I have to agree with holymadness, removing the DRM is the only way to make sure your books will be available to you til you die. Of course, then you will need to make back ups of all your ebooks in the event of a catastrophe (which you should be doing for all of your data anyhow). SD cards and such are nice, but an additional offsite backup is important. Have a look at
dropbox for your essential files.
I've never had an issue with any of my Kindles, but a majority of the stories I've heard are that Amazon will replace within warranty no questions asked, and will often replace units out of warranty.
I did have an original Nook where the bezel cracked, and I had no trouble getting a replacement from B&N, but I've heard a lot of unfortunate stories about B&N's service.
Sony makes really nice units, but I'm really surprised by the pricing of the T2. It's a premium price without additional features.
Out of all of my ereaders, my Kindles get the majority of use. It really just is a matter of personal preference, there is nothing wrong with my Sony or Boox.