Clas Ohlson

I like this shop but find the pricing inconsistent and slightly misleading in a way that means I’m never sure if I’m getting a good deal. Recently they had a slow cooker on offer for £15 which seemed like a fantastic deal until I realised there was a similar item in Argos for £13. A lot of their homeware is cheap and good though, including tumblers, scrubbing brushes, sponges, and storage baskets. Well worth checking out as long as you stay savvy.

Looking for electrical /​outdoor /​office goods but can’t be bothered with the queues in Argos? This is the place to shop.
Clas Ohlson is a lot like IKEA; it’s Swedish and sells practical, no-​nonsense products for reasonable prices.
The Arndale store boasts everything from USB memory sticks and screwdrivers to plug adapters to paddling pools, all across three floors. This can make it a little difficult to find what you’re looking for but just ask a member of staff (they’re all really helpful) and they’ll point you in the right direction.
So, next time you’re in town and have that lightbulb moment — as in «Sh**, I need to buy a new lightbulb for the living room lamp before my dinner party this evening», simply nip into CO and the job’s a good’un!

God, I love the Swedish. I love Swedish things. I love Ikea. I plan to customise Billy Bookcases in the future. I chow down on miniature ‘Daim’ bars. I like Swedish traditional biscuits. I want a Volvo. Rye bread rocks. Abba I can take or leave, but other musical Swedish things certainly float my boat.
(By the way that’s my beloved singing partly in Swedish with a Swedish friend. Yay for Swedes.) And Swedish rock bands, well, there’s a different story. Their members pose with their pets for animal rights calendars. No, but, look!
… See, I’m not just making this up to big up the Swedish.
And then they bring us Clas Ohlson. *Sigh.* My oh my, that store has saved me on more than one occasion. It appeared in the Arndale Centre at just around the same time that both my bedside lamps decided to commit suicide. I know this because they refused to accept any bulbs I offered them. ‘It’s too late,’ they seemed to cry. So Alexa G and I, who often find ourselves drawn in by home accessories tractor beams, wandered into this store and spotted the most wonderful solution. Mix and match lamps, on special offer. Tall, skinny bases in a variety of colours, with myriad patterned, plain and beautiful shades. Here, in all their glory, were my replacements. I sought help from a member of staff as I couldn’t find the actual boxes containing the bases, and not only did he aid this but guided me to find the bulbs, recommending energy saver ones as they last far longer. It’s true, they’ve actually more than paid for themselves as they’re still going.
I was served by an actual ice-​blond Swedish person at the checkout too, I’m sure of it.
I went there an additional time because having scoured Sainsbury’s and Tesco for bulbs that could fit my seemingly awkward spotlights I was left bereft. What exactly is going on there? Chances are, 98% of new-​build apartments around the city centre have spotlights in their ceilings. They might look nice, but it makes the process of changing a bulb completely ludicrous. Have you ever tried? You’ll have a head covered in plasterboard faster than you can say dandruff. Anyway, typically for the lovely Clas Ohlson, they had the exact right bulbs. In energy saver format. Look at that, pretty and green too.
And just in case you’re not nipping in for those desperate essentials like I was, it’s a veritable bevy of lovely stuff for your home. The Manchester store is really new, in fact the brand was born in 1918 and didn’t enter the UK itself until 2008. Well Clas, it was worth the wait.

I would describe Clas Ohlson as a Scandinavian variety retail store, and a good one at that. ‘Variety retail’ basically means throwing together a bunch of different product categories in the one shop, usually with a mix of bargains and unique ‘draws’. Imagine a Scandinavian version of Wilkinson and you’re nearly there — but not quite. While the bargain bins out the front might make you think Clas Ohlson is another bargain store (and there are some bargains) the kitchenware section features luxury Scandinavian-​style ‘Skeppshult’ cast iron frying pans at £60. For me, that sort of unique item is as much part of what makes the lucky dip of variety retail fun, along with the bargains, obviously.
As there is a lot to take in, read the other reviewers for what caught their eye, and there is a mini Argos-​style catalogue that you can pick up instore. Downstairs, you’ll find home electrical goods, homewares, kitchenware and an extensive Currys-​type computer and electronic department through the back. Upstairs, outdoor gear, camping, sailing and cycling accessories are what I can remember, kit for rugged Scandinavian pastimes!
I felt there were some unique items throughout the store. For example, a wall clock with what looked like a birch ply frame. (New to me, although I’ve never visited Ikea). But about half of the kitchen and dining ware seemed unique — like the cast iron pans I mentioned, or Hackmann saucepans, silicone pot holders, glass mugs and retro-​style sugar pourers. And I got the impression that the rugged gear upstairs is mostly own-​brand and therefore a lot cheaper than the inflated prices that sector seems to get away with these days.
Even midweek there was still quite a buzz about the place. And as it is in the Arndale Centre, you are well-​placed for some comparison shopping versus Wilkinson, Hub Retail, TK Maxx or whatever. But definitely check out Clas also! :-)

When the store opened in Manchester Arndale centre I thought it was great, no it was fantastic, to the range of products, prices and the most helpful, knowledgeable and friendly staff I have come across for a long time. Nothing was too much trouble; they were a credit to Clas Ohlson.
So what has happened now???
Where has all the helpful friendly staff gone? If you can manage to find a member of staff they are totally disinterested, to the point of being rude and seem to want to be as unhelpful as possible.
Over the Christmas period they often had long queues at all the tills and only two tills open! Why so many tills and so few staff? I ended up walking out, then when I returned after Christmas the items I wanted had gone up by £10 each as it was an offer.
Trying to go to the information desk is a waste of time as it is always un-​staffed now, when you ask the security guard where all the staff is he says it is impossible to find them.
Hard to find products in store, I have had several incorrect products sold to me, faulty products, and instructions with products incorrect or misleading. Products out of stock, even been unable to be served as they could not find the keys to the security cabinet!
The managers at the Manchester store need to be retrained, they cannot/​will not give you the name, phone number or address of the General Manager, they say they cannot give you the address of the head office (it is on the internet) just a phone number of customer services.
Clas Ohlson learn to walk before you run, going downhill fast. The way you are going you will be closing stores faster than opening them
The web site says,
At Clas Ohlson it is clearly understood that all our customers should be completely satisfied with their purchases and become valued customers.
I think you need to tell your staff and manager this!

The one thing about Manchester city centre is that it doesn’t have a Wilkinson’s type store, just many a too cheap a pounder shops.
Clas Ohlson sort of stands in for Wilkinson’s stocking all the house type things such as lightbulbs and plates, toiletries and batteries, clocks and apparently 10,000 items of useful stuff.
Branded Swedish, its clean cut miminalistic, bright shop front echoes the scent of Ikea, everyone’s favourite. I found Clas Ohlson very useful every time I’ve been although it’s not so useful getting lost amongst all the range on offer. I also wasn’t impressed I couldn’t find any mini cake baking trays. Never mind, a whole lot of other useful things fill this void.

Oh Oh, an actual friendly hardware store, without feeling like you’re in some basement or the trouble to actually look for things with utmost difficulty! I like Clas Ohlson and it’s oh-​so-​different name!
I was here for quite a spending spree at the start of the year, for settling down in my new home. Lamps– just £4.99! I picked up 2. Portable speakers– just £6.99, I picked them up and the list could go on! The bulk things you get here, can make the moving in to a new place so much easier and to mention cheap! They have glasses, cutlery to batteries to computer hardware to hair straighteners and curlers and many many more! And its all neatly piled up with big sign boards without the hassle of running around everywhere looking for things!
Relief washed all over me when I learnt of this! Come September, I’ll be seeing Clas Ohlson once again!

Embarrassing confession: I went to the opening of this store to see Sarah-​Lou and Jason from Corrie and the Abba tribute band. But you won’t be laughing when I tell you that I got free coffee and ginger biscuits and a bright orange Clas Ohlson Frisbee, oh no!
I found this shop really useful (for it is the reallyusefulshoppafter all) when I was preparing to travel to Beijing by train — they stock loads of plastic plates, camping cutlery, torches, Thermoses, bags etc. My boyfriend is really proud of his £4 rucksack from there that has lasted him since the store opened and shows no signs of giving up yet. I’ve also bought some storage boxes and magazine files from there, all for Ikea-​esque prices and which you can’t buy anywhere else in the centre of town. On top of this they sell children’s toys, electrical goods and stationery.
I am so much of a fan of this shop that I became a ‘fan’ on facebook. Unfortunately, now they keep on sending me updates in Swedish! The only bone I can pick with this store is the fact that they feel the need to put umlauts on every ‘u’ in the shop.

Fairy lights. A juicer. Sponges. Desk accessories. Plungers. Wineglasses. Extension leads. Laundry baskets. Bathroom cabinets.
Clas Ohlson. Ah, I do not know who he was, but he must have been very sensible. He called his shop the Usefulshopp. And it is useful. Hugely useful.
When our plughole in our bath suddenly backed up and was all gross, we went to Usefulshopp to get a plunger. When we realised our ice-​cube trays were shit, we went to Usefulshopp for ice-​cube bags. When we need washing up sponges, or light bulbs, or minor electrical fixes… Usefulshopp!
It’s true, there’s little glamour here, but you can bet that if you need something for the house, Clas has it. He must have been a great man to have in a crisis:
Swede #1: Hey, my house is falling down! Oh poo!
Swede #2: Man, I wish I could help you but I am really enjoying this cheese right now.
Swede #3: Hey you guys, what’s happening? You look upset, #1, though you, #2, look very pleased with yourself. Is that jarlsberg?
Swede #1: No, shut up about the cheese, man, my house is falling down.
Swede #3: Well, why didn’t you say so? I have a huge array of items that we can use to make it not fall down! Here, I will fix this problem calmly and for a good price.
Swede #2: What about cheese?
Swede #3: Yes, I also sell an ingenious cheese tray that has a lid, so you can refrigerate your cheese without having to bother with clingfilm.
Swedes #1 and #2: Wow! You’re great! What’s your name?
Swede #3: I… am Clas Ohlson.
Great story, huh?

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Ikea got sick and tired of fobbing us off with furniture, and instead began a lucrative trade in home appliances, you’d probably be a very sad individual. You would also have imagined Clas Ohlson.
I wouldn’t have thought it would be possible to make electrical goods seem sleek and cool, let alone make the store feel that way too, but those damn Swedes have done it again. It’s just a shame that despite all the clean lines and whatnot, it’s still a store selling kitchen and home appliances, and therefore relatively boring.

I headed into Clas Ohlson just because it looks so appealing. It’s clean, light and sleek, and has that cool European feel.
It stocks homeware downstairs, with many electrical appliances and kitchen accessories. In addition, everything is reasonably priced and looks cool.
Upstairs Clas Ohlson really confuses me in that it’s kind of like a designer hardware store. You expect hardware stores to be like B&Q, but is actually more like Ikea. Weird.

Hate to rain on my fellow Unilocalers parade but everything about Clas Ohlson rubs me up the wrong way. They might wander round the store spotting all the potential bargains — like a food mixer for £10 — but I wander round wondering and worrying how it’s possible for a chain to sell electronic appliances at such rock-​bottom prices. Of course their answer would probably be that they sell vast quantities of everything but still, the whole concept makes me think of mass production and forcing other independent companies out of business.
It’s not just the price point that bothers me either, Clas Ohlson has to be the most soul-​less store I’ve ever visited. Spread over three floors in the Arndale, it looks and feels like Ikea with different departments for hardware, electronics, the office, the home and leisure. Everywhere you look there’s shelves and baskets offering you products you don’t actually need for next to nothing.
No, thanks.

I had no idea what Clas Ohlson was until I needed something from it. I always used to wonder past it thinking it was full of tools and hardware, something that didn’t appeal to me all that much.
Turns out, Clas Ohlson is like an independent Argos, except better and in many cases cheaper! I’ve bought tons of small essentials from here for camping trips, for the home and for myself including a mini LED torch for £3.99, a worktable for £15 and a food mixer for a tenner. Great prices, great items, if there’s something you need, they probably have it.