Everyone always says that but I've had nothing but trouble with gandi.net.. not their registration system but their payment system.

Two separate times, I've had them recommended to me and both times I gave up on the transfer. Last time my payment (to my Amex card that I've had no other issues with) was rejected and this is what they said:

So that your order can pass this time, we require : A valid Government-issued Drivers License or Valid Government-issued passport with recognizable photo AND A document from your telephone service provider that clearly states the telephone number and the address as presented in the whois as belonging to the registrant.

So I gave up instead. They never told me exactly why.

My gandi.net experience is ~7 years out of date, but I also eventually gave up after difficulties with their payment system (a year or two into using them). Other than that, they were fine - pretty much invisible.

The thing is, you can find lot of companies that will register your domain, take some money, and not make another sound until your domain needs renewal. I've always been surprised at the loyalty gandi.net has engendered for a service that's so thoroughly commoditized.

Seconded Gandi. I've moved my domains to them over the past year as they've come up for renewal and I can't fault the service provided.

They aren't the cheapest, but they aren't exactly pricey either, and I feel safe in the knowledge that my domains are well looked after, within Europe, and I have full control over the DNS records and so on.

I'll third gandi.net. I use them for all my US-based domains. Their slogan is "No Bullshit" -- and they live up to it.

My only complaint is that DNS changes through the webapp take 10-15 min to propagate to their authoritative zone files, making DNS cut-overs a little slower than I'd like.

But all in all, highly recommended..

Gandi.net has a US branch/office now. I asked them what they would do if the US Govt wanted to seize domain they host and I only heard crickets....