it is not question of reliability-- you will be spending a lot in purchasing normal type programmer- while in system programming ( ISP ) possible in later version i.e., 89s52 and the type of programmer can be assembled by anyone, -i made one in just 20 minutes and used it. costs practically nothing. we don,t need ZIF etc unless the volume of work is too large-- ten ofcourse- you would have purchesd a ready made one.
for hobby and for vey small numbers, and dot-board assembled type will just serve.