Finding consumer electronics reviews before you decide to buy an expensive piece of equipment is a really good idea. Some brands really are better than others, and when you buy something like an HDTV that is expensive and difficult to take to the repair shop because of its size and fragility, it's a good idea to check out its reliability ratings. Product ratings online are not hard to find. If you educate yourself before you buy, you can decide whether or not to buy that extended warranty for the product that you want. The clerks at the electronics stores seem to have been coached on guilt trips. As you stand at the check out buying that pricey piece of equipment, they offer you the warranty, and if you decline it, they act as if you have put your financial stability in great peril. If you know beforehand how reliable something is that you are buying, chances are you can give them a polite "no" and tell them that the product ratings for what you are buying are excellent, and "no thanks."