Is it always smart to get an extended warranty on a product when its available? It really depends on the product and how long the regular warranty is good for. I think some products you should never buy an extended warranty and the manufacturer’s warranty in some cases offer descent ones with your purchase anyways. The more the item costs is the more you should consider getting an extended warranty. An extended warranty on a toaster is a bad idea, but if you bought an RV; then you might want to consider buying an rv extended warranty. That is the way I look or approach these extended warranties. It is a gamble either way and you usually can come up with the right answer if you weigh the worse case scenarios on both side. One side would be that your product never breaks down in the time frame of the extended warranty. The other worse case scenario would be that your product did tear up and now you have to pay for a new one or pay for the repairs. Which worse case scenario are you more willing to face? Saving money is usually a good thing, but with insurance and warranties, sometimes dishing a little money out now, can save you money down the road.