Magazine subscriptions worth paying for
“Which magazine do you still get in print?”
30 answers from 27 people · Updated Sep 25, 2026
The cartoons, Talk of the Town, the long-form features that I barely finish one before another issue arrives.
One of the best deals in journalism; front of book is always an inimitable assortment of excerpts, and the core articles are ambitious + thought-provoking.
11
i loveee magazines so maybe this is a niche rec in that those who want it would already have it and if you don't, you'll never?? but i don't know! it's just so nice reading something in print! the content is all bite sized and compelling. the covers are fun and the crosswords are great for the beach or bed or to share with friends!
21
Just ever-so-slightly better (and more fun to read) than the NYR, which sets a high bar (they share quite a few of the same authors, so I think the difference must be down to the editors: there's a little more dry wit and wry amusement in the LRB's approach, but just as much intellect and ambition). I keep stacks of the print copies for reference.
11
These days, Dwell feels like it has come into its own: smart themed issues, expansive coverage beyond pre-fab, useful tips and ideas packaged together.
42
cooks illustrated print subscription
come for the over-the-top recipes, hand-drawn pictures of fruit, and kitchen appliance recs; stay for the incredible reader-submitted tips (also lovingly illustrated) you never knew you needed. truly the best thing to find in your mailbox
6
Noble Rot magazine subscription
fantastic, un-stuffy wine writing based in the UK with an exceptionally reputable chain of wine bars to match. the illustrations are a joy in every issue, and it looks jazzy on a coffee table every month I get excited to open my mailbox. it keeps me curious about the big, wide world of wine while making it feel accessible, relatable, and free of all the usual snobbery wine is way more fun when we let it be!
America's only rock'n'roll magazine. Creem is for the heads, old and young. Covering all things music from local dives to arena acts and the underworld beneath it all. It's sassy, snarky, and unapologetic, but don't be fooled by their casual pseudo-apathy. This magazine is a sincere 144-page love letter to music delivered quarterly. It's got everything: poignant writing, dope pictures, cool art. The range and depth of pieces is impressive. I love the dialogue it creates between the music of today with that of the past.
4
Honestly this is what a magazine SHOULD be. Art direction on point but not at the expense of the (substantive) written material. Not self-serious. Not celebrity obsessed and therefore surprising in current media landscape.
182
“First, it’s beautifully done, with a bit of heft and a lot of attention paid to art and layout, which is rare these days. The stories are also highly-specific—meteor black markets, Volcano-boarding in Nicaragua, a deep-dive on ‘space sickness’—and deeply researched.” — Eli
Mountain Gazette - When in Doubt, Go Higher
I mean, you can't really hold it up and read it like other magazines (too heavy), but it has the old school fire in its belly that old Thrasher or Surf magazines had; well-produced and beautifully designed, with just the right dose of quirk.
31
It's a beautiful, bimonthly print magazine with fascinating and under-reported international stories and gorgeous art.
2
When I spot an issue on a magazine stand, I’m always delighted! I usually love the interviews, and they look beautiful stacked on a coffee table too.
6
New York Review of Architecture | Print Subscription
deep down we’re all just rats or something. illustrations are absolutely charming and tend toward narrative. writing has entertainment value for anyone in new york or architecture or better yet, both. strong beautiful community around this publication. i accidentally asked the founder what year of school he was in and he didn’t even bully me after. thanks, nick
73
Democratic socialism. Well researched topics. No adverts. Good to have in rotation of political literacy.
probably my favourite mag. so special to me. it's a print publication about sexuality, gender and identity. each issue usually has a theme, such as: disability, First Nations, ageing, pleasure, resistance, incarceration, etc.
112
the design bible
Apartamento Magazine Issue #36
I know i can always rely on Apartamento to introduce me to an inspiring project that is going on in the art, design, film, or culinary spheres. I love how i can keep issues forever and keep revisiting them over time. Religiously buy this every time a new issue is published!
16
Ok so yes I’m on the masthead, but listen! Iconic century-old publication that offers deep context for WTF is going on in the world in a way that somehow manages to feel more interesting than stressful. Also, all our product design is reader-centric: good paper stock, house-designed font in a readable size, minimal ads. FA is one of those niche publications that’s like a secret club— crack it open on the train and you WILL get the nod from other readers.
2
A physically tiny, adorable magazine that has nice short pieces (objects) that are all delight no snark, beautiful criticism about all sorts of artistic mediums, not just text, and really good thematic curation across a physical issue. Just a lovely thing to stuff in a jacket pocket or in a bag to read in transit, waiting in line, anywhere. It’s quarterly and always comes first in the mail relative to my other print mag subscriptions. Their website is not paywalled and the editor gives a great interview here https://www.nybooks.com/online/2025/02/25/the-glitzy-bits-meghan-orourke/
4
A recent subscription for me that I already love! Covers a much wider range of topics than I initially expected from the name, and with a nice variety of length in the pieces each issue.
5
Published quarterly since 1987 HORTUS is the gold standard in scholarly, eccentric writing about plants and gardens. Obviously out of the UK. Annoyingly hard to get a subscription in the US and no one carries it. And yet! Probably the most beloved privately published garden journal in the world.
3
Words cannot fully express how much I am obsessed with this publication. Every cover is a beautiful, playful work of art that invites an interactive, tactile experience that makes you appreciate the medium of print a little extra. I am desperate to collect every issue.
8
