Bulk Email engines

[markbaa]

What are peoples experience with bulk email engines?

I am building up an opt in list for my ecommerce shop, and while it has built in email software, it doesn't allow personalisation and is a bit buggy anyway.

What have people used & had good (or bad) luck with? I'm not talking vast numbers here, 100's at the moment, probably will be 1000's next year.

[physics]

Do you mean a program that runs on your PC or server or a hosted solution?

[markbaa]

Either, although I'd prefer not to have a "pay per email" solution, would prefer a free or one off.

[physics]

A desktop solution that's been around for quite a while is Mailloop from the late great Cory Rudl.