Library of ThingsReviews 

Really lovely idea and has lots of useful things. Have used the staple gun to upcycle chairs, the planer to fix a door, and the drill to install a key safe. Much easier than buying tools as I live in a small flat.

I borrowed the thermal camera to examine some renovation work done on our house and look at some elements we haven't done yet. It worked well for me and I would recommend the service.

Borrowing was very easy, as was returning. The lockers were easy to find, you enter a code which they send in an email to retrieve and return the item.

Each item has a guide provided online so you can prepare in advance.

I hired a carpet cleaner which was easy to collect and return. An excellent idea and I will look to use again.

I used the trolley to move heavy stuff - it was great!

This is such a great idea - borrowing instead of buying. Borrowing instead of buying saves much needed space and the costs are so reasonable. Equipment is so easy to pick up - and to return, and clear instructions are given. You even get the correct carpet cleaning fluid when you borrow the carpet cleaner.

Borrowed an electric drill to screw down the slats on a set of bunk beds. Would have taken me hours manually. Was able to collect same day so simple and easy with everything I needed including links to video instructions. Reasonable price too - will use again!

Had borrowed a circular saw to chop away the broken bed frame. That made it easy for us to carry it to the recycling center . And we saved money by not having to pay someone to collect it to dispose it off .

Moved into a new place with carpets that desperately needed cleaning. Tried multiple times to hire a rug doctor but found the process to be very un user friendly, so tried Library of Things instead. Worked out cheaper as you get cleaning tablets included, plus really personal friendly customer service (as a new user I had some questions about borrowing and returning and the team were great, and talked me through what I needed). Have already recommended to several friends. Will definitely use again

Brilliant. I have used this service multiple times and I have found it reliable, simple and cheap.,

Love the sustainability and circular economy values of the Library of Things, easy to use, great advice on how to use items and experts on hand to help if needed. Very convienent location in Wandsworth, i will be borrowing again!

Brilliant concept, well executed. Was easy to book, collect and return items. We hired the thermal imaging camera overnight to understand how heat leaves our house, but there were loads of other useful items... Will be back for the ice cream maker in summer!! Prices are reasonable.

This service is fantastic - especially in a cost of living crisis and when I’m living abroad with minimal belongings. I’ve borrowed the carpet cleaner, vacuum and trolley to name a few, and all have been exactly as advertised. The collections and returns are done with self-service and can seem daunting at first (a bit like self checkouts at supermarkets) but with a little patience I find it works well. Borrower support has been more than accomodating when I’ve called or emailed with any queries; like the time I borrowed a cordless drill but the drill bits were missing - they could remotely open a ‘spares’ locker where a stash of parts was kept for this very occasion. Problem solved before I even left the building! I’ve also crossed paths with their (super helpful) technicians at the kiosk on a few occasions and it’s evident Library of Things truly is a small business doing their best for the community and planet. Bravo 👏

Well worth it. I hired a drill, no probs. Have hired some other things over the years always saved a lot of money in the process.

It's so easy and convenient to borrow items - they're at your local library!

Also lets Me borrow items that I couldn't afford to buy (wouldn't have the space to keep). Especially since I only want to wash my carpets once in a blue moon. So I just borrow it when I need it.

Decent choice of tools, keen prices, simple pick-up. All good

I started my pressure washing business. I was looking at the camden council website for information. Here i have seen written that they "inform" and "advise" everyone TO NOT ACCEPT any new business services from any new business that they didn't find out about from another person. Which is absurd because how is anyone able to find my business in the first place unless i "cold call" them. The definition of cold calling is anyone advertising their business for the first time to a person. So no matter the advertising method if you advertise to a new customer that is called "cold calling" otherwise it would be "warm calling "... yeah that's a thing, the definition. They are saying that you should not engage with any business for their services if they advertise to you, but particularly give an example of pressure washing businesses. You might think this is the Camden council way of... like they put it "warning people" because SOME have been scammed. So i have to suffer because some are criminals? But instead of saying: be careful and vigilant WHEN AND IF YOU ENGAGE with such business they say: DO NOT ACCEPT THEIR SERVICES. And you might think they are worried about residents being scammed...UNTIL you find out why they are saying such things... it's because they are in a partnership with this company called THE LIBRARY OF THINGS which rents cleaning and other equipment, not lend so not give for free to the residents but RENT. I DON'T THINK WHAT THEY SAID IS LEGAL. Who's the real scammer here, everyone else who tries to run a business legally? It's like me saying: don't accept someone else's services because some are scammers instead come to me because I'm not and not only that but they are taking advantage of the fact they represent the government and so people might think they are more trustworthy.

I’m obsessed with LoT, so much so that I asked my family for gift cards for the holidays so I could keep renting in 2026!

I rented the SDS drill from the Hackney Wick Library of Things. I had to call the help centre to get the storage unit open but they were super quick and the process overall was smooth. Item was in good working order and I used it to anchor an external timber structure to the outer wall of my house. Return was smooth. I'll be coming back to borrow more items.

Really poor experience. I borrowed an item and then 48 hours later got an email saying a part had not been returned and stating that might be charged for a new one! They keep your card details (like when you rent a car) and other online reviewers had stated they’d been charged for missing parts, so I was worried the same would happen to me. The first email I received about this threatened to charge me and as it was sent on a Sunday evening therefore no one was available to speak to on the phone to explain I had correctly returned it. It is unfortunate they did not just enquire first as to where the part was, without the threat of taking my money. I was worried this could be hundreds of pounds given the cost of carpet cleaners if I could not prove I had indeed returned it. I had to get my bank involved to make sure they didn’t take more money automatically, and request CCTV footage from the council to show that I did bring it back. It was stressful. 24 hours later (on Tuesday, having returned the items the previous Friday) the Library of Things finally admitted (I had to call them…they didn’t let me know) that actually the item was correctly returned by me. There isn’t a person checking the items coming back, it’s done on trust, so there is unfortunately room for things to go wrong. I would never use this service again just because it’s all remotely managed and you can get accused of something that’s not your fault. The item I borrowed was also not that clean, again it’s down to issues with it being remote. Someone from Library of Things only visits once a week. It’s a lovely idea in principal but the system doesn’t quite work yet unfortunately.

Borrowed Kirstie the Hand Sander to refinish some outdoor furniture. Easy to use and convenient to borrow. I highly recommend the Library of Things for its convenience and customer support.