I was growing decades before the Internet and Seedbanks existed. From the time they did I have used them and hung around on boards like this. Over the many years I have never seen one breeder/seedbank be complained about as much as Nirvana. I take that back, possibly Mary Emery was badmouthed more, but if so it was darn close.
Every imaginable complaint that could be made about a breeder and or seedbank has been made repeatedly on virtually every board similar to this one I have ever been a member of, and that includes this board.
They have numerous people making their beans so quality control is a nightmare, or maybe better stated, quality control is a joke. Either mix-ups occur or those doing the breeding mix in a few beans they would not be paid as much for with the ones they will be paid better for to increase their incomes, or they are a bunch of inconsistent growers because greatly varying quality in the same strain/pack or packs of beans of the same strain, and germ rate issues were among the most common of complaints.
The only horror story I will mention will be a shortened condensed version but a member, or former member of this site placed an order from Nirvana and I do not recall if the package was empty but empty as never having been packed as opposed to Customs opening it and finding the contents, or if it just never arrived and no dreaded Customs letter and emptied package arrived.
The person wanted some sort of compensation for what definitely seemed to have been the fault of Nirvana and did ask, politely, and was told Nirvana had his personal information and they would pass it on to the person’s local law people if he did not just drop it.
Given the innumerable complaints I have heard and read about Nirvana, for the life of me I am unable to understand how they have managed to stay in business let alone seem to have some sort of a following.
The only way I would consider using Nirvana is if it were the very last seedbank open or that for whatever reason the only one I would be able to purchase from. Even then I would have to give it serious consideration.