I've just started using Namecheap to move a number of domains from TSO Host and 123-reg.
I'd take online reviews with a pinch of salt these days - how many people who are satisfied with a service actually bother to leave a review vs how many with a slight grievance will avidly spread their displeasure on every medium possible..
So far Namecheap seem pretty good - the website works and has had every setting I required available and their online help has covered any topic I wasn't clear about. I've not had to contact their support staff at all.
I would prefer to use a UK based registrar, but if the locals are gonna have unnecessarily large markups on what is a mostly automated product, I'll simply choose the cheapest/reasonable quality provider that is available to me on the international market.