to ask for your recommendations on basically everything?

[y0rkier0se]

We're moving out of rented into our first home. We've always had cheap house stuff from B&M/asda etc as didn't see the point on spending lots whilst we were renting and trying to save up so we've made do. Now we're in a position where we are starting fresh so we need to buy everything (other than white goods). I feel lost. We've spent hours wandering around DFS/Sofology/SCS/Ikea/Homebase/Next/Debenhams/John Lewis/Asda/Sainsburys and I feel so daunted about committing a lot of money on furniture and everything. We don't have a massive budget - hence looking in Ikea etc but want to buy the best we can afford with a mid range budget. Don't mind spending more on something that is going to last and be reliable. All we've bought so far are towels! We need a kettle, a microwave, a toaster, a bed, a mattress, crockery, cutlery, bedding.. etc. We even need a new hoover! So AIBU to ask for your recommendations please? What have you bought that has been worth it and that you'd recommend? What can't you live without? Any brands that you'd swear by?

[PurpleDaisies]

Tk max is really good for bedding.
We love our Henry Hoover.
For furniture, we've had loads from Ikea that has lasted really well (first house, no furniture and no money eight years ago!).
Our sofas are from Next and still look great.

Generally I really like made.com and Habitat.

[plimsolls]

It's worth looking on Boots Kitchen Appliances for electrical goods. Prices usually same as the more famous online sites but you get advantage card points!
www.bootskitchenappliances.com/deals/deals.aspx

[PurpleDaisies]

Forgot to add, tk maxx/homesense is great for cutlery, plates and pans etc. Depending on what style of plates etc you like Denby outlets are great for picking up bargains. Saying that, our basic Ikea white set has been indestructible.

[Batwomanrisesagain]

I'd say if you want things to last and cherish step away from IKEA.
I'm very luck to be in the position having mostly forever items now having made do with cheap stuff for many years.
Hoover Miele. Bedding Sheridan or Christy. Beds - French antique. Sofa actually surprisingly good quality from DFS. Toaster and Kettle Smeg (probably not the best but I love the colour)

[y0rkier0se]

Ooh haven't looked at TKMaxx and i'm sure I have a gift voucher for there somewhere. I noticed a Henry Hoover was on offer on Amazon last week but read that the newer ones have less power and aren't very good on carpets - have you found that? Downstairs is all wooden floor but upstairs is carpeted. I think we are going to get our bed from Ikea and desk and wardrobes, it's so much cheaper than other places but glad to hear it lasts! I haven't heard of the last two - will check them out. Thanks!

[y0rkier0se]

Didn't even know Boots sold kitchen appliances, thank you!

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

Argos bedding is surprisingly good for the price. I have a couple of king size sets from there that cost about £15 and are really nice.

[QuiteLikely5]

i find next and John Lewis good quality with a bit of Ickes thrown in for good measure

[PurpleDaisies]

My Henry is quite old (at least five years) and he's brilliant on both carpets and wood floors.

[y0rkier0se]

Thanks Batwoman, we've bought Christy towels as they were from the outlet store and had 60% off and are the most beautiful turkish cotton. I will check the other brands out thanks :-)

[wobblywonderwoman]

I love next for things like kettles as they are really pretty. I have a white ceramic one that looks like a teapot.

Ikea mall chest of drawers and the shoe rack for the hall (hemnes) are great

We bought a lot of second hand good quality furniture and it has been superior to a lot of the cheap newer stuff.

[Blankiefan]

AO.com price match and do free delivery. I've found their customer service to be great. They will try to hard sell extended warranties but a firm "no thank you" usually works.

Research which white goods you want and Google to find them at the cheapest prices. Take a note then phone AO.com. They'll price match everything (even the ropiest looking sites) and you can get everything at once from a well trusted company.

[londonfeather]

What I've learnt is buy cheap buy twice - it's a false economy. My suggestion would be to spend a bit more time getting the items, obvs start with the essentials and then get the ones you want or the best you can, you'll only end up wanting to replace an item if it wasn't quite the one you originally wanted. If you have gaps fill them with throngs from Freecycle until you can afford what you actually want.

[gamerwidow]

eBay is really good for high quality furniture at a low price especially if you can collect. I've found some great solid oak furniture for under £50 on there before.

[GieryFas]

If you're going to spend lots, maximise it by using Quidco or Topcashback, maybe even get a new credit card that pays for spending in the first six months or so.

On household stuff, I've found IKEA stuff secondhand on eBay is often good - half the price and someone else has put it together for you. It's probably also worth getting the £1 for a month trial of Which, as they're good for reviewing things like hoovers. Just put a note in your diary to cancel it.

[PeridotPeridot]

If you don't have a big budget op I'd say you're looking in a lot of the wrong places tbh! SCS/Next/Debenhams are not going to be kind to your pocket, especially for furniture.

I would start big - make a list of the large furniture type items you need. I'd also start on Facebook selling sites and gum tree for sofas/beds etc...we don't need anything arm but I constantly notice the pristine sofas people put on FB sites just because they fancy a change. Bought for £1100 last year, barely used in second sitting room, selling for £400 type posts.

If I had a while house to kit out I'd also be looking in Argos first for the 'bits' likes lamps and Crockery and towels, not JL/Debenhams/Next.

[Lelly0503]

Plates/glasses/pots - ikea - would also say ikea for basics like storage boxes etc etc
Frying pans/casserole dishes - tefal or Sainsbury's kitchen range
Furniture - very.com, can pay it off as we go
Sofa - DFS
Bed - shop on eBay called handmadebedsuk £290 for a king size bed frame
Decorative home bits - the range/dunelm mill/ebay/home sense
Blinds - wooden blinds direct.co.uk
Matalan also has some lovely home bits similar to next but less money.

[y0rkier0se]

I need to look at the Denby outlet I think Purple, I love the monsoon range but they are £££ (or are to me anyway!)

[y0rkier0se]

That's a good tip, thanks Giery!

[BobbinThreadbare123]

TK Maxx for decorative things. Sainsbury's for towels and bedding. Primark also do nice towels. Ikea fur items, but selectively. You can't go wrong with the Poang chair and some Billy bookcases but their wardrobes are crap. My sofa is DFS and it is brilliant. Look on Freecycle as well. I've had some cool upcycling projects from eBay. Wilkinsons do paint, paper and decent lamps, clocks and storage boxes. Dunelm Mill is also worth a look.

[NapQueen]

Henry Hoover
Samsubg ecobubble washer
Separate dryer!!

Towels and bed linen from Primark are brilliant

We just got Argos kettle/toaster/microwave to make do and 8 years later they are still going strong.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

Fur items? For furniture!

[Applesauce29]

I'd recommend checking out Gumtree for some furniture / accessories (e.g. Mirrors, dining tables) as lots of people use it to sell off stuff when down-sizing / relocating and you can get good quality furniture at IKEA prices. Not knocking IKEA, as we also have a lot from there, but the MDF does chip and drawer fronts do come away, which you just don't get with good quality hand joined solid wood furniture.

Most basic stuff I have is from Tesco when I moved into first rented flat and did a sweep of local supermarket to pick up kettle, toaster, crockery, cutlery, towels, utensils etc. And then when I moved in with DH most stuff doubled so we have two corkscrews, two cheese graters etc not amazing quality but don't see the point of replacing them when perfectly adequate. Pots from Sainsbury's have lasted surprisingly well.

If you want inspiration for decorating and are in London check out the shops on Tottenham Court Road (Heals, Lombok, Habitat etc) and the Conran shop in Marylebone. These places are pricy but good for getting some nice pieces.

[y0rkier0se]

Thanks Peridot - we don't have a 'big' budget but have a 0% credit card put aside to invest in a new nicer things - we've made do with cheap beds, sofas etc (currently have ones from argos that were £500 for both the three seater and two seater but aren't comfy at all!) for the last five years but with this being a long-term home I now want to invest in nicer things. I'm keeping an eye on eBay, Gumtree, Preloved etc but if people can recommend brands that's really helpful so I know what to be searching for. There's a place near us that does refurnished Laura Ashley sofas for about £300 - does anybody know if their furniture is any good?

[greeeen]

Yes tk maxx is great for high thread count bedding. Also some cookware like lê cruset.
Sofa.com is much better than high street ones. Way more fabric choice. Also you can get a foot stool/poof thing that doesn't cost nearly as much as the bloody sofa like dfs etc.
Find the mattress you want in a shop then buy from online and spend as much as you can. If treated well a £1,000+ one will last 10+ years. Ours has a 15 year guarantee.
Dualit have been by far the best kitchen brand for us.
Not for everyone but I sew my own simple curtains and roman blinds so I can have way nicer material than we could otherwise afford.
Fired earth outlet shop for amazing paint and tiles etc this made a huge difference to the overall feel of the house. Some people say just get colour match, each tô your own, but I think the finish on the paint is nothing like it.
Um prob more that I can't think of.