Funny how we do that, isn't it. We can take 3-4-5 very different pedals, and dial them to sound similar in a demo.
You bet. It’s why demos are really of limited usefulness; you might hear a demo and not like the piece, only because it wasn’t dialed in to your taste. Until you try it yourself, you never quite know what it can do in your hands.
I figure demos are useful to stimulate interest, or rule things out, but only in a general way. Diving in and getting experience are still the best ways.
Being able to get your hands on products is the best way to make a buying decision. Sadly the physical retail store world is teetering on the brink these days.