It's hard to rely on hearsay nowadays. Let's say Victor from the country club has just bought an elliptical trainer that he says is working out great for him - are you going to take it on Victor's word that this is the right exercise machine for you too? No matter how heartily Victor endorses his newest purchases, you must remember that exercise equipment is also a long-term investment. To get the best deal for something as important (and often expensive!) as an elliptical trainer, you have to look through good elliptical trainer reviews.

However, you'll also have to distinguish good reviews sites from, well, sites that don't represent a grand majority of buyers. Feedback is important, but it may also be manufactured. Be an intelligent and discriminate researcher. If you find that some elliptical trainer reviews sing excessive praise of a certain product -- they may have been written by someone on the manufacturer's payroll.

Bear in mind, also, that firsthand feedback is the best kind. You can't take it as law if enough people go "Hey, I hear this product is even better than that product!" because manufacturer hype can easily cause such talk. An example of this happening is when new gaming hardware comes out. You hear "New and Improved Features!" trumpeted throughout the media. The hype basically bombards your senses and builds up anticipation. This is not a review! A review -- a good one, incidentally -- is something written firsthand by someone who has tried a product exhaustively, has weighed the pros and cons of each feature, and has come up with a final opinion about the product that will serve as a guide for future buyers.

Also, look through tried and tested sites, ones that have been around for a while and are sure to attract good reviewers. Among these sites are Epinions.com, Amazon.com, and consumerreports.com. By comparing and contrasting reviews and ratings from different Web sites, you can see which of your prospective buys is worth your money and your time.

Consumer protection laws may be in place, but consumers also have to protect themselves -- and each other. Just as buyers do their research online, they endeavor to make things easier for other researchers by leaving input that may be useful for buyers-to-be. There are kind people out there, writing elliptical trainer reviews, who can help you make sure that you're getting the best value for your long-term investment.