Starbucks Gift Baskets

Starbucks Gift Baskets Buying Guide

Who Makes Starbucks Gift Baskets?

Starbucks itself focuses on its cafés. It sells drinks, food, merchandise and gift cards in its stores, handles mobile orders and eGifts through its app, and closed its original online store in 2017. More recently it opened an online merchandise shop, Starbucks Shop, starting with early access for its top Rewards tier.

Starbucks coffee for home works differently. Since 2018, Nestlé has held the global rights to market and sell Starbucks packaged coffee, including whole bean and ground bags, K-Cup pods, VIA instant and Starbucks by Nespresso capsules. That's why you'll find it in grocery stores, at big-box retailers and in a Starbucks Coffee brand store on Amazon.

So a "Starbucks gift basket" is usually one of two things:

• A basket from another gift seller built around Starbucks-branded coffee, sometimes with mugs and snacks.
• A basket you assemble yourself from Starbucks coffee, a mug, treats and a gift card.

The second option usually gives you more control over quality and makes it easier to match what they actually drink.

Choosing the Right Coffee Format and Roast

Start with the coffee maker, because the wrong format is the most common coffee-gift mistake.

1. Whole bean: best for people with a grinder; beans stay fresh longest.
2. Ground: for drip machines, pour-over or French press; pick a grind that suits their brewer.
3. K-Cup pods: for Keurig brewers.
4. Nespresso capsules: Starbucks by Nespresso comes in separate Vertuo and Original line versions that only fit their own machines.
5. VIA instant: no machine needed, just hot water.

Picking a roast

Starbucks groups its coffees into Blonde, Medium and Dark roasts. Blonde roasts are lighter and mellower, medium roasts such as Pike Place Roast are balanced, and dark roasts such as Italian Roast are bolder. If you don't know their preference, a variety pack or a gift card avoids the guesswork, and decaf versions of some favorites suit evening sippers.

Flavored and seasonal coffees

Starbucks also sells flavored coffees and limited seasonal blends, such as Fall Blend and Holiday Blend, in pods and bags. They make a festive gift, but seasonal items come and go, so keep a year-round roast in mind as a backup.

How to Build a DIY Starbucks Gift Basket

A homemade basket lets you tailor every detail. Here's a simple formula:

1. Container: a basket, a wooden crate or even a large mug for a small gift. Our guide to empty gift baskets and DIY supplies covers sturdy options and filler.
2. Coffee: one or two bags or boxes in the right format for their machine.
3. Drinkware: a mug or tumbler; Starbucks sells seasonal cups and tumblers in its cafés.
4. Something sweet: biscotti, shortbread or chocolate; see our cookie gift baskets for shipped treats.
5. A gift card: so they can enjoy a café drink on a busy morning.
6. A note: mention a coffee memory you share.

Who it suits

Coffee baskets make easy thank you gifts for teachers, nurses and neighbors, and they work well for clients too; see our corporate gift baskets for bulk ideas. For more brands, browse our coffee and tea gift baskets, or pair coffee with self-care picks from our gift baskets for women.

Freshness and Delivery Tips for Coffee Gifts

Packaged coffee is shelf-stable, but its flavor fades over time. Check the best-by or roast date on the listing, and don't send far more than the recipient can drink in a reasonable time once the bags are opened. Pods and VIA packets are sealed individually, which helps them keep.

If the gift is time-sensitive, Prime members in many metro areas can get eligible items same-day or next-day. Always check the delivery date Amazon shows for the recipient's ZIP code before you order, and allow extra time around the holidays.