There was a time when my family and I bought everything from Sears: refrigerators, stoves, clothes, even computers. But since there are dedicated electronics stores like Best Buy and TigerDirect, no one really thinks of shopping at Sears for electronics anymore.

I've been wondering, though, if we've been missing out on some great deals at Sears. That's why I'm choosing the retailer for today's TechSaver test.

For this savings challenge, I really had to dig deep into Sears.com for deals specifically related to electronics and computers. On the homepage of Sears.com, you'll notice deals on Sharp HDTVs, a Sylvania HDTV, and a Sony Blu-ray player--but that's it. So, I clicked on the Electronics & Computers category and scrolled through the different products to find other things on sale.

What I came back with was the Nikon D40, the Sony BDP-S350, the Sharp AQUOS LC-40E67U, and the PNY USB 2.0 4GB Flash Drive.

Should you head straight to the cashiers at Sears? Find out, after the jump.

Nikon D40
(Regularly $499.99; Now $449.99)--Bad Deal!
PCMag Editor Rating: 4/5 stars
Need a camera to capture your summer adventures, but you're far from a serious photographer? Believe it or not, there are digital SLRs on the market that are designed for the newbie photographer in mind. Although fairly outdated, Nikon's D40 is both compact and lightweight, and on sale at Sears for $450. For a three-year-old camera, I'm surprised that it's even that much for just a 6-megapixel D-SLR. (Today's D-SLRs offer 10MP sensors and up!) But if all you need is a dirt-cheap option, the D40 isn't bad. Unfortunately, the price is: Amazon is selling the same model for $414.99 with free shipping. Still, for an even better deal, go with something a bit more new, like the 10.2MP Pentax K2000, which you can get for around $450. 

Sony BDP-S350
(Regularly $299.99; Now $198.97)--Good Deal!
PCMag Editor Rating: 4/5 stars; Editors' Choice
One of these days I'll invest in an HDTV and a Blu-ray player, but for those who already own an HDTV--you're in luck. Sony's BDP-S350 Blu-ray player offers fast disc-loading times, great DVD upconversion quality, and compatibility with the latest features of the Blu-ray disc format. It's even energy efficient. Would you believe that Sears's quoted price of $199 is actually a great deal? Well, it is! The only thing is that you'll have to pick up this item in store after your purchase it online; it can't be shipped.

Sharp AQUOS LC-40E67U
(Regularly $899.99; Now $799.99, plus 5 percent off)--Bad Deal!
This 40-inch 1080p HDTV features a 6ms response time, wide viewing angles, and four HDMI inputs--all in a stylish black cabinet. Sears has it for $800 with an additional five percent off, which seems like a steal for a 40-inch. But OneCall one upps Sears by selling the HDTV set for $735.89, with free shipping no less! Time to hang up, Sears.

PNY USB 2.0 Flash Drive, 4GB / Attache
(Regularly $18.99; Now $14.99)--Bad Deal!
Carry your important data with you by simply storing everything to a portable flash drive. This model, from PNY, offers 4GB of storage. You can have the drive shipped or pick it up at a Sears store. But before you go anywhere, you can get this drive for even less: $8.99 at J&R, plus $2.95 for ground shipping, for a total price of $11.94.

Is a store running a sale that you want me to put to the TechSaver Test? Send me an e-mail at TechSaver@pcmag.com, and I'll investigate.