Looking into getting a PIC programmer for a project, not sure if it's worth it f

[jpanhalt]

It's not the risk of money so much that if it's not working I would have a hard time figuring out if it's because something is wrong with the chip or if it's entirely something else.

That is exactly why I think the best path is to program the chip yourself.  However, $5 + delay is too cheap to ignore.  I would go for it.  If it fails, then plan B is to DIY.

On a personal note, there was never a question in my mind whether to just burn a hex file and/or have someone do it for me.  I like control. To this date for MCU's, the only hex file I just loaded was the operating system for the T-962 reflow oven.  That was 18 years after I picked up the hobby. 

[macboy]

I have a pickit 3 and it does what it is designed to do. One very annoying feature is that it has several different firmwares for different series of PIC. If you don't update it then it won't even identify the connected device. At least that was my experience.

I have a TL866CS (not II) which I use frequently. I've used it for old parallel programmed PIC devices (e.g. PIC16C54) which can't be used with pickit3. And many EEPROMs, FLASH, AVR micros, and to test some SRAM and logic chips. Very good investment.

I also have an old pickit 1. Utterly useless.