My other halfs father uses 1&1, with the website builder or something like that.
1&1 are so restrictive to what you can do on your own website when using that building package, shockingly awful.
I work for a premium SEO company (http://safeserps.com), and we use:
GoDaddy & rarely eNomCentral to buy domains.
Hostgator to host.
WordPress to build websites.
The best package available.
Hostgator even have a great feature called "Quick Install". From this section you can literally have dozens of different website platforms installed on your site in less than a minute, from WordPress, to forum software, voting software - even your own social networking software.
I can make a site that looks very impressive by chucking some pre-made php software on to it from Hostgator.
If I were you, I'd jump off 1&1 and follow the route I just said.![]()
I work in IT and provide tech support to a global insurance company. I have never had a more piss-poor experience with a company of ANY kind, let alone web hosting.
I have been trying to recover a password for 6 days. They made a mistake on their end and they were sending the reset link to a non-existent email address.
I followed their protocol to fix the account, and their system generated emails are still not arriving. My email account is working properly, this is entirely on their end.
They literally do not have a customer service line. Only technical "support".
I am locked out of my own website now for 6 days.
Awful, awful, awful with a heaping tablespoon of absurd.

Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic