthly Rates:  $15 (1 mo.), $14.50 (3 mos.), $14.25 (6 mos.), $13.75 (12 mos.)
• Shipping:  Free

Groupon and Living Social

Subscription Boxes on Groupon and Living Social

At any given time on Groupon and Living Social, you’ll be able to find deals on various subscription box services with discounts over 60% off the monthly rate in some cases.

Right now, Groupon has four Graze deliveries for just $14, which is 50% off the regular price, 25% off four months of Mystery Tackle Box and 21% off a month of BarkBox.  Just recently, you could get one month of Loot Crate for $10 which is 50% off the usual price.

• Rates:  Varies
• Shipping:  Usually free

Gifts that Keep on Giving: 25 Fantastic Subscription Boxes