With many phones using Gorilla Glass you’d think they’d be no need for screen protector – thin layers of plastic that are stuck over the screen of your mobile phone. Sadly, they are as even the toughest of glass can be scratched by a rogue set of car keys in your pocket.

When I bought my Galaxy S2 I wanted to protect that screen – I’d used a screen protector on my HTC Hero and it had worked well. I’d bought the official HTC version, which cost about £5 for 2. I’d never needed the 2nd as the 1st went on so well – nearly 18 months later the original is still in place perfectly (but now has a scratch on it – that could have been the screen!).

An “official” Samsung version, though, will set you back £10 for just one. If you apply it wrong, it could be an expensive mistake. Others are available, some more expensive, but users seem to complain about “rainbow” effects across the screen.

Instead, I went to eBay and bought the cheapst I could – they cost me a couple of pounds for 6. And it was a good idea to get so many 2, as I managed to get a good fit on the 3rd attempt. However, at that price you can afford to go through all 6 in one go if you need to.

I’d done the same when I bought a Samsung Tocco Lite for my daughter – cheap eBay versions. In fact I too also go through a number before I get the fit 100% right. But the end result always seemed good and, well, they do their job. And it’s the same for my Samsung versions. They’re not as light to the touch as the original glass at first, but over time a build up of grease within the plastic improves this.

Certainly when it comes to value for money they’re worth it.