Should I get the PICKit 2 or 3?
I think the main reason behind PK3 hate is from this review by D.L. Jones.  If you read (watch?) between the lines, D.L. Jones is upset because, well, the PK3 isn't the PK2.  My response:  It's a PIC chip programmer for hobby use, not for production work!  Yes the physical UI is different between the two, but hey, your'e getting a OEM-supplied programmer for very little money that programs just about everything in their lineup (PK2 doesn't), so I wouldn't complain.  Take what they give you!  In the not-too-distant past, programmers were waay more expensive.

At work, we use ICD2 and ICD3 "hockey pucks" and the main reason we don't use PK2 is because the PK2 didn't support a particular micro we wanted to use in the past (the PK3 supports it now), so they had to upgrade.  All of my coworkers said PK3 is probably a good way to start, since the part support problem seems to be resolved.