Entertainment Buying Guide

Our Methodology

Entertainment can be a more subjective category than most, with tastes varying dramatically from one consumer to the next. Whether it’s a book, movie or new CD, you probably have a specific genre that interests you. But even within that genre, there are things that make one product better than another.

At Don’t Waste Your Money, our goal is to take a look at the best products you can buy to help you make fully-informed buying decisions. For the entertainment category, that means weighing each item objectively for the value it will bring you as you enjoy it. If you’re choosing a gaming headset, you’ll want to make sure it will last, but if you’re reading a book or watching a movie, your attention will be focused on features like plot and characterization.

The experts at Don’t Waste Your Money spend time personally researching each product we review. In addition to our own take on an entertainment product, though, we also learn as much as possible as we can about how others feel about it. Not only do we pay attention to what experts are saying about the entertainment products we’re reviewing, but we also monitor customer sentiment. Audiences are typically the best gauge of how enjoyable an entertainment product is, so that’s an important part of our review process.

Enjoyability isn’t the only factor when it comes to entertainment purchases, though. As with other items, you want to make sure the products you’re buying are worth the money. Our goal is to make sure when you pay for something, you feel as though you got a value for that money. Whether that’s hours spent immersing yourself in a novel or years of enjoyment coming from the game you chose, our goal is to help make that happen.

The entertainment category goes beyond movies and books, though. We also help equip you with the equipment and accessories you need to enjoy your favorite forms of entertainment. That means products that help you enjoy that game. Although gaming consoles, along with items like TVs and DVR, fall under electronics, there are some products that don’t fit under that category. Our entertainment team also covers gaming chairs, gaming headsets and other items that exist to enhance your enjoyment of your favorite game.

Our entertainment team also takes a close look at fun products like musical instruments and amusement items. A great karaoke machine or board game certainly provides plenty of entertainment for the family that purchases it. Our team gets to try all of those items out to make sure your family will enjoy it.

If you’re sporty in nature, we look out for you, as well. We also review products like hoverboards and laser tag sets, among many others. Technology-based items like these can malfunction, so we know it’s important to thoroughly review them to make sure they not only provide a fun experience, but that they’ll also last.

When you’re shopping for something new to watch, read or play, reviews can make a big difference. While you may want to make up your own mind, we can give you an overview of both expert and consumer sentiment to help you save time and money. With our team of reviewers on your side, you’ll always be assured of the best entertainment bang for your buck.

Our Trusted Process

There are only so many hours in the day, and even fewer for doing what you love. Between work and various chores, you probably struggle to squeeze in time to read, watch movies, play video games or do whatever it is that you do for fun. When you do find those spare minutes, you likely want to make the most of them.

Don’t Waste Your Money has a team of expert reviewers who track down the best deals on entertainment products. This means not only reviewing them ourselves, but researching how consumers and experts are responding to the products. Our goal is to learn as much as possible about every book, movie, game and other entertainment-related item to make sure we’re bringing you the most comprehensive review possible.

Once we’ve gathered all the information, our team issues a rating on a scale from 1 to 10. The assigned number makes it easier for us to choose the top products for each category. Our rating is based not only on what we observed when testing the product, but also what we learned in our extensive research. The result is a score that gives an overall picture of how well a product performs.

In each category, you’ll see the top four products, with one named The Best Overall and another named The Best Bang for Your Buck. In some subcategories, you may see the same product receive both of these designations. Beneath each item, you’ll be able to read our reviewer’s summary, as well as excerpts from other reviews we found online for the product.

Throughout our review process, our reviewers are looking for commonalities among all the other reviews available out there. If a nonfiction book doesn’t authentically capture its subject and many have pointed that out, we’ll mention that, along with our own take on the subject matter.

But when it comes to entertainment products, consumers are typically the best sources of information. Those products everyone’s talking about are popular for a reason. We pay close attention to what everyday readers, viewers and gamers say about the products we review. We always factor in professional critics and experts, but there’s no denying the value of what customers think of entertainment products.

One important thing to consider as you browse our reviews is that taste is subjective. Experts and consumers may have criticized a game for its slower pace, but you might be looking for a game that’s rich in characterization and story. Before you start researching, identify what you want out of a product and discard reviews that aren’t compatible with your goal.

Although the entertainment products you buy are for leisure, it’s some of the most valuable time you’ll spend each week. With the right products, you can unwind after a long day, make the most of a great vacation or just plan a night of fun activities for your entire family. Don’t Waste Your Money strives to bring you the best products in each category so that you’ll always get the most out of every dollar of your hard-earned money you spend.