Compare products before you buy

beginner⏱ Rough guide only: 1–2 hours of research

Last reviewed by Amara Lewis

Can AI help me choose what to buy?

Yes. Tell Perplexity or ChatGPT what you want, your budget, must-have features and country, and ask for a comparison table of three or four options with pros, cons and sources. Then check prices and model numbers on the retailer's site and read some real reviews before you buy.

Copy-and-paste prompt

Swap the bits in [square brackets] for your own details.

I want to buy a [product] for [main use]. Budget: [amount and currency]. Must-haves: [features]. Nice-to-haves: [features]. I'm in [country]. Compare 3–4 current options in a table (price range, key specs, pros, cons, who it suits), tell me what to look out for in this kind of product, and link your sources. Flag anything you're not sure is current.

How to do it

  1. Open Perplexity or ChatGPT and start a new chat.
  2. Copy the prompt below and replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
  3. Open the sources it lists and check prices and specs on the retailer's site.
  4. Read a couple of real customer reviews before buying.

What a good answer looks like

Illustrative example written by the AI My Day team to show the kind of answer you can expect. It is not a captured tool output, and real results vary.

| Option | Typical price | Pros | Cons | Suits | | Model A | mid | quiet, 5-yr warranty | small drum | couples | | Model B | budget | cheap to run | louder | tight budget | | Model C | higher | large capacity | pricier | families | What to check: energy rating, noise (dB), warranty length, delivery and installation costs. I'm not sure Model B is still sold – check the retailer.

Recommended tools

Perplexity searches the live web and shows its sources, which matters when prices and models change.

Perplexity

An AI-powered search engine that answers questions and shows the websites it used.

Free planbeginner

ChatGPT

A general-purpose AI assistant you can chat to by typing, talking or sharing photos.

Free planbeginner

Top tips

  • Check the price and model number on the retailer's own site – AI can be out of date.
  • Watch for sponsored or affiliate content in sources.

Frequently asked questions

Are AI product recommendations biased?

They can repeat whatever ranks well online, including sponsored content. Use them as a starting point.

Can it find the cheapest price?

Not reliably. Use a price-comparison site or the retailer's own site to confirm.

Useful sources

Which AI is best for this?

Not sure which tool suits you? Take the 60-second quiz.

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