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How to get a free Starbucks holiday cup, plus the best Black Friday deals on coffee

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Starbucks

Starbucks Red Cup Day is Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. For one day only, you can get a free reusable holiday cup with the purchase of a holiday beverage at Starbucks. Find out how to get your free cup and check out some other great Starbucks holiday items that you can pick up while you're there. All of these items make great gifts for coffee lovers (and the free cups can even make some fun, budget-friendly stocking stuffers).

Plus, the expert shoppers at CBS Essentials have found some early Black Friday 2023 deals on all things coffee. Keep reading to find out how to get your free cup from Starbucks.

What is Starbucks Red Cup Day 2023?

Every year, Starbucks celebrates the launch of its holiday drink menu with Red Cup Day. On Red Cup Day, anyone that purchases a holiday beverage in the U.S. and Canada will receive a free plastic reusable holiday cup. You can buy a hot or iced drink, but it must be one of the holiday menu items like the Peppermint Mocha, Chestnut Praline Latte or Gingerbread Latte or a fall drink such as the Pumpkin Spice Latte or Apple Crisp Machiatto. The promotion is valid in-person or with mobile orders placed through the Starbucks app, while supplies last. (You might want to get there early, because the special cups often run out.)

Red Cup is a fun way to get a free cup for yourself. You can also get ahead on your holiday shopping by getting a red cup for a Starbucks lover in your life and pairing it with a gift card and some coffee pods.

For more gifting ideas, explore our Starbucks gift guide below.

The best Starbucks coffee gifts

We've found the perfect gifts for the Starbucks lovers in your life. We've found something for every coffee drinker -- no matter if they love waking up with a cup of Starbucks holiday blend or can't get enough of those Starbucks color-changing tumblers and reusable cups. Plus, we've found top-rated coffee and espresso makers to craft your Starbucks coffee and lattes in. 

If you (or someone you know) can't go a day without Starbucks, they'll love getting Starbucks coffee, cups, mugs, tumblers and more for the holidays. Some of these Starbucks gift ideas are on sale now ahead of Black Friday.

Starbucks Holiday Blend medium roast coffee

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Starbucks Store via Amazon

Start your day with the flavors of the season. Starbucks Holiday Blend features notes of sweet maple and herbs. 

This medium roast coffee six-pack comes with 10 coffee pods per box. 

Want to try all three holiday coffee offerings? Starbucks has a three-pack of the limited edition flavors on Amazon right now.


Starbucks by Nespresso variety pack

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Starbucks by Nespresso Store via Amazon

Reviewers say that these Starbucks Nespresso pods taste like your drink was bought straight from Starbucks. They would make an excellent gift for your friend or family member who's crazy about their Nespresso machine. (They also makes a great holiday treat for yourself!)

This variety pack of the coffee retailer's bestselling favorites includes: Blonde espresso roast house blend, single-origin Colombia, Pike Place roast, and Caffè Verona. Each of the five boxes contains 10 Starbucks Nespresso capsules.


Starbucks reusable holiday cold cups

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Starbucks Store via Amazon

These reusable cold cups were all the rage last year. You can snag a five-pack of these 24-ounce cups on Amazon right now. These dishwasher-safe cups come in five colors, each with its own holiday design. Each cup comes with a lid and straw.

Gift someone the package of all five cups, or give one cup to five coffee lovers in your life.

Amazon reviewers rate this set 4.8 stars. These reusable Starbucks holiday cold cups are currently 42% off on Amazon ahead of Black Friday -- $17, reduced from $30.


Starbucks gift card

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Starbucks Store via Amazon

Starbucks gift cards are a safe gifting bet for just about anyone who drinks coffee. Amazon makes it easy to send someone a Starbucks gift card for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah.

Select the perfect gift card design, add a gift card amount and write a special message. Then select a delivery date. Amazon will email your recipient their gift on that day. 

Starbucks also offers physical gift cards for purchase -- great for stocking stuffers. Select from denominations of $25, $50 and $100.


The best Black Friday deals on coffee makers

Now that you have Starbucks coffee and espresso pods, you need a kitchen gadget that can make them. We've found top-rated coffee makers, espresso makers and more for you to shop right now. 

Keurig K-Elite: $100 (47% off)

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Amazon

The Keurig K-Elite coffee maker makes a single cup of coffee at a time but features a 75-ounce water reservoir so you can make cups of coffee for everyone in your family one after another without refilling. The 4.7-star-rated device has a strong brew button, an iced coffee setting and hot water on demand, perfect for making tea and hot chocolate on cool summer nights. 

"I'm so pleased with this Keurig. [It was] so easy to set up and use," a verified purchaser on Amazon says. "I love the iced coffee feature [and] how it gives different cup sizes also. Definitely worth the money." 

It's currently on sale for $100 (regularly $190)


Nespresso Pixie Espresso Machine: $189 (32% off)

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Amazon

This slim Nespresso machine won't take up precious counter space. "I love how much space this saves on my countertops," CBS Essentials editorial director Leslie Gornstein says. "It's amazingly easy to use and very easy to maintain." The Nespresso device features a high pressure pump and perfect heat control.  

"Nespresso is constantly putting out new and interesting coffee flavors, including iced-latte pods for warmer seasons and -- my favorite -- Hawaiian Kona, so there's always something fun to try if you're a Nespresso owner," said Gornstein.  

It's currently on sale for just $189 -- a nice discount from it's regular price of $229. 


De'Longhi espresso machine: $120 (42% off)

De'Longhi Espresso Machine
Best Buy

This 4.3-star-rated De'Longhi Espresso Machine makes shots of espresso with 15 bars of pressure. It features an advanced cappuccino system with a hot milk or cappuccino selector to mix and steam milk for evenly textured drinks. Other features include a double layer drip tray, removable water tank and stainless-steel accents. 

"I love this so much," an Amazon customer says. "It's so easy to use and makes coffee so quickly. It was affordable compared to most espresso makers and the quality is amazing."

The espresso maker is on sale now for $120 (regularly $208).


Nespresso Vertuo Next espresso maker: $157 (25% off)

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Amazon

The Nespresso Vertuo Next allows you to brew single serve coffee or espresso at the touch of a button. The espresso maker can brew three different cup sizes and offer an ultra-fast, 25-second heat-up time. 

"I found myself spending close to $35 per week on coffee at Starbucks. Not anymore," one Amazon reviewer writes. "The Nespresso machine generates a beautiful thick espresso by centrifugal force which gives the end result a nice layer of crema. Totally worth the money to get the milk frothed as well for a nice latte or cappuccino." 

The bestselling espresso machine typically retails for $209 on Amazon, but right now it's marked down to $157.


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