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Robb Vices Subscription Box Review – October 2018

Anna Reilly
ByAnna ReillyOct 31, 2018 | 40 comments

robb vices box

Vices
3.4 overall rating
49 Ratings | 7 Reviews

Robb Vices is a monthly luxury subscription box that sends subscribers a carefully curated assortment of high-end lifestyle goods that help you indulge your vices. Look forward to accessories, home decor, electronics, food, kitchen gadgets, and booze, booze, and more booze! The subscription is somewhat geared towards guys, but we've found that most of their boxes are perfectly unisex. 

robb vices packaging

The packaging is a real showstopper. It's kind of like opening a suitcase in a Bond movie.

robb vices unboxing

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

robb vices all items

About Robb Vices Subscription Box

The Subscription Box: Robb Vices

The Cost: $159.95 per month + shipping, or save with longer subscriptions.

The Products: Each box contains a curated selection of products and experiences and provides subscribers with a taste of the good life!

Ships to: Robb Vices ships to all states except ND, UT.

Robb Vices October 2018 Review

robb vices drawing

robb vices editor note

The box comes topped with a thorough booklet about the items inside.

robb vices hot sauce

robb vices glasses info

robb vices mezcal info

robb vices recipes

There are brand spotlights and recipes, all paired with beautiful photos.

robb vices mezcal bottle

robb vices mezcal label

robb vices cork

robb vices mezcal poured

Mezcal Añejo by Illegal Mezcal - Retail Value $109.99 (found here for $98.99)

Before this box, I don't think I've ever had mezcal straight before. I've had it as part of cocktails, but having it alone really helped me understand the nuances of this drink. I can only speak as a mezcal newbie, but I found this cocktail to have the same smoky zap as scotch tends to give off. Apparently, this recipe is aged in American oak, French oak, and used bourbon casks, which explains the campfire vibes of this potent spirit. It's definitely an acquired taste, but it's piqued my interest!

robb vices skull cocktail glasses

robb vices skull glasses pair

robb vices skull face

robb vices skull base glass

Nude Glassware Skull Whiskey Glasses - Buy 4 for $115.00 here

OooOOOooo! These glasses are perfect for Halloween, though I wish there were more! You only get 2 packaged loosely (though safely), despite the fact that there are sold elsewhere in sets of 4. They have a nice heft to them, thanks to their thick bottoms. But the real showstopper is the skull face in the glass—it's a spooky surprise as you take a sip, especially if you're not expecting it!

robb vices kill sauce duo

robb vices kill sauce red bottle

robb vices red kill sauce back

Habanero Kill Sauce, 5 fl. oz. - Retail Value $7.00

I'm not the biggest hot sauce fan—I don't enjoy the sweat and sniffles I get when I go anywhere above a medium heat—but I'm not opposed to dribbling a teensy bit on my scrambled eggs or burrito, either. This hot sauce brand has a rather intimidating name, but I found this garlicky blend to be rich and flavorful. I could see this filling in just fine when I run out of Cholula.

robb vices jalapeno kill sauce

robb vices kill sauce jalapeno bottle back

Jalapeno Kill Sauce, 5 fl. oz. - Retail Value $7.00

This version of Kill Sauce has a slightly lighter, crisper taste than the habanero style. The best way to describe it is that it literally tastes a bit more green than the other one. The site suggests using it on things like tacos, veggies, salads (whoa... like in a dressing? I'll have to try this...), and margaritas (also going to have to try this—I haven't ever put hot sauce in a marg, but it sounds interesting...)

Verdict: The items in this month's Robb Vices box were a lot of fun, but I'm not sure the value is really there for me, compared to the cost of the box. The mezcal is a cool addition to my bar, but I'm kind of meh on the hot sauces. (They're good, but I've got more than enough hot sauce in my pantry right now—some of which came from past Robb Vices boxes!) I wish I'd gotten a full set of the glasses, rather than just two, but I suppose it is typically just my partner and I drinking together at home. Maybe he and I will cheers to Halloween with a cocktail tonight! I will say that I feel like this box was a solid representation of Robb Vices' vibe—it's typically a combo of booze + something edible/fancy.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Sign up by the 1st of the month to receive that month's box.

Value Breakdown: This box cost $174.90 (cost + $14.95 shipping to PA). The retail values for the hot sauces and mezcal add up to $123.99, but there are still the high-end glasses to consider. (A full set of 4 costs over $100, so I'd bet that two are around $50.) That means that the average cost per item based on the cost of the box would be $34.98 (and that's counting each individual glass and each individual hot sauce bottle as one item, rather than a set).

Check out all of our Robb Vices Reviews and find other specialty boxes in the Artisan Subscription Box Directory!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!

What do you think of the October 2018 box from Robb Vices?

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The Vices membership program delivers high-end items specially curated by luxury tastemakers and delivered to your doorstep. Boxes will include wines or spirits, gadgets and accessories with a booklet describing the story behind why each item was chosen for the box.
Anna Reilly
Anna Reilly
Anna loves collecting little treasures, be they pop-culture finds, handmade mementos, or new potions to put in her makeup bag. Beauty boxes got her interested in the subscription world, but now she's swooning for all things kawaii!

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40 comments

TiaMarie10

Spoilers are posted on their instagram. I hate not having the forum anymore because my box arrived today (will pick up tomorrow) and I of course want to see spoilers before opening! I think my husband will like the box but not sure of the RV for the items included to see if it was worth it. Can’t wait for the review!

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TiaMarie10

If anyone wants $25 off their order from their reserves site (enter “vicesmember”) you can use my one-time code gx9w3h-peq7ch ends Sunday December 2nd at midnight. I won’t be using it so anyone can have it.

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DG

Should have included 4 glasses. With just two it’s not nearly as usable almost forces you to buy more to complete the set. Hot sauces were also lame. Agree one of the weakest boxes so far.

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Bsth

Wow I just seen the price increase and the shipping went up from 7.99 to 15ish. I can believe they went up around 60 dollars. I understand shipping completely but I am really shocked right now. The boxes have gone down a bit compared to their first year.I read comments and not to many are even subscribed anymore and they surely aren’t gonna get many new subscribers with that huge jump in price. Gosh this box was the box to beat a while back. I feel bad for them honestly.

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ct

Man, I was grandfathered in at $69/month and even then I couldn’t justify keeping it. I got screwed so.many.times. The art gift certificate, the prime beef certificate, the gym membership, the fake fondue pot, I could go on. I am curious who is paying at this rate.
It’s too bad, because the idea of it was great, I thought.

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Liz

Ditto

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Ks

I think this is a great box if it was at the old price. For nearly $200, I’d rather just go wild and go to a liquor store during sales.

I would love the mezcal, the skull glasses, and the hot sauce. But not $200 love them.

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TK

I can’t even believe the cost of this box?!? I cancelled almost a year ago and haven’t missed it at all. We got maybe 2 great boxes and the rest were so not worth the cost. I honestly can’t believe they’re still in business.

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JL

This box lost my complete respect after the art debacle last year and the way they handled it. I thought it was shameful.

Oh and the price is like, WHAT?!!!

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Kelly

I quit this box last year, although we had enjoyed most of the ones we received. The best one was the Stelle speaker, we use it all the time.

I was disappointed they never sent me the free gift that was promised when I signed up. Also, when my paid subscription was up and I canceled, the price to rejoin was much higher. I could not justify it knowing how much more each box would cost me. I can’t believe how much higher the cost has increased since then, with much less in a box!

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DawnS

Oh golly, the Stelle speaker box was the first and only box I got. I ended up with the wood one and it looked like 70’s wood grain wallpaper, it was also heavy and not as good as the Bose my boyfriend had already. Glad some liked it though. I still have not been able to get rid of it and its sitting in the box with the vouchers and headphones in the hall closet lol.

I have been watching the sub climb in price as well. While some boxes might intrigue me most are just fails for my life style.

I will say I have gone out and bought (at much cheaper prices) some of the booze seen in the reviews!

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Julie

If you’re on the swap site the stelle speaker was a highly coveted item. I’m pretty sure you’d still be able to swap it for RV have more space in your closet and have something you truly want instead.

Anna

So Cult Crushes $3 price increase was worth a blog post but Robb Vices almost doubles their month to month price and there’s no mention except a line in the review. I don’t understand the logic.

For $174 this is ridiculous.

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Melissa

Right? I was wondering when the price jumped up so much.

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Kim

This is actually the September box. They are a month behind in shipping boxes at least to those of us not buying a one off box.

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Christine

They skipped September and they’re adding a month at the end of your current sub

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Carrie

The value is dubious at $100+ shipping and non-existent at the new month-to-month price. At this point why even have that option, since it’s clear they don’t want people to sub the way

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DawnS

You can get similar skull glasses at most dollar store, granted not artisan made but they have a skull at the bottom. Hot sauce, ok there are bottles I have bought for $7 so I will give them that. But basically I could buy the bottle of Mezcal for the $95 (less if I use BevMo points), 2 dollar store glasses and the hot sauce all for $111. Sad you paid $174.90 (well technically you didn’t but if you sub’d instead of reviewed you would have.).

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Christine

The glasses are very heave and well made, not at all what you can find at the dollar store!

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Beth

Was considering but now a hard pass. No way

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Tat

Too booze heavy to be of interest to me. And I like booze. This makes me reconsider the Breo box.

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Amber

So you’re essentially paying full RV for this stuff now. Heck no

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schmootc

Those skull glasses are super cool and look solid and expensive. Would love to get some, but am not sure about that price point. 🙁

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Anna

A set of 4 at WIlliam Sonoma is $95.

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Stef

When did this box go up to 160$????? Plus shipping? I thought it was like, 100$ ish plus shipping? Its redic if thats not a type-o. None of their boxes are worth that price, specially in the last year….

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Julie

So actual breakdown because this isn’t magic hot sauce for $35 a bottle you would be paying the low awesome price of (182 RV I rounded up on the glasses) not counting sale prices for each item:

Mescal $105.71
Glasses set 55.73
Hot Sauce 1 $6.76
Hot sauce 2 $6.76

Also they sell the old boxes and this one in particular on their site for $129 so not sure what the point of subscribing to them would ever be at this point.

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Dea

I didn’t see a shop on their site – can you point me? Thanks!

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Sammee

The shop is on a completely different site from the subscription site for some reason. It’s vicesreserve dot com.

Rebecca Stewart

I think the price calculation might be incorrect! I thought it was $99.95 a month?

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Sammee

The price averages to $99.95 a month if you have a prepaid annual subscription. If you’re on a month to month subscription then it’s $159.95 a box.

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C.

Wow, I honestly had no idea that it was so high monthly. I am grandfathered in on a month-to-month basis and with shipping, it’s around $80. I’m keeping it for now, through the end of the year I think. I really liked this box in particular, but I agree that it’s taken a dive this year.

Liza mom

I am grandfathered in at about $75 a box. Otherwise I wouldn’t continue to subscribe. Same with luxor. Also, I’ve received great. Customer service from them when I’ve had a problem.

Rebecca

That’s absolute insanity!

Julie

I was shocked too… nope. Month to month is $159 PLUS shipping. It’s $100 a month is you prepay for the year. Apparently they kicked up the price by $60 over the last month!!

Not sure why that wasn’t mentioned in the review… They practically doubled in price from last month to this month!

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Sammee

That’s insane for the price to go up so much as their boxes get lower in value. I check in on their Facebook page every now and then. I looks like they’ve been having ongoing shipping issues as well. My guess is that this sub is in trouble.