Not as big and impressive as their store on Preston Road in Brighton, but nonetheless a decent…read moreplace to come when your looking for all the white, spinning and whirring machinery you'd need in an average houshold. They say: "Lowest prices in Sussex. Highest possible Service." I say: "Could have been a snappier tagline, but if what your saying is all true, I'm not complaining." Well they did have a decent sale on here, so your going to find some January bargains, and their selection of washing machines, vacuums and fridges are all made by quality brands, like Indesit and Beko, so it aint gonna break after day one. Well informed pros here, so go in an have a chat.

I have no confidence in Carters level of Customer Service following my recent experience. The…read moreBrighton depot did not discover the wrong colour fridge freezer had been received by them until the morning of delivery. I had entered my mobile number incorrectly online and despite me providing a correction to this to the Southwick store just days before, the warning call went to someone else's voicemail! I paid to have my old appliance removed by them and their website states that the appliance must be empty and ready for removal. Hence my food was defrosting by the time I chased them. Instead of being offered help, I was told the correct model would be with me in 5-7 days and that I should never have taken my food out of the appliance! Due to my insistence I was loaned an emergency model. It was too big for my kitchen. The final insult was my laminate flooring being soaked as they took the old one away without checking the reservoir! Their leaflet and website states: "Shop at Carters and you are guaranteed to get a good deal" I was not offered any compensation for the poor experience and food that had to be discarded, and I could have got the appliance quicker and cheaper in the end through a local branch of a well known mail order store.

they recently fixed my cooker glass door, punctual and polite,…read moreI would recommend, Also i bought a washing machine from them over 10 years ago and its still working fine,

Scratch and Dent is a well established business in Tarring road. It sells slightly damaged/seconds…read moreof appliances like ovens, dishwashers, fridges and a few spares for appliances. We bought our fridge there about 4 years ago. We had looked at all the usual appliance shops and came across one at Scratch and Dent at a greatly discounted price, it had a slight dent on the side but it didn't matter because the way we were fitting it meant we wouldn't see the dent. The warranty was still valid on the fridge and it`s still going strong, a good buy. The owner was very helpful. They can only stock so much in their shop so it's worth asking if they any more lurking around back. You also need to check stock regularly as the turnover is quick and more sort after items go quickly. Parking is on the street.

Edwards and Hope is a simple alternative to some of the bigger electric retailers, offering a…read morevariety of electric goods for much cheaper than most of the big stores on the outskirts of town. Also, the service is much more personalised: advice can be asked from real electricians, not a student helper who will just pass you on to someone else. However, it doesn't have the stock or selection of the big stores, leaving Edwards and Hope a bit of an odd addition to the North Laine shopping community. Where most shops in the Laine are aiming for cool and/or chic, Edwards and Hope is delightfully old-fashioned. These are electrical retailers who aren't trying to sell you otter-shaped lamps, or something similarly bizarre enough to appeal to Brighton's cool-kids crowd: they're here to offer simple, basic advice on any electrical faults, problems, and sell fuses, plugs and the like. I'm not sure how they survive in an area like the North Laine, but they've clearly been around for some time, so they must be doing something right! What Edward's and Hope can offer over most other electrical appliance shops is the personalised service. These guys know what they're talking about, and can offer a lot of direct advice about any issue you may be having in your home. This is a great place to go to ask for help: they won't charge a fortune, and they are directly available: you won't have to talk to useless student advisors in big chain stores or wait in call queues to speak to an advisor again in this field. However, being a small shop, Edwards and Hope never seem to stock everything you're looking for. More often than not, customers seem to go in for advice, then go and buy the items in B&Q or Dixons. In the end, the best use this place has is for advice and the occasional purchase: they simply don't have the warehouse mentality that some of the bigger shops do.

Have been here with my daughter, who lives very locally, when she was doing up her bungalow. True…read moreto what she had heard Pickthorne's were extremely helpful. Terrific knowledge of ranges available and staff very willing to LISTEN, as well as advise. If you're planning changes then visit here. Mind you, there's plenty of equally good stores in Brighton area. Parking is good

I stayed away from UD for many years because I assumed that they would be super expensive for…read moreeverything [I think they quoted us for fence panels once and they were priced as if they were made of gold, but it was windy season] but when doing my kitchen renovations they were invaluable - they had things in much smaller quantities than Wickes [you could buy individual washers instead of a pack of five, for example] and the staff were knowledgeable, and friendly. Parking is a let down here, but otherwise it's a nice little shop with a lot going on inside.

This place is really a builders supply centre for the trade but they welcome the general public…read moretoo. They have tools for every occasion and unlike the local DIY shed, they made to last and the staff can explain how to use them. They also have a massive range of quality wood and other products which make them the first stop for me when I'm starting a project. Helpfully, they will deliver to the local area if you can't fit your purchases in your car. Their a bit more expensive than the local DIY shed, but there's a clear reason for this. One word of advice - avoid the 'boy' in favour of being served by the older staff... he takes ages to serve you and doesn't yet always know what he's talking about. Brilliant place in all other respects.

This is the Hove original of the Bert's Homestore chain (there's now one in Brighton too), located…read morein the pleasantly pedestrianised shopping area of George Street. (George Street is small but reasonably quiet, even on a Saturday - it's the complete opposite of Brighton city centre.) They sell lots of stuff for kitchens and bathrooms, concentrating on accessesories such as knives, chopping boards, tea-strainers, tea-pots, mug tress, washing up bowls in funky designs, etc. rather on standard crockery and cutlery (although there are a few basic items). It's attractively laid out and lovely to browse, and excellent for things such as olive spoons, tea-bag squeezers, lemon rind peelers, which in my book are not essentials, but make those specific tasks so much easier. The staff are lovely too. It's hard to leave without buying something

This is a trendy little shop selling everything you need (and a lot you don't) for your home. While…read moreI try not to shop at supermarkets if I can, the one thing I think is worth buying from them is kitchenware as its so much more expensive in shops like this. I just wouldn't pay £14.95 for a fold away colander. Why have a fold away colander? That said, they do sell a really good range of kitchen knives here at good prices and that's one thing you should spend a but of money on.

Not the best laid out store you could have - its in two locations, its crowded, its not smart…read more HOWEVER: I'd use it again in a heartbeat, and I will as soon as I renovate my horrible bathroom. The man working in the shop was an absolute genius, thats all I can say - he obviously knew everything there was to know, not only about the visible bits of a bathroom, the big stuff like baths and toilets and washbasins, but all the other little bits that we dont' think of - washers and pipes and cables. And how it all fits together. Obviously I don't, which is why this review isn't technical, but this is where I managed to buy the toilet seat I was looking for, because this saint of the shop floor explained to me about flexible fittings that can be manipulated easily to fit almost any toilet. And it was easy. And cheap. And it was solid, lacquered wood, not a thing thing made of cheap plastic. It would be hard to exaggerate how pleased I was with this shop!

It has everything that I could possibly want for my house. For real! I love everything in there…read more They have amazing stuff from tableware to woodenware, textiles and enamelware, from glassware to tea pots, jugs and mugs on a shop with such a nice decoration and pleasant staff that makes a shopping experience being so good. The shop is really cool, on a building with a lovely colour and all the wonderful things are organized in a neatly and tidy way that makes it even harder to resist. Ok, I couldn't decide on what to buy (luggage restrictions - but good for my wallet, otherwise I would just bought everything!!) so I had to go one second time to check again and buy as much as I could! Thus, two times on the same day and they already knew me! Oh well, is just the way it is, but they were friendly, chatty and their product knowledge is amazing. So, feel free to go around, buy all you need (and what you don't need but there are so many awesome things that is just impossible not to) and try not spending all your money! Totally worth it.

Utility is a fun little shop selling all those household items you didn't realise you needed until…read moreyou walked through the doors. Their philosophy is supplying goods that are both attractive and hard waring, the name of the shop and the idea being drawn from WWII rationing. They have a large range of bakeware, storage pots, utensils, dining ware, aprons and tea towels. Some items even come with explanations in case their use isn't obvious. I came away with a couple of old fashioned preservation bottles and a nifty little device to stop teapots dripping - a highly original Christmas present and lots of fun while the recipient tries to guess the function of said gift! The shop owner is really friendly and loves a chat as you browse. They also have an on-line shop if you're not local but still want to check out what they have to offer.