I agree that doing some research by reading the reviews online is a good way to find the best LCD TV for the budget. There's no substitute for what the experts are saying and you can compare the ratings between various brands as well.
As for the debate as to which is the best LCD TV or best plasma right now, there's no doubt that the Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-151FD 60" Plasma TV is the best right now compared to other brands. It has a very high expert rating of 90 which is tops among the plasmas.
Looking at LCD TV ratings is very helpful when you don't have a clue about HDTV's. The expert reviews are good tools to get acquainted about certain products. They proved helpful when I bought my first lcd tv.
If you're not sure which one is best, try looking at the LCD TV ratings of the different brands. Knowing the pros and cons about certain items is a good way of getting the best value for the budget.