Products for which warranties are worthwhile

JAMES SEBASTIAN:

Products for which warranties are worthwhile...

• Plasma TVs. These are expensive to replace and use advanced technology prone to need repair -- 30% of plasma television sets need service in the first three years.
• Laptop computers. They are more costly, more delicate and more expensive to fix than desktop computers -- and more likely to be dropped and damaged.
• Wristwatches. Standard warranties usually exclude the parts most likely to be broken, such as the face and the band. Extended warranties that do cover them often are inexpensive.

Keep your money rather than spend on warranties for...

• White goods, such as refrigerators and washing machines. These usually are reliable, and a warranty is liable to cost as much or more than any repairs you'll actually need.
• Desktop computers. Most failures occur early on, within the term of the original warranty.
• Digital cameras. Few need repairs, and those that do usually need them during the original warranty.