If you've ever used Angie's List, will you tell me about it?

I’ve heard it’s all lies and a scam.

@pshizzle Where did you hear this?

Online reviews.

I am using it now to get some estimates for home repairs. My BIL recommended it; he has a home repair business in another city. What do you want to know?

Have you found it useful and worthwhile? If you’ve followed any guidance you received there, did your experience bear it out? Do you regard it as a valuable resource? Do you recommend it?

Since I was the one that recommended it… anyway, I am reposting the same answer I gave you on your original question here if that helps:

I would say it’s an additional tool, in addition to your own judgement and talking to other people, friends and family, checking with the BBB, all that.

What you get from Angie’s List will only be as good as what the other people in your area who are members post on it regarding their experiences. I would say Angie’s list certainly shouldn’t be your only resource but when you’re talking about the cost of a subscription/membership to Angie’s list v.s. the total cost of something like a kitchen remodel it’s really next to nothing and worth the price even if it only lets you cross a bad apple or two off your list of possible contractors to hire. 

Though I will say, that if you live in the middle of nowhere or an outlying suburb of nowhere, it may not be as useful if not enough people in your area have used the local contractors and entered reviews and information.

I tried Angie’s List very briefly when I was looking for an electrician in LA. Well—I shouldn’t say briefly since I’m still receiving emails from them but have already paid for a year of service. I’ve never in my life been upsold so much. It was infuriating (not to mention I can only choose people in San Francisco and have to pay extra for LA).

I ended up finding an electrician via Yelp—but now that I think about it, I don’t think he ever showed up for my renter.

All five of contractors that I’ve had come out have been prompt and courteous. I have a wide array of prices and materials to choose from. Some are not appropriate for a historic home, but it gives me something to benchmark the cost against. Gutters are one of those things that you can get a fly-by-night contractor and get a cheap price but not good quality, so I’m being extra cautious. I have issues with sewer line tie-ins, and am going to need extra services.

Most of the contractors so far have been oriented towards suburban homes, and are probably not appropriate for my house. It’s helpful to read the references. I’m using it more as a directory.

I’ve never used Angie’s List, but I have used a similar (free) service: Service Magic. I had actually already called several plumbers from the yellow pages, and one of them told me to look him up on Service Magic to see his references, etc. He got glowing reviews there, and I’ve been using him ever since and am pretty pleased with him.

I’ve used it. I found a contractor I really liked my matching my specs with theirs and there was a coupon for him on their website. I wrote a review of his company afterwards and hired him again.
I don’t think the monthly specials that are sent to you are necessarily all that great—rather it’s a combination of your search criteria [I look for someone local, smaller, not a chain], good reviews from them for both quality and price, and, hopefully, a coupon as well.
I renewed my subscription.

btw—my kitchen project was very small, replacing lower cabinets of small kitchen, new flooring, paint, and miscellaneous. And the cabinets could have been mail-ordered like the doors or the contractor could have gotten them from builders’ distributors, but he hand built my cabinets of wood and plywood, making them much sturdier, and with bigger drawers for the price of cheap pressboard cabinets.
Occasional there are interesting articles in the magazine.

Hmm—please tell me more. It sounds like subscribers have to put up with a monthly newsletter, frequent e-mails, and a magazine—is that right? Anything else? I am not about to give my name to anyone who will bombard me with messages and “offers,” much less pay money for it.

my angie’s list review there are a couple of others, including one telling the contractor to get a better website

It is a monthly small magazine, about the size of a TV guide with coupons and reviews like “the best of the best” and articles—not a bad mag

The emails can probably be shut off.

I just clicked on Angies List website, saw that I had to pay and left. I was bombarded with emails telling me I could get Angies List at a reduced rate. Next email said they would reduce the rate even further. This went on about two weeks and they finally stopped.

@Jeruba I guess Angie’s list itself is getting mixed reviews but I did want to mention that you can set your email/contact preferences to not receive any emails or phone calls from them, or to receive just the kind of contact you want or don’t want. And I actually kind of like the little magazine they send.