Best home and DIY shops

We combined our expert analysis with feedback from thousands of customers to help you find where best to shop. 

And if you're looking for something else, see our guides to the best and worst shops, best fashion, beauty and health shops and best technology shops.

Note: branded links take you to the retailers' websites. 

Best DIY and decorating shops

Here, we break down the customer ratings for shops selling tools, DIY and decorating supplies. 

Table notes: Customer score results are based on an online survey of 4,249 members of the Which? Connect panel and 8,003 of the general public conducted in September 2022. The customer score is based on satisfaction with the brand and likelihood to recommend. Sample size of each brand/product is in brackets. A dash (-) means that the sample size is too small to give a star rating. Delivery covers time, place, speed of delivery and communication about delivery.

Screwfix

Screwfix received the full five stars in the vast majority of metrics in our table, only dropping one star for product quality, and has been named a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP).

Toolstation

Toolstation has also been named a WRP. It got five stars in five of the eight categories we looked at, including value for money, product range, staff helpfulness, the amount of packaging used and delivery.

Brewers

Another WRP, Brewers customers rated it five stars on all measures apart from value for money. 

Dulux Decorator Centre

Paint and decorating merchant Dulux Decorator Centre was well liked by its customers, and it shone on product range and quality, staff helpfulness, the amount of packaging it uses and delivery elements. It's also a WRP.

B&Q

B&Q got four stars on product range and availability as well as staff helpfulness, but was rated particulalry highly for delivery with customers giving it five stars.

Best furniture and homeware shops

When shopping for furniture and homeware, you want to know you're getting decent quality, great aftersales service and first-rate customer service. Find out where you'll get that below.

Table notes: Customer score results are based on an online survey of 4,249 members of the Which? Connect panel and 8,003 of the general public conducted in September 2022. The customer score is based on satisfaction with the brand and likelihood to recommend. Sample size of each brand/product is in brackets. A dash (-) means that the sample size is too small to give a star rating. Delivery covers time, place, speed of delivery and communication about delivery.

John Lewis

John Lewis, shone on quality, aftersales and customer service ratings. But we withheld its Which? Recommended Provider status as its online and telephone purchase returns policy didn't meet our standard on clarity. 

John Lewis said: ‘We offer a generous returns policy, with a 35-day free returns for most purchases. For telephone and online purchases, we'll even refund the standard delivery charge when the whole order is returned in 14 days. 

'As well as being popular with our customers, we’re confident that our returns policy complies with the set regulations, with customers’ rights detailed on our website.’ 

The White Company

As a WRP, The White Company impressed customers on a range of measures, including the quality of its products. It only scored three stars out of five on value for money, though. 

ProCook

Cookware and kitchenware retailer ProCook has been named a WRP after impressing customers with its range of quality products. 

Next 

Customers like the quality and range of products from well-known retailer Next, as well as the ease of using the website and the delivery. It's another WRP. 

Lakeland

It was almost a clean sweep of five-star ratings for Lakeland, and it only dropped stars for the amount of packaging it uses and value for money. Customers rated it well, though, and we've named it a WRP as a result. 

Ikea

Ready-to-assemble furniture brand Ikea has long been synonymous with value, so it's unsurprising that shoppers rated it five stars on that measure. With an 81% customer score, it's also a WRP. 

Best household appliance shops

Whether you're looking for a fridge or a vacuum cleaner, you'll find the best shop for the job in the table below. 

Table notes: customer score results are based on an online survey of 4,249 members of the Which? Connect panel and 8,003 of the general public conducted in September 2022. The customer score is based on satisfaction with the brand and likelihood to recommend. Sample size of each brand/product is in brackets. A dash (-) means that the sample size was too small to give a star rating. Delivery covers time, place, speed of delivery and communication about delivery.

John Lewis

John Lewis impressed household appliance customers with the quality of its products and the customer service. But we withheld its Which? recommended provider status as its online and telephone purchase returns policy didn't meet our standard on clarity.

Costco

Membership-only store Costco impressed household appliance customers with its value for money and product quality, and was made a WRP. It lacked the range of products of other retailers, though. 

QVC UK

Once just a home shopping channel that you had to call to buy products from, QVC now offers a selection of items on its website. Customers like the range and quality of products, but what really makes it stand out is price. The retailer got five stars for value for money, which only two other household appliance retailers achieved in our survey.

AO

Another WRP, online-only AO was rated well by household appliance customers for the quality of products, how easy it is to use the website or app and delivery of household appliances. 

Dunelm

Dunelm performed well across the board, but particularly impressed its customers with the quality of products it sells and it has been named a WRP. 

How the best home and DIY shops stand out

Every year, we survey thousands of Which? members and members of the public about their experiences of shopping with some of the UK's best-known stores and websites, as well as with lesser-known brands. 

Our star ratings reveal how customers rated each retailer on a range of different measures from value for money to aftersales service.

We also name Which? Recommended Providers for each category. Only shops with top customer scores, plus four stars for customer service and three stars for value for money can make the grade. WRPs also need to offer at least 28 days to return non-faulty goods. We exclude any retailers that give misleading or unclear information about returns.

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