Has anyone had any luck with cheaper Andorid tablets?  All these tablets like xoom , Iconia and Ee pad are too pricey and they offer way too much for what I am looking to do and spend.

I am looking to get an Android tablet for browsing, email and basic things like that. It also can't be too expensive. 250 bucks or less... Any of these "Archos" or "creative" tablets any good? What about the Chinese knock offs? Anyone can recommend anything specific they found to be not half bad?

Well it depends on the size you would want really. Since the ones you mentioned are all in the 10" screen range. I dont think you can get many Android tablets that size for cheap. You could just get a first generation Galaxy Tablet if screen size isnt that important. Its gotten pretty cheap.

Im personally waiting for HTCs offering that coming out soon, the HTC Puccini.

Cool, the HTC actually looks cool...but i think it will be another 400+ tablet. Samsung Gallaxy is still pricey here in Canada for some reason.

Something like this would do the job no? - http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7212231&Sku=V18-0020

Just for basic browsing, email stuff and such. I don't care for many apps or anything like that...

The only downfall I can see with that one is it is still running Android 2.2,  which is basically a phone OS.  It actually has features that a few of the newer ones dont have like expandable memory.  Sad that a $300 tablet has more features than a $500+ one.

Here is the CNet review on that tablet, they have the same concern I have about the OS. It also doesnt seem to be supported by Google at all as there is no Android Market or the standard array of Google apps, so only 3rd Party apps can be downloaded,

Honestly, I'd wait until one of the 3.0 tablets drops in price to an affordable level. Any non-3.0 system isn't optimized for tablet usage, and, AFAIK has significant losses in terms of speed and performance for online usage (also, no flash).

Couple things to mention.

1. For a tablet you really want an OS designed for a tablet. The only thing that exists now is either Android's Honeycomb or RIM's PNX (the playbook). Everything else is just a phone's OS that is designed to scale in size.

2. For Honeycomb, its just very new and hasn't had the cheap brands come out yet.

You either need to fork out the cash or be patient and wait a few months for eventual horde of knockoff brands that will be here within the next 4 months.

If you don't mind snagging a phone OS build, then any of the 7" fare would be similar as they all run Android 2.2 with potential upgrades to 2.3 (especially if you are willing to root it and upgrade yourself).

$300 w/ honeycomb
http://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-ViewPad-7-Inch-Android-Tablet/dp/B004ALMF6C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307985602&sr=8-2

Various others without honeycomb for cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=android+honeycomb&x=0&y=0#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=android+tablet&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aandroid+tablet

EDIT: ooops came up on a honeycomb search, but that first one is still running Android 2.2. If it were me, I'd wait for the horde. However, if you can't wait just read the reviews and look for one that is cheap with good screen.

I'd also look for one that can be modded by cyanogenMod 7.

Looks like CynanogenMOD 7 (an android 2.3 mod) can be put on three tablets.
http://www.cyanogenmod.com/devices

Advent Vega
Viewsonic G-Tablet
B&N Nook Color

Its easy to root/mod, so this would be my choice.

Thanks for that info.

Yeah Im eyeballing the viewsonic... Its for a trip to mexico, I heard there is free wifi at resort lol. I really don't see myself using it much afterwards so I am not looking to maximize the potential...but it will be cool to start playing with hacks and custom formware if I ever come around to it.

Surprisingly the Nook Color works fairly well.   You don't have to jailbreak the Nook just flash an SD card with Nook Froyo 0.6.8 and your done.  Keeps the Nook under warranty but it's Android 2.2 I believe. 

It works well for what I use it for, web surfing and e-mail.