I've never used anything made by Sentinel, but i don't see how they could be using too good of parts to sell them that cheap. I mean they're sold at stores, so the company obviously sells them for less than what the consumer pays, so it's gotta be stuffed with cheap components. I'm sure they work, but wonder for how long... When talking about preventing fire, you're basically talking about electrical. If you don't want a fire, skimping on your electrical gear would be the last thing i'd do. What i HAVE done is bought cheap controllers in the past, and i don't own a single one to this day, if that tells you anything. A lot of things cost more due to nothing more than added flash or hype. When electrical gear costs more, you're paying for peace of mind and long term reliability. Something to keep in mind.