If you have your own domain with a web host, it's possible to use the webmail that comes with the hosting package, such as Squirrelmail or Horde. However, I do appreciate that some people will forward to services like Gmail.
I use My Real Box from many years ago. Free deal is full packed of nice features... I use it mainly as a safety back-up after my ISP provider services. "MyRealBox is a very large beta test site for NetMail." But don't let the beta word put you away, it is in continual "beta testing" from maybe 7 or 8 years now on. If I reminder correctly the project was started at beginning by Novell as a demonstration site for their technology...
I use Yahoomail because when it launched rocketmail.com and ymail.com (couple of years ago) I was fast and I registered email addresses with my surname@ymail.com & surname@rocketmail.com I check my emails via Pop Peeper, which runs at start up. Once per week I log into webmail to check the spam folder.
Windows Live Hotmail. If you didn't experience Hotmail before the drastic recent changes, you just don't know it anymore. In my opinion, Hotmail is currently better than all other free mail alternatives, including Gmail. Hotmail is leading by a far margin.
Yes, Hotmail already has it! * Use m.hotmail.com as server * This feature was introduced in August/2010: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...ar-and-contacts-with-exchange-activesync.aspx
Just a follow-up If you use Windows Live Mail 2011 IMAP is used by default and automatically configured. Hotmail also supports secure access (HTTPs) if used by web-browser.
I have several web mail accounts, they also offer POP3 which is my preference. I do have one service that is web mail only (free account) and that is Lycos. I only check it when notified I have mail in the account.