What is the Best Make of TV?
I am often asked “what is the best make?” The answer years ago would have been the well-known Japanese makes along with Philips and Ferguson. Many of the top names don’t even make their own TVs anymore. Most TVs are made by a company called Vestel, which is based in Turkey. Almost all of the cheap TVs in supermarkets with obscure names are made by Vestel. I have seen the likes of Toshiba, JVC, Hitachi and Panasonic with the same Vestel panels in them as the cheaper brands, so people have paid extra for the name. There was a time when nearly all screens were made by Samsung or LG. Many TVs now have screens that are made by Vestel or of Chinese manufacture. I would go for Samsung, Sony and LG. Look for the models that come with 5 years warranty. Retailers don’t want to see them again once they are sold, so they must be confident that the TV will last at least five years without any problems.
Cheap TVs
TVs are relatively cheap nowadays, but you get what you pay for, and the quality is not as it was even a few years ago. If you are buying a new TV, I would strongly recommend you get one with at least 5 years warranty. I was starting to see a lot of TVs with faulty screens or needing replacement main boards a few months out of warranty. It might be worth upgrading your home contents insurance to include accidental damage to your TV screen. I got many calls per week from customers who had the TV screen broken. There is no fix for this, and no guarantee will cover it!
I used to feel so sorry for those customers who only had the TV for a couple of weeks and the screen had been damaged, usually by a child throwing something at it – and it was always 55″ or bigger!
Take Out Insurance
If you are a SKY TV customer, they offer an insurance that will cover your sky equipment and two other items such as a TV and mobile phone for around £9 per month. OK, just over £100 for the year, but it’s sorted if your screen gets damaged or the TV breaks down. Remember, always keep your receipt safe! Frustrating if you can’t find it to claim warranty. If you take out insurance, take a photo of the equipment working and email it to yourself to prove date it was taken. This will go to prove it was working when you took out the insurance.
John Lewis has an option to take out accidental damage for £150, that works out at £30 per year. It’s a no brainer! It will give you peace of mind for the next five years. If anything happens, you won’t need to fork out for a new TV – sorted!
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A Damaged TV screen. The red circle is where
a toy or a remote control was
thrown at the screen.
Vehicle Breakdown Cover TipOk, this has nothing to do with TVs or electronics, but while we are on the subject of insurance, I thought I would share a tip regarding vehicle breakdown cover. If your car insurance is due for renewal, it may be worth considering an insurance company that includes vehicle breakdown cover or you can include it in your search options. My car insurance included free RAC basic cover. I already had cover with Auto Aid at the time so wasn't that bothered. When the Auto Aid was due to renew, they had jacked the price up so I looked for alternatives. Although I still had the RAC from my insurance, it was only the basic cover. I needed nationwide recovery for peace of mind. I asked my insurance company how much it would cost to upgrade expecting it to be an arm and a leg, but was pleasantly surprised when they quoted the figure of £11 with 5 months left on the policy - result! I now have nationwide recovery and homestart with the RAC for just £11 extra. It may be worth asking your insurance company for a quote on vehicle breakdown cover even if you are mid policy, hopefully you will save some money. Eat your heart out Martin Lewis !
Broken Down Vehicle. Make Sure You Have Breakdown Cover
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